Author Topic: contender or encore? (Read 913 times)

Elwood · « **on:** June 06, 2003, 03:09:12 PM »

Hello Friends,
I need to buy a new rifle this year as it will be my youngest son's first year deer hunting. His brother killed a buck last year with a contender carbine in 7-30 Waters. It performed wonderfully. I am torn between another Contender carbine in 7-30 or a Encore rifle in maybe 243 or 260. What do you think? How much heavier is a Encore than a Contender? My boy is about 50 lbs perhaps a 16 inch 6mm TCU would be better suited?
Thanks in advance for any advice.
Elwood P. Dowd

KN · « **Reply #1 on:** June 06, 2003, 04:20:52 PM »

I love my Encores but for a kid that size I would stick with the Contender. Quite a bit lighter if he's going to carry it, and several callibers that would be fine for deer. Just my $.02 KN

Possum · « **Reply #2 on:** June 06, 2003, 04:28:08 PM »

The Encore will grow (different barrels) with him as he matures. That's the plus side on the Encore. I let a 12 year old hunt with a Savage 250-3000 last year and he had never shot a rifle much. It kicks way less than a 20ga and even though the factory ammo is limited, it still performs well with the Rem 100gr factory load.

I'm not sure it would have been my first choice if I would have bought it outright instead of with a package deal, but I am carrying it now to deer hunt with just because it is a pleasure to shoot.

My hunting buddy has a beefy 6 year old that killed 5 deer and 4 hogs with a .243 last year and I believe 90gr bullets? Not sure about the gr. since I don't shoot the caliber. It was one of those NEF models. It should be about the same as an Encore in weight. He is a little stocky, but had no problem with a .243 mounted on a bipod. Any of those calibers will work fine. What he did was approach his child's hunting from the setup aspect. They hunted ground blinds and tree stands that had good floors where the bipod helped support the gun.

Looks like a 1lb 8oz difference between a G2 rifle with a 23" barrel and an Encore with a 24" barrel based on the TC website. Contender would probably be lighter still.

Eric N. · « **Reply #3 on:** June 06, 2003, 08:40:58 PM »

Compared to the Contender,the Encore is a pig.(Weight) This might be a job for the G2,and the 7-30 Waters. Fox Ridge does offer a Bantam sized butt stock for the Encore at $125.

Greyfox · « **Reply #4 on:** June 07, 2003, 03:05:03 AM »

tough choice, I personally prefer the Encore in rifle configuration. The Contender is too light for me. But then, you're getting for a little fella. Last summer I had to consider the same options for my son, who isn't a whole lot bigger than your little guy. We chose a Contender carbine and picked up a 21" 6TCU from VVCG in one of their Wilson blank sales. Even though it's a bit light for me, this is one sweet shooting combination. My boy took his first buck with the TCU, a little eight-point that I just had to get mounted for him.

Consider the 6TCU.

Rick

onesonek · « **Reply #5 on:** June 11, 2003, 04:26:25 PM »

There are good points on both side here. But if it were me, I'd get an Encore in a 260, or 7-08, for the brother. And let the little yonker use the 7-30. Unless he won't give up the 7-30. Just an alternative that you might consider.

On