Typically you'll get lots of different opinions to your questions, but that's the nature of the animal and as it should be since some folks (like GB) have a real hard time with TC's and others (like me) almost prefer them over any other type of firearm after having owned a lot of them over the last 42 years (since about a half year after the “C’s” first came out).
Choosing between the Contender/G2 and Encore frame comes down to your long range plans for the frame (which might vary between pistol and carbine/rifle configs). At about a pound heavier, the Encore will safely handle a lot of cartridges that the C/G2 won't. Wildcats developed just for the "C" frames can duplicate many of their ballistics, but there are still many that only the Encore can handle safely. That said, unless you will want to get into the calibers that are Encore only, you can get by just fine with a C/G2 and the wildcats designed for them for hunting almost anything that walks the earth. FWIW, I sold all 6 of my Encores and dozen & half barrels only 2 years after they first came out, because I could do anything I wanted to do with the Contender and its wildcats. In part because I already had so may C frames, wildcats barrels, etc for them, and in part because I liked the weight and other things about the C frames better than the Encore. For somebody just starting new into TC’s now the Encore may be a better choice, especially if you will eventually want to use the magnum factory cartridges.
One of those things I like better (C’s), while you can improve the triggers quite well on the G2/Encore frame’s, they still can't match what you can get on the original C frames. Your 2.5-3 pound trigger thing is about double what my heaviest "C" triggers are, and some are even lighter than that (yet are still safe).
Precision/accuracy with any of the TC frames can be from very good with factory parts (right out of the box) to nearly as good as it gets with some custom upgrades and tuned loads. Technique is a learned trait with TC's that you'll also have to deal with, but it’s an easy and fun bridge to cross. The 30-30 thing sounds like your first duty will be as a deer carbine. The Thirty will do just fine for that. There are also a couple dozen more cartridges for the C/G2, and dozens more yet for the Encore that will do it even better though.
My main thing is long range varmint and predator hunting. While the TC’s can’t match some of my custom wildcat rifles when the ranges get really long, some of them can come pretty close; all of them can equal or better my factory rifles; and all of them are at least MOD (Minute of Digger) out to some pretty impressive ranges on small targets.
Hopefully not too biased and so helpful for you… (although I wouldn't trade one of my Easy Open vintage C's for 2 E frames)
