Educate me on the Contender

[s mac]

I'm a new owner on a G1 contender, love it. I recently saw a post in S&S for a Encore barrel that had been shortened, with a pisol grip included. I can't afford to buy it but I am curious to know if any Encore barrel would fit my G1. Any differences?

[Nicholas]

No! Encore bbls can not be used on Contender frames. Vice versa is also the case.

[hornady308]

Check out Ed's Contenders on the Internet. He generally has about one of everything ever made for the Contender and his prices are very fair. Be aware that there are some Contender barrels floating around that are chambered for cartridges that are too hot for the TC unless loaded down in pressure. The 250 and 300 Savage cartridges come to mind.

[jhalcott]

I have Contender barrels from 17 HMR to 45-70 with a lot of stops in between. This is a great single shot fire arm! Extremely accurate with correct loads and FUN to play with. You can not "roll" a can with multiple shots like with a revolver. Scope that barrel and you CAN shoot golf balls at 100 yards and beyond! One frame, one grip and a bunch of barrels (with fore arms!) and you can shoot .22RF for fun. Change the barrel (takes less than 2 minutes) and go hunting with a 30-30 or .35 Remington!

[John Allen]

Contenders are loads of fun. I have way too many barrels and am always looking for more.

[Nicholas]

I will second that about hunting. My 14 inch 30-30 Contender topped with a basic 2x pistol scope works great on whitetail deer during our late season alternate weapons hunt. This combo is accurate, too. The 10 inch bbls of the pistol calibers give a nice boost in velocity and energy over shorter bbl handguns. I have one of the early frames with a classic looking octagonal bbl in 357 that is a really good looking rig. Carry with a bandolier type holster in the field. They are available for either scoped or not.

[Got-R-Did]

Just like most of the previous posters, I have 4 frames of various vintage (1977-1998) and 12 bbls. Took my first Handgun Whitetail with a 10" Bull Barreled .30-30 Win with 2.5-7X28MM EER Simmons scope and a 130 gr SSP Hornady bullet at just over 1,950 FPS. 63 yd shot from a secure rest against a tree trunk and the 11 Pt (150 lb field dressed weight) Buck dropped like a stone.
Of course, unlike others here, I can stop buying barrels anytime I want to............yeah riiiiiiiight.
Lots of custom barrels out there, and most of the standard calibers will do more than one might imagine.
Got-R-Did.

[Lonegun1894]

I have barrels in .22LR, .223, .30 Herrett, .357 Mag, .and .44 Mag, and always on the lookout for more variations, so if you aren't hooked yet, well, what are you waiting on?

[s mac]

Oh I'm hooked, I have 3 barrels now and plan to add more as funds allow. I've never been able to shoot as well with any other handgun, too much fun.

[Geraldo]

I bought my first Contender in the late 1980s and still have it, as well as a few others. I'm not in recovery, so I don't have to admit the number of barrels, but here's a bit of advice to you. You can buy/sell/trade barrels all you want, but hang onto the dies and brass. you'll need them again on your second or third go-round with a caliber. The flip side to that is to make sure you can get dies and brass before you take the plunge buying/trading into a wildcat caliber.

Since you mentioned an Encore, buy one. Then you can safely have that 6.5-284 or .280AI pistol you've always wanted (trust me, you have always wanted one, you just suppressed it until now). :)

[unclebill]

from 22 to 45-70

[Leadmelter]

I was out with my TC Contender and G2 today. I was firing both frames in 32/20, 357 Max and 357/44 B&D.
It is an addiction but fun. Most people don't even know what you are shooting or the caliber.
It keeps the old calibers alive. Nice with cast, the 357 Max was using the RCBS 180 Silo boolit and put 50 rounds in 2" from a rest. If you do you home work, everything will be good.
Leadmelter
MI

[marshall623]

I got started in this in 1988 when I graduated High school , my graduation present a 223 super 14 contender topped with a 4X Burris scope and hard side case. I still have it but moved the barrel to another frame the 4X Burris is set on a super 14 22LR barrel . A total of 7 barrels between 2 frames that 223 still shoots clover leafs at a hundred. I love going to a public range and see folks stare will you break out a tender then go set up a target at a hundred . Had some even laugh till a 10 3/4" 30 Herrett out shoots their rifle , at least I was smiling on the trip home :bigsmyl2:

[Ed in North Texas]

Check out Ed's Contenders on the Internet. He generally has about one of everything ever made for the Contender and his prices are very fair. Be aware that there are some Contender barrels floating around that are chambered for cartridges that are too hot for the TC unless loaded down in pressure. The 250 and 300 Savage cartridges come to mind.

Those are too hot for the Contender, but not for the Encore (which is why barrels are not interchangeable). TC also made the Encore in calibers like .300 Win Mag and .375 H&H (I don't think I would like to try the Encore in those last two calibers).

[rush1886]

One problem I seem to have had with Contender barrels, is the tendency to swap, sell, buy, too quickly. I currently have 4 different calibers I'm working with, in detail, but there is one I traded almost as quickly as I got it, and sure wish I could get it back. That would be the 7TCU. aka 7mm International, or 7mm IHMSA.
I bought it with brass, dies, etc, and 200 cast bullets, from an rcbs mold (which also came with barrel) 165gr or 168gr IIRC. They shoot rather well. Since trading it away, I've often thought it would've a superb Whitetail cartridge/gun combo.
When looking for, buying, swapping, etc, barrels, just don't get in a hurry!!

[s mac]

Something I've noticed on my G1 is when closing the action, if you don't snap it closed somewhat sharply, if your too gentle, there seems to be insufficient force on the primer strike to fire. I don't have to too rough with it, but I can't be too gentle either. Is this normal? I have tried lube, it all seems to be clean.

[seaboltm]

Those are too hot for the Contender, but not for the Encore (which is why barrels are not interchangeable). TC also made the Encore in calibers like .300 Win Mag and .375 H&H (I don't think I would like to try the Encore in those last two calibers).

Yes, 250 and 300 Savage are too hot for the contender, but there are people who have chambered contender barrels in those calibers. Hand loaded to lower pressure they are fine, but with factory loads the contender would not last long. You never know what people will do to switch barrel firearms.

[Beerd]

Something I've noticed on my G1 is when closing the action, if you don't snap it closed somewhat sharply, if your too gentle, there seems to be insufficient force on the primer strike to fire. I don't have to too rough with it, but I can't be too gentle either. Is this normal? I have tried lube, it all seems to be clean.

don't know if it's normal, but this is VERY common.
..

[ASSASSIN]

The 250 Savage operates at 45,000 psi and is perfectly safe on the T/C "Contender"...

The 300 Savage operates at 47,000 psi and because of the larger .30 caliber bore, factory ammo is safe for use 300 Savage chambered barrels...

Cartridges like the 22-250, 243, 260, 7mm-08, 308, etc., are NOT safe for use in the "Contender" because of their higher operating pressures, even though they all have the same case head size....

A

[Murphy]

Two things I can say about the Contender.

1. They're spooky accurate
2. They're addictive

I had one for several years in various calibers. I finally broke down to 2 barrels, a .22 LR Match Grade in 14" and a 7-30 Waters in 14". I practiced a great deal with the .22 LR and it was pure bliss. The 7-30 Waters was far more accurate than I. I fired one 3 shot group into a 3/8th's inch clover leaf at 100 yards off the bench.

If you're looking to get into single shot handguns, you can't go wrong with a Contender. If it's just the Contender 'calling out to you' to try? You won't regret it.

Murphy

[seaboltm]

The 250 Savage operates at 45,000 psi and is perfectly safe on the T/C "Contender"...

The 300 Savage operates at 47,000 psi and because of the larger .30 caliber bore, factory ammo is safe for use 300 Savage chambered barrels...

Cartridges like the 22-250, 243, 260, 7mm-08, 308, etc., are NOT safe for use in the "Contender" because of their higher operating pressures, even though they all have the same case head size....

A

Well, I asked J.D. Jones of SSK to make me a barrel in 250 Savage, and he refused saying the Contender would not handle the pressure. And of course Mike Bellm also says the 300 Savage is not safe to fire in Contenders, but Bellm did make the 300 Savage work by chambering Contenders in 300 Savage Ackley and firing only factory ammo. I am just going by what I have been told my Contender gurus.

[FLHTC]

The 250 Savage operates at 45,000 psi and is perfectly safe on the T/C "Contender"...

The 300 Savage operates at 47,000 psi and because of the larger .30 caliber bore, factory ammo is safe for use 300 Savage chambered barrels...

Cartridges like the 22-250, 243, 260, 7mm-08, 308, etc., are NOT safe for use in the "Contender" because of their higher operating pressures, even though they all have the same case head size....

A

Absolutely no way to both of those. Both the 250 and 300 savage are not the appropriate cartridges for the Contender and should never be chambered in one.

[M-Tecs]

Early on SSK chambered some barrels in 250 Savage. They stopped doing them due to frame stretching issues. Do not remember if they did 300's. Both the 375 and 45/70 will stretch frames if loaded to warm.

[marshall623]

Something I've noticed on my G1 is when closing the action, if you don't snap it closed somewhat sharply, if your too gentle, there seems to be insufficient force on the primer strike to fire. I don't have to too rough with it, but I can't be too gentle either. Is this normal? I have tried lube, it all seems to be clean.
One thing you can do is take the barrel off and put in a loaded round and make sure the case head is flush with the end of the barrel, if it sticks up any you may have to hold the shoulder back more. I always snap mine shut good when hunting don't need to hear click when the big one is standing in front of you. My 7-30 and 30 Herrett are the only barrels I've had that happen on and paying extra attention when sizing has helped a bunch. I've tried neck sizing and have had issues so I now full length size with the die adjusted for the right headspace. You may want to make sure the locking lugs are clean & dry. The T/C manual says not to oil or grease the locking lugs. Good Luck

[Leadmelter]

I shoot and collect a bunch of TC barrels since I don't know when. I have 22 Hornet to 375 Winchester in my family, My current love is a 32-20 TC Silohette barrel that shoot a cast boolit cheaper than a 22LR.
Leadmelter
MI

[jimb16]

I have 5 pistol barrels and 3 carbine barrels (with the shoulder stock) for mine. I shoot almost exclusively cast in all of them.

[cabezaverde]

I have a 12" in .444 Marlin made by Bullberry. Sent it off to be Magnaported, and it is very accurate.

[s mac]

How is the recoil with the 444? I have a Marlin 444, love to shoot it.

[cabezaverde]

How is the recoil with the 444? I have a Marlin 444, love to shoot it.

I rarely shoot full power loads, but I have shot some factory ammo. It is snappy, but acceptable for hunting.

[ErnieBishop]

I like those cartridges!

Since you mentioned an Encore, buy one. Then you can safely have that 6.5-284 or .280AI pistol you've always wanted (trust me, you have always wanted one, you just suppressed it until now). :)