TC Contender Pistols

[Wojo14]

Anyone out there hunt with the TC Contender pistols? I am really interested it it. I like hunting close. Plus these would be great for back country.
Any stories, builds and pics would be cool!

~Wojo

 

[Millwood21]

I have one of my dads I got after he passed. I bought a scope for it last year. Gonna try to hunt with it this season. 45-70 gvt.

 

[Wojo14]

Nice rig! I am a huge fan of 45-70. That is the TC I am looking at getting.

 

[Millwood21]

Thanks! I’m ready to take a critter with it. It’s a cannon for sure. I’ve shot it a few times free handed. I need to get it on a bench and sight it in. It does have that ported barrel which helps a ton I’m sure.

 

[shtrbc]

Have used the Contender pistols going on 30 years now. .223, 7-30 Waters, .30 Herrett, and .35 Remington. Have shot more rounds with .223 than anything else while shooting prairie dogs, coyotes, and fox. But have taken deer with all the other calibers. One antelope with the 7-30 Waters too. Getting a little harder to shoot accurately now that my eyes are getting old..... These guns don't seem to in vogue right now so used stuff should be fairly easy to come by. I also have some of the newer Pro Hunter rifle but they just seem big and clunky compared to the original Contender. Hope you get one!

 

[Wojo14]

Have used the Contender pistols going on 30 years now. .223, 7-30 Waters, .30 Herrett, and .35 Remington. Have shot more rounds with .223 than anything else while shooting prairie dogs, coyotes, and fox. But have taken deer with all the other calibers. One antelope with the 7-30 Waters too. Getting a little harder to shoot accurately now that my eyes are getting old..... These guns don't seem to in vogue right now so used stuff should be fairly easy to come by. I also have some of the newer Pro Hunter rifle but they just seem big and clunky compared to the original Contender. Hope you get one!

Very cool!

 

[Gunnersdad49]

I've got an Encore that I took a gemsbok in Africa with. 7mm-08 set up as a pistol. It swaps barrels and a stock, and turns into a hand .243 for a kid's first deer rifle.

 

[Wojo14]

I've got an Encore that I took a gemsbok in Africa with. 7mm-08 set up as a pistol. It swaps barrels and a stock, and turns into a hand .243 for a kid's first deer rifle.

7mm-08 would be a nice one to have. You using factory ammo?

 

[BAKPAKR]

Several years ago, after drawing a Montana mountain goat tag, I bought a 10” Contender in 30-30 to have as a back up for my bow. I ended up getting my goat with the pistol using 125 gr Nosler Ballistic Tips. I have shot a few deer with it since then.

 

[Wojo14]

Several years ago, after drawing a Montana mountain goat tag, I bought a 10” Contender in 30-30 to have as a back up for my bow. I ended up getting my goat with the pistol using 125 gr Nosler Ballistic Tips. I have shot a few deer with it since then.

That is awesome! I am a bow hunter. So getting close is always my goal. I think branching out into another short game hunting would be fun.
Did you use factory ammo? If so, what?

 

[shtrbc]

I would also highly recommend reading up on reloading practices for this design rifle on Mike Bellm's site. He has a ton of info on how the design works works in general and weaknesses that should be addressed. In general, if you are a reloader that has experience with other action designs ie..bolt action rifles, the method for resizing brass is a bit different. In my bolt action rifles I always either neck sized or just partially sized when the bolt closed hard on a nice tight fitting piece of brass. This method will eventually cause you problems in the Contender world. The jist of it is that there should be a slight amount of clearance between the head of the cartridge and the face of the frame. If there is no clearance, there is a chance the gun won't go into battery. The tell tale sign of this in a Contender is pulling back the hammer and finding it will not cock. Super simple and easy to deal with, just something to be aware of. There are production tolerances involved in everything in life. Last thing, the upgraded, HD locking bolt springs, and hammer springs they sell are both worth every penny too. Especially if you run a hammer extension. Factory ammo isn't a guarantee of no issues either. But overall, a great platform. What do they say about fear a man with one gun? I think that applies to the guy shooting a single shot also.....

 

[Wojo14]

I would also highly recommend reading up on reloading practices for this design rifle on Mike Bellm's site. He has a ton of info on how the design works works in general and weaknesses that should be addressed. In general, if you are a reloader that has experience with other action designs ie..bolt action rifles, the method for resizing brass is a bit different. In my bolt action rifles I always either neck sized or just partially sized when the bolt closed hard on a nice tight fitting piece of brass. This method will eventually cause you problems in the Contender world. The jist of it is that there should be a slight amount of clearance between the head of the cartridge and the face of the frame. If there is no clearance, there is a chance the gun won't go into battery. The tell tale sign of this in a Contender is pulling back the hammer and finding it will not cock. Super simple and easy to deal with, just something to be aware of. There are production tolerances involved in everything in life. Last thing, the upgraded, HD locking bolt springs, and hammer springs they sell are both worth every penny too. Especially if you run a hammer extension. Factory ammo isn't a guarantee of no issues either. But overall, a great platform. What do they say about fear a man with one gun? I think that applies to the guy shooting a single shot also.....

Thanks for the info

 

[tak]

This is the only pic I have, but it's a good one!

You'll really enjoy a contender, I don't bowhunt much anymore, but it is fun to get close with a contender (I've also used a 300blk for the same niche in both an AR and a bolt gun)

My contender is a 14" 44 mag, and Hornady Leverevolution is pretty deadly.

 

[Gunnersdad49]

7mm-08 would be a nice one to have. You using factory ammo?

yep. Mine likes the Federal Fusion, and I have a few boxes left, so why mess with success, right? It is a fun, portable solution for sure.

 

[BAKPAKR]

That is awesome! I am a bow hunter. So getting close is always my goal. I think branching out into another short game hunting would be fun.
Did you use factory ammo? If so, what?

I reloaded for mine. @shtrbc is correct about sizing. I had some misfires at the range and eventually figured out that it was due to neck sizing only.

 

[Hackleback]

 

[sodaksooner]

Had a blast with mine. Gen 2, I bought in high school in the early 80's when that stuff ws the rage. 7mm TCU. Shot a whitetail doe and an antelope with it, both at just under 200 yards. Really just used for fun and I carried it the few times I had a gun tag in OK. Great shooter. Sold it to a coworker so I know where it lives. Financed a new rifle scope with the proceeds. Would routinely hit clay pigeons at 220 yards off the bench, and just goofing off knocked over a ram offhand at 200 meters at our range one day a few years ago. It was a "drop the Mic" moment. Lots of memories with it but I moved on a couple of years ago. Even had a custom shoulder holster for it.

 

[Wmmichael20]

Got one a few years ago in 410/45colt,would like to get a few more barrels, 30-30,22lr,357mag,6.8spc...the list goes on

 

[pacoalcracker]

I got 3 Encore and 3 Contender customized frames and about a dozen custom barrels.....from 6.5 JDJ to 500 S&W (mostly Reeders wildcat GNR cartridges) and from 9" to 15" and all but the 6.5 JDJ muzzle-braked. Gary Reeder built all of the actions and barrels except for the action and barrel in 6.5 JDJ that JD custom built for me. All great shooters and very nice customs. Been a hand-gunner with SS and revolvers(scoped and unscoped)since 2006. I handload all of my handgun ammo. Visit reedercustomguns.com

 

[Treerat-sniper]

I've taken over a dozen whitetails, a painted desert ram & a hog with my super-14 in .44. Been using the same handload for 20 years (240 gr XTP over 15 gr Blue Dot, Starline brass, WW primers).