Contender Bug

[Graham Ugalde]

Love the big bores ... but the bug has bit hard! Can't seem to find one I don't like!
View attachment 311424

Nice cabinet

 

[Bobbygun]

Would love to see pic of that Winchester.

You probably won't get a picture. If you hover your cursor over the guy's avatar, you can see that he hasn't been on this site since 2021.

 

[orygun]

We're having a thread revival Y'all.....

2 resurrections in the same thread? Wow!

Since we're here - what's the difference between the Contender and the Encore models?

I see two, can I have three?

I've never been afflicted with the "Contender Bug". The concept is sound and it would be a very inexpensively priced way to get into shooting almost any cartridge, but it just never caught my fancy. A couple of the carbines with the thumbhole stock that @gemihur posted sure did, though. (post 22) Those are cool. I can envision one with a 14" barrel in 45-70. Yeah, Baby!

 

[gemihur]

Contender = original design, lower pressure rounds and a vast array of aftermarket wildcats
Encore = larger frame, utilizing higher pressure factory rounds and seems fewer wildcats to be prevalent

 

[357 MAX]

and then there is the G 2 contender.

 

[gemihur]

Don't forget SSK is slowly coming to market with it's SSK-50!

SSK-50 FRAME - LYNX-SSKLYNX

www.hausofarms.com

Who knows, Ritz may be bringing back Thompson Center!?!

An Official Journal Of The NRA | Thompson/Center Arms Acquired By Former Owner

Gregg Ritz, former owner of Thompson/Center Arms, re-acquired the company this week announcing "Thompson/Center Arms will continue to thrive in the years to come."

www.americanrifleman.org

We can only hope!

 

[gmerkt]

The concept is sound and it would be a very inexpensively priced way to get into shooting almost any cartridge,

"Inexpensive" was never a word that I associated with the Contender when I was afflicted with that disease. Twice.

 

[gemihur]

You get what you pay for, but you know that.
I buy my toys used to save the depreciation costs.
Orygun, you shouldn't attach a buttstock to a 14" barrel unless you're in Canada.
The ATF don't like the SBR without serious coin for a tax stamp
All of the carbines shown in post # 22 have barrels that exceed 16"

 

[gmerkt]

You get what you pay for, but you know that.
I buy my toys used to save the depreciation costs.

True enough. I did find Contenders to be of quality construction, if sometimes quirky. Agreed as to buying used stuff. During my first Contender adventure in the middle 1980's, I bought a frame new. Then I bought three barrels in succession, two new, one used. When I decided to liquidate that material, I found a greater fool who unburdened me in such as way as to minimize depreciation. Looked upon as a form of rental fee.

My second round came in the 20-teens, I had three Contenders and several barrels. Of course by that time all used. I discovered that I could never learn to shoot a Contender really well. I had some interesting barrels, including 10mm Auto and .41 Magnum, which helped me recover the funds expended. One time at a gun show, I found a used but unfired in box .30-30 barrel for $30, that was a good find.

Both times, I never had any collegial support for this interest. I didn't personally know one other shooter who was interested in them.

At the last couple of WAC gun shows that I bothered to attend, Contender stuff was kept in glass cases and priced like gold. Talk about expensive, Bellm who has moved to Colorado is even more expensive than original Contender but then there is inflation.

I've always found the interchangeable barrel idea attractive. Harrington & Richardson, later New England Firearms and successor owners had the accessory barrel program. Those barrels were relatively inexpensive. Shotgun barrels were in the $30 range, rifled slug barrels were about $45, and centerfire rifle barrels were about $70 each circa year 2000.

 

[gmerkt]

I've never owned an Encore. I saw one for sale, maybe October before last, at the WAC gun show. It was in original box, looked newish to me. If I remember right, it had a .308 Win. bbl. on it. I'm pretty sure it was an Encore because it had the unmistakable "swoosh" on the sides of the receiver. I should've looked at it more closely; I don't remember the price, only that it didn't seem outlandish. Meaning, less than a grand, more than $500. Which was within my affordability range. It was completely stock, no accessories.

 

[orygun]

Orygun, you shouldn't attach a buttstock to a 14" barrel unless you're in Canada.
The ATF don't like the SBR without serious coin for a tax stamp

Oh, I understand that. Doesn't mean it wouldn't be a cool carbine.

 

[gemihur]

The break-action single shots represent the simplicity and purity of the hunt.
No more greater tool exists that affords the opportunity of cartridge options and variables of challenge
... my 2¢

 

[bcp]

T/C action ID.



Bruce

 

[mpmax]

I've always regretted selling Contenders over the years. I've managed to keep the last one I assembled for a couple of years now, still have some 357 maximum rounds to put through it when I'm feeling saucy.

 

[gemihur]

This thread will never die
I haven't fired a comercially loaded round, barring rimfires, in my contenders in over 30 years
Wildcat chambers have been multiplying
The coolest is a 7mmJD#2 or 7mm Super Bower

Read about Don Bower's LONG RANGE HANDGUN COURSE. That's where I got the idea.

http://www.retro.co.za/gundex/articles/Ultimate%20(Thompson%20Contender)%20pistol%20accuracy.pdf

 

[357 MAX]

being a contender fan has advantages. I have run across many good deals over the years.

most are overpriced but rare bargains are out there.

buy the package and part out and end up with the frame at very little cost.

one deal I found, contender carbine with scope and 2 barrels.
sold the 2 barrels on e bay for more than I paid for the whole package
after paying the auction fee I ended up with the frame, stock, scope and mount for less than $100.

so yes deals are out there

 

[gemihur]

I gain enjoyment by shaping wood that adds design and function to my break-actions.
Not to mention the personal satisfaction that comes from loading my wildcats with bullets I've cast and taking an animal with the combination of all of these. Here's a wildcat 405 Win on my Encore with walnut and boxwood furniture ans an 8-point that I took a few weeks ago.

 

[lonebull]

Been a Contender fan since the early 80's...first one was a Super 14 in .357 Herritt... Had super 14's in .223, .22LR, 6mmTCU along the way, all super accurate shooters. Currently have two frames. one SS in 14" .375 JDJ and 14" 6.5 JDJ. .375JDJ kills everything I have ever shot at with one shot, never got a bullet back from any kill. The 6.5 JDJ absolutely electrocutes deer dead in their tracks. Shot a cow elk in the head w/6.5 JDJ at 300 yrds confirmed, one shot kill. Both are super accurate and will outshoot most rifles at 100 yrds. Second frame is blued and sports a 10" .45/410 vent rib barrel, awesome snake/grouse killer. None are ever going to be for sale.

 

[coop44]

Damn it! I did it again. Currently have a gen 1 early frame, and four barrels. .22, 357, 30-30, 375jdj. After I posted here a few years ago the opportunity came up at a local gun store, I had the money, oh well.

 

[MountainBear]

Yep. Newer to this particular rabbit hole. But now have multiple frames and barrels. Shot clay pigeons off a berm the other day with the .22lr and it was slow and methodical and terribly enjoyable. This pony seems to have a lot of tricks and I look forward to figuring them all out…

Long live zombie threads!!