Contender closing!

[leftiye]

Hi, I didn't want to hijack EMC45's thread about his contender popping open when fired, so I started this one - my contender won't open.

If you just lightly close it (empty chamber) it opens pretty well, but if it gets closed sharply it takes two hands to open it. Seems as if the locking lugs are wedging into place tightly, and getting pinched so they won't release. FWIW it's a early frame with a .22 rf barrel with the split locking lugs (maybe G2).

I tried polishing the ramps on the trigger housing that retract the locking lugs, and the top of the locking lugs, but it didn't help much.

[fryboy]

i have one barrel that does this with an old frame ( frame is stock ) i believe i read a bit about this on bellm's site and IIRC it does boil down to the locking lugs , that one barrel i have ? a sharp rap with the knife edge of my hand opens it and it doesnt do it with that barrel on any of my other frames [shrugz]

[bearcove]

Thats good, you just need to get the wrist snap/squeeze down. Its how my old frame was that I lost in a fire. Give two of these new ones to have that stuborn one back. It shot good. And a nice trigger.

When the shelf on the frame starts to wear it will get easier, but when it is too easy its worn out.

Hold the gun two hands on the grip, Tip barrel down sharply, and squeeze and stop downward tip of barrel at same time. Should pop right open.

Rod

[leftiye]

I can get it open, it just pi- er, irritates me! And if push comes to shove rapping the trigger guard opens it easily. I've had another contender frame for about thirty years, and it's never been this stubborn.

P.S., I've got a blister from opening and closing it in hopes that it will smooth out.

[bearcove]

I'd rather have a tight frame than a loose one.

They all get loose some day.

[leftiye]

Well, I took the barrel apart, and smoothed the T/C so called machining. I suspect that in the process of smoothing the locking shelf - upper surface of the lugs and all of the upper and lower surfaces of the locking lugs and barrel slot - that some tolerances increased. The upshot was that with quite a lot of cycling the action stopped locking up, and with some more, it got easier to squeeze open too. BTW, the locking area on the top and bottom of the lugs got deeper. My guess is that the newer lugs are too thick for the older frames. (ie new barrel on old frame)

[Iowa Fox]

A few years ago I ordered a new Bullberry barrel. When I recieved it I of course had to pin it to a frame to see how it was. The frame was one I had since new, I could not open the barrel/frame for anything and had to remove the pin to get the barrel of the frame.

Thinking what the heck, I pinned it to another frame and the unlocking mechanism was as smooth as butter. Sometimes a few thousanths stack up will really lock these fine T/Cs up.

[7br]

I have had issues with Eley brand ammo in my contender and in my Dan Wesson revolver. The brass seems to swell around the ejector of the Dan Wesson. Not sure why on the contender.

[leftiye]

I wasn't paying attention (it came that way), and the screw that positions the trigger assembly wasn't screwed all of the way down (allows the rear of the trigger assembly to hang down below the frame)! Apparently, the arms that cam the locking lugs forward via a roller pin beneath the locking lugs in a recess needs to be up behind this roller when the barrel is snapped into battery to keep the locking lugs from getting jammed too far into the recess in the frame - and sticking. Ironically, an old design one piece locking lug barrel was smooth as butter regardless of where these fingers were positioned.

Does anybody know - can a buttstock for a G2 contender be fixed/fitted to an original G1 frame?

[C A Plater]

Does anybody know - can a buttstock for a G2 contender be fixed/fitted to an original G1 frame?

Short answer: No.

Long answer: I've seen one old frame with a G2 grip installed and it wasn't pretty. It's clear the grip angle and position are different. There was a good chunk of the frame sticking out of the grip that with a stout cartridge would probably draw blood. Forearms for G2 will fit older frames just fine but you will need to get a stock for old frames. Fortunately they are readily available in several styles.

[JIMinPHX]

You scarred me. From the title, I thought that you were saying that Contender was closing their doors & going out of business.

[Artful]

You and me both Jim, whew