Advice on a contender

so how bad is it? TC use to be good removing bend hinge pins as it was somewhat of a common event with IHMSA shooters looking for the 100% ram load. since they taken over by S & W I'm not sure what the customer service is like but before that they were really good.

I'm a big T/C Contender fan and so I'd say to get a frame and have some fun.

Everything that you have will sell - even ebay allows the sale of T/C barrels and related items and so you could make some money if you are so inclined.

I'd say it depends on a couple things. Do you shoot those calibers, are you willing to buy those calibers, and can T/C do anything to fix the frame?

If it were me, I'd sell them and put the proceeds into a new gun.

I like the Contender, and own two. One I kept as a pistol and and the other I made into a carbine.

If you want to use those grips you will need an older model frame, not the new and redesigned one. But finding a frame won't be hard. There have been many made over a long period of time.



But it's totally up to you.

what in the hell did the previous owner do to mess up a frame that bad? that is more than just shooting heavy loads in it and bending the hinge pin

I'd say that's a fair price. Not a killer deal for someone, not a marked-up price either. That's fair.


BTW, you just might find those barrels will sell better individually. Don't be surprised if someone asks you to split it up and sell them only what they don't already have.

I may be mistaken but t/c used to have a lifetime warranty, I would try, even if they trade out for a new g2 frame ya would be ahead of the game...

Worth a call and even mailing it in...

Yeah, but I think hotloading rounds and blowing the frame up kinda voids any warranty though.

I'm curious as to which barrel was being used when the frame was trashed? it certainly was any of the barrels you are selling

I've never seen a Contender blow like that and I used mine for some very heavy loads, one of which is a. 444 Marlin rechambered from a. 44 Mag by SSK. I have a barrel that was custom-chambered for a .22-250 which is too hot but still would not blow the frame. IMO, it was not hot loads that caused that....I'd say more of a double-charge or something to that affect based on how it blew. I'd say none of the barrels in your possession were involved in that catastrophy.

If you can't get rid of it, I'd be interested in the. 218 Bee.

BTW, even if you packed the cases full of Bullseye, none of the calibers you have barrels for could do that kind of damage....and still remain a barrel.

I wonder, did he have both hands??

I would send the receiver back to TC and see if they would give you any credit towards a replacement Contender or G2 receiver.

Wow....that's just crazy. Wearing welding gear shows he was concerned it was going to or he was determined to blow it.....waste of a fine handgun IMO. It must be nice to have the $$ to take those chances too.

Years ago, my son and I found a short-barrel shotgun near our shootin' hole.....we decided to put it to the test and it took more than several loads full to capacity with Unique and three. 454 lead balls packed on top....the load that blew it completely apart was full of DuPont 4831 (IIRC) and a cut-off wad as the projectile. It was fun and put a miserable speciman out of it's misery.

As mentioned earlier, Keep me in mind for the. 218 Bee barrel if you don't have any luck selling them as a whole. I have ten barrels for ours counting the. 22-250 that isn't used anymore. The .30-30 is by far my favorite.

Chris-bob said:

So a friend of mine gave me her dead husbands old TC Contender. The reciever is destroyed from him loading crazy hot loads into it. But I did get three barrels. .41mag, .357mag and .218bee(octagonal barrel). Also the leather carry case, two pistol grips and two forearms. Should I sell them off, or get me a contender?

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I'd say do what you want to do. Get something you're going to enjoy and feel good about, meaning have no questions about "will it work".

Get another receiver and have fun. I like my contender just for the pace of shooting. Lots of fun to just plink away slowly!

send back to T/C well S&W worst they could do is not replace it

Chris-Bob, I've got a Contender in the carbine, and pistol, I truly love them, every thing from 22lr to .44 mag. .223-30-30 also have a 18" barrel in the .410 ga.. If you can make a deal go for it, you won't be sorry. It is one the most accurate firearms I own.

I would still call and send it in, you have very little to loose, they have done good in the past...