I have a quick question or two from the Encore & Contender fans out there. I am interested in getting into handgun hunting, and looking at the Contender or Encore. If one were to purchase the Contender or Encore Pistol, say in 44mag. Is it possible to buy the rifle stock & forend & barrel to make it a rifle? Or is the pistol action different from the rifle action as far as stock fit goes?

I don't have one so my answer is not 100%. I think you can with the Encore but not with the Contender. I would wait for a definate answer from some one who has done it here.
Cheezywan

The frames are the same for both. Legally, you can convert the pistol to a carbine, but you can NOT convert a carbine to a pistol. If you are mostly thinking of handgunning the Contender is the better option as it is smaller and light and makes a handier package. It can also become a handy and light and deadly carbine especially for youths and women. I have a father-in-law in his mid 70's with shoulder problems that has trouble with weight and recoil. I put a 26 inch 6.5 JDJ barrel on the contender frame and he thumps deer with it with great results. The contender also has the option of rimfire and centerfire barrels so is versatile. And if you want a big bore, the 45-70 will fill the bill for you, handgun or carbine. I have both and like both, but I usually use the encore in rifle guise and the contender in pistol.

Idoc

Thanks for the feedback, am looking at the T/C setup in 44 mag, possibly to go to the 460 s&w or the 500 s&w later on. That would stick me with the encore. Not sure yet what I will do. Still considering maybe just a ruger SA or DA in 44mag

Got to mention, the basic Contender already gives you a "free bonus" over revolvers...more vel. for the same length from the solid breech and even the 14" barrels aren't all that unmanagable.


Back "in the day" had a thing for the old light weight octogon barrled contenders...collected and shot as many of those barrels as I could. The old ocotogon 44mag. 10" barrel was a handful with the top loads of the time...which were the old Norma "Carbine" loads...that steel jacketed soft point wouldn't expand on a brick. Early Contenders attaqched the fore end by way of a spring loaded latch (kind of like some shotguns), which really gave you a work out....that .44barrel would jump up to near vertical in your hand,unlatch that forened, and send it downrange at every shot with those old Norma loads, forcning you to get up and trot down range to pick it up.

Even the skinny octogon 30-30 barrel wasn't as bad a recoiler as that 44mag.

Thanks for the feedback, am looking at the T/C setup in 44 mag, possibly to go to the 460 s&w or the 500 s&w later on. That would stick me with the encore. Not sure yet what I will do. Still considering maybe just a ruger SA or DA in 44magTo go to 460 you need to purchase Encore receivers not contender read this about encore http://www.sskindustries.com full explanation about the Encore btw I have 3 encore receivers registered as handguns: 243 & 460 rifle barrels and 15" 454casull & 30-06 pistol barrels.

Actually, by special BATF ruling, it IS legal to go back and forth between pistol and carbine versions with the Encore or Contender...IF you never have a pistol barrel installed on a frame at the same time as a carbine stock.

That combo is viewed as a short-barrel rifle and is illegal.

So, if you own both carbine and pistol barrels/stocks the correct procedure is to ALWAYS switch the stocks first, then the barrels. (Yes, it is silly. But we're talking BATF here - never known for overmuch common sense.)

The absolute safest procedure is to buy two frames, and keep one permanently as a carbine, the other permanently as a pistol.

Finally, the older Contender (including the newer G2) is limited in cartridge selection. It's a case diameter/peak pressure limit, so both factors must be considered. But fat, high-pressure cartridges are out.

The Encore can handle SOME fat high-pressure rounds, but the recent crop of really fat rounds are still too much for the available frame and barrel diameter. So no WSMs in an Encore, for example.