Contender Community

[Singleshot 7369]

Trying to keep this platform alive in a sea of AR'S & Glock's. I know you're out there and alot of people say they have them in the back of the safe. Except your gun dark side & confess your Contenderness here. Whata ya got? Do you shoot in competition or clubs? How long have you had one. What caliber? What don't you care for that made you stop shooting it. If you have a picture, post it. A lot of contenders don't look the same.




TOP 22LR
BOTTOM 223

[Grumpyoldretiredcop]

I have two; one stays in pistol configuration, the other in rifle configuration. Calibers range from .22 LR to .357 (in both pistol and rifle - shooting it rifle configuration is fun!) to .243.

I have a number of barrels in calibers that I don't shoot, those just sit in the safe.

[MyOdessa]

T/C Contender is on of my most favorite handguns, I used to shoot it and hunt with it all the time. I still love to shoot it, but as one gets older limitation of shooting long distance handguns sets in.
I sold most of my Contender stuff. I still have two handgun frames, one is custom flat sides by FRO (Thompson Center's own custom shop) and the other just a regular Contender frame.
I prefer easy open 1st Gen frames, not really a fan of the 2nd Gen.

Barrels that I still have (but probably will sell a few in a short while)

T/C barrel 10" .22 LR Match
T/C barrel by FRO 10" .22 LR Match
T/C barrel 10" .357 Magnum
T/C barrel by Bullberry 10" .45 ACP
T/C barrel by FRO 12" .22 KHornet
T/C barrel by Bullberry 12" 6.5 TCU
T/C barrel 13" .17 HMR
T/C barrel by FRO 13.5" .45-70 Govt
T/C barrel 14" .223 Rem
T/C barrel by SSK 14" 6.5 JDJ
T/C barrel 14" .41 Magnum
T/C barrel by SSK 14" .45-70 Govt

This is an old photo, I don't have current one of my T/C Contenders.



T/C Contender with Magna Ported 14" .45-70 Govt barrel by SSK, love shooting this barrel, really great and accurate one. .22 LR, .357 Mag and .223 Rem are for comparison to .45-70 Gov.

[CheapBloke]

Had 1, but sold it before getting familiarized with it.

Now, all I got an Encore Pistol Blued in 30-06 blued barrel and a Encore Pro Hunter SS Pistol frame which I am thinking of getting a 10" 45-70 SS barrel for it.


Encore > Contender

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

[MyOdessa]

OP, I used to belong to Thompson/Center Association, I don't know if it is still around, but it may be worth a look for you. It was great association dedicated to all things Thompson Center, but primarily to Contender.
In it's glory days, before fire destroyed T/C Arms and before it was sold and then largely abandoned by Smith and Wesson, Association used to publish monthly magazine and had a annual convention. There are still pins, knives and barrels floating around eBay and GunBrocker that used to be sold by Association.
Couple times a year Association would make a limited run of custom barrels that were only available to Association members.
I only have one left, it is a custom.45-70 Gov. barrel made for the 20th Anniversary of T/C Association, it is silver inlaid and signed by all major players in T/C Contender world. The scope base is by SSK, it will hold up to any recoil Contender can absorb. It is unfired and likely will stay that way.

[MyOdessa]

California safe Contender.

[Singleshot 7369]

T/C Contender is on of my most favorite handguns, I used to shoot it and hunt with it all the time. I still love to shoot it, but as one gets older limitation of shooting long distance handguns sets in.
I sold most of my Contender stuff. I still have two handgun frames, one is custom flat sides by FRO (Thompson Center's own custom shop) and the other just a regular Contender frame.
I prefer easy open 1st Gen frames, not really a fan of the 2nd Gen.

Barrels that I still have (but probably will sell a few in a short while)

T/C barrel 10" .22 LR Match
T/C barrel by FRO 10" .22 LR Match
T/C barrel 10" .357 Magnum
T/C barrel by Bullberry 10" .45 ACP
T/C barrel by FRO 12" .22 KHornet
T/C barrel by Bullberry 12" 6.5 TCU
T/C barrel 13" .17 HMR
T/C barrel by FRO 13.5" .45-70 Govt
T/C barrel 14" .223 Rem
T/C barrel by SSK 14" 6.5 JDJ
T/C barrel 14" .41 Magnum
T/C barrel by SSK 14" .45-70 Govt

This is an old photo, I don't have current one of my T/C Contenders.



T/C Contender with Magna Ported 14" .45-70 Govt barrel by SSK, love shooting this barrel, really great and accurate one. .22 LR, .357 Mag and .223 Rem are for comparison to .45-70 Gov.

Very nice collection. Is that flat side bronze in color or just the picture, either way a very sharp tc. If that 17hmr is one of the barrels to fly the coup please let me know. Totally understand older limitations. Don't think I'll get anything bigger than my 223. Currently playing with an extention for the trigger guard to make it easier to open for my wife.

[operavoice]

1971 pistol hard to open frame here.
Bought it with a .22K hornet barrel / 2x Leupold on the frame, .44 mag on the side.
Sold the mag barrel and bought a 30 Herrett barrel.

Love the K Hornet.

[Singleshot 7369]

OP, I used to belong to Thompson/Center Association, I don't know if it is still around, but it may be worth a look for you. It was great association dedicated to all things Thompson Center, but primarily to Contender.
In it's glory days, before fire destroyed T/C Arms and before it was sold and then largely abandoned by Smith and Wesson, Association used to publish monthly magazine and had a annual convention. There are still pins, knives and barrels floating around eBay and GunBrocker that used to be sold by Association.
Couple times a year Association would make a limited run of custom barrels that were only available to Association members.
I only have one left, it is a custom.45-70 Gov. barrel made for the 20th Anniversary of T/C Association, it is silver inlaid and signed by all major players in T/C Contender world. The scope base is by SSK, it will hold up to any recoil Contender can absorb. It is unfired and likely will stay that way.

Someone referenced Thompson contender association to me before but could not find anything current. I don't think they are around any more. A short time ago on I saw SS G1 with a TAC on the side instead of the cat. I started bidding on it but that thing skyrocketed

[Singleshot 7369]

I purchased a TSOB base but haven't mounted yet. Was surprised what it stood for.

[scvpiper]

I still have my contender from the early 90's when I competed at LASC. 45-70, 44 mag, 7-30 waters and 223 barrels. I need to have the trigger returned so to something range friendly.

[scamp62]

I have been shooting my T/C Contender since 1985 and love it. The collection of barrels are
21” 17 Mach IV,
14” .223 Rem,
14” 6 TC/U,
14" 7 TC/U,
14” 7-30 JDJ,
14” 45-70
So much fun, first firearm to get me into wildcatting.

[ar15barrels]

Whata ya got?

Contender	22 LR		10
Barrel	17 hmr		23
Barrel	218 Bee		8
Barrel	22 Hornet		10
Contender	223 Rem		14
Barrel	222 Rem Mag	14
Barrel	7TCU		10
Contender	7-30 Waters	14
Barrel	300x221r		8
Barrel	30 Herrett		14
Contender	30-30		14
Barrel	357 Maximum	14
Barrel	35 Remington	14
Barrel	10mm mag	10
Barrel	41 Magnum	14
Barrel	44 Magnum	10
Encore	223 Rem		15
Barrel	7-08 Rem		15
Barrel	375x444		15
Encore	6 PPC		26
Barrel	7-08 Rem		16

I have a website dedicated to the work I do on break-open single shot barrels at www.tcbarrels.com

I also made the first website for the TCA if that gives me any single shot street cred...

[Imageview]

Graybeards has quite a few contender guys still, but not super active unless someone goes and posts something.

I really want to love TCs, but never found a stock for using one as a rifle I liked. Would pick another up in a second if I found one. I have a few handi rifles I use as switch barrels, but not nearly as easy to do as with a contender or encore.

[Singleshot 7369]

Contender	22 LR		10
Barrel	17 hmr		23
Barrel	218 Bee		8
Barrel	22 Hornet		10
Contender	223 Rem		14
Barrel	222 Rem Mag	14
Barrel	7TCU		10
Contender	7-30 Waters	14
Barrel	300x221r		8
Barrel	30 Herrett		14
Contender	30-30		14
Barrel	357 Maximum	14
Barrel	35 Remington	14
Barrel	10mm mag	10
Barrel	41 Magnum	14
Barrel	44 Magnum	10
Encore	223 Rem		15
Barrel	7-08 Rem		15
Barrel	375x444		15
Encore	6 PPC		26
Barrel	7-08 Rem		16

I have a website dedicated to the work I do on break-open single shot barrels at www.tcbarrels.com

I also made the first website for the TCA if that gives me any single shot street cred...

I'll stop looking for barrels, Randall has them all.