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Thread: Thompson center Contender following

  1. #61
    Boolit Master
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    I got my used contender with a 357 mag barrel in 1975 or so while I was still in high school.

    I now have 2 frames, a number of barrels that do not get much action and my current regular shooters:

    7.375" Stub tube 30 ACP (a.k.a my pop gun, shoots great with a BLL coated 55 gr nlg over 1.7 gr Titegroup for 890 fps)
    7 TCU 10" (my newest, for IHMSA standing & production)
    30 Herrett 14" (IHMSA unlimited)
    357 mag (8.5" octagon to end of rifling, has a hot shot choke I never use)

    The 357 barrel shoots good with any 38 or 357 load I feed it and does not accumulate any leading with loads that cause leading in my other guns. I use it a lot for standing practice while "burning up" ammo that I decide not to shoot in other guns.

  2. #62
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Shawlerbrook View Post
    My Hornets put slugs in one big ragged hole at 100 yards.
    How many 22 slugs does it take to make a single big ragged hole

  3. #63
    Boolit Buddy Brassmonkey's Avatar
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    I keep bugging my friend to bring his contender collection to our range days, really want to try out the 7mm-08. He has two frames and a dozen or so barrels.

  4. #64
    Boolit Master Shawlerbrook's Avatar
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    Not sure the Contender frame is up to 7mm08 pressures. Might be a 7x30 or 7 TCU.

  5. #65
    Boolit Buddy
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    Will try and list the barrels from memory:
    Just got a factory 22 K-Hornet 10" octagon w/ sights
    Also just ordered a 6.5 TCU 14" bull with sights; thinking about rechambering to 6.5 Jap and having an extension added to make it 16"+
    Others:
    17 Ackley Bee factory 12" octagon TCA special w/ sights
    5mm Rem 10" octagon w/ sights (with plenty of Mex ammo)
    22 LR 10" bull w/ sights
    22 Mag 10" w/ sights
    22 Mag 12" bare octagon TCA special
    22 Hornet 10" w/ sights octagon
    22 Hornet 10" bare octagon
    256 Win Mag 10" w/ sights octagon
    25-35 Win 10" octagon w/ sights
    30 Herrett 10" tapered bull bare
    30 Carbine 10" w/ sights octagon
    32 H&R 10" w/ sights bull
    357 mag 10" w/ sights octagon
    357 mag 10" bare octagon
    357 Max 10" bull bare MGM barrel
    44 mag 10" w/ external choke octagon w/ sights
    45 Colt 10" octagon w/ sights not cut for 410
    45/410 10" octagon w/ sights w/ external choke
    45 Win Mag 10" bull w/ sights
    And two mid serial range easy open frames

    Just plain too many!
    But...would like a 10" 10mm and a 10" 375 Supermag.

  6. #66
    Boolit Grand Master


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    As you can see, they are far from gone. I do think it very strange TC still makes them. The reason you don't see them as often is that TC came out with the Encore in 1998ish, which made the Contender obsolete.

    I had shot Contenders before, but most of my experience was with Encores. I bought my first Contender last year thinking they were a smaller frame, with better triggers, and that it would be a cool little single shot pistol. Nope. They are ever so slightly smaller than the encore, and a lot tighter in the grip, where you don't want it. The weight difference is basically nil. The trigger was the big surprise. I had a very early model, that was renowned for a great trigger. Don't get me wrong, it was good, but even after adjusting it as light as it goes, it was only mediocre. You can buy an Encore frame with a trigger job from EABCO that will blow the socks off any Contender. Maybe in the past the Contender had an advantage with rimfires, but that is no longer the case. Speaking of which, Contenders have the goofiest safety's, which is the #1 reason I sold mine. I would never hunt with a Contender. Besides the goony cross bolt safety (also don't forget if you are on centerfire or rimfire), if you let the hammer down, you have to open the action to re cock it. The other big problem is I can't get a two hand grip on a Contender pistol. Some with tiny hands can, but most people have to go to some kind of strange grip to shoot them. As a rifle, it would not matter. The Encore has the grip stud set back farther, so you can get two hands on them.

    So that's my experience with them, and my opinion on why you don't hear about them any more.

  7. #67
    Boolit Buddy eastbank's Avatar
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    i have a contender rifle(G2) in .375 JDJ with a 24" barrel and it,s quite a step up from the its short barreled brother. i,m shooting 50 grs of H-4895 with a 220 gr hornady at 2300+fps, i,m going to see if i can get 2500 fps with the 225 gr btsp and at that speed it will carry 900+ fpe at 500 yards. i shot a doe with it this year at 90 yards and it dropped in its tracks.Click image for larger version. 

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    Last edited by eastbank; 02-15-2021 at 06:45 PM.

  8. #68
    Boolit Master pertnear's Avatar
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    I really got into the T/C Contender in the early '70s. I've owned & traded off at least a dozen different calibers over the years. I remember shopping in the "Shotgun News" & you could buy the less popular barrels for about $60 brand new. I remember buying a .22 magnum barrel for about that price. The Contender was touted as a hunting handgun, at which it excelled. I had a 10" scoped bull barrel .30-30 with a 1" tube Redfield in mounts that would shoot 1-1/2" at 100 yards off the bench. The recoil was so bad I had to add Hogue grips to tame it some. I managed to shoot a couple of deer & a turkey with it. I really liked the 10" .22 hornet barrel I had but like a dummy I sold it. Finally I rigged out the contender as a carbine in 7x30 Waters & I came to the conclusion that the carbine set-up was the best use of the frame. I eventually I became disenchanted with the Contender & all the barrels. I sold everything off except I kept the frame & one 10" Bull .22 LR barrel. Over the years the available barrels kept getting longer, heavier & in more rifle calibers for the "Handgun Contender". I kept asking myself, "How can a 14" scoped handgun in a rifle caliber still claim its handgun status". There are even some holsters you can carry one in strapped to the front of your chest. I enjoyed the journey, but I moved on to other rifle single shots. A fascinating gun & an interesting following by shooters!
    Hard times create strong men, strong men create good times, good times create weak men, and weak men create hard times.

  9. #69
    Boolit Master

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    To better days
    Click image for larger version. 

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  10. #70
    Boolit Master Murphy's Avatar
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    I picked up my first Contender back in the mid 90's. I had decided on a 22 Hornet as my first barrel. I can't remember the exact barrel length, but it sure was a shooter. Then I discovered the brass life 22 Hornet seemed short lived with full power loads. I sold it off and over the course of the 6-8 months, I tried the 357 Herrett without much luck. Probably due to my lack of experience with the loading the cartridge. I had also picked up a 14" Match Target in .22 Long Rifle, I already knew I'd be shooting it a lot. The accuracy of the .22 LR left me speechless. One hole 10 shot groups at 50 yards from a bench rest we not uncommon. I finally decided to go after whitetail with it. I decided on the 7-30 Waters. Another winner for me. After taking a few deer with it, I decided it was time to move on in my shooting experiences. I also wish I'd never parted with that setup.

    Murphy
    If I should depart this life while defending those who cannot defend themselves, then I have died the most honorable of deaths. Marc R. Murphy '2006'.

  11. #71
    Boolit Master
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    Of all of mine, I think the .32-20 is my favorite. Here is a video of my sod-poodle load.

    https://youtu.be/fnMYWyEssiw

  12. #72
    Boolit Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by Tar Heel View Post
    Of all of mine, I think the .32-20 is my favorite. Here is a video of my sod-poodle load.

    https://youtu.be/fnMYWyEssiw

    One of my 32/20 barrel has 20,880 rounds threw it. Great Round

  13. #73
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by dannyd View Post
    One of my 32/20 barrel has 20,880 rounds threw it. Great Round
    You have a smoothbore by now!

  14. #74
    Boolit Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by Tar Heel View Post
    You have a smoothbore by now!

    I have a 6 1/2 inch 32/20 that is real fun to shoot.

  15. #75
    Boolit Master

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    Tar Heel
    That 32-20 has more recoil than I would have expected.
    A barrel I always said I wanted, but never sought hard enough to get one.
    I would have hoped for a tight one and use .308 bullets and most likely boolits.
    Amendments
    The Second there to protect the First!

  16. #76
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    Texas by God's Avatar
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    I've never owned one, but my brothers Contender .223 and my friends 7mm TCU were fun to shoot; my other friends 10" octagon 30-30 with 170 gr factory loads- was not. But they were all accurate, just not quite as accurate as my ugly XP-100 .221 Fire Ball.


    Sent from my SM-A716U using Tapatalk

  17. #77
    Boolit Master
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    The XP's are incredible. They were also on the scene before the first Contender hit the street.

  18. #78
    Boolit Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by TCLouis View Post
    Tar Heel
    That 32-20 has more recoil than I would have expected.
    A barrel I always said I wanted, but never sought hard enough to get one.
    I would have hoped for a tight one and use .308 bullets and most likely boolits.
    it's a 30/20 and Redding made dies for it. I have a set and use 308 bullets from 115 to 165.

  19. #79
    Boolit Buddy
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    To the best of my limited knowledge, all the 32-20 and 32 H&R TC factory barrels were chambered on 0.308" barrels. Have shot many 32 S&W Longs w/ 0.312-4" bullets through my 32 H&R barrel with no ill effects, just good groups. Like shooting a 22LR but a little more boom.

  20. #80
    Boolit Man

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    My fave is a 14" MGM 17 Hornet Contender, threaded with an HTG Aris on it. I use it on an SBR lower, so I'm pleasing the crown.
    My other favorite is an SSK converted to 358 JDJ 14". Took a pronghorn last fall that I wrote about on here. It is a little more than a 17 Hornet in every way, so I shoot it a little less.
    Also use 8" 357 Mag,10" sighted 22lr (which is silly accurate), 14" 223, 44, 7TCU and 30/30. Still fiddling with cast loads in the TCU and 30/30. The 44 is an absolute monster, even compared to the JDJ. 14" is less snappy than the 10", but I don't own a 10" anymore.
    In an Encore, I mostly use a 22" 243, but also run 15" and 26" 25-06. Sold off the 17 Hornet from MGM and the 20" cut and threaded 375 JDJ factory barrel. I am enamored with the JDJ line, but was ill prepared and a tad disappointed with a doe WT kill with the 270 Hornady spire point; she ran a lot farther than she should have. I know things happen, but I wish I had used a softer bullet, and a cast one at that, even at lower velocity. Live and learn, I suppose. Now the NOE 360-232 FN from the 358JDJ? Wow. That's the results that made the JDJ line based on the 444 noteworthy.
    Let's go Brandon!

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check