Contender or Encore?

[Kareir]

Hey All,

First Post
I was interested in getting either a contender or encore rifle as my "home" rifle - we have quite a few small (sika) deer around here.
I was wondering which you would suggest, and what your thoughts on them were.
 I live in ireland, So i've never seen one, but them seem to be well-spoken of..
Also, i was thinking of getting one chambered in .300 whisper - would the subsonic loads be effective out to (say) 200 yards?
If not, what calibre would you suggest? something light-recoiling and bigger than .25 would be great.. And what calibres would be good with a short (20"ish) barrel?

Thanks all,
_Kar.
PS: No reloading over here.

[Grumulkin]

If you'll be using it mostly for deer, I would go for the Encore since it gives you many more choices of centerfire cartridges.  The Encore trigger, out of the box is quite usable but I've had trigger jobs done on all of mine which makes them much better.  The older Contenders had a very good trigger out of the box; I understand that the G2 Contenders have a trigger like the Encore and can benefit from a trigger job.

You note that there is no reloading in Ireland; a pity.  Since the 300 Whisper is a reloading proposition, that's probably not the one for you.  If a bullet from a 300 Whisper hit a deer at 200 yards, it would be effective but a subsonic load isn't going to shoot nearly as flat as a faster load.  Another reason for choosing an Encore rather than a Contender is that most of the Contender chamberings suitable for deer are either reloading propositions or not inherently accurate cartridges.

You say you want a light recoiling cartridge greater than .25 caliber.  I would pick the 7mm/08 Remington.  Many factory loads are available for it, it has a good reputation for accuracy and has mild recoil.  My 7mm/08 Encore has about a 12 inch barrel and provides good accuracy.

[onesonek]

Hi Kar,
Welcome to GBO!
I agree with Grumulkin specially the Contender/ reloading issues,,,,With your situtaion of no reloading, the 7-08 is a great choice. In a 20" barrel, give or take a couple inches, I can't think of a more practical round. And should you have the oppritunity to travel for larger species such as Stag, you'll have enough gun for that too.
Encore  7-08, be my choice in your position.

Dave

[Kareir]

Thanks for the replies, all...

What bullet range is available for the 7mm - 08? And if anyone has an encore chambered in it, what brand does yours prefer?

Also, What barrel length would you suggest? .. i think there may be a 18"+ Law here.. if so, would 20" be sufficent for good accuracy? i know some calibres need a longer barrel.

Thanks,
_Kar.

[onesonek]

First Kar, I pretty sure the factory barrels are 24". You can however have it shortened or go custom to most any length you want. A 20" would make for a real nice short and compact rig with a 34.5" oal. More barrel length would reduced felt recoil and muzzle rise some, but with this round it wouldnt critical anyhow.  Accuracy wise, each barrel has it's own personality, barrel length can have something to do with it in some cases, but generally not in my opinion.
Most factory loadings are 120.gr. with more in the 140 gr. offerings. The 140 would be my choice for an all-around load. You'd have to try a couple different makes to find out what it likes best. Although, for the smaller species of deer, the 120's would probably work fine also. The 7-08 is one of the most practical rounds we got in my opinion, and I'm sure you would happy with it. The length issue would be pretty much a personal choice. But I see nothing wrong with your thoughts on a 20".

Dave

[Kareir]

I was thinking of going custom.. What's the turn around time like?
The price seems pretty good too, for what I hear is a very accurate (MOA) gun.. custom-shopped, it works out at just under $1000, or 600 euro.. Unless i miscalculated somewhere. (that's thumbhole Grey laminate stock and Foreend, matte blue tapered barrel, and frame, plus drilling and tapping for mounts)
  I decided 20" Because currently our rifles are 24-26". I'd like something fairly short and light, as i'd be walking quite a bit in thick forest, and possibly off a high-seat. I'm guessing that the encore is pretty light - what's the recoil like in a 7mm-08? never fired one.

_Kar.

[Grumulkin]

My scoped Encore 7mm/08 handgun will do 1 MOA with my handloads with plain Jane Hornady bullets.  If I were a bit more picky with bullets I have little doubt I could do significantly better.

The Encore action is quite a bit shorter than a bolt action rifle so even a 24 inch barrel isn't that unweildly in my opinion.  The total length of my Encore with a 26 inch barrel and thumbhole composite stock is a bit under 40.5 inches.  Encore barrels are, by the way, already drilled and tapped for scope mounts.  My preference for mounts are the Warne Weaver style bases with their quick detach rings.

As far as recoil is concerned, I would call 7mm/08 mild compared to a 30/06.  If you're concerned about recoil, just have Thompson/Center install their muzzle tamer on your barrel.

As I recall, it took from 4 to 8 weeks to get the T/C Custom Shop barrels I've ordered.