SSK-50, new Contender!

[historicfirearms]

Last week I got an email from Haus of Arms informing that they are accepting orders for the new SSK-50 frame. SsK will be making new production original (not G2) Contender frames. The first run of them will be stainless and you can pick from a flatside or a couple other engraved scenes. They will eventually offer replacement parts for the original contender as well. Great news since S&W has abandoned the g1 contender. I ordered a flatside model at $315 delivered. Delivery should be around the first of the year. SSK had recently been bought by Lehigh Defense so I hope their quality remains top notch.

[Hickok]

That is good news for us standard (original) Contender owners. Thanks for the heads-up.

[Guy La Pourqe]

Wonderful! I hope they ship to Canada...

[M-Tecs]

Thanks for the posting. This will cost me some money.

[megasupermagnum]

And to think I just bought my first contender a couple weeks ago! I was hesitant for years, as I just never was enthusiastic about the encore. It always seemed so impractical, and the whole deal with the handgun/rifle receivers.

Now the contender, I like much more. It's smaller and lighter, plus they are registered such I never need to worry about what barrel I use. There are some odd features for sure, as mine is a 1977. Some kind of hammer safety, and my least favorite is you have to open the gun just to cock the hammer. I actually like the way this old contender switches between rimfire/centerfire verses the new selector.

Does this SSK-50 have any odd features. Most importantly, can you cock the gun without having to open the action?

[bosterr]

My buddy is a close friend of JD Jones who retired out of his SSK Industries. They talked at length about this new frame. The new frame is being machined out of billet instead of cast. The reason for this is over the history of it's life there was such a wide variation in internal dimensions and was the main reason why every barrel wouldn't fit up in every frame. As most everyone knows there were many issues of some barrels worked fine and others that didn't and to the point of not being able to even open the gun. He also said the internal parts are the same which are cast.

I wonder why the plain side frame will cost more than the engraved lynx model. I would think it would be the other way around since it would take an addition operation.

[Iowa Fox]

I'm wishing the new owner of SSK all the best and from what I hear he is a stand up guy. I'm sure JD wouldn't have sold it to just anyone. The slab sides always have been more expensive than the engraved frames even in the old days and from the custom shop. It took a perfect casting in the old days and probably some extra machine work on the new ones. That etched engraving was there for a reason. Rumor has it that they plan to offer the easy open conversion again once they get going.

Really, in my opinion Smith & Wesson needs to sell the G2 & Encore manufacturing to SSK as its obvious they have no interest in it. It would be nice to see the single shot sports make a comeback but unfortunately most of us that lived those glory days are going to the other side of the hill. Not sure if the younger guys might have an interest in it.

[megasupermagnum]

Really, in my opinion Smith & Wesson needs to sell the G2 & Encore manufacturing to SSK as its obvious they have no interest in it. It would be nice to see the single shot sports make a comeback but unfortunately most of us that lived those glory days are going to the other side of the hill. Not sure if the younger guys might have an interest in it.

Really? From my perspective Thompson Center used to make a all kinds of cool and interesting things. Starting with the contenders, then moving into the most diverse variety of muzzleloaders. It's amazing to me how many different guns TC used to make, and all the accessories too. As far as I'm concerned TC's soul died with the fire in 1997, and all creativity gone with S&W. Since the mid 2000's TC seems to just be resting on their laurels with the Contender and Encore. Other than the odd bolt action, the Contender and Encore is all that is left of Thompson Center. I was impressed with their Impact muzzleloader, but I never could see why they make the Omega when you can buy a Encore muzzleloader.

[Hamish]

Pretty sure it's a casting,,,,,,,

250081

[koger]

Megasupermagnum, there is a market for the Omega, for people who don't own Encore's. When they first came out, you could buy one, for less than the price of an Encore ML barrel. Not to toot my own horn, but I am the local go to guy for most folks who want a accurate ML set up, whether it be a Flintlock, or Inline. This is due to applying accuracy enhancing fixes to factory ML's in my 35 years as a gunsmith and ML shooter/competitor on a local, state, and national, level. I have never had in my hands, a Encore that would outshoot a Omega, period. The only thing that needs to be done to the Omega, is a dab of bedding where the two lugs sit in the stock, that is attached to the barrel. Tweaking the trigger by doing some adjusting on the spring, is all that is needed to get a good trigger, I have seen several that does not need anything done to their triggers. Put on a steel base, rings, combo, loctited to the barrel and add Nikon Inline XR 300 scope with real world BDC's ever 50 yds. I have shot, with a number of Omegas, Impacts, and other TC's that use the same barrel, with different underlugs, 2 1/2" groups, at 300yds, 3 shot groups. I feel I have found the perfect load, as it shoots lights out in all the inlines, and kills like lighting. I know of 23 rifles I have set up like that in the last 3 years, all with happy hunters.

[megasupermagnum]

Megasupermagnum, there is a market for the Omega, for people who don't own Encore's. When they first came out, you could buy one, for less than the price of an Encore ML barrel. Not to toot my own horn, but I am the local go to guy for most folks who want a accurate ML set up, whether it be a Flintlock, or Inline. This is due to applying accuracy enhancing fixes to factory ML's in my 35 years as a gunsmith and ML shooter/competitor on a local, state, and national, level. I have never had in my hands, a Encore that would outshoot a Omega, period. The only thing that needs to be done to the Omega, is a dab of bedding where the two lugs sit in the stock, that is attached to the barrel. Tweaking the trigger by doing some adjusting on the spring, is all that is needed to get a good trigger, I have seen several that does not need anything done to their triggers. Put on a steel base, rings, combo, loctited to the barrel and add Nikon Inline XR 300 scope with real world BDC's ever 50 yds. I have shot, with a number of Omegas, Impacts, and other TC's that use the same barrel, with different underlugs, 2 1/2" groups, at 300yds, 3 shot groups. I feel I have found the perfect load, as it shoots lights out in all the inlines, and kills like lighting. I know of 23 rifles I have set up like that in the last 3 years, all with happy hunters.

That's not what I mean at all. Just out of curiosity, I looked up what TC currently makes. They don't even make the omega anymore! It was replaced by what they call the Bone Collector, and it has an MSRP the same as the Encore. I'll give them a pass on the Impact. It is the only american made inexpensive muzzleloader currently made.

Other than that, their selection is pathetic. The creativity is gone. All they make is a break open inline muzzleloader with williams fiber optic sights. Their bolt action rifles are as generic as it gets. There is nothing to set them apart from the rest. They had a switch barrel bolt action to compete with Savage, but that's discontinued too. It looks like they now have a 10/22 clone, as if the world didn't have enough of those.

The market is prime for a flint or percussion muzzleloader. The market is prime for old style guns. How about a switch barrel falling block? Instead they are content to just keep selling the Contender and Encore, the only two guns that are still Thompson Center.

[TCLouis]

That is good news!
Now if the offer at least 1/2 the great service TC provided before their demise

[Moki]

Wonderful! I hope they ship to Canada...

I agree I'm also in Canada and a complete Contender nut fan...

I'm in for one or two stainless non-restricted frames if they will ship here if not can we buy them and ship them to an FFL dealer exporter like IRUNGUNS.com

[scotth]

can we buy them and ship them to an FFL dealer exporter like IRUNGUNS.com

call and talk to marty at haus of arms he is a great guy to deal with. thats were i ordered mine.

[mike69]

Ordered mine the day Haus of arms put them up for pre orders . Should have it in December . Now just to decide on what barrel and grip set to put on it . Any body useing the crusher grip on ther contenders and if so how do you like them ?

[35isit]

I tried to preorder one. They are not taking orders until the backlog is filled. They said they will tell me when to order. OTH I needed some parts for a Contender. First rate service. Ordered one day had them like four business days later. They have parts T.C. and S&W would never sell you and that Bellm doesn't have. Check them out at Lehigh Firearms.

[historicfirearms]

Hi just wanted to update on this old thread. After a series of setbacks I finally have the ssk50 frame in my hand. It took a few years beyond the initial delivery date but Marty finally was able to make this happen. I’m very pleased with the quality of the new frame. The trigger is excellent right from the box, and lockup on the few barrels I have tried seems very crisp. If anyone is looking for a new stainless contender frame now is the time to go get one.

[725]

Really good to hear.

[JDHasty]

The G1 Easy Open is, in my opinion, the best of the Contender frames. Glad to see it once again readily available. We have a couple of originals set up as 17 Hornet mid range rock chuck rifles for my kids. One has a EABco 23 inch heavy barrel and the other a 21 inch tapered MGM barrel. Both shoot right around a half inch at 100 yards with boring consistency. They make a wonderful walking varmint rifle. I’m partial to the one with the heavier barrel on it, but my younger two kids are quite compact in size and I was thinking the lighter barrel would be a better fit for them. The only real thing I do to them to improve accuracy is put a Stratton fore end hanger on them. As for factory TC barrels, ya pays your money and ya takes your chances.

[pull the trigger]

I see on the site they are out of stock again. No one has said yet if the ssk50 can be cocked twice without opening the action?

[BobT]

I see on the site they are out of stock again. No one has said yet if the ssk50 can be cocked twice without opening the action?

They haven't been in stock yet, still busy filling the pre-orders. The SSK50 is pretty much a clone of the original easy open Contender and as such you do have to open to re-cock. My SSK50 is pretty picky on barrel fit, I haven't tried all my barrels yet but I have one MGM barrel that won't even start to close, a 12" Hunter barrel that closes and locks like a bank vault but then won't open and a couple that work beautifully. I have yet to get to the range with mine but I think I'm really going to like it and I'm glad to see the replacement parts available once again.

[pull the trigger]

Thanks for answering, I appreciate it.

[BobT]

Thanks for answering, I appreciate it.

Sorry I didn't see this post a little quicker than I did! I should spend a little more time here.