TC Contender questions

[Black Prince]

Benz

Much of a persons satisfaction in receiving a firearm depends on their expectations before it comes. What did you expect for 400 bucks? In all fairness, if you expected a near new Contender, then you should also have expected to pay for it. Since you did not pay a near new price and yet seem to have expected a near new Contender, then you intended to pay less for it than it was worth. So you wanted to get the "better" of the seller and now you claim he did that to you. You can't legitimately complain about anything he did as long as you are trying to do the same thing. Well you obviously can, but that would make you a whiner when you get what you thought you were giving.

Since I am absolutely certain that you will reject being a whiner, that only leaves the possibility that you have unrealistic expectations of comming out on top of the deal when gun buying or trading and there is no cure for that particular syndrone.

Don't misunderstand my message. We offer help to those who ask for it at Cast Bullets and we are glad you participate with us here. You are always welcome and we try to be as friendly as we can be. But we have all made poor gun deals. If this is your first one, either quit doing it, or learn to live with it because if you keep doing it, it will happen again. I keep hoping to meet the guy who has come out on top of all of the bad gun deals I've made, but every gun trader I know is on the loosing side just like me. I take that back. I bought an old 94 Winchester when I got out of the navy. I sold it 42 years later for 30 dollars more than I paid for it. But given the inflation rate in the meantime, I still managed to loose money!

So welcome to the club. If misery loves company, you have plenty of company here. And you may yet be surprised at how good that barrel may shoot so you may come out on top of this deal after all.

All the best with your Contender. They truly are nice firearms.

[redneckdan]

That extractor is all bent to hell. Sorry to say it but about all that barrel is good for is a stubbing project.

[Black Prince]

Benz

I don't usually "make money" on guns, but . . . I enjoy them for a time, then sell them, and use the money to by something else to try.

Yep. Just like I said: There is no cure for that. And that is what brings all of us together as a group here. We've all been there and we hope we live long enough to go there again.

I have a dozen or so TC actions and I don't know how many barrels. I use them as both rifles and pistols and love them either way. I hope you get as much enjoyment from your Contender as I have from mine. The one you have pictured is an early one. I have one of the early ones with the 44 mag/.410 barrel on it and some of the original shot cartridges. It has the "shredder" that screws on the end of the barrel to open the plastic shot cartridge. That thing is lethal within range. It'll kill rabits, flying quail, standing deer, wild hogs, and about anything else when you drop a 44 magnum round in it. Check it out. It may be a good combination for you to take into the desert with you.

All the best.

[Rico1950]

Benz, I'd first talk to Mike Bellm or David White about taking a couple of thous. off the breech face. Extractors are cheap. You may be able to salvage that barrel. As far as the bore, run some JB paste thru it. It's not going to make those "pitts" go away, but it still might be a shooter.

[aaalaska]

Sorry to put it like this but if that was advertised as any better than fair it was a lie. That gun ,both barrel and frame have been rode hard and put away wet. It may shoot OK but, I've picked up much nicer bbls for well under 100, and a frame with marks and pits like that one would be hard pressed to fetch 200. If you doubt me check out the adds on specialty pistols.
Alex

[leadman]

That barrel is not as advertised so hopefully the buyer will make it right.
To use the Contender as a secondary hunting arm you will probably want the lighter barrel configurations. When you get a 14" barrel or longer on them it is by necessity the primary hunting arm.

I carry my longer barrels with a walking stick with a rest on it or a bipod. Shot an antelope in Wyoming last fall with my 6.5TCU with the bipod at 255 yards. Many have connected farther than that.

The 22 Hornet will do a wonderful job at the ranges you said you will be shooting. I do prefer the 22 K-Hornet as the brass stretches much less. You may find a good octagon barrel in this caliber.

[leadman]

Glad these appears to be working out for you. You can post a WTB here and at Speciality Pistols, Greybeards. Might also try Arizona Shooting once you get the needed priviliges.

Ed's Contender's has both octagon and bull 10" listed on his site, $120 and $135. Might want to call him.

[218bee]

Sounds like seller is good joe after all that....I agree gun/barrel appears from pics to have been painted/blued/something. I would certainly try it...it may shoot better than it looks

[uscra112]

Roger that, 218 bee. Nice to know that he's actually a square trader after all.

[canyon-ghost]

Glad you're enjoying your Contender.

Ron

[azcruiser]

Shawn people tend to over load contenders that's why the scratches on the chamber face .Prying outt he stuck case and why the ejector looks like someone pried on it a bit too.Contender/Thompson is great on parts I would see if they would send you the pin that holds the barrel to the frame and extractor and the bolt and washer that hold on the grips should cost next to nothing .Don't try to load 222rem to compete with 22-250. Mine likes 30gr to 45 gr jacketed bullets going mid velocities with a fast powder and I wouldn't shoot the same loads in the Sako --Have a contender brass pile and a Sako pile ?
ps don't spend all that hay money put some away
hay doesn't grow all year does it ??
My favorite cal in contenders 6mm/223 just expand the case mouth add 6mm bullet 14in barrel shot great

[rhbrink]

Well good! Hope that the 222 barrel works out if you have problems with the extractor I bet it could be straightened out fairly easy, they are not hard to remove and the metal isn't all that hard either. If it doesn't work out it could be sleeved rather easily it 22 rimfire or maybe like a Hornet? There is even a thread farther down about using one for making a stub and screw in another barrel, except on the Contender you would have to be carefull as there is not much diameter to work with. Glad to see that you sent the Sako out to have it repaired professionally hope you post some pictures when it returns, I bet he does a great job. Did you by chance shoot it any before you sent it off?

Richard

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

No, I haven' shot either of them yet ... I'm working Sun afternoon through Sat late morning ...

[rhbrink]

What a life! Enjoy! It's a great life until you begin to weak'n been there and done that. Still the quest goes on forever there is always something new on the horizon.

Richard

[Swede44mag]

Did the seller send you the $100.00 as promised if so he is an ok guy.

I had a couple of Contenders with Super 14" barrels one in .223 and another in .22 match should have kept both.

I have an Stainless Steel Encore 209x50 for deer hunting it is a lot of fun to shoot.
Bought it on a clearance sale after deer season at Dicks still paid to much money.

Good luck hope you end up with a good setup it looks like you are on the right track.

[leadman]

Benz, loading for the break-open guns is a little different than a bolt gun. Since you were on Bellm's site you may have read about this already. The interlock under the breach face has to be pushed back in order for the gun to fire.
Some neck sizing can be done, but then every once in awhile the shoulder may have to be pushed back just a little. Too much and you could get case seperations.
Can be frustrating but I am sure you will figure it out.

Enjoy yourself and find some room for more barrels.

[mdi]

I just re-read the Gunbroker page and noticed "As is. No refunds or exchanges", in red. Too bad, the frame looks OK from the pics but the scratches and gouge on the chamber edge is not "very good condition" nor is the bore excellent. May have to go through Gunbroker for help, but call seller first...

[Swede44mag]

Shawn
Sounds like a great plan I have always wanted to live in the country had have some room to breath and target shoot.

[azcruiser]

Shawn left the computer on and fell asleep somewhere around 3am ?? Check out this web page
local guy in Gilbert Dave Van Horn makes some of the most accurate contender barrels I have ever seen and I've seen a few .mygunroom.com/dvgunshop/index.html Little pricey but well worth it . Plus the calibers big selection

[leadman]

I have had about 50% of Dave's barrel do what they are supposed to do. He is not want to step up on warranty readily either.
I'm down to one of his barrels and it is a great one. Had 3 others that were very good, 4 that were real dogs.
Before I started rebarreling my own Mausers I had him make a barrel in 6.5-06 for a Mauser. I was at the range shooting it when the barrel decided to unscrew itself. Took me a bit to figure out the problem.
My money goes elsewhere now.