Ed's T/C's

[maxhunter]

Is Ed's T/C's still in business ?  I've call him several times & had no answer. Need a octagon forend.....    Maxhunter

[Graybeard]

Yup, I called him last week on Wednesday afternoon. On Friday he had a G2 SS frame complete with trigger job in the mail USPS Priority. It arrived at my FFL guy's place on Monday. I've e-mailed him 2-3 times during the deal as well and he answered each promptly.

[pastorp]

Bill, not trying to start and argument, but I've never been able to get a response from Ed to phone calls or e-mails.  I don't doubt what you say is true but many of us has had much less sucess in dealing with him. Just thought you should know. Regards, Byron

[rickyp]

Ed is very very hard to get ahold of but I have found it to be worth the troubles.

[Yel95]

I bought a 15" 44mag encore custom shop barrel last week from Ed.  I called one time he answered and sent the barrel to me the next day.  I will use him again, his prices can't be beat.

[apollo]

Ed is hard to get on the phone for sure but it can be done. I have talked to him 3 times within the past two weeks.  He has replied to my email once but on other times he did not. If you are going to buy something from him, make sure that you ask very detailed questions or you may not get what you expected. He does not volunteer information. For example, I called him and asked if he had any used 357 mag. 10 inch blued barrels because I wanted to get it rechamberd to the 357 max. He said that all he had was new barrels in 357 at the time. I them asked if he had any used 14 inch blued 35 rem barrels. He said that he didn't have any 35 caliber used barrels. Well I had seen on his web sight that he had a blued 14 inch 35 rem rimmed so I asked if he had it and he said yes so I bought it only after asking him if the bore had any issues. He told me that it didn't but when I got it, it had a burr and pitted area about an inch in front of the chamber. I noticed that on his list of barrels that he sent in the package that he had a used blued 10 inch 357 max that had been rechambered from a 357 mag. This was exactly what I wanted in the first place but he never mentioned it even though I had told him that that was what I wanted to begin with. He said that he would send out the 357 max barrel as soon as he got the 35 rem barrel back. He received it on Monday but he told me today that he wouldn't be shipping it until friday. I guess the moral of this story is, ask many questions when dealing with Ed. This will be the 4th barrel I have bought from him and will probably buy more from him in the future.

[Heavy C]

I tried on several occassions to get a hold of Ed.  Never did receive a return phone call.  I won't do business with someone that conducts business in that way.  I'll reserve my money for purchasing barrels listed in the classifieds here or on auction sites.

[Zeus]

I've actually gotten Ed on the phone most of the times that I call.  He has some odd hours some days but they are posted on his website.  Give him another try.  GS

[huntnut]

I emailed him yesterday and he emailed me back today, you just have to keep trying to get hold of him some times its hard

[armory414]

Selling TC stuff is not Ed's primary job.  He has a real job in real life, and generally gets to the TC business as time permits.  He's a CPA, IIRC, so end of the year and tax time are very busy for him.

[Bullseye]

Graybeard

You getting back into the Contender business?  Didn't get you mad at them for some reason at sell them all a while back?  Just curious, because it is funny how what we want changes over time.  I have swore I would never own something again and then after a time period go back sometimes.

About Ed, I have found that if I call him during his daytime hours I usually always get hold of him.  If you get an answering machine just hang up and call again later because it usually means he is on the phone.  Although sometimes hard to get hold off and not very talkative (I assume it is because he is at his day job, because he seems more talkative at night) he is priced right on Contender stuff and has always given me great service.

[Graybeard]

Well Bullseye I'm not YET prepared to say I'm getting back into the Contender business but yes I did buy a new G2 SS frame. I have borrowed a 7-30 barrel and scope from a friend in PA. These will be used on the White Oak Plantation XVI Annual Handgun Hunt next month. It's a hunt that's been held every year for the previous 15 years at White Oak Plantation here in Bama. It's attended every year by many magazine writers, industry representatives and a few hunters. They give away over $10,000 in door prizes via drawing at each hunt.

One of our GBO members had a slot for it but for personal reasons was wanting to get out from under it and offered me a discounted price to take it so I'm going in his place this year. Since I had gotten completely out of the TC business and in fact didn't even have a scoped handgun of any kind left I had Ed ship me the frame and my friend Barry is loaning me his 7-30 barrel with scope to use for any longer range shots that might be presented.

Whether I like it enough to keep the frame is as yet up in the air. Ed did a trigger job on it before shipping and it's got a nice light pull to it now. I have experienced a bit of a hang up with the hammer not wanting to cock fully and stay back but it seems to be smoothing out. There is some possibility I'll keep the frame and buy another few barrels but am making no promises at this point.

I've moved back into shotgunning primarily at this time. That really is my first love in shooting is wingshooting followed by handguns and then rifles. There is some chance tho that if I like the frame OK I'll pick up a .221 Fireball 10" barrel and a 6 TCU either 12" or 14" barrel before the prairie dog shoot out in OK next June.

Ken and Ernie French of TC will both be at the hunt I'm going to and I will be talking with them while there about TCs.

[maxhunter]

Well I talked to Ed today.... He sending my forend in the mail on Monday....due to bad weather in OK       Maxhunter

[Bullseye]

Graybeard

Good luck on the hunt and with the T/C. 

I still have all my frames (not G2's), but I have slowly been getting rid of some barrels.  I kind of had an addiction for a while and kept buying barrels.  Hated to sell them because I only kept the ones that shot really good.  But I finally decided I would never use some calibers like the 22Mag except at the range and started selling of barrels that I did not use to hunt with.  Got it down to 9 right now, which is still more than I need but am having trouble selling any more.

Again, Good Luck on the Hunt and hope you renew your interest in the Contenders.

[Mark Meyer]

Selling TC stuff is not Ed's primary job.  He has a real job in real life, and generally gets to the TC business as time permits.  He's a CPA, IIRC, so end of the year and tax time are very busy for him.

While I didn't personally know that to be true, I did figure that Ed didn't do his TC stuff full time. I've bought several barrels from him in the last few years, one just a few months ago, and while it may take a bit (sometimes) for him to get back to me, he always did and sent what I wanted pretty quickly.

The way he's treated me so well in the past, I'd like to suggest that you always give him the benefit of a doubt. I don't think he has a bank of sales personnel sitting by the phones ready to pounce on every call.

He's one of the really good guys in the TC arena so let's not start putting out any negative feedback out on him. There's still a bunch of barrels I will probably need so I want him to be there when that happens. 

Mark Meyer

[neald]

I also have had trouble getting hold of Ed. But it has been worth it every time, I never knew what he did on his other job, but was able to get him in the evening.His shipping and prices were always FAIR. (wish I could say that of everyone I have delt with)
 I have bought several barrels and an Encore from him and also he ships the things I have bought from the TCA. Good luck.
 Neal

[pastorp]

Mark, I don't view whats been said as just Negative Feedback. Rather a truthful viewpoint from all those who have shared their opinion. At least members of this forum know what to expect in dealing with Ed. If the savings is worth it to them thats great, if not they go elsewhere.

I personally try to support our sponsors as much as I can. I've have received very good service from SSK industries, and Reeds. However to me personally Ed's business practices are unacceptable. I guess we each decide whats acceptable and spend our money there.  Regards, Byron

[Heavy C]

Mark, I don't view whats been said as just Negative Feedback. Rather a truthful viewpoint from all those who have shared their opinion. At least members of this forum know what to expect in dealing with Ed. If the savings is worth it to them thats great, if not they go elsewhere.

I personally try to support our sponsors as much as I can. I've have received very good service from SSK industries, and Reeds. However to me personally Ed's business practices are unacceptable. I guess we each decide whats acceptable and spend our money there.  Regards, Byron

Ditto.  Well said, Byron.