Thompson center contender in .22lr

[Sharpie443]

I took the Thompson center contender .22lr out into the cold today. It’s been a long time since I’ve gotten to go out shooting since my range is under a foot of snow normally this time of year. So even though it was only 5 degrees out I went shooting. This gun preformed great in the cold even though I nearly froze up. At 25 yards I can hit a 4" steel target with every shot even with frozen hands and off the bench I can get a group the size of a quarter or smaller normally.

It’s always a good time trying to get a tighter group each time I take it out. Normally I like to try to take it out farther but I didn’t want to move the targets because the ground was frozen solid. Love this gun and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good target gun or something for pistol hunting if you get one in a larger caliber.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OhOwD8Pi6A

 

[Ky Larry]

I have a Contender in .223 Rem with 14" heavy barrel. Before age and diabetes wrecked my eyesight, I could shoot with about any rifle out to 100 yrds.

 

[loose noose]

Sharpie, I also have the Contender in .22LR with a heavy barrel 14", as well as a bunch of other barrels, it is by far the most accurate .22LR I've ever shot. The last time shooting it at 25 yards I was able to put 5 rounds into one little cluster (all touching), from a bench and a sandbag rest, with out the use of a scope.

Neat pistol if I do say so myself.

 

[witchhunter]

Sight it in with shorts or those quiet CCI's and they are deadly around the place for pests. You can keep your bird feeders free of nuisance varmints.

 

[witchhunter]

Now you need a centerfire like a .223 or a .221 Fireball to add to it. It will light em up way out there.....fun shooting with a pistol,

 

[Stevie-Ray]

I have one in .30-30, which I highly recommend, and also .45-70, which I seriously DO NOT! Always wanted a .22LR barrel for it and a .223 Rem also. Probably still will get those, eventually.

 

[Sharpie443]

I wouldn't mind getting a .223 or a .221 Fireball but my next one will probably be a .22 hornet. I've wanted one in that caliber for a long time.

 

[mbopp]

My 14" 218 Bee barrel will easily go under an inch at 100 yards. The 357 Herrett barrel is good for 1-1/4".

 

[Steve in PA]

I had a T/C Contender in .22lr match many years ago and it was a very accurate handgun.

I'm getting back into the T/C game and currently have one with a 10" .22 Hornet barrel and also a 14" .223 barrel. My next barrel will probably be a 14" 7-30 Waters.

 

[Sharpie443]

I did not know about the 7-30 waters until now and now i want one.

 

[witchhunter]

That seems to be the problem with contenders, it appears to be easy to add another barrel, thus having a new gun. There lies the problem as I see it, it costs a scope and mounts for each new barrel! And dies and brass....My favorite is the .221 Fireball. Just got a .22 Hornet and working up a load now. Last summer I hit 93 out of 100 Pdogs with the .221, out to around 275 for the longest.

 

[clutch]

Heck, I have two .22 lr barrels for my Contender. The first one I thought shot good enough, then 20 years later I realized that wasn't good at all so I ordered one with a match chamber. While I was waiting, I recrowned the original and brought it down to 2 minutes for 10 shots.

Now the match barrel has the scope on it, the repaired, non match barrel has irons and I really think I need to buy another G1 frame.

 

[Steve in PA]

This is my T/C Contender with the 10" .22 Hornet barrel and a Bushnell 2-6x Trophy scope.



Same frame, but this time with a 14" .223 barrel. A Bushnell 2-6x Elite Scope should be here on Wednesday.



Next barrel will be a 14" 7-30 Waters.

 

[Rollis R. Karvellis]

I, have been updating my Shot Works Pro, inventory, and was looking at some old photos of my T.C. and I'm scratching my head as to why I, sold it. I, had a .357, and a .44 mag barrel.

Maybe I, need to start looking at the pawn shops again.

 

[OrangePwrx9]

I've been into Contender handguns for over 20 years, but was never crazy about them. I've got Super-14s in .22LR, .223, and .35 Rem. Also have a 10" bull barrel in .44 mag.

The .35 Rem. has taken several deer and done it in a convincing way. However, I it's not fun shooting something the recoils like that.

The issue I have, with the Super-14s at least, is that I've never been able to shoot them accurately without a rest of some sort. Shooting them off-hand; I suck. The 10" .44 mag. is better; not so barrel heavy.

What I like better than the handguns, is the 21" carbine. Converted one of my frames to rifle config. and have both .22 LR match and .223 barrels for it. It's deadly accurate and quite light. Would like to find a .44 mag. carbine barrel.

 

[243winxb]

Thompson Center Contender 10" Barrel

I used the 22 LR in the ISU Free pistol matches years ago. Worked well with the 9 oz trigger. Shooting the 223 Rem off the bench, i lost count how many times i forgot to cock the hammer before pulling the trigger. :banghead:

 

[PapaG]

My first experiences with Contenders were sketchy to say the least. In recent years I've become a convert and have four, three carbines and one pistol. Barrel totals number about eleven or twelve (at last count).
My .22 10" non match with a good 2-7X scope and match ammo consistently, on calm days, does 1 1/2" off bags. My 22 non match carbine with 4X TC scope does 3//8" at 50 yards and my .223 carbine does an inch with sierra 55s over 25 grains of Varget.
the 45-70 is a work in progress and the 209X50 will be going up for sale. (I like the old Renegade instead).
Looking now for a 30-30 carbine barrel to go with the 10"-er. 357, 222, 45 Colt, 45/410, and weird 44 hotshot are all fun. My 3rd 357 barrel and for the most part they are the "hardest" to make lead up.
My early ones, in the sixties and seventies all had one issue or another but a couple of these carbines are older models.

 

[Steve in PA]

I just bought a 14" 7-30 Waters barrel from GB! The disease spreads! LOL!