I had a similar problem once with a Contender frame. Dunno if same as your issue but..

An older Contender can be shot enough that the "ears" that engage the locking pins when you pull up on the release lever have work softened and bend just enough that the ears cannot move the barrel pin back to the muzzle end of the barrel to release the barrel.

Solution was complete disassembly of the action which allows dropping the trigger frame down, releasing the barrel. I cannot put a pic here but on this part:

https://www.sskfirearms.com/trigger-guard-70-1.html

the two triangular ears that stick up in the middle had work softened over years and would bend backwards - to the left in the image - and just not quite engage the barrel latch pins enough to release. Solution was buy that part - after a few tries at straighten old part ears did not work. SSK had them available for quite a while, seems they are OOS just now.

If you need to understand how to disassemble a Contender down to the frame lots of tube of you videos. Really pretty simple, remove the grip and screw, drift out the hammer pin and remove, drift out the other 2 pins and trigger assembly falls out the bottom. Mike Bellm has some good guides out there, along with how to touch up Contender triggers - which requires that disassembly. Even if it is not bent trigger ears, that process will release the barrel almost no matter what. If the barrel lock pins remain locked after you drop the trigger group just reach up with a flat screw driver and ease them toward the muzzle. Never have seen that but possible I guess.

Good luck

RAS

PS drifting out 3 pins is a lot easier than risking breaking something by force. If you are near 70801 let me know via PM and I will demonstrate

Last edited by RSherburne; 03/12/24.