T/C handgun for next purchase - input wanted (please!)

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duck911

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Hey folks,

I have a few extra bucks in my pocket and I am considering my next purchase.

I am really curious about a T/C handgun (not sure which flavor).

I hunt mostly waterfowl and big game, so most of my collection currently consists of rifles and shotguns. I do own 2 handguns (semi-auto 9 MM and a .357 wheelgun). My rifles include a .17 HMR, .204 Ruger, .22, .270, 30 carbine, 7.62x39 SKS, and 50 Cal muzzeloader.

Here are a few general questions I have, in no particular order:

1) Are T/C handguns accurate enough to hunt with? How about for semi-serious target work?

2) Do you prefer open sights or scopes, and, if scoped does a barrel/scope combo hold it's zero when removed and reassembled?

3) How does center fire caliber recoil compare to a rifle of the same caliber?

3) I really like the mix-and-match qualities this option has to offer, athough I do not anticipate owning 20 different barrels (ammo is NOT cheap in big bore calibers and I do not have enough access to range time to work up loads for 30 different calibers!) Do you have any favorites or suggested combos? I do not own a .22 handgun.... Can a .22 barrel shoot 22 LR, shorts, etc? Any thoughts about overlapping existing rifle calibers or going with entirely new rounds?

What are some other pros and cons I have not thought of? Basically, this sounds like a fun, multi-caliber option to look into, but it will only work for me if it holds it's own as an actual handgun.

Any and all thoughts appreciated!

--Duck911
 
GO for it. You will LOVE the TC and you will get hooked on handgun hunting. I have an old TC Contender with a 30-30 barrel and a .223. Both are the 14" ss ones and both are scoped.

Accuracy? HECK yeah! The .223 will do 3/8-5/8" at 100 yds (3-9 variable scope) and the 30-30 will do 3/4-1" at 100 (4X scope) any time I can! (My reloads.)

I have taken several deer with the 30-30 and lots of vermin with the .223. Shooting the 30-30 at the range has caused more than one lever gun shooter to get disgusted and put theirs in the car and leave cause they can't compete with its accuracy.

Recoil? Well, it's different from a rifle. I find the 30-30 to be kind of a 'push back and ride up' kind of recoil. Certainly not painful nor even un-nerving, but you do need to shoot them to get used to them.

You really need to get yourself one and give it a try. I'm quite sure you will really enjoy it and it will put a new experience and new challenge into your shooting. HAVE FUN!
 
The T/C Contender pistol is the most versatile pistol in the world
with factory barrels you have a very good selection of calibers
add SSK and Bullberry barrels and there is no limit to how much fun you can have. Figure that you can have a pistol with a 10 -14 inch barrel or a carbine or a full length rifle or a shotgun what more could anyone want. yes,I know single shot but that's the challenge.
 
Thanks for the input guys. Single shot does not concern me, it actually appeals to me on a number of different levels.

Quick question: Is the pistol frame convertable to a rifle? Do you just remove the pistol handle and add a buttstock? Highlander, I am a little curious about your statement that upi have a rifle, handgun, and shotgun all in one. I am looking at the PISTOL frame, but can it be converted to the other types of firearms?

Also, for those of you with scoped barrels: the scope rides ON the barrel, so it holds it's zero even when the barrel is removed and put back on, right?

thanks,

--Duc911
 
duck,

Your best bet is to buy a frame/pistol and call in to T/C 603-332-2333 and ask them if the serial number is actually for a pistol. In that case, you register it as a pistol and whenever you want you can just replace the grip with the shoulder stock (or a Boyds Thumbhole Stock) and put on a 16" or larger barrel depending on your needs and there you go, you now have a rifle/shotgun.

Most all the barrels are drilled for rear sights and the scope bases drop right on so as long as you store the barrel/scope combo correctly it should keep zero.

You will also want to see what you are buying, there are a few variations:

First Generation (G1)
Model 1 - No Safety, Firing pin selector on face of hammer, rotated with a flathead screwdriver to change rimfire/centerfire
Model 2 - Cross-Hammer Safety, Firing pin selector on face of hammer, rotated with a flathead screwdriver to change rimfire/centerfire
Model 3 - Firing pin selector/safety on top of hammer, change rimfire/centerfire by moving a small lever/pointer

Second Generation (G2) Current production
Similar to Model 3 of the G1, but it is slightly heavier, does not have the cougar engraving on the side, and the angle of the grip is increased to allow for better recoil management.

Personally I chose the G1 3rd model, and have my FFL heading out to the seller right now, already have a .30-30 Super 14 barrel reblued and waiting, and a SS .22LR 10" being passed over to me. WAY to many barrels to pick from, but the .45LC/.410 is a must-have. Skeet shooting with a pistol? You better believe it :evil:
 
duck911,

I will be honest with that first issue...as far as I know Thompson Center addressed that with the Govt. and they found that as long as the frame is dissasembled without a pistol barrel on it, then you put on the rifle stock and then a carbine length (16" or greater) then you should have no worries.

I have two frames and one was originally a pistol but I converted it to rifle...it now keeps my 17 HMR and 45-70 company...

Zero will not be lost...each frame mounts its own scope...

recoil is a bit diffrent...say the 223 there is NO recoil...the 44 mag has a bit of kick...and the 45-70 and 445 supermag will make you want to go get a wrist brace.

Best calibers you can get for the handgun version of a TC...hmm...

10-12" 357 Mag...you can load up 180 gr. Silhouette bullets and get them to pretty good velocities...and still shoot 38 specs in there...if you really wanna get crazy then get a 357 Max and get it jacked up to almost 35 Remington in that length barrel.

12-14" go with a 223 for varmints and a 30-30 or 35 Rem for harvesting deer and hogs. If you like to handload, then go with a 7-30 Waters or another oddball caliber like a 309 JDJ or such...

14-16"...this is where you can have some REAL fun....look into a 444 Marlin or a 45-70 Govt....444 Marlin is right at the ragged edge of what a TC can take...but brother...its a thumper...same goes for a 45-70...plus if you get it in 16" then you can either shoot it as a pistol or rifle. Same goes with a 30-30...with a 16" carbine rifle and spitzer loaded 30-30, you can really see what that old, dated cartridge can do. :p

Hope this helps a bit...

D
 
T/C come in two main flavors that are not interchangeable. The most common is the Contender- G2 family. The new G2 barrels will interchange with all the contender barrels and one of the others outlined the differences in the contender line. There are also the Encores. The Encore is the first attempt to improve over the contender. It has much thicker reciever sides and can handle nearly any rifle caliber as well as the pistol calibers. Down side is its much heavier, the barrels do not interchange with the contenders and the are not provisions for rimfires. My recommendation for barrels for someone who doesn't reload are: 22 LR Match barrel 10", 223 in Super 14 or larger, and a 10" in a large bore pistol caliber either 357 Mag or Max or a 44 Mag. From that point you will be hooked and then your on your own:evil:
 
Contender still holds World Record @ 500 yards or meters

The record, set years back with an iron-sighted Contender is .75" by 3.5" at either 500 yards or meters (I believe 10 shots). Call T/C, they can tell you.

This, according to the good folks at T/C. ALL T/Cs come with a 1" warranty @ 100 yards with hand-loads. Encores and Contenders as well as G2s are excellent.

Doc2005
 
Forgot to mention accuracy:banghead: Nearly everyone that starts in silhouette competition starts with contenders because they are the most accurate, inexpensive gun on the market. My experience is the average contender barrel will shoot with the average bolt action rifle for accuracy. A really good barrel will shoot amazing groups on par with very high end target guns. The amazing barrels in my collection are: 22 K hornet 10" octagon, 223 Super 14 and 6.5mm TCU in Super 14. The 6.5 mm TCU is in a struggle with my XP100 in 7mm Benchrest for most accurate centerfire GUN I own.:D
 
Not to cause an argument with db_tanker, but you may want to check with your local setup on registration before you purchase. Although this whole thing is moot if you are going to buy a complete gun, not just a frame.

Here is how I understand it, if you buy a T/C Contender Frame and it came from T/C as a pistol model, it will always need to be registered as a handgun if you state/county/etc requires such registration. After you own it, you can convert it to a Rifle with the longer barrel & stock but it will still be considered a handgun on your permit.

The one thing I have not heard, is if you buy a Frame that was a Rifle/Shotgun when it left T/C what steps would be needed to register it as a handgun so that you can put the shorter barrels on it.

Again, if you are planning to just buy a complete pistol, then there shouldn't be any problem.
 
1) Are T/C handguns accurate enough to hunt with? How about for semi-serious target work?
Click to expand...

More accurate than a lot of rifles. My .30-30 12" hunter barrel shoots 1.5 MOA with a 2X scope. 200 yard shots are not a problem with a good rest, though a little more power in the scope would help. It is plenty possible to get sub MOA from a Contender.

2) Do you prefer open sights or scopes, and, if scoped does a barrel/scope combo hold it's zero when removed and reassembled?
Click to expand...

My barrel/scope combos seem to always be on, though I always check before deer season or going squirrel hunting with the .22. A scope is a must if you want to get the most out of such an accurate handgun at long ranges. I have a 7mm TCU barrel with a IHMSA rear sight on it I used when I was shooting IHMSA and a .410-45 Colt barrel that are iron sighted, but any high power caliber for hunting I'll scope.

3) How does center fire caliber recoil compare to a rifle of the same caliber?
Click to expand...

My 12" hunter barrel in .30-30 Winchester has the TC built in compensator on the front. It's kind of loud to shoot, but it recoils about like a +P .38 in a 4" K frame, very easy on the hand if not the ears.

3) I really like the mix-and-match qualities this option has to offer, although I do not anticipate owning 20 different barrels (ammo is NOT cheap in big bore calibers and I do not have enough access to range time to work up loads for 30 different calibers!) Do you have any favorites or suggested combos? I do not own a .22 handgun.... Can a .22 barrel shoot 22 LR, shorts, etc? Any thoughts about overlapping existing rifle calibers or going with entirely new rounds?
Click to expand...

The .22 barrel can shoot short/long/long rifle. I've fired CB shorts in it as well as LR ammo. It is an extremely accurate barrel, more accurate than my Ruger 10/22. :D I have a 2x scope on it and use it for squirrel hunting and take rested shots out to 50 yards with it. It will out shoot ANY .22 handgun that I've ever seen, probably not match grade stuff, but maybe even my buddy's Smith M41! He doesn't have a scope on his so it's sort of an unfair comparison.

I love the .30-30 for deer and hog. The thing kills like lightening. I shoot a 150 Nosler ballistic tip to about 2100 fps. So far, I've killed deer to 90 yards with it. You can keep your .44 mags, this thing is the real deal. I'd like to get a .45-70 for my old Contender, but haven't yet. The .223 barrel would be fun, but I don't have a real use for one. When I got the .30-30 set up and after the first couple of kills with it, I lost all interest in anything else for deer and hog, though. It's that awesome.

What are some other pros and cons I have not thought of? Basically, this sounds like a fun, multi-caliber option to look into, but it will only work for me if it holds it's own as an actual handgun.
Click to expand...

Pros are laser like accuracy not possible in any revolver regardless of cost. Also, rifle rounds like the .30-30 outperform big bore handgun rounds short of .460 or something and especially at long range. A .44 mag ain't got squat on the .30-30 at 150 yards. I'm still laying down over 1000 ft lbs at that range. I've got 960 ft lbs at 200 yards and the accuracy to use it at that range! Yeah, you ain't got, but one shot, but you don't need, but one shot with that sort of accuracy. I carry spare ammo in a koplin cartridge carrier designed for putting over the stock of a rifle. I put it on my off side shooting arm. When I shoot, I break the gun, yank the empty out, grab a reload an stuff it in, and close the action. I can do that almost as fast as a rifleman can work a bolt. It's not a big handicap in a hunting situation, though I've yet to need a second shot.

Some will say the Contender isn't a handgun, but a "hand rifle", creating a new category for it. I'll go along with that with those Savage "strikers" or an XP100 or something, little more than a restocked carbine, but the Contender, to me, is a handgun. It's compact enough that I carry it in a shoulder holster which one cannot do with an XP100. It even looks like a handgun, not a cut down rifle. Actually, the Contender carbine looks like what it is, a pistol frame with a rifle stock added to the handgun's grip and a long barrel. That TC rifle stock just looks goofy because it's added to a handgun frame.;)
 
I HATE my contender SO MUCH...

but only because it keeps costing me money...

a shoulder stock here, a 21" barrel or 5 there, some 10, 12, 14, and 16" barrel or 9 too...

scopes on them, a holster for it...

then there's all the darned ammo it likes...

those custom made necked up .223 cases used to make into 7MM TCU ain't cheap! (but they sure are fun to shoot!)

when I bought the darned thing, I really THOUGHT I had NO FLIPPIN' USE for a single shot pistol with a long barrel... the reason I got it was for the novelty of having a 10" barrelled 45 Long Colt/.410 Bore Shotgun...

then a 10" match target .22 barrel with scope seemed a bit cool...

Next it was that durned 7MM-TCU...

THEN handloading pointy 30-30 rounds seemed nice... (I have a 30-30 bolt gun too, so these can be really fun and useful!)

many hundreds of dollars later, my father and I have something like 29 barrels, 4 frames, and 23 different calibers...

all in all, I'd say "TRY IT, YOU JUST MIGHT LIKE IT!"
 
yeah...TC's are pretty much synonymous with words like addiction, crack, reloading, sickness, etc etc....

it will burrow deep like a tick and not let you go. :)


Instead of getting a whole bunch of barrels, though...I prefer to keep a managable count and when I grow tired or bored with one I ship it off and get another... :D

dunno how long I can keep that up, though....

D
 
You ever see somebody shoot a cigarette looking at the end of it. I do it once in a while with my T/C 22 match at 50 yards. Also with the ones I grew up shooting I have killed everything from bull frogs to Angus bulls.
 
I really like the 7-30 Waters if you want a nice deer round.

Great platform and if you keep an eye out you can pick up barrels for a good price. Also nice that there is now more paperwork to do once you have the frame.

I prefer mine scoped if it's a rifle caliber. I'm just not good enough with iron sights to really max out a rifle round in a pistol.

Plus with the .22 barrel and Colibri rounds you can shoot almost anywhere it's legal since the noise is very low.
 
My rifles don't get much attention since I got into Contenders. I've fired everything from 22 hornet to 444 Marlin in mine and recoil was manageable in all of them (to be honest, 50 rds was about all I wanted outta the triple 4). One word of caution, it doesn't matter what you register the frame as, the BATF already has that serial number registered one way or the other. If you put a pistol barrel on a frame that they have listed as a rifle frame you are technically in violation of the law. That being said, I don't know many agents spending time at the target ranges running numbers on single shot pistols. If you're really interested in getting neck deep in these things look these guys up. http://specialtypistols.infopop.cc/eve
 
I am a little concerned about the long gun/handgun legalities...

The gun shop where I looked at these caters to the local law enforcement officers and they are pretty experienced in firearms and the laws.

They simply told me they run the firearm through the background checks as both a longgun and also as a handgun. It sounded like they set the paperwork up to look like a 2 gun purchase.

Colorado has no registration for firearms at all. So, realistically the state doesn't care what I own.

So at this point, I'm still not sure if swapping barrels and going from a rifle to pistol and back again is legal!

--Duck911
 
Thanks mcgunner, I have also been reading some past threads :eek:

It looks like if I buy an Encore/Contender shipped as a PISTOL, I can legally make it a rifle by adding a buttstock and a barrel over 16 inches and change it back to a pistol anytime.

If the gun was purchased as a RIFLE, I cannot legally make it a pistol, PERIOD.

At least, I think I have that right..........

It begs the question, why would T/C even sell a rifle? Sell it as a pistol so folks have the ability to change the configuration!

--Duck911
 
Also, is it true to say that an Encore cannot shoot rimfire but the G2 can?

Can Encore rifle barrels work on a G2?

I'd like a G2 so I have the rimfire option (and de-cock without opening the action) but it looks like the Encore has many more desirable rifle barrel options!
 
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