# Contenders..



## Alan in GA (May 19, 2011)

I just deleted the 2 pages. There's your 're-start'.


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## HandgunHTR (May 19, 2011)

Yeah, but I can undelete it.   

Should I???


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## Alan in GA (May 19, 2011)

*doesn't matter....*

a few posters said it was ongoing and I thought maybe it had enough and had run it's worth out.
Either way.


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## ATLRoach (May 19, 2011)

So what is your favorite contender pistol and carbine barrels?


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## Alan in GA (May 20, 2011)

*at present [and it changes]....*

I have only one pistol barrel, a 45/70 stainless cut to 12.5". I have 3 rifle barrels, a 20" .22LR Match Bulberry blue, and two T/C 23" barrels, one a 17 Mach 2 and a 17 HMR. All shoot great. Sold a handful of 14" barrels. Just not into long barreled pistols. I keep thinking "I could just as easily carry a lightweight rifle with better holding properties for longer shots in hunting conditions [no readily available rest for steadying the pistol].
I have two G2 frames, one blue, one stainless, two walnut rifle stocks w/forends, and a few pistol grips [G2 walnut and a few old style Pachmyers].
Might sell what I have soon as I've been bow hunting only for 3 years, and have gotten back into a boat and a lot of fishing!


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## ATLRoach (May 23, 2011)

I have a my favorite pistol is a 14" Hunter 7x30JDJ and I don't have any carbines yet.

Let me know if you want to part with the stainless G2


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## Eddy M. (May 30, 2011)

don't get me started on this-- too many favorites to pick


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## ATLRoach (May 31, 2011)

Eddy M. said:


> don't get me started on this-- too many favorites to pick



Come one.. one or two.

I just picked up a SSK 12.5" 45-70


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## Eddy M. (Jun 1, 2011)

ATLRoach said:


> Come one.. one or two.
> 
> I just picked up a SSK 12.5" 45-70



Trouble maker I really  like my combo set ups   -- 7X30 waters, 357 MAX in both I have a pistol and carbine-- my 7MM TCU will out shoot every other TC I own-- my 35 REM is my heavy cover / short range first choice / but th 44mag is kinda nice    I told you don't get me started  then I have my Encore stuff


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## Win1917 (Jun 2, 2011)

> I just deleted the 2 pages. There's your 're-start'.



I apologize I didn't mean to ruffle your feathers. Reading back through it I just thought it was funny how many times it got resurrected with new topics added on to the end of it.


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## Eddy M. (Jun 2, 2011)

Win1917 said:


> I apologize I didn't mean to ruffle your feathers. Reading back through it I just thought it was funny how many times it got resurrected with new topics added on to the end of it.



 if you mean ME  -----     NO PROBLEM here  just picking at ATLROACH he knows I'm addicted to TC guns--- both pistols and handguns for years as he well knows as we have talked for years----- too many TC's to talk about


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## Win1917 (Jun 3, 2011)

I was responding to the OP but no worries. I understand the T/C addiction. I recently picked a used MOA in 7mmBR. It's a great gun but the few times I've taken it to the range the whole time I keep thinking I'd rather be shooting my Contenders


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## Alan in GA (Jun 4, 2011)

*Op....*

I'm the one that started the posts and the one that deleted it because I was in a 'less than good' mood and when I saw comments about it going on and on I pulled it.
No problem, I'm not always the sweet lovable compassionate person I usually am...
Talk it up, Contenders do have a way of coming, and going, and coming, and going....
I've been "into" Contenders about 3 times in about 25 years or so. They seem neat, I buy up a frame or two, a handful of barrels, then they sit around with little use. Sell them, stay 'Contender free' for a few years, and then the itch comes again....it must be a cycle


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## ATLRoach (Jun 7, 2011)

Hey Alan.. Any Pet loads with that 45-70 yet? I need to work up some but Im going to consult Mr JD Jones about the loads for this gun since he chambered it.


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## probass (Jun 15, 2011)

*Fav Contenders*

Well, I always start deer season with my 12" stainless 35 rem w/ muzzle brake .... then depending on the stand I might switch to my 16" 35 rem set up as a mini rifle (love those little rifles).

In my more open stands I use the 14" 7-30 waters and switch to the 16" 7-30 mini rifle if I feel the need for a little more stability... (gettin old I guess)

Now if I thought that old 16 point Godzilla was where I was going today .... I take my 14" stainless 375 win with muzzle brake ..... 

then I might switch to ........

Oh well, you get the picture!


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## Win1917 (Jun 15, 2011)

I would love to get a 35 Rem. I have a 357 Max that I really like but the screwy T/C chambers are a bit of a turn off. Debating switching to a 35 Rem or getting a 357 Max from MGM with a proper chamber. 

I just picked up a 10" 7tcu that's going to be my deer slayer this year. It won't be here for a few days yet but I have a feeling it's going to be my new favorite T/C set-up.


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## ATLRoach (Jun 15, 2011)

Win- I have a 10" rebored cut rifled & rechambered 357Max from Mike Bellm. It shoots consistent 1" groups from the bench at 100yds. It was about $100 cheaper than MGM barrel.


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## bowhntr (Jun 15, 2011)

Hey man dont give up on the Max barrel yet. I have a factory 357 Max and once I found its favorite powder it turned into a sweet shootin barrel. I had been using the 180gr Hornady SSP bullets and ran out so I had to use some 180 XTPs and change the powder I was using fom 4227 to Win 296 . I had not been using a crimp on the SSP bullets but when I tried a crimp on the XTPs my eyes were opened to some incredible accuracy.  To date this has been my best deer killer i've taken to the woods yet . I have taken 20+ deer with this barrel and made my longest shot last year on a doe @ 150yds


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## Win1917 (Jun 15, 2011)

I'm still hunting with the barrel so I haven't given up on it in that respect. Just worn out on trying to get it to shoot better than 2.5"-3". That's plenty accurate enough for the hunting I use it for but the obsessive reloader side of me would like it to be a little better for pride's sake. Plus it's an 18" tapered carbine barrel and a little light in the muzzle for my taste. I'd like to do another 18" but in a bull barrel. So buying a new barrel would give me the balance I want and a better chamber. 

Crimping definitely helps with the 180 ssp's too. I wasn't crimping for a long time and the accuracy was a lot more erratic. I haven't done any reloading for it in over a year and still have 20 rounds left over from hunting season. It's getting time to drag it out anyway, maybe I'll start playing with it again and see what I can do with it. I have some H110 (ww296) but have never tried it in the max. I've been using N120 mostly and experimented a little with N110. N120 worked about the same for me as aa1680 but much cleaner burning.


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## Eddy M. (Jun 17, 2011)

Win1917 said:


> I just picked up a 10" 7tcu that's going to be my deer slayer this year. It won't be here for a few days yet but I have a feeling it's going to be my new favorite T/C set-up.



my 10" 7TCU will shoot 1" at 100 if I can hold still- I'm getting shaky in my older years--- can't recall the load data right off -- loaded so many I haven't needed to reload any in several years


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## jerome (Oct 27, 2011)

Do they make a stock that I can put on my Contender and if so about how much are they


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## Razor Blade (Oct 28, 2011)

I love mine also. contenders and encores , many different barrels for them. Where can i find a black synthetic forearm for my 10'' 357 barrel, for the contender ? I am not having any luck finding one. Scott


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## Darrell H (Oct 28, 2011)

Scott,

It looks like MidwayUSA is out of them right now but is due to receive a shipment on 11-16.

http://www.midwayusa.com/Product/711509/thompson-center-contender-forend-1-screw-10-bull-barrel-composite-black

HTH, good luck! 

Darrell


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## Razor Blade (Oct 28, 2011)

thanks Darrell , i will check back with midway.


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## HuntFan (Nov 1, 2011)

Razor Blade said:


> I love mine also. contenders and encores , many different barrels for them. Where can i find a black synthetic forearm for my 10'' 357 barrel, for the contender ? I am not having any luck finding one. Scott



Pachmayr used to make a synthetic forearm.


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## Alan in GA (Nov 1, 2011)

*I've got one....*



Razor Blade said:


> I love mine also. contenders and encores , many different barrels for them. Where can i find a black synthetic forearm for my 10'' 357 barrel, for the contender ? I am not having any luck finding one. Scott



Do you need bull, or bull tapered, or 'octagon'?
I have a Pachmyer with a small metal bar insert [adaptor?] I don't need and will sell if it's what you are looking for.
I'm in Powder Springs, GA


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## Razor Blade (Nov 1, 2011)

Alan in GA said:


> Do you need bull, or bull tapered, or 'octagon'?
> I have a Pachmyer with a small metal bar insert [adaptor?] I don't need and will sell if it's what you are looking for.
> I'm in Powder Springs, GA



Thanks friend , i have the rubber pachmyer one now , but i want the black  " hard " synthetic. Thanks for the offer. Scott


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## Alan in GA (Jan 20, 2013)

*Update on Contender inventory... : )*

22 LR Match Bullberry 20" bull blue
.357 Max MGM 18" bull stainless [shoots great!]
JUST received a new MGM .44 Rem Mag w/10" twist, barrel is 11.5" long blue bull contour.
Contenderitis never goes away it seems.....
Anxious to try this fast twist 44!


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## Win1917 (Jan 20, 2013)

Funny you mentioned that 357 Max. I tagged a deer yesterday morning with an 18" 357 Max carbine. With a 180 gr XTP it punched through both sides and put venison in the freezer.


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## Alan in GA (Jan 21, 2013)

*Question about your max....*

How is the muzzle blast compared to other rifles when shooting in the woods without hearing protection?


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## Win1917 (Jan 21, 2013)

I dunno. I use Walkers Game Ears so they cut off the blast. A guy was hunting pretty close to me though (on an adjacent ridge top maybe 100-150 yrds away) and said it didn't have the high pitched crack like a high power rifle. The muzzle was sort of facing his direction too. He said he thought it might have been a neighbor cause it didn't sound loud enough to be that close. Another guy who was much further away also said he heard the shot but never suspected it was me shooting either cause it wasn't loud enough.  

So based on those two comments I'd say it's not as loud as a typical handgun or larger cartridged rifle. Makes sense. It's a smallish case and a somewhat long barrel. The muzzle pressure should be pretty low by the time the bullet exits.

Edit: the muzzle velocity isn't terribly fast with this load (22.6 grs N120). IIRC around 1600 fps.


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## Alan in GA (Jan 21, 2013)

*G2 Pachmyer grip and forend.....*

is supposed to be here friday from Amazon.com. 
My old Pachmyers seemed to have hardened but will compare when the new G2 versions get here. I hope the sling studs are easy to remove...they look like they would get in the way.


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## jimineez (Jan 24, 2013)

my favorite is a 12" 30-30.
Recoil is manageable (old wrist injury forces that), easy to find stock ammo, and does the trick on deer no problem


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## polaris (Feb 1, 2013)

*tc pistols*

look at specialty pistols forums for any thing tc  . thanks gene


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## frosty20 (Feb 2, 2013)

where is the best place to purchase either a contender or encore? I have been looking at one for awhile but never been able to find one in stock


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## HandgunHTR (Feb 2, 2013)

It might be hard to find a NIB Contender as they have halted production of them for a while.  According to the S&W spokesperson that I spoke with, they will eventually start making them again, but he couldn't tell me when.

For Encores, I see them around quite often, especially at places like Gander Mountain, Bass Pro and Cabelas.

My vote is to try to pick one up used.  They are out there quite regularly.


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