Who's a fan of single shot pistols in rifle calibers?

farm23 said:

Thanks LD13 I thought it must serve a purpose. Just goes to show how much I have to learn. For crows eating in my vegetable fields out to about 100 to 150 yards what would you'll advise?

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I would use a 223

Can I get one in 6.5 Grendel a pistol that is?

horsemen61 said:

Can I get one in 6.5 Grendel a pistol that is?

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There are few places I would consider a 6.5 Grendel. An encore pistol is certainly one of them. It may even be within pressure limits for the contender. That said, all of these cartridges that are being built as an improvement for the AR15 would be right at home in a TC pistol. If I can ever quit buying revolvers I will get back into buying tc barrels. My short list is 6.8spc, .223, 41 mag (gonna be a handful) and 20 practical. The idea of a 6.5 would definitely push my 6.8 off the grid if I didn’t have a 6.8 AR that I love.

Man I think it would be so much fun and it would be something I could use during deer season!

Stevie-Ray said:

View attachment 810399

.30-30 Super 14 with 4x Leupold that I absolutely love.
Under it, a tapered, Magnaported Super 16 barrel in .45-70 which I absolutely hate.

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Why do you hate the 45/70 barrel?

I’ve been shooting Contenders since 1976, most were in rifle chamberings (sorry, the .30 and .357 Herretts are handgun chamberings, so is the 7mm BR. I’ve owned them too). The .243 WCF would work well for varmints up to medium game, my .250 Savage XP-100 gives similar balistics and kills well in the right platform. Today, that means the Encore or a used/custom pistol.

I’ve taken game with handguns in the following rifle chamberings:
.223 Rem
.25-20 WCF
.25-35 WCF
.250 Savage
.300 Savage
.35 Remington
.38-55 WCF
.45-70


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horsemen61 said:

Ok gang I would love one of these t/c encore or contender in a 6.5 Grendel is that possible/safe? I think it would be just dandy

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Yes absolutely in an encore or G2.

For those that don’t know they no longer make contenders, they have a new model that is the same size called the G2. Barrels for a contender or encore interchange but the g2 is a little stronger with reinforced frames. You can tell them apart because of the reinforcing ribs on the side on the g2, and contenders have a cougar embossed in the side.

If you overpressure a contender it will stretch the frame so there will be a gap between the barrel face and breech face when closed. It’s highly unlikely to be dangerous to the shooter when this happens, it just wrecks the frame.

Encores are significantly bigger and are good to go up to the belted magnums such as a 300 win mag or 375 H&H.

farm23 said:

Thanks LD13 I thought it must serve a purpose. Just goes to show how much I have to learn. For crows eating in my vegetable fields out to about 100 to 150 yards what would you'll advise?

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For that I would get a 17 hmr. Contenders have two firing pins, one for rimfire and one for centerfire. My father in law has a 10” 22 long rifle barrel with iron sights. It will shoot pop cans at 100 yards.

If you handload a 17 hornet, 22 hornet 218 bee, or 221 fireball would all be fun chamberings for pest control.

Arkansas Paul said:

Love the Encore.
I have less than zero interest in a brace though.

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I only use the brace for sighting in the scope

Steve

I have a Contender Super 14 chambered in 7mm International Rimmed. I used it for handgun silhouette back in the 1980s.

I also have a 10" Contender chambered in 221 Remington Fireball. While the 221 was first chambered in a handgun (Remington XP-100), it does perform well in rifle length barrels. I also have a Contender 22" carbine and a Remington 700, both chambered in 221 Remington Fireball.

tallpaul said:

Why do you hate the 45/70 barrel?

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You clearly have never been brutally thumped by such a beast. I know of a single 45-70 barrel that has been in a friends collection for 20 years. It has had 5 shells grace its chamber. The owner bought it new, he fired it and put it away. His brother had to try it, and shot it and put it away. The brothers two sons each had to try it, and then they put it away. I was the idiot who tried shot #5 because I wanted to buy the damned thing. Unless you like having your hand ran over by a truck, a 45-70 contender pistol is a bad idea.

WestKentucky said:

You clearly have never been brutally thumped by such a beast. I know of a single 45-70 barrel that has been in a friends collection for 20 years. It has had 5 shells grace its chamber. The owner bought it new, he fired it and put it away. His brother had to try it, and shot it and put it away. The brothers two sons each had to try it, and then they put it away. I was the idiot who tried shot #5 because I wanted to buy the damned thing. Unless you like having your hand ran over by a truck, a 45-70 contender pistol is a bad idea.

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Offer him $100 for it and buy a bottle of trailboss. 45-70 doesn’t need to be loaded to the hilt.

WestKentucky said:

You clearly have never been brutally thumped by such a beast. I know of a single 45-70 barrel that has been in a friends collection for 20 years. It has had 5 shells grace its chamber. The owner bought it new, he fired it and put it away. His brother had to try it, and shot it and put it away. The brothers two sons each had to try it, and then they put it away. I was the idiot who tried shot #5 because I wanted to buy the damned thing. Unless you like having your hand ran over by a truck, a 45-70 contender pistol is a bad idea.

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someguy2800 said:

Offer him $100 for it and buy a bottle of trailboss. 45-70 doesn’t need to be loaded to the hilt.

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I take that back, tell him I’ll give him $100 for it.

WestKentucky said:

You clearly have never been brutally thumped by such a beast. I know of a single 45-70 barrel that has been in a friends collection for 20 years. It has had 5 shells grace its chamber. The owner bought it new, he fired it and put it away. His brother had to try it, and shot it and put it away. The brothers two sons each had to try it, and then they put it away. I was the idiot who tried shot #5 because I wanted to buy the damned thing. Unless you like having your hand ran over by a truck, a 45-70 contender pistol is a bad idea.

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thats funny- I have a contender super 14 in 45/70 - shot a couple boxes through her without sights even when I got it... hittin milk jugs easily... not bad - maybe its a mans only round I still have her and she is not near as bad as you make it out to be...

tallpaul said:

thats funny- I have a contender super 14 in 45/70 - shot a couple boxes through her without sights even when I got it... hittin milk jugs easily... not bad - maybe its a mans only round I still have her and she is not near as bad as you make it out to be...

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Is it a G2? Is it tapered or bull barrel? And were the rounds factory 405s? All 3 of these can contribute to the answer of "not bad", as factory Winchester or Remington 300 grain loads are nothing short of horrendous, in tapered barrels of an original Contender. A bull barrel would make the gun a bit heavier, and the ones that have a top rib would be even better, along with a slight redesign of the grip frame on the G2, favoring less recoil. When a barrel is mostly hole rather than steel, it needs to be in .22 caliber. A man's only round? Oh, that's rich. I'm a 6'3" and 240 lbs ex-wrestler and boxer, and while I could shoot factory 405s, which are nothing but "popgun" loads, all day long, the factory 300s will give me the sensation of a firecracker going off in my closed hand every time. Went 14 rounds one day-never will again. My hands stung for 2 days after. That kind of punisment stays in the safe, now.

tallpaul said:

thats funny- I have a contender super 14 in 45/70 - shot a couple boxes through her without sights even when I got it... hittin milk jugs easily... not bad - maybe its a mans only round I still have her and she is not near as bad as you make it out to be...

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I doubt that it’s a “mans only” round. The guy that owns it has a couple X frame smiths. The 500 is a 3” I believe...it’s short for sure... and it’s nothing compared to that 45-70. If you’d like I can ask for a couple rounds and mail them to you if you promise to video tape the shots...

WestKentucky said:

I doubt that it’s a “mans only” round. The guy that owns it has a couple X frame smiths. The 500 is a 3” I believe...it’s short for sure... and it’s nothing compared to that 45-70. If you’d like I can ask for a couple rounds and mail them to you if you promise to video tape the shots...

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The rounds I was playin with were the 300' jacketed- wanted them for deer really. I have several 45/70's and am starting to load for em . I would imagine thumper loads n heavy bullets would be a challenge I dont get crazy with the 45/70 yet heck 14 grain of unique will go clear through a deer end to end with a 405 grain... eventually I will be gettin heavier stuff going and ya know the contender will have to be tried out with those too... I do understand though- I was funnin a tad... even at 6'5 and 315 I have nothin much to prove anymore so a round that works is good enough no need to shoot through two elephants at once anymore

I have an AR pistol. I didnt want it but couldnt bring myself to shell out for a TC in 223 given my lack of need for either but the AR has more uses. If you like handguns check one out.

I’d wheel and deal for a contender in 357 max then get a 223 and 22 barrel.

Shameless plug for Bellm’s TC’s too. Kurt knows his stuff.

I've got an encore 44 rem mag. I take it for close shots hunting. I've had 308 win barrel.
It was to loud for me. Rifle rounds tend to be flame throwers. When I to get another barrel I want 300 blackout.

I wonder what grip the .45-70 owner had on the frame. The Contender wood and wood-rubber stocks are terribly painful with warm loads, I replaced the grip on my first Contender in the late 1970s with a Pachmayr Presentation. I replaced that with a Gripper once that grip came out. Took most of the sting out of high recoil cartridges....except for the .50-70. With top loads that one still hurts.


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25-20 WCF said:

. The Contender wood and wood-rubber stocks are terribly painful with warm loads

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Indeed, I filed, sanded & refinished my first Contender grip to fit my hand better years ago to make it comfortable. Helped some for me but everyone's hands are different.

32-20, 357Max, 45-70. All contenders. Pachmyer grips and fore end. Even then the 45-70 will numb your hands in 5 shots.

IronHand

I like bolt action specialty pistols more than break action. Most bolt actions are single shots, but the Striker, XP100R, and custom 700’s are repeaters. I like Contenders and Encores - really prefer Encores over contenders - but the bolt guns make me a lot happier.