TC Contender ?

[klausg]

Gang-

I'm not yet Contender qualified, so bear with me; one of the local gun shops has an old model Contender with .44 Mag and .30-30 barrels, no scope or mounts. The .44 barrel is round, the .30-30 is octagonal, both are 8-10", (I didn't measure as I didn't want to show too much interest until I'm ready to start dickering). Price is $450, but that's somewhat subject to dickering as I know they have been there for awhile, like a year @ least.

So, this brings up two questions:

a) Is this a good deal, I'm fairly certain I can talk the owner down @ least $25, and,

b) Will the old model frame accept the newer G2 barrels, or am I stuck trolling gunbroker for old model ones?

Thanks for any assistance you can give me, take care

-Klaus

[Scrounger]

That frame will accept the newer barrels, all Contender barrels except Armor Alloy; that's the one you need to avoid unless you have an Armor Alloy frame. matter of fact, I'd avoid the whole deal. Those barrels go back a lot of years, and while they probably shoot OK, the newer 10 inch Bull and 14 inch barrels are much more desireable. Unless you're a collector. The whole deal is much overpriced. A frame, either G2 (the latest version) or the latest type pre-G2, can be had for about $225; Ten and fourteen inch barrels can be had (Ebay is a good place to find them) for $25 to $150; 21 inch carbine barrels are about $200. A frame and pistol barrel shouldn't run more than $350; adding another pistol barrel should raise it $100 to $125. And that is for the more modern frame and barrel. I wouldn't go over $300 for the package you described above. But that's just my opinion...

[7br]

How old is old? Does it have the slide bar through the middle of the hammer, or a lever on the top? The second style would be my preference. The G2 does have a couple of benefits. It is much easier to open. It can accept a .45 muzzleloader barrel and it doesn't need to be opened to be recocked. The biggest drawback is that the trigger is not as easily adjusted. There is a guy in CA that does excellent work on them though.

In my experience, the .30-30 is much more pleasant to shoot. The .44 really chewed up my fingers on the off hand. Just my experience when I was just starting to shoot pistols. I would try to deal on the frame only and try to get it for under $200. I would also make sure to get a .22 barrel. The .22 hornet is a hoot and 7tcu isn't too bad in pistol and is stellar in carbine form. If you are a hunter's ed instructor, drop me a PM and I might have a deal for you.

[7br]

How old is old? Does it have the slide bar through the middle of the hammer, or a lever on the top? The second style would be my preference. The G2 does have a couple of benefits. It is much easier to open. It can accept a .45 muzzleloader barrel and it doesn't need to be opened to be recocked. The biggest drawback is that the trigger is not as easily adjusted. There is a guy in CA that does excellent work on them though.

In my experience, the .30-30 is much more pleasant to shoot. The .44 really chewed up my fingers on the off hand. Just my experience when I was just starting to shoot pistols. I would try to deal on the frame only and try to get it for under $200. I would also make sure to get a .22 barrel. The .22 hornet is a hoot and 7tcu isn't too bad in pistol and is stellar in carbine form. If you are a hunter's ed instructor, drop me a PM and I might have a deal for you.

[danski26]

I'd agree it's a bit on the expensive side. I have an old contender frame and I like it a lot. I sent the pistol back to T/C for a barrel problem I was having and they upgraded my hammer and the easier opening upgrade for free. Can't say they will always do it for free but even if they charge I bet it won't be much.

Lots of barrels and frames around at reasonable prices. I'd look elsewhere if he did not come down near $300 for everything.

[David R]

I paid $325 for mine new with a 10" 32-20 barrel. This was when the only choice was contender. Must be 15 years old. Great gun. I also bought a rifle stock and 223 barrel. Shoots great, but a little rifle. Best trigger of any gun I have.

David

[Topper]

Klaus,
The 30-30 will not be as efficient as the 30 Herrett in that barrel length, but the Herret requires special dies to form the brass.
The 44mag would be fine, you can control recoil by using reduced loads and save the heavy kickers for hunting.
The price is a wee bit high in my opinion.
David's comment on the trigger is on the money.

[Scrounger]

If I could have just one Contender barrel, it would be the .357 Maximum. Perfect. You can shoot .38 wadcutters or full power loads that equal the .35 Remington.

[JSH]

full power loads that equal the .35 Remington

I would agree to a point, yes with say weights from 158- 170. Iffy on the 170 honestly. I have read this same reply from others at a lot of different boards. The max just doesn't have the capacity to do what the 35 Rem does with heavy bullets at decent velocities. If you have tried and true results I am all ears. I respect the info on this board a whole lot more than others.
Jeff

[Scrounger]

full power loads that equal the .35 Remington

I would agree to a point, yes with say weights from 158- 170. Iffy on the 170 honestly. I have read this same reply from others at a lot of different boards. The max just doesn't have the capacity to do what the 35 Rem does with heavy bullets at decent velocities. If you have tried and true results I am all ears. I respect the info on this board a whole lot more than others.
Jeff

I stand corrected; there is a 100 fps difference in 180 gr bullets according to the Accurate Arms Reloading book. OK, how about a .375 JDJ barrel? If that don't give you all the power you need, look for running shoes.

[dragonrider]

Which frame is it , first model, second, if first then the trigger and opening will be a pita as mentioned earlier. And the price is way too high, wquldn't pay over 300 for it. Preferably less.

[klausg]

Thanks guys, I'll see how far he's willing to come down. The weapon is in very good shape, at least at 1st glance; and everything up here in Alaska is expensive:-? . If I can get him down to $350, I just might go for it. Of course he also has a Savage 24 in 30-30/20 ga that has been calling to me...but that's another story. Thanks again for all of your help.

-Klaus

[44man]

Contenders are the worst guns for recoil. I had the 30-30 years ago and I shot it with one hand several times. It was BRUTAL. I have shot my .475 and 45-70 revolvers with one hand many times without a problem. I can't imagine guys shooting some of the calibers that contender barrels come in. They are pain machines!

[StarMetal]

Funny story about a Contender. My best friend and I were at another friends gunshop. He was a gunsmith also. I guy had brought a Contender in to be scoped. This was from Contender first series. He said is there anywhere he could sight it in. Well Maxwell said yeah in back of the shop is my range, help yourself. So he went outside with a box of ammo and the gun and we just went back to BS'ing. We heard one shot. We're still talking and that fellow comes back in and his face is all red and he was dirty, had a shocked look on his face. Maxwell said what happen? The guy holds up the Contender in two pieces, the barrel (minus the hinge lug) and the frame. What happen was the lug (which I guess back then they welded on some way or another as it was two pieces) sheared off. The recoil knocked the fellow down and he said the barrel with the scope on it went down rainge pretty far. By God, the bullet was still lodged inside the barrel about 3/4 ways through the bore. It was a factory 44mag load by the way. We couldn't help but laugh at the fellow and he laughed also, thank God he wasn't hurt. If I remember correctly Maxwell sent it back to TC and they fixed it. I bet the fellow was a little leery of it after that though. I have heard even when they don't come apart they have a nasty recoil especially in the early series.

Joe

[fourarmed]

Those early octagon barrels didn't weigh very much, and some of the early grips were not very user friendly. A .44 mag, .30-30, or .35 Remington in that kind of a rig will get your attention in a hurry. Especially with a conventional two-handed hold. When I shot my .41 mag I had to tape my left middle finger or the triggerguard spur would really beat it up. And that was with the bull barrel and a pretty light field pistol load.

[dragonrider]

I have a 14" 30-30 barrel with what TC calls a muzzle tamer for my Contender, and it makes all the difference. It is very comfortable to shoot with any load I put in it. The muzzle barely rises when fired, recoil is straight back and very easily managed. But then it is not a light barrel so that helps also. Have a 12" 44 mag, 10" 223, 10" 7mm supermag, 14" 7-30 Waters, and a 357 mag reamed to max that I think I am going to make and install a muzzle brake on, that one can hurt.
I should have thought that things in Alaska would be more bucks than New England so I would revise my price to $350-$375.

[Topper]

I can relate to Forearms post.
I have a 14" 41mag that I push 300gr cast boolits through.
Definitely gets to the knuckle after the 50th round or so.
The 30 Herret is just plain sweet to shoot, low recoil.
I also find the 30-30AI quite tolerable, even from the bench with full loads.

[versifier]

I think it all depends on what you have for a stock. You do need something with a little padding for the heavier kickers. I have a Pachmeyer Gripper that I got when I had a .30-30 barrel and shot it a lot. The Gripper fits my hand so well that I never bothered to put the wood stock back on. I have tried T/C stocks with the padding with .44mags and they make a lot of difference, too. The lower center of mass sends the recoil impulse more straight back instead of rocking upward as a revolver would, but once you are used to the difference, the recoil isn't as big an issue. If it really bothers you, get down and use a Creedmore stance.

[44man]

It was always the trigger guard that got me. I am not sensitive to recoil and never hurt my hand, shoulder or whatever, but can't take my knuckle being beat bloody. I have a large knuckle from shooting heavy bows all my life. Even a Bisley grip will do me in. In fact, I hate them. Sold my .44 Bisley a week after I bought it.

[Lloyd Smale]

I dont think thats a bad price at all. The oct barrels can be easily sold for 150 bucks so your basically getting a contendor with one barrel for 300 and id buy all of them i could at that price.

[Jon K]

Klaus,

Everyone has given you some good tips, and here's my $.02 worth.

1. As mentioned before 1st model hard to open, triggers aren't as nice as later models. Ask for serial # and call T/C and ask them if it is an "easy open frame".

2. Octagon Barrel Forends do not fit later frame. Later model forends will fit octagon barrel. Octagon barrels in mint condition are sought after by collectors, so it would be easy to sell.

3. What do you plan to do with it? The T/C is probably the most versitile gun around. You can tailor it to whatever application you want for not very much money. Barrels and stocks are readily available to do anything you want from 17HMR to 45-70, pistol to carbine, whatever your heart desires, and changed whenever you want.

4. T/C's have a Lifetime Warranty, they will rebuild it when it gets worn out FREE- not blueing.

5. The Contender trigger is the smoothest and can be lightened more than the G2 or Encore.

6. Be careful of some early barrels, as the twists are not very friendly to cast bullets or heavy bullets. Some early barrels were originally built to shoot light jacketed bullets for hunting, and will shoot like gangbusters the faster they go.

I bought my firt T/C Contender in 1983 to shoot silhouttes. When I quit shooting the open sights classes in silhoutte, I sold off many single shot guns and revolvers, but I kept 3 T/C Contenders that I still shoot in the scope classifications. I also have some barrels I use as "Fun Guns".

So that's my $.02, it is not for everyone, but it can be for every reason or season. It will be whatever you want it to be.

Hope this helps &
Have Fun Shooting,
Jon

:castmine:

[klausg]

Guys- Thanks for all the replies; yesterday it followed me home. What I didn't realize at first is that it also has a sleeve, (insert?), for the .44 Barrel in .22 LR. Another correction is that both barrels are octagonal. I spent most of my lunch hour yesterday dickering, but I think we were both happy. I'll let you know how she shoots, range session is scheduled for Saturday. Take care

-Klaus

[Jon K]

Good Deal!

That Octagon 44 barrel with the .22 insert, you'll have every collector from here to parts unknown banging on your door.

Jon