TC Contender 101?

[s mac]

I just acquired a new to me Contender, and I'm excited about it. I've been shooting rifles all my life, but this is something new. Are there any pointers you guys can give me? I plan on using it to target shoot, and to deer hunt. 223 Remington, 44 Remington mag, and 7x30 Waters are the barrels.
In particular any tips about how to grip, or any other pertinent info would be appreciated.

[35 shooter]

Don't have a contender but i do have an encore. When shooting off a rest at the range you'll probably have best results placing the front rest as close to the frame (within an inch or two) as you can. Also seems best not to put any downward pressure on it when shooting from a bench. I used to rest mine at a certain point toward the forend but toward the receiver does seem to work better.

Word of warning....they're addictive. Since i got mine 2 years ago, it's all i use anymore.

[clownbear69]

Make sure to check out local places that buy used firearms. Many of the times you can get a great deal on barrels. At least this was my experience when I worked at cabelas because there was very little market for Contenders so we wanted out of the door as soon as possible

[Iowa Fox]

The Contender/Encore platform is one of my favorites and I have been enjoying them for over 40 years. In the calibers you list do not be tempted to try a 10" barrel, stick with 14" as minimum for them. I don't know what it is about the 10" 44 mag but the recoil is beyond brutal, the 14" isn't that bad. The Contender is a great shooter with endless possibilites of conbinations for stocks,grips,barrels, and calibers including shotgun.

Here is a good link for you to start reading if you haven't already been there.
http://specialtypistols.infopop.cc/groupee

[canyon-ghost]

http://sskindustries.com/

Be sure to check rifling twist rates as opposed to common twist rates. The Contenders sometimes use a really tight twist to stabilize bullets in short barrels for rifle cartridges. Unfortunately, that means jacketed ammo has less recoil than lead bullets sometimes. Some calibers will have more serious recoil than one would think. It only makes lead shoot better though.

[shooterbob]

Also consider getting a pachmeyer decellerator grip for use with the gun. I have the 44 mag in 10 in and it is brutal. The pachy helps with all calibers. There are two ways to grip the Tender. The standard pistol grip and I use the two hand, one on forend, one on grip for large caliber stuff. It helps with the recoil as Contenders don't recoil the same as revolvers. Something about the angle of the grips or something makes it recoil back instead of upward as much as a revolver.

[oldred]

BE WARNED!!! As has already been said these things are addictive! I got mine back in '76 and have owned many barrels for it in the past but at present only have my favorites, 357 Herrett, 44 Mag and of course a 22LR. I also have a 21" 204 Ruger barrel with a custom shoulder stock that's just so much fun I haven't used the pistol configuration in months!

As far as the 10" barrels and recoil I suppose that it's differnt-strokes-for-different-folks but I don't find the recoil on the 44 Mag or 357 Herrett to be objectionable at all, of course it will get your attention but with a good grip design (VERY important regardless!) the recoil is quite manageable with both of the heavy rounds and even my wife enjoys shooting them.


Back in the 70's when that thing was new with the original (and atrocious!) broom-handle factory grip that 44 Mag would break a person's wrist! The recoil was so uncontrollable it actually was dangerous to shoot but the situation was corrected after the recoil actually broke that ridiculously poorly designed grip! I carved one from a piece of Walnut that shaped much like the Herrett grip that became popular at the time but I carved it to more closely fit my hand, still even my wife with her much smaller hands finds this thing a lot of fun to shoot so if you like the 10" barrel they can be a lot of fun and quite controllable with the right grip installed.

[Tatume]

There's tons of good information here!

http://bellmtcs.com/store/

[blaser.306]

If you are looking for advice Re: contenders! BEWARE there are enablers EVERYWHERE on this site. I started off with a 7MM tcu and a 22Lr and now have 15 BBl's! The most important advice that can be given as far as I am concerned is lots of trigger time!!! Contenders are an animal all there own that somehow do not play by the same rules as other handguns.

[s mac]

I do hope they are a different animal because my limited handgun use has been disappointing as far as accuracy, on my part I'm sure. I hope being scoped helps. There is a Pachmayr grip included, and all the barrels are 14 in.
Keep the tips coming guys.

[marshall623]

I add to - on sizing your brass make sure head space is correct , any misfires I've had was from not holding the shoulder back. Not sized enough it will not let it lock up properly . I take the barrel off and make sure the case head is flush with the end of the chamber when sizing .It works for me and saves some guess work . I don't know about the 44 but I know you will be amazed by the 223 & 7-30. Tip # 2 how you plan on using it in the field is how you practice Tim

[upnorthwis]

My advise for anyone shooting a Contender is if you are going to shoot a lot, you better get another frame. I presently have three, and that's just to keep one of them running. The other two will be going back for repair again.

[seaboltm]

depends on the barrel length you intend to use. I use 10" barrels. If I need 14" in a pistol, I will simply go to 16" in a rifle. So, in 10" barrels the Herrett barrels make more sense, but I don't own one. I was always able to find good deals on more common calibers. I prefer 30-30 to 7-30, especially in pistols. I have a 10" 44 mag, 10" 30-30, 10" 223, and an 8" 357, and a 10" 45Colt/410. Scoped the 10" 44 isn't bad, even with 310 grain max loads. The 30-30 is snappy, but I have loaded Nosler 125 Accubonds to an honest 2200 fps. The 30-30 barrel has no scope, yet, and without a doubt a good steel scope mount and a good scope add a fair amount of weight. The 223 with a cast boolit and a few grains of Bulleye is my substitute for 22LR.

Warning! Sell it now! they are indeed addictive.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

the 10" 44 isn't bad, even with 310 grain max loads.

Warning! Sell it now! they are indeed addictive.[/QUOTE]

LOL the 10" 44 mag is a hand full was the first barrel that i sold for me i like the 14" barrels had a 223 barrel the hunter 14" shot great but T/C muzzle brake
was just to loud i mean ear plugs and muffs loud i would look for a 22LR barrel and a 30/30 AE

just thought i would add this http://specialtypistols.infopop.cc/eve/forums

[canyon-ghost]

I don't shoot a lot of big bore calibers in TC Contender simply because the wooden competitor grip is what fits my hand. The twist rate on some keep me away, I had a 9mm barrel made by the Custom Shop and they included a 1 in 12 twist. My 5906 shoots a 1 in 18.35" twist. The recoil on the Contender gets serious a LOT quicker.
A scope will help. The TC is really that accurate in hunter's pistol ranges. The NRA had a long standing competition from the 1980s all the way to the 1990s with them. There are ranges for them all over out here with game silhouettes. The nationals were held in Raton.105306

[jeepyj]

My advise for anyone shooting a Contender is if you are going to shoot a lot, you better get another frame. I presently have three, and that's just to keep one of them running. The other two will be going back for repair again.
Curious. What sort of problems are we to look forward to? I picked one upa few months ago and been shooting the heck out of it. At this point it is the most fun firearm I own. Addictive is a bit of an understatement
Jeepyj

[canyon-ghost]

I have shot the 41 magnum in a 14" open sight configuration. I used it as a test to develop loads for my new Blackhawk revolver. It wasn't too shabby for recoil, loved every minute of it. Even when it split the 2x2 holding up the target at 50 yards, I enjoyed it.
You would be surprised at how much off target you are when the front sight bobbles off just 1/16th of an inch! A scope wil tell you. I'm using Leupold VX 2 riflescopes like the illustration but, load development is from the bench. 105309

These are contender loads at 100 meters. The first two are 32-20 WCF. That second one is 7mmTCU with a Burris 3-12 scope. 105311105312 Here's the 22 Hornet that measures .9" at 100 yards with Hornady V-Max 50 grainers. It shoots the Lyman 225438 bullet almost that good. Oh, and there are three shots within that black cross, the wind died down just then.

[canyon-ghost]

I have the first one I bought over ten years ago. Most of my problems with it I can fix. In fact, I've never needed a lot from the factory at all. It is nice that they'll send you new springs if you need 'em.

[ubetcha]

I have a Contender that I bought new in the "80's and have shot IHMSA silhouette with it in a 10" 44mag and a 14" 30-30. Not so much the 44 anymore, but the 30-30 is my favorite. I just purchased a new G2 with a 12" 357mag bbl. The throat on this thing seem a mile long. Very hard to seat a cast bullet out far enough to touch rifling. I was considering rechambering to 357max, but as I understand, if I use 360 Dan Wesson brass, there shouldn't be a problem. SAAMI spec on the chambers for a 357mag is 1.450". 360DW brass is 1.420". I have put an order into Starline for some brass, but now have to wait until enough orders are placed to make a production run. :-(. 357 mag T/C shooters, please order 360DW brass from Starline. :smile: I understand that H&R in 357mag also experience this concern.
One thing I have encountered with this new G2 , is that the hammer is very hard to cock, especially when using one thumb when shooting from the creedmore position during a match. Anyone else have this concern?

[shooter2]

Let the fun begin. I truly hope you have as much fun with it as I did. If you have a local range, go there and see what others may be doing. S2

[xpaholic]

some cartridges were made for 10" barrels and perform very well with that length, like the 221 fireball, 7mm tcu, 30 and 357 herrett. original rifle cartridges usually work better in 14" or longer. pistol cartridges work well in all, but the shorter the barrel the easier it is to carry and shoot offhand. after years of ihmsa and nra silhouette handgun, I would recommend staying away from the pachmayr rubber grip. while it may soften the recoil, it plays havoc on concistant grip pressure and control. the factory herrett finger groove style wood grip seems to be one of the best along with custom target grips for accuracy. one other thing I have noticed over the 40 plus years of having and shooting these, rimmed cartridges seem to be generally more accurate than rimless in G-1 style contenders. good luck with it and welcome to the club. xp

[ballistim]

Lots of good information on the Contender has already been mentioned here, especially regarding proper sizing which usually seems to work best with rimmed cartridges as previously mentioned here. I started with the Contender back in the early 80's while residing in AZ and found myself caught up in the metallic silhouette craze back then using the 32/20 bbl with a light recoiling load and a rifle scope using the hand-over-scope hold and really fell in love with the gun & the sport. I also had a .22LR, .22 Hornet, .223, & .30 Herrett bbls. back then & have since added a .17HMR & a .357 Max 12" bbl chambered by Mike Bellm to hunt whitetail deer legally in southern MI where I live.
I had the pleasure of meeting Bob Milek while he presented an antelope seminar in AZ and he gave me his personal loads including fire-forming loads for my .30 Herrett that I hunted both mule deer & javelina in AZ with. Bob Milek & Steve Herrett were the pioneers of hunting with the Contender developing the .30 & .357 Herrett cartridges that opened the doors to hunting medium sized game with 10" bbls in the Contender. I would recommend trying to dig up any of Bob's writings on the Contender, he along with J.D. Jones of SSK were the individual's most responsible for the success of the Contender along with Larry Kelly of Mag-na-port proving it's use on African game. Hope you have as much enjoyment with the Contender as I have over the years, I've spent countless hours over the years and love all the bbls I own, & will still add more in the future hopefully including a 45/70 & .375JDJ.

[s mac]

Thanks for all the input guys, I haven't had the chance to shoot it yet, my neighbor's cattle want to stay downrange of my range. Maybe tonight.

[s mac]

Well, the cattle were out of the way this eve, I think I'm going to like this. I am glad for the 14 inch barrels,much more recoil would be hard to manage. It's all good.

[jhalcott]

I'm glad to hear that. I have 3 frames that have had trigger jobs (2# pull) but never needed any factory reworking done. I have barrels from .17HMR thru the 45-70. .256 Win Mag 6.5 JDJ, .358JDG and others. Deer hunting and varmints are the usual targets since Silly wets dried up around here. I have used the off hand over the scope or under the fore arm a lot. Now I use a set of walking sticks with a fork on top to hold the barrel.

[s mac]

Off hand over the scope. I hadn't thought about that. I like a rest of some sort, even with a rifle, too much coffee I think.

[quilbilly]

One suggestion on your 223 barrel - The reason I see so many 22 centerfire barrels at gun shows often cheap is that most shooters find the muzzle blast and high pitched crack of those calibers in that barrel to be so unpleasant, they quit using them. If you download your 223 to 22 mag velocities (1600-1800) and use a fast burning powder such as Bullseye, Unique, etc. and get good accuracy, you may find your 223 barrel to be a keeper. Otherwise send them all to me before you get addicted to Contenders like I did in 1975. The addiction is a character flaw.

[s mac]

The plan I have for the .223 is to indeed download it for use as a squirrel gun. Just have to get some dies to begin the process. I think the addiction has already begun.

[jsizemore]

You've already heard the reloading suggestions. If you have some 22lr ammo available, I'd pick up a barrel for practice. Slightly longer barrel time will teach you all the basics in handgun shooting with little recoil.

[ohland]

I just acquired a new to me Contender, and I'm excited about it. I've been shooting rifles all my life, but this is something new. Are there any pointers you guys can give me? I plan on using it to target shoot, and to deer hunt. 223 Remington, 44 Remington mag, and 7x30 Waters are the barrels. In particular any tips about how to grip, or any other pertinent info would be appreciated.

No particular need for a pistol, BUT if you have a hankering for a small rifle, the Contender does a lot of things right. If you will be setting up a Contender as a rifle, and shooting off a rest, take out the front sling swivel (if so equipped). It tends to snag on the rest and introduces random orientation after pulling the trigger.

7x30 in a 24" is good out to 225-250, using a 120gr SSP/Pro Hunter/Ballistic Tip (2600-2700 at muzzle). 300 with good range determination and figuring out the trajectory. Using a 24" bull barrel on a composite stock makes it muzzle heavy. For me, it wants to rotate backwards when on a sling.

[nhmikel]

Looks like a good thread to keep going

[CT-shooter777]

BEWARE there are enablers EVERYWHERE on this site. I started off with a 7MM tcu and a 22Lr and now have 15 BBl's!

Whats next a Contender Rehab program ? :D

[nhmikel]

I hear ya 777