TC Contender Fans?

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KySilverado

New member
New to posting to the forum. Been lurking for a bit.

Wondering how popular the Contender is among the members? I personally love them and will soon be adding to my collection. I'm blessed in that I have an uncle that's collected them all his life and have shot about every caliber they offer. They all shot better than I can. If I could afford it I'd own at least one of everything they chamber.

I own shoot and reload these regularly.
6.5 TCU Super 14
.357 Remington Max
45-70 Custom Shop barrel with muzzle brake
22 Hornet Super 14

I must have these barrels sometime.
.375 JDJ
35 REM
7 X 30 Waters

Post up your favorites!
 
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ohen cepel

New member
For what I want to hunt the 7-30 Waters is hard to beat. Did pick up a 30-30 barrel recently though since it was cheap and the ammo is always around.

I really like the Contender but they do seem to have lost some steam in the last few years. I'm always on the look out for other barrels but have a pretty good set up now: .221 Fireball, .223, .357, .22, 7-30, .410/45 Colt, and 30-30.
 
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KySilverado

New member
Yeah I'm a big fan of the 7X30 Waters. I've thrown several hundred down range through one of my uncles barrels. I don't do any hunting but it would be a versatile hunting round here, biggest game being white tail deer.

I have taken down several ferocious ground hogs with my 22 Hornet. Freakin tack driver and pleasant to shoot.

I had a great day way back joining up with some Sharps rifle shooters and my 10" 357 Maximum. I was ringing a 300 yd ram open sights as often if not more than they were.

I need to add another barrel to the list. 10" 22lr Match. My uncle is getting old and not shooting anymore. Just got back with 8000 rd of Federal Target 22lr he sold to me for what he paid for them 15 yrs ago. Have a boy getting pistol shooting age. Figure he might get the hang of it going through those.:D
 
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SilentHitz

New member
I have a Super 14 .223 scoped, and just got a .17HMR barrel for fun stuff. Seems like all the barrels I see for sale in the caliber I would like, are all for the 10" though.:( Might have to just buy them new instead of waiting on the used ones to come up.

Haven't really looked recently, bought a bunch of guns last year, and moved last month...so I'm trying to watch what I buy for a couple of months. I can't believe I typed that with a straight face.:eek:;)
 
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darkgael

New member
T/C

Contender: barrels in .22 (2), .223, .38, .357, .30-30, .44, 45-70, and a little wildcat from SSK - the 7.62 MicroWhisper.
Pete
 
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dave in maine

New member
contenders? i thought you'd never ask.carbine barrels in 22lr 22k hornet,7/30 waters,410, 45/70.pistol barrels in 22lr,7/30 waters,35 rem,44 mag.itching for a 223 carbine.it's a sickness that i hope i never get over.
 
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SVO

New member
Collecting Contenders

Contenders offer a bit of everthing for those who wish to collect barrels & frames. Between the factory octagon, tapered bull & straight bull barrels in 6" to 15" lengths in standard and wildcat calibers, there is a bit of something for everyone. The four standard calibers that I tend to shoot regularly are the 22 LR, 32 H&R Mag, 357 Mag and 45 Win Mag. My favorite wildcat rounds are the 7 Supermag, 6.5 TCU and 300 Whisper. If your uncle has collected and shot about every caliber offered, then he has quite a closet of barrels.
 
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KySilverado

New member
SVO. Yes, my uncle has several umm... safety deposit boxes full of Contenders, and him to thank or curse for the love of them. Every barrel they ever made, then all of the TCA offerings up to a point. If they were made with and without sights he got each. In these cases he'll have 3 barrels, 2 to be put up unfired and one to shoot. Several SSk's and several custom chambered. I know of at least a .444 Marlin barrel. Two rare frames that I know of. The Eagle sided and "flatside". Guess I've shot them all over the years with the exception of the 5mm. It was the barrel with no ammo available for it then.
 
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mikejonestkd

New member
KySilverado,

You might be stretching the truth just a little bit when you claim that your uncle has about every barrel made:

lets do a bit of math: and we'll keep the numbers simple for the folks playing along at home.

Let's say very modestly that he has only 50 different chamberings ( out of the hundred+ possible ) , two barrel styles ( octagon and round ), and only 3 of the many possible lengths for each, and 2 sight configurations- one each with sights and one without.

That comes out to 600 barrels.....

Still, I share your passion for TC products. Enjoy a finely made pistol and feel free to share any info on yours.
 
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KySilverado

New member
Yeah I know its hard to believe. I am not exaggerating one bit. He has them ALL, and multiple copies of the majority I'll at least concede. :D
 
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SVO

New member
mikejonestdk,

For a half way serious TC collector, 600 barrels would be modest collection. KYSilverado's mentions that his uncle has a Eagle frame. IF by chance, uncle's initials just happens JW, then unc's collection is probably 3 or 4 times that.
 
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Magnum Wheel Man

New member
I have 5 actions ( all pre G-2 & blued ) & these barrels...

10"

17 K Hornet
22 Hornet
5.7 X 28
221 Fireball
7 mm TCU ( 7mm X 223 )
30 - 30
30 Herrett
32 - 20
357 Herrett
10 mm Magnum
44 Magnum
45 Colt

14"

17 Remington
6 X 223 SSK
7 - 30 Waters
357 Remington Maximum
35 Remington
375 Winchester
45 - 70 Gov.

16"

223 Remington ( custom fast twist )
45 Colt / .410

21"

222 Remington
6.8 Remington SPC

I'd actually like to gat a stainless action, & a couple "hunting" barrels

& would like to get an Encore pro hunter in 416 Rigby... but I'm afraid how many barrels I'd have to buy after that 1st one...:eek:
 
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Sevens

New member
I have a circa '94 Contender with a Super 14" barrel in .223. I used to have an absolute blast with it, but I don't shoot it much these days. I picked up a 10-inch .44 Mag barrel a couple of years ago... I figured it was an inexpensive way to add a caliber to my arsenal and event better-- a full 10-inch barrel with no revolver flash gap would give me better ballistics from a .44 Mag than if I went out and bought a big revolver.

I'm sure I hit it right on both of those... but now I've got a freakishly light handgun that simply knocks the crap out of my hand. And I have never considered myself an overly recoil-sensitive kind of shooter, but this one hurts to shoot with any serious .44 Mag load that I build for it. I can make target level rounds that aren't obnoxious, but then I'm not sure what the point is. I can shoot targets loads out of a .38, I don't need to sling 240 grains of lead for target shooting.

And with the .223 barrel, I've got a Bushnell 2-6x scope on it that I bought for it when it was new in '94, and the whole setup is an inch-shooter at 100 yards, but I can't see most smaller targets worth a damn at 100 yards! I'd like a 12 or 15x, but in a handgun scope? I think there's maybe only one out there currently (Burris?) and I haven't got the kind of cash it'd take to bring one home.

So I've always liked my Contender, but I just don't do much with it these days. :( That .44 barrel would be MUCH better if it was magna-ported, no damn doubt. And for as much fun as it is to do precision, bench-rest shooting from a handgun at 100 yards, 6x just isn't working for me and my eyes aren't getting any younger.
 
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Magnum Wheel Man

New member
My hot 45 Colt loads out of my 10" barrel makes my knuckle bleed every time I shoot it at least 10-15 times...

... but the gun was built for deer hunting, & it's not made me bleed while hunting :D... but developing those hunting loads cost me a few Bandaids :eek:

it's still fun to shoot... if I remember to throw a Bandaid on my knuckle beforehand... LOL
 
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hagar

New member
My TC with scoped 14 inch 223 barrel will shoot flies at 100 yards off a rest, but standing on my hind feet I cannot hit squat with it..:barf: I turned both of mine into carbines, one has a 21 inch 17 Remington on it, and the other a 23 inch bull barrel 204 Ruger. I used the 17 as a calling rifle quite a bit when I needed a light and compact go rifle. It knocks a coyote down pretty good.
 
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rodwhaincamo

New member
I consider a T/C a necessity! I feel they are the perfect backpacker rifle. Much lighter than most, and typically more compact. And I can carry a spare barrel or 2 without taking up too much space or adding too much weight. Not to mention I like that i can spend a few hundred $$$ and get a new cartridge.
 
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KySilverado

New member
I guess most don't realize how accurate the Contenders are. I honestly haven't found one that doesn't shoot well. Think I stated all that I've shot will out shoot me. I'm with Sevens. I'd like to try a high power scope and do some serious BR at 100 yards. Betting most would easily do sub MOA. Some .5moa or better with some reload work. Most of my shooting is done at 25yds. Sitting using my knees as a rest.

I personally like the 10" bull barrels. Second would be the 14" bull.

I'm with Sevens again and the 44mag. I can handle my 45-70 for longer periods than a stout 44 mag. Pacmyers do help.

Nice collection Magnum Wheel! I need to add another from your list that I'd forgotten about. .375 Winchester
 
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Taxidermist

New member
I have one with a 14" barrel scoped in .35 rem. I use for deer hunting. The older I get the heavier the pistol feels though. :D

John
 
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