Picked this up a couple months ago..

[muta4warrior]

and love it.. I have always wanted one ever since my Army Recruiter shown me the one he had back in 1988 and I passed up a Super14 223 in a gun shop for a 1911.

I found this one at a local gun show couple months ago and came with 3 barrels (223 Rem 14", 357 Mag 10"and 22 LR 10") and 2 scopes. Guy across the isle had a bunch of barrels of different calibers but I only had enough coin for one barrel at the time and I picked a 44 Mag 10" barrel. Couple weeks later found a TC marked scope and picked that up to put on the 223 Rem barrel. Was at another show and found a nice little TC marked scope that went on the 22LR. Now I am on the look out for more barrels (10mm, 45 Colt, 30-30, maybe a 222 Rem and 6x45) on eBay and other forums.

[Iowa Fox]

Nice find. You will love the Contender. They shoot fantastic, shoot them as is you don't need any aftermarket parts to make them shoot well. After market parts create more problems than they solve. I've been shooting them for over 40 years. The yellow reloading manual is a good one for the Contender.

[mcdaniel.mac]

Beauty! My only qualm with the Contender is the lack of a good folding or QD stock to make a real backpack rifle. Still, I have had nothing but fun with mine once I ponyied up for the tax stamp and stock.

[Tatume]

Beauty! My only qualm with the Contender is the lack of a good folding or QD stock to make a real backpack rifle. Still, I have had nothing but fun with mine once I ponyied up for the tax stamp and stock.

I modified a fore end by drilling holes in the sides. On one side is a 1/4" hole, and on the other a 3/8" hole. The holes align with the pivot pin. The barrel can now be removed and re-installed without removing the fore end. At first I was concerned about the pin being unrestrained, but it has never been an issue.

Most just accept the US Supreme Court ruling on the pistol/rifle conversion of the Contender. Why did you feel you needed to go through the ATF?

[quilbilly]

Beauty! My only qualm with the Contender is the lack of a good folding or QD stock to make a real backpack rifle. Still, I have had nothing but fun with mine once I ponyied up for the tax stamp and stock.
I believe Choate still makes a folding stock for the Contender. I have one and it is exactly as you describe with my 18" carbine barrels, a fine backpack and mountain biking stock even though it makes the carbine heavier. I really wish I could legally put my 41 mag. 14" barrel on the carbine frame but I don't want to be bothered with the bureaucracy.
Muta, you have a nice find. Over the years I have observed that a lot of Contender owners have not cared for the 223 barrel due to the fierce muzzle blast and fireball using hot or factory loads. I got around that with faster burning powders and backing off loads down to about 2000 fps which made shooting both my 223 and 222 10" barrels much more enjoyable to shoot.

[mcdaniel.mac]

I modified a fore end by drilling holes in the sides. On one side is a 1/4" hole, and on the other a 3/8" hole. The holes align with the pivot pin. The barrel can now be removed and re-installed without removing the fore end. At first I was concerned about the pin being unrestrained, but it has never been an issue.

Most just accept the US Supreme Court ruling on the pistol/rifle conversion of the Contender. Why did you feel you needed to go through the ATF?I wanted to put the 10" barrel on and stock at the same time.

[Tatume]

Ahhh. That explains everything. Thank you.

[muta4warrior]

I won a nice looking 10" Contender in 222 Rem with a Burris scope yesterday on Gunbroker for just a hair over $400 delivered. I should have it next week sometime.

[muta4warrior]

Muta, you have a nice find. Over the years I have observed that a lot of Contender owners have not cared for the 223 barrel due to the fierce muzzle blast and fireball using hot or factory loads. I got around that with faster burning powders and backing off loads down to about 2000 fps which made shooting both my 223 and 222 10" barrels much more enjoyable to shoot.

Honestly, I don't mind the blast as long as I am not under a metal overhang. I have a SBR'd AR-15 11" that is not bad. It gets obnoxious when you put a muzzlebrake on them.. I have a buddy with an AR-50 and that feels like you are getting slapped upside the head with a hammer.:dung_hits_fan:

[muta4warrior]

Well I have since added a few more.. Picked up the complete 222 Rem Contender and then another complete 223 Contender. Got a 45 WM barrel from a board member here and a 30-30 Win with a factory muzzle brake off Gunbroker. I moved the scope from the 22 LR to the 357 Mag and will sell or trade off the 22LR barrel and the spare 223 barrel.

[roverboy]

Well I have since added a few more.. Picked up the complete 222 Rem Contender and then another complete 223 Contender. Got a 45 WM barrel from a board member here and a 30-30 Win with a factory muzzle brake off Gunbroker. I moved the scope from the 22 LR to the 357 Mag and will sell or trade off the 22LR barrel and the spare 223 barrel.
You got a pretty nice setup there. The only contender I ever shot was with a .357 Herrett barrel on it. Had some heavy recoil with the wood grips.

[Mr_Sheesh]

The only problem with the Contender is that well-known facet - Barrel Addiction. Easy to catch, darn near impossible NOT to catch, really.

[muta4warrior]

The only problem with the Contender is that well-known facet - Barrel Addiction. Easy to catch, darn near impossible NOT to catch, really.

Yup, kinda the reason I needed a few more receivers.. [smilie=b:

[Weaponologist]

Well I have since added a few more.. Picked up the complete 222 Rem Contender and then another complete 223 Contender. Got a 45 WM barrel from a board member here and a 30-30 Win with a factory muzzle brake off Gunbroker. I moved the scope from the 22 LR to the 357 Mag and will sell or trade off the 22LR barrel and the spare 223 barrel.

Muta4,......Am I missing something, Or is one of your Contenders Frames missing all the Roll Mark Art work on the Sides???? Is that what they call a Flatside Contender? The Unicorn TC Nuts have been looking for...lol...

[muta4warrior]

Muta4,......Am I missing something, Or is one of your Contenders Frames missing all the Roll Mark Art work on the Sides???? Is that what they call a Flatside Contender? The Unicorn TC Nuts have been looking for...lol...

I just looked and all 3 are indeed rollmarked..

[Weaponologist]

I just looked and all 3 are indeed rollmarked..

oh,..ok. old eyes I guess...looked like the top left one was blank....lol.... thought you may have a treasure and didn't know it...Sorry..

[45-70 Chevroner]

I had the bug once also. I at one time I had 8 barrels and 3 actions first second and third generation in my safe. Over the years starting in 1971 I have owned at least 20 different calibers. I have finally came to my censes. I have trimed my Contenders to one action and three barrels. I have a second generation action of the three actions it is my favorite. I settled in on the 223 14", 30-30 14" and the 44mag 14". If these can't handle the situation it can't be handled. I have never owned an Oncore. The first Contender I owned was a First Generation action with a 10" 357 mag octogon barrel. The price was $87.95 plus tax new in the box . That was in 1971. Wish I still had it. I bought a new 357 Blackhawk the next year for the same price. I sold the 357 contender barrel and bought a 10" 44 mag octogon barrel that lasted one trip to the range. I then bought a 10" 30-30 octogon barrel. Even with factory 170 gr ammo it at least was manageable. Cast was great in it. If my memory serves me right they did not have bull barrels then. A new barrel then was like $39.00 maybe even less.

[muta4warrior]

Picked up two more 3rd gen contenders one with a 7mmTCU barrel and dies and the other one with a bull vent rib 44 Mag barrel.. Any one know where the get the removable choke and wrench for the 44 Mag barrel or worse case the thread pitch for the choke and I'll make some thing to thread in there to protect the internal threads.

[BPSharps]

muta4 that is one heck of a nice setup! I got a scoped 30/30 Contender and even with my aging eyes I can keep my shots in a quarter at 25 yards.

[muta4warrior]

Found the thread pitch for the choke.. 9/16-28 tpi and choke OAL 1.58" long and it is the same for both the 44 and 45 cal barrels. I have some SS barrel drop from a 308 cal Remington 700 that I had cut down and threaded some time ago, I'll see if I can use that to make a compensator of some kind.

[Leadmelter]

It seems TC barrels prices are rising a bit. I wonder if people are picking them up anticipating if S&W will continue making them?
Leadmelter
MI