TC Contender RIP after 30 yrs?

[Leadmelter]

I was talking with the owner of my favorite gunstore and I asked my about getting a G2 case harden frame.
He told the Contender is no longer made and the custom shop is gone.
True?
Leadmelter
MI

[donald duck]

How Sad!! Just acquired a G2 and love it. Would like to sell the 14 inch brand new barrel with front and rear sights that came with it. The caliber is for 30-30. I happen to like my 7-30 Waters better. my e-mail is dworley790@gmail.com Asking $235.00 and will pay the shipping & insurance.

[Tatume]

Hi Donald,

Try listing it here:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/forumdisplay.php?18-Swappin-amp-Sellin

Take care, Tom

[Jupiter7]

The G2 isn't out of production, right?

It's still active in pistol and carbine form on the website. It's been on my need to buy list for a few years, necessity has reared it's ugly head as I delve deeper into casting, seems like a perfect fit.

[FLHTC]

They stopped production and blamed it on the transition but its doubtful you'll see the Contender again. I was able to aquire three G2 frames lately and they ain't going anywhere.

[rking22]

this thread reminds me I have a 357 Herrett 14 inch,, Need to get it from back and shoot some cast in it! Opps , sorry the ADD thing kicked in!

I have liked the contenders since my first one in 1976 , never took to the encore. Sorry to see it go. No need at all to look in the TC catalogs now :(

[Four Fingers of Death]

That might be why I saw a 22LR barrel being made for the Encore. Like Remington with the 788 and 700, too expensive running both,although they now produce the 700 and the 783.

[Buzzard II]

Bummer! Looks like I'll be keeping my older Contender to hopefully pass on to a family member.

[DeanWinchester]

I just got my first contender. Just found out what a joy they are. ......and they quit making em. That sucks.

[Gibbs44]

Well, maybe they'll reconsider. I hope they don't shutdown production forever. It is pretty high on my wish list.

[35isit]

My information has them not quite dead yet. Just going to be a while before you see any G2s because of capacity issues. S&W is building so many autos and other guns at this time.

[Iowa Fox]

At the Shot Show 2012 S/W-TC had a meeting with the large distributors. They told them the Contender G2 will be disappearing no matter what they might be telling folks these days. Pitty that S/W had to acquire such a fine company just to gut it and leave all the dedicated employees that took great pride in their work out in the cold. Take good care of your frames guys as there are not many parts floating around for them.

[Shooter]

I wonder if all the parts showing up on eBay is S&W dumping parts. They sold off a bunch of barrels rather than move them.

[Swampcrawler]

****. I had three frames, traded two of them off. Hopefully I can horde at least one of each style (original, easy open, g2) before they go the way of the dodo.

[Kermit1945]

One of a number of reasons to stop buying S&W. Their new stuff is FAR from their long standing quality. Now they seem to have bought a company that was not directly competing in most of their product line. I don't know if their plan was to destroy TC or if they just made a bad business decision. Maybe someone will buy TC and resurect it, but don't hold your breath.

In the mean time, I occasionally buy a nice old Smith revolver--never a new one. I have two Contender E-Z frames, would buy another if one came my way. Barrels are there, used or aftermarket. The Contender won't die, it will just move into a different market. Heck, I'm fond of Hopkins & Allen falling block shotguns, and those can still be found.

[high standard 40]

Now they seem to have bought a company that was not directly competing in most of their product line. I don't know if their plan was to destroy TC or if they just made a bad business decision.

The reason I heard for this aquisition was because S&W wanted to get back into the rifle business and T/C has the ICON platform. The T/C pistols were expendable. For a company like S&W, Contenders and Encores represent a very small market share. They saw no need to continue it.