Any Thompson Center Contender Pistol Fans?

[BigBlue 94]

They all seem to have faded into obscurity. It’s been years since I’ve seen any T/C stuff at gun shows. Makes me wonder how many barrels are in closets and drawers all across the country. Maybe they will resurface in estate sales or something.

Second to last barrel i bought was at a gun show, maybe 3 years ago. Guy had about 10 of them and a couple full pistols. It was a 10" 221FB octagon barrel. I also bought a small forend for octagon barrels. It normally resides on my 8" 44 mag Hotshot barrel.

The last barrel i bought was an auction on Proxibid with like 75 barrels up for sale.

 

[gemihur]

Varmints Beware! 6x223

 

[Stevie-Ray]

Been a fan since the 80s. My Contender was bought with a 14" .30-30 barrel, originally for IHMSA, which was reported to be on the rise here, but never quite materialized. Still I spent many hours at the bench with it, enough to find out it was more accurate than my rifles. The scope is a Leupold 4X. The extra barrel and forend is a 16" .45-70, which I detest, even after having it Magnaported. It gets zero use over the last few decades.

 

[doubleh]

I owned one many years ago in .222 but traded it off, dummy that I can be. Now I kind of have a hankering for another. Of course I waited until T/C is out of business before developing the hankering. If I run across a barrel in an interesting caliber or even a complete gun I may get back in the Contender pistol business.

 

[Anchorite]

Sure hope someone steps in and buys T/C. I’d like to see them survive. I’d like to pick up a few more frames for my barrels.

 

[Brutus54]

Have a thing for 14" contenders. Have .41Mag, 35Rem and 45/.410 Bbl. I have hunted with them all and I have to say the 45/.410 for rabbits, squirrels and grouse has been the most fun and challenging.

 

[Anchorite]

Have a thing for 14" contenders. Have .41Mag, 35Rem and 45/.410 Bbl. I have hunted with them all and I have to say the 45/.410 for rabbits, squirrels and grouse has been the most fun and challenging.

I have a 22 Hornet barrel that is so much fun to use for small vermin.

 

[gemihur]

Keep your eyes on SSK Industries
https://www.sskfirearms.com/receiver-ssk-50-complete-1251.html
They may just offer the clone product line once they work out the bugs and gain allegiance with contractors

 

[Anchorite]

Keep your eyes on SSK Industries
https://www.sskfirearms.com/receiver-ssk-50-complete-1251.html
They may just offer the clone product line once they work out the bugs and gain allegiance with contractors

I thought this SSK project had been talked about for a few years….with still no production in sight.

 

[cfullgraf]

In the early 1980's, I bought a 10", 357 Magnum Contender for IHMSA silhouette. It worked well in production class. I added a Super 14" barrel chambered in 7mm International Rimmed barrel so that I could shoot Unlimited class with the gun. It was a reasonable, cost effective way to get into the Unlimited class.

Later, I got a 10" 22 Hornet barrel that I had rechambered for 221 Remington Fireball.

I've added two more first generation frames, one is now a 22 Hornet carbine and the other is a 221 Remington Fireball carbine (Bullberry barrel and stock). Both are near the most accurate rifles that I own. They are great critter guns for around our horse farm.

In the early 2000's, I bought an Encore. I am not impressed with it as T/C dropped some of the trigger adjustment features found on the first generation Contenders. I have a 243 Winchester and 6.5x55 M.S. barrels for it and it shoots OK after some trigger work but I', mot interested in adding any more barrels for it.

As a result, I have little interest in the second and third generation Contender frames and am happy with what I have at present.

 

[dh1633pm]

I am not really a fan of the Contender. Mostly ignorance and lack of understanding. Hence I have read all the posts on the thread. Gotta learn somewhere. My dad is giving me one with two barrels, 44 Mag and 17 Remington. I have shot it a few times. When I get it, I will take some time to get to know the platform.

 

[BigBlue 94]

I am not really a fan of the Contender. Mostly ignorance and lack of understanding. Hence I have read all the posts on the thread. Gotta learn somewhere. My dad is giving me one with two barrels, 44 Mag and 17 Remington. I have shot it a few times. When I get it, I will take some time to get to know the platform.

If the 44mag has a weird barrel extension, it should be removed for regular 44mag. Some 44 mag barrels were for 44HotShot. 44 cases with 2" long shot capsules. The extension is a straight rifled choke that also slices the shot capsule.

 

[xphunter]

I came across my Thompson center contender pistol frame. Back around 2000 I was shooting silhouette weekly with .22lr at our indoor club. I had bought a super 14 barrel .22lr barrel and used a red dot at 25 yards which was perfect.
So I decided to get a 10" .22lr barrel, and a 10" .44 magnum barrel for it. I would like to use the .44 for handgun deer season in my state next year.
So are there any enthusiasts here who can recommend a good .44 magnum load for hunting and practice?

I have the next thing to a Contender frame - G-2.
22lr, 224 Valkyrie, 7x30 waters, and a 30-30AI barrels. 22lr is 10" , and the others are 14"
It mostly get neglected, as I have other specialty pistols that work better for me, but they are fun to shoot

 

[Anchorite]

I just hope someone either buys TC or starts making frames. It’s a company with history and a product like no other. I hope it survives.

 

[BRatigan]

I won a ton of IHMSA matches in the 90s with a 10 inch 7TCU. Amazing triggers and sights.

 

[Barr]

I was just at the local gun shop yesterday and they had three Contender frames and 5-6 barrels. It is a fascinating platform to tinker with. Everything from plinking up to medium size deer from one gun.

The Encore carbine in a custom 20” .454 Casull carbine w Skinner sights is most impressive w .45 LC as cheap practice rounds is a real pleasure.

 

[MI2600]

I got into the TC craze back in the 70s. At first it was calibers to duplicate my old '92 Winchesters, 25-20 up to 44-40. Then I drifted off the beaten path with calibers from .22LR to .44 mag, with barrels from 10" to 14". I still have them all, but I can't remember the last time I shot them.

 

[JFrame]

I got a stainless steel Contender back in the 80s... The original configuration was with a 10" .44 magnum barrel.

I've since added a 16" blued .44 mag barrel, but the Contender has spent most of its life in some flavor of .22 LR (12" blue, 14" ss Super Match, and 23" ss).

Here she is in some of my favorite configurations:

With the 14" Super Match barrel, I call this the "Hammer of Squirrel"...


It's only done range time, but with the 16" .44 mag barrel, I always thought this configuration might make a decent brush-busting carbine...


With this 23" .22LR barrel, I've found it surprisingly accurate and fun with Super Colibris out to reasonable distances...

 

[CraigC]

I lusted after them for years, reading about JD Jones' exploits in the `80's. Didn't get one until 2yrs ago. Found this octagon .22LR with a Leupold 2x at a price I couldn't walk away from.



Added a 7mmTCU barrel and took this nice buck the same year. I've since gotten a 6.5JDJ barrel but haven't done anything with it yet. COVID has altered all my hunting plans.

 

[Blkhrt13]

I’ve never seen one for sale in a store or at a show. I have an awful need for a 44 mag. Can think of a few others too.

 

[Trashyshoots]

I am a fan but do not yet have one myself. I’m waiting to see if SSK will finally release the ssk-50 frame. They bought the rights to the contender from smith and Wesson and are trying to produce a new frame that will work for g1 and g2 parts. They have had some delays over the past 2 years but it looks like they are supposed to be ready at the end of this month. We will see.

God I hope so.

I love contenders, I have a g2 with a .22 match mgm barrel and a 223 mgm barrel. I would love to get more, but need to chill out on spending atm.

 

[RKRCPA]

I lusted after them for years, reading about JD Jones' exploits in the `80's. Didn't get one until 2yrs ago. Found this octagon .22LR with a Leupold 2x at a price I couldn't walk away from.

Same story here, always wanted one but just never got around to it. Then one day a few years ago I wandered into the LGS and came upon a 44mag Contender with scope and had to take it home.


I have since acquired a 41mag barrel and am on the lookout for a 22LR.

 

[Anchorite]

Does anyone know anything about the Prohunter frames?

God I hope so.

I love contenders, I have a g2 with a .22 match mgm barrel and a 223 mgm barrel. I would love to get more, but need to chill out on spending atm.

They are just such an innovative system, surely someone will pick them up and resume production. I keep telling myself this. Maybe I should call S&W and see if they will owner-finance, and I can quit practicing law.

 

[gemihur]

It's great to see this resurgence in a 'dying' platform.
I've never slowed down with the little break-actions
My latest is a 30 Raptor by Reeder
Uses 204 Ruger brass necked up to 308"

 

[gemihur]

Kinda like a 30 TCU+P