What would you do with this gun?
- Thread starter stargazer65
- Start date
foghorn leghorn
New member
It's for hunting big game. There's a guy on the outdoor channel who uses one for deer.
Thompson Center makes it, and you can get it in a kit with 4 total setups for 4 different firearms.
He uses shooting sticks. It's not my style, but, to each his own.
Thompson Center makes it, and you can get it in a kit with 4 total setups for 4 different firearms.
He uses shooting sticks. It's not my style, but, to each his own.
Last edited:
GunsAreGood
New member
I would open carry with it.
naw just kidding. I agree with foghorn leghorn.
naw just kidding. I agree with foghorn leghorn.The Great Mahoo
New member
greyson97 said:
Lance Hendrickson carried one as the bad guy in the movie Hard Target, too.
NoSecondBest
New member
The only reasonable use for this type of handgun is where pistols are allowed for big game and rifles are not. An example would be in the western-northern region of New York. They are totally impractical for shooting off hand but are very accurate shooting off of a rail or using sticks. Other than that, they are used for silhouette shooting. I've owned several guns of this type and am quite familiar with them. They are definately a handful when they go off.
DiscoRacing
New member
i have seen a couple in the last yr or so... would like to have one myself if i had the extra cash layin round to get one.
Kreyzhorse
New member
Sell it. I'm sure they are fine guns, but they do not interest me in the slightest.
Standing Wolf
Member in memoriam
I'd buy barrels for it in more manageable calibers and shoot it.
rattletrap1970
New member
Yup, I'd buy a mess of barrels for that. .223 Comes to mind.
dakotashooter2
New member
I have one in 308. FWIW there is no practical advantage of the 30-06 over the 308 in that barrel length. Have shot many deer and a few antelope with it. I've kind of gotten away from it. If I'm gonna hangun hunt I prefer my revolver even though it doesn't have the range. I initially had the contender in 223 thinking it would be a good gun in the vehicle for sticking out the window and popping coyotes (legal in my state) but that didn't work tha well.
FYI while some states allow handgun hunting not all allow handguns which accept a rifle cartridge. Eg. .357,.44,.45 OK .243, 308 not. Check your local regs.
FYI while some states allow handgun hunting not all allow handguns which accept a rifle cartridge. Eg. .357,.44,.45 OK .243, 308 not. Check your local regs.
mikejonestkd
New member
I Love TC products:
MS shooters don't use rests.....and they are capable of doing amazing things with single shot handguns like the TC contender and encore..
MS shooters don't use rests.....and they are capable of doing amazing things with single shot handguns like the TC contender and encore..
stargazer65
New member
I'd probably use it as a sand wedge or putter
Actually a golf bag would probably make the best CCW holster for something like this.
Loks like the Encore to me.
The "big brother" of the T/C Contender. Fine single shots, capable of rifle level accuracy. A good hunting/target handgun, but not so good for CCW or personal defense. Remember, not every handgun has to be good for that, in order to be useful.
The advantage to a gun like this is that it does deliver most of the power of the rifle, in a much more portable package. I habe been shooting Contenders for years, in pistol calibers, but also in .22 Hornet, .222 Remington, and .30-30 Winchester and .45-70 Govt.
The beefed up frame of the Encore allows it to handle large higher pressure cartridges like the .308, .270, and .30-06. They also make stocks and rifle length barrels for these guns, turning them into very handy single shot rifles.
Personally, I never bothered with the high intensity rounds from pistol length barrels (and that goes up to 14"), as I feel that one is just wasting too much powder for too little gain. But there is a gain. You will get more performance from a .30-06 pistol than from a .30-30. Not as much as you would get from the rifles, but you do get some, and that is enough for some people.
And btw, the one Lance Henriksen used in Hard Target was a Contender, in .45-70, with the sights removed. And no, things don't blow up when hit like they did in that horrid movie. Best thing in that movie was a couple of Wilford Brimley's lines, and the slide guitar in the soundtrack!
The "big brother" of the T/C Contender. Fine single shots, capable of rifle level accuracy. A good hunting/target handgun, but not so good for CCW or personal defense. Remember, not every handgun has to be good for that, in order to be useful.
The advantage to a gun like this is that it does deliver most of the power of the rifle, in a much more portable package. I habe been shooting Contenders for years, in pistol calibers, but also in .22 Hornet, .222 Remington, and .30-30 Winchester and .45-70 Govt.
The beefed up frame of the Encore allows it to handle large higher pressure cartridges like the .308, .270, and .30-06. They also make stocks and rifle length barrels for these guns, turning them into very handy single shot rifles.
Personally, I never bothered with the high intensity rounds from pistol length barrels (and that goes up to 14"), as I feel that one is just wasting too much powder for too little gain. But there is a gain. You will get more performance from a .30-06 pistol than from a .30-30. Not as much as you would get from the rifles, but you do get some, and that is enough for some people.
And btw, the one Lance Henriksen used in Hard Target was a Contender, in .45-70, with the sights removed. And no, things don't blow up when hit like they did in that horrid movie. Best thing in that movie was a couple of Wilford Brimley's lines, and the slide guitar in the soundtrack!
fisherman66
New member
Last trip to the range the fella next to me was shooting one in .243. That sucker was loud. Muzzle brakes drive me crazy, but they got nuttin' on TC's pistols.
mikejonestkd
New member
Fisherman,
A regular 15" .243 is mild compared with some of the hotter centerfires. When I shoot my 15" .308 win muzzle tamer barrel with certain loads the entire range house comes over to watch. Its pretty obnoxious - similar in effect to a ruger alaskan in .454...for some reason I just can't bring myself to shoot it all that often anymore...LOL
Here's a pic of the .308 barrel above with the .243 barrel mounted before I got the scope :
A regular 15" .243 is mild compared with some of the hotter centerfires. When I shoot my 15" .308 win muzzle tamer barrel with certain loads the entire range house comes over to watch. Its pretty obnoxious - similar in effect to a ruger alaskan in .454...for some reason I just can't bring myself to shoot it all that often anymore...LOL
Here's a pic of the .308 barrel above with the .243 barrel mounted before I got the scope :
It is a Thompson Encore the big brother to the old style Contender.
I currently am down to one Contender frame and will be picking up another one within the next few months. The 06 is bigger than what I would like to shoot. But I have several barrels for my Contender and I used the Contender in the pictures in the Nosler #4 reloading manual for the 357 Maximum. The Contender is a great gun and can used for Plinking, Hunting, or Target shooting. I have gotten a kick out of out shooting several people with there rifles at 100 yards with my Contender. And yes I have taken deer with it as well.
I currently am down to one Contender frame and will be picking up another one within the next few months. The 06 is bigger than what I would like to shoot. But I have several barrels for my Contender and I used the Contender in the pictures in the Nosler #4 reloading manual for the 357 Maximum. The Contender is a great gun and can used for Plinking, Hunting, or Target shooting. I have gotten a kick out of out shooting several people with there rifles at 100 yards with my Contender. And yes I have taken deer with it as well.