I can't comment on the Encore, but my Contender Carbine is nothing to boast about. The finish is so-so, parts work loose, etc., but it is a joy to carry and the lines are, to my eye, quite nice (except for that etching on the frame).

The Encore, like the new Contender, dispenses with the set trigger mechanism of the original Contender. This allows the hammer to be lowered and reset at will. I recall a transfer bar is used to prevent firing when the hammer is down. My old model has a clunky safety on the hammer itself. The set trigger can be made to give a one pound pull. I think 3 lb is typical for a reworked trigger on the newer models.

I doubt anyone here will berate you for choosing an Encore so long as you use a classic chambering. Any of the better known shops which make barrels for the T/C's will do this for you: SSK, Bellm, Bullberry, and Virgin Valley.

Reamer makers such as JGS have all the oldies available.