TC Contender with arm brace

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I have a couple arm braces, and I get the reason for their existence. But I could never warm up to them. In some locales, I realize they really are the only option. But they’re still ugly, uncomfortable, and just less than ideal.

I SBR’d a Contender several years before any arm braces were in existence. And I would do it again today.

Just think, had the OP sent off paperwork the day he started this thread, he likely would have been shooting with a short barrel and a real stock for over a year now.

t14vqp0h.jpg
 
GarrettJ said:
I have a couple arm braces, and I get the reason for their existence. But I could never warm up to them. In some locales, I realize they really are the only option. But they’re still ugly, uncomfortable, and just less than ideal.

I SBR’d a Contender several years before any arm braces were in existence. And I would do it again today.

Just think, had the OP sent off paperwork the day he started this thread, he likely would have been shooting with a short barrel and a real stock for over a year now.

View attachment 805633
Click to expand...
Possibly, still debating threading several of the barrels for another day.....

Is that a Rhineland conversion for a Mauser 98?
 
Did BATFE not specifically exempt Contenders and Encores from SBR laws, just like they specifically exempted shotguns from DD laws? I may be misremembering. I have a short barrel Contender and folding stock that I would like to assemble upon Form 1 approval or clarification of an exemption like this. A brace would be an alternatively but for it being too fugly to stomach.
 
ATF does not have the authority to exempt any laws. On the DD issue, the “sporting use” exemption is written into the law.

The Supreme Court ruled that a Contender kit containing a butt stock and both long and short barrels does not constitute an SBR through constructive methods or other means. It is only when the gun is configured with both butt stock and short barrel that an SBR is made.

So don’t do that, unless registered as such.
 
sean m said:
So, ended up with the Shockwave Blade brace on it. With a 22 LR barrel attached and a 4x scope, it is boringly accurate.
Also added a folding buffer tube adapter, so it is very short when folded.
Click to expand...

Sean M -- did you wind up having to do any Bubba-ing of your conversion, or did the Shockwave Blade match up straight-up with the Choate AR part? Thanks.

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Did BATFE not specifically exempt Contenders and Encores from SBR laws,
Click to expand...

At one point you couldn’t turn any pistol into a rifle and later back to a pistol, except for the contender.

So you get a carbine conversion for your glock or 1911 and use it, you were breaking the law turning it back into a pistol.

What it didn’t allow was for you to assemble the contender in an illegal manner. So you needed the pistol grip installed with barrels under 16” but could use he stock with 16”+.
 
JFrame said:
Sean M -- did you wind up having to do any Bubba-ing of your conversion, or did the Shockwave Blade match up straight-up with the Choate AR part? Thanks.

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Click to expand...
The Choate grip is designed for use with a buffer tube to give an adjustable stock option.
https://www.riflestock.com/store/product/thompson-contender-m4-pistol-grip/
IMG_8599-2.jpg
I ended buying everything piece by piece. The pistol buffer tube was picked up from Ebay. The same with the folding adapter (it was marketed for airsoft) The Shockwave Blade was a blemished one on clearance. Everything lined up pretty well and no bubba-ing was needed.
 
sean m said:
The Choate grip is designed for use with a buffer tube to give an adjustable stock option.
https://www.riflestock.com/store/product/thompson-contender-m4-pistol-grip/
View attachment 805978
I ended buying everything piece by piece. The pistol buffer tube was picked up from Ebay. The same with the folding adapter (it was marketed for airsoft) The Shockwave Blade was a blemished one on clearance. Everything lined up pretty well and no bubba-ing was needed.
Click to expand...

Thank you for that info, Sir -- much appreciated! :thumbup:

.
 
sean m said:
So, ended up with the Shockwave Blade brace on it. With a 22 LR barrel attached and a 4x scope, it is boringly accurate.
Also added a folding buffer tube adapter, so it is very short when folded.
Click to expand...

Hey, sean m -- just had to chime back in on your thread and let you know you gave me an itch I just had to scratch... :D

I decided to pair a forearm brace with my absolute favorite Contender barrel -- a 14-inch "Super Match" .22 LR.

I wound up going with the Shockwave Blade 2. The Choate AR adapter grip wound up being a birthday present from my wife.

Decided not to go with the folding adapter for now, because I thought the configuration was compact enough. I may certainly revisit that idea in the future... :)

The scope is a factory refurbished Nikon Prostaff 4x fixed model.

Thanks for the idea, man! :thumbup:

Contender Shockwave flash1ed.jpg
Contender Shockwave flash2ed.jpg
 
ewlyon said:
I think this is a great idea and am ashamed of myself for not having thought of it for my contender. However there are a few issues to deal with.
First, I am not sure that the Choate stock in the picture in your post uses tube threading that is compatible with AR pistol buffer tubes, so if you are intending to make that the base for your brace you may have to do some modifications beyond just removing the stock and installing the brace.
Second, assuming that the stock is readily convertible to a brace, you cannot even possess the stock if you only have pistol length barrels because then you are in constructive possession of an NFA item. You would need to first buy a rifle length barrel so that there is a legal configuration that includes the stock.
Lastly, I think some of the benefits of the brace system are lost on the contender because there are folding stocks available that would result in a more compact rifle configuration even given the extra barrel length than you would likely achieve by using a shorter barrel with a non-folding brace.
All that being said, I love this idea and even if I don't hear anything more about I plan to try this myself soon.
Click to expand...

Yes it uses a standard ar15 thread pattern. I have one with a pistol tube and Sig brace on mine.

Steve
 
would you tell me how you put the bipod on your contender i have the same forend and would like to add one on mine for bench work
 
LUCKYDAWG13 said:
would you tell me how you put the bipod on your contender i have the same forend and would like to add one on mine for bench work
Click to expand...

Hey Luckydawg13 -- I can only speak to the Harris bipod (which is what I'm using).

The Contender fore-end has a small mount for a sling swivel. The Harris bipod has "wings" with a set screw for tightening or widening. I put the pin that's on one "wing" (which is sized to the sling mount) into the mounting hole. Then I just tighten the set screw until the wings pinch in tight on the mount and fore-end. That's all there is to it. :)

I'm hoping other bipods have the same basic configuration... :)

.
 
LUCKYDAWG13 said:
The forend that I have does not have the sling stud is yours separate from the mounting screw
Thanks
Click to expand...

Now that you mention it, the sling stud takes the place of the mounting screw. I have multiple fore-ends, so I gotta assume that the sling stud came configured with one of them...

I'm going to guess (optimistically) that such a stud probably won't cost that much... o_O

.
 
Last edited:
My encore has packmayer grips and forend has sling stud in it I will have to do a little looking around and see if I can find something for my contender
Thanks
 
As a heads up for anyone pursuing this route using the Choate adapter, with iron sights I am just barely able to line up the sights while using the brace just due to the geometry. Using any sort of optic would probably be no problem, but depending on your sights it might be tough to get a good sight picture
 
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