Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots T C Contender

Hey folks dont want to sound stupid but I dont know much about them! Even got a dork from tc to try to answer my questions but_____________ didnt get them answered properly!! Ben a shootin and reloadin all my life and have quite a gun collection but___ would like to know some answeres from you Tc folks!! First of all I want a 8 inch barrel from bulberry or? and iron sights for blastin223 to 100 yds or so. Then I want other barrels that i reload and would be fun Like a 24 inch 45 auto with a scope on It. 41 mag 30 carbine 30 30 44 mag ect. If I buy just a frame can I do what I want with it? Like make a pistol and rifle with no problem? would it be cheaper for me to buy say a 30 30 pistol and put different barrels or would it be cheaper to buy the frameand the stock and forarm and barrel ect? I know you cant make a pistol out of a rifle but its the same darn frame what difference does it make? Other questions Whats the best aftermarket barrel maker? With the best turn around time Are Van Horn barrels any good? I hear some people are having problems with the new g2 (is it ) frames Sloppy fit for some barrels Best aftermarket iron sights? Can the new frames have a trigger adjust? or can it be done? last will the contender frame stand up to a 22 250 or 220 swift? I hear Bulberry offers frames are they any good? the pics look like deep blued and look good? Well any help would be greatly appreciated!! Also accuracy with aftermarket barrels Thanks fellow shooters!

k-

I make no claim whatsoever as to be an expert on the T/C Contender. However, I have been collecting barrels since I purchased my 1st one (A super 14") in 1981. In all those years, (And collecting about 70 odd barrels) I have learned a few things.

1st and Foremost: It didn't take me long to learn that I didn't like 14" barrels! Too muzzle heavy!

2ndly: After shooting a bit in a 10" barrel in .223 Rem, I found out that it has waaay to much blast. (I went back to a 14")

3rdly: Any barrel that has a fair amount of recoil to it, I prefer the 12" with muzzle tamer. Especially the .35 Rem, .44 Mag., .30-30, et.al (Basically, I'd grab any 12" barrel that I can find.)

The Contender frame is limited to cartridges of about 37,000 PSI. Thus ruling out the .22/250 and .220 Swift. Either of which would not make any significant gain over the .223 with barrels of less than 14". And also would have horrendous muzzle blast. If you want those cartridges, go with the Encore, at the expense of a bigger and heavier gun.

If you are considering a .45 ACP rifle, I would suggest that you peruse the loading manuals for the Marlin rifle. You will likely find that the 18" Marlin gains precious little over the 5" barreled 1911. (So little in fact that I concluded: Why bother?)

And another thing, most folks that buy the Contender and several barrels soon find out that it's much easier to have more than one frame... In fact, I have four. And I'd buy another if I were to start buying carbine barrels... (Which I don't intend to...)

My entire collection of barrels are all factory. Altho, I do have some fairly rare ones...

In Conclusion: Bear in mind that the above is merely my opinion. YMMV! In other words... You may want to pee on the electric fence for yourself!

GH

thanks grasshopper why would you have multiple frames? if one works why have more? what about reloading for the 45 in longer barrels wouldnt it help say a 24 inch ? and experminting in diff powders?

hey i would only pee on the elec fence if i was solidly grounded for maxim effect WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

hey grasshopper whats the fastet 224 cal I can shoot in the contender? hey i would opt for say a 24 inch barrel. custom barrels?

again can anyone answer my previous questions?

hey i love muzzle blast have a 308 rifle I shoot with an obsolete ball powder I get 12 to 15 foot blast I love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! the more blast the better for me Its part of the big bang!!!!

1. Whoever you buy your barrel from should be able to answer your questions on iron sights.

2. There is controversy regarding switching rifle and pistol barrels on Contender frames. If your frame was purchased as a rifle it has to stay as a rifle unless you do paperwork and pay money to the BATFE. If you buy it as a handgun you're free to interchange barrels but, according to the BATFE if you then put a rifle barrel on it, it has to stay as a rifle.

3. I prefer the old style Contender frames which in my opinion come with good triggers that don't need a trigger job.

4. If you want to shoot things like the 22-250 then you need to go with the Encore. You can get all the barrels you wish to shoot in the Encore configuration.

5. Consider factory T/C barrrels. Also MGM (Match Grade Machine) barrels are very good.

k-

IMHO: About the fastest .224 cal in a contender would be the .223 AI.



Ther reason I like multiple frames, is because on a range trip I like to shoot multiple guns... It soon gets tiring dissassembling and changing barrels.

As far as what Grumulkin has mentioned... The issue of changing rifle/pistol configuration can be a huge grey area as far as the BATFE is concerned. You can ask 10 agents and get 10 different answers.... but I do know, that there is one gov't agency that you do NOT want to cross and that is the BATFE! Better to err on the side of caution...

GH

Long 45 ACP barrels on a contender are very quite...I have been told.

Chris Dister of Pac Nor barrels built one.

Again when you buy just the frame is it generic or is it bought as a pistol frame and as a rifle frame? Is this the better way to go money wise or is it better to buy a rifle or pistol? I hear that the old frames with the adj trigger had a bad trait. If you cock the gun you haD TO flip down the barrel to recock if you let the hammer down. This sounds like a botheersome deal. Are van Horn barrels any good? What company can make me an 8 inch barrel with the best turnaround time? I hear some are 3 months wait. Anyone having problems with the new frames?

K- You are not listening... What we are saying is that there are legal and/or BATFE issues concerning the changing of a rifle into a pistol and a pistol into a rifle... Some laws vary by state... (Since you did not include your state in your bio, we have no idea where you are...)



Yes this is true.... However to me it's a non-issue... If you think you'll have a problem with it, then don't buy one. Personally, I like the old frames better. AFAIC, the have better triggers. But that may not be an issue to you. ( A little known fact is that one can lower the hammer by squeeaing the lever and thus dropping the hammer to the safety notch. This will NOT uncock the internal cocking mechanism... The pistol can then be recocked.)





I don't know about Van Horn barrels. No experience with them.

One thing you have to learn... A three month wait when one is ordering a custom firearm is NOTHING !

Many years ago, like in 1985 more or less, I purchased a 45/70 barrel from JDJones. It was 12" overall with 2" being muzzle break. The most accurate load I found with it was 70gr volumetric equivalent of FFF Goex. Now there was a fireball. 4198 and 335 became the second best loads without much flash. I have not checked his site for years, but his work is superlative.
Randy