Author Topic: Any serious crimes(documented) ever w/ a T/C contender/encore single shot? (Read 9008 times)

ArkyKen · « **on:** January 11, 2008, 07:52:10 AM »

Hey,Read so many posts regarding the legality of pistol/rifle frames w/ this stock or that barrel length-----so,I can't help but wonder-----How many serious criminal acts(documented) have been committed w/ a T/C contender/encore? I have a hard time considering any of my T/C's a tool that a bad guy might use. Regards to all,Ken

woodchukhntr · « **Reply #1 on:** January 11, 2008, 08:33:29 AM »

I don't know of any, but have wondered when a "Dirty Harry" type movie would be made where the protagonist would do all sorts of wondrous things with a Contender or Encore! Even concealed carry!

Messer · « **Reply #2 on:** January 11, 2008, 08:59:02 AM »

A Jean-Claude Van Damme movie had one.

Hard Target (1993) - the character played by Lance Henriksen uses a 45/70 contender as his weapon of choice. They made a big deal of showing the big 45/70 round going into the barrel - of course his acted more like a HE round!!!

As far as the real world - I've never heard of one.

woodchukhntr · « **Reply #3 on:** January 11, 2008, 09:07:05 AM »

Messr,

Thanks. I guess I should watch more movies......Nah!

Old Syko · « **Reply #4 on:** January 11, 2008, 10:20:31 AM »

Asked a state leo this same question once and his reply was that he was unaware of a Contender ever being used as a primary weapon by any bad guys but one was used in a justifiable defense shooting some time back. The funny part of his response was that he didn't know anything about the Contenders or what round they used but in this case it had left a wound channel you could have stuck your arm through.

Graybeard · « **Reply #5 on:** January 11, 2008, 12:16:21 PM »

In the movie the Contender Lance used didn't even have sights or scope yet he seemed never to miss with it and as stated the results on things hit were truly spectacular.

I seem to vaguely recall one instance that was reported of a Contender being used in a crime but recall no details and don't even recall if it was ever verified as truthful so it might be the answer is none but if any it would be darn few. It would make a decent assasination weapon however.

ArkyKen · « **Reply #6 on:** January 12, 2008, 05:35:59 AM »

Thanks Guys,replies are pretty much what I expected. First time I ever laid eyes on a contender,I was reminded of the plain Jane single barrel shotgun that I learned to hunt with.As a kid,I could not wait until I graduated to a real "adult" pump or semi.Carrying that single felt kinda like walking into the squirrel woods w/ training wheels on. Skip forward many years...I transferred that same prejudice to the lowly contender. Boy, was I wrong!!

Old Syko · « **Reply #7 on:** January 12, 2008, 07:10:04 AM »

Arky I understand your original feelings toward that old single barrel. Thought I felt the same way when I was a kid, probably 7 or 8, until Dad told me that the folks with the autos likely never had to use their guns to feed or support their families and therefore never learned to shoot properly. Whether or not it was right didn't matter at the time since it accomplished just what Dad intended for it to. From that point on my goal was to use those old singles to be the best shot I could possibly be and never miss so I wouldn't be like the guys with the fancy guns that couldn't shoot. When I first saw a Contender the only thing I could think was bulls eye after bulls eye, one round at a time.

With mention of an assassin's weapon my mind quickly went to the 300 Whisper with suppressor from SSK.

SlowLeadBullets · « **Reply #8 on:** January 12, 2008, 03:17:50 PM »

Maybe I'm just strange, but threads like this make me uneasy. We don't need some nutcase reading this and then thinking "I'll be first, I'll be famous!". Of course it will then become the fault of a gun that can shoot any bullet, converted into a handgun in under a minute, shoot 50 cal. projectiles...

Just my opinion.
Rob

David D. · « **Reply #9 on:** January 12, 2008, 03:35:03 PM »

Quote from: SlowLeadBullets on January 12, 2008, 03:17:50 PM

Maybe I'm just strange, but threads like this make me uneasy.

Nothing strange about your feelings!!!!!! Not to me anyway!!!

Selmer · « **Reply #10 on:** January 18, 2008, 05:51:51 AM »

As I read the thread I got more uneasy as well, especially when "assassin" and "Contender" were used in the same post, not to mention the round and company that makes a suppressor for it! We're having enough trouble keeping our hunting rifles from being labeled "sniper rifles", let's try to avoid it with our specialty pistols!
Selmer

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #11 on:** January 18, 2008, 06:02:06 AM »

I get nervous when gun owners are afraid to discuss guns , it makes it look like the other side won , like we are doing something wrong and that seems dangerous to me !

skb2706 · « **Reply #12 on:** January 18, 2008, 06:36:35 AM »

The fact that the "nutcase" that would read this will be a nutcase whether he reads this or not. The selection of his weapon will not change his demeanor. If he intends harm on someone it will happen regardless.
Personally I believe there are more important issues for gun owners than worrying about discussions of nonexistent crimes not commited by possibly one of the least diserable crime weapons that exists.

Old Syko · « **Reply #13 on:** January 18, 2008, 06:38:19 AM »

SHOOTALL has it absolutely correct!

Anyone nieve enough to separate "hunting rifles" from all other guns has already joined the other side. You're either 100% with us or you're against us.

Graybeard · « **Reply #14 on:** January 18, 2008, 06:38:36 AM »

Some folks seem to worry more about being politically correct than they do about the loss of their rights. Me thinks maybe that's why we're losing our Constitutional rights so fast.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #15 on:** January 18, 2008, 06:51:14 AM »

if you act like gun ownership is a crime people will start to think it is !

David D. · « **Reply #16 on:** January 19, 2008, 05:17:03 AM »

Quote from: SHOOTALL on January 18, 2008, 06:02:06 AM

I get nervous when gun owners are afraid to discuss guns , it makes it look like the other side won , like we are doing something wrong and that seems dangerous to me !

I don't get at all nervous about discussing guns. I have all types of firearms. They were purchased for the sole purpose of shooting for pleasure, hunting, and one for personal protection. I do know it is my right to own them and my duty to defend and protect that right and I do.

But I never have nor never will discuss with anyone which gun would be good for committing a crime. Some guns I own have been labeled by others, but for me they are sporting firearms and always will be. Why fuel the fire of the anti's by referring to them in any other way.

woodchukhntr · « **Reply #17 on:** January 20, 2008, 12:30:32 PM »

Good point, TC Dave 1. When I took my NRA instructor's course it was emphasized to never refer to a firearm as a weapon so as not to give the anti's anything more to beat us on the head with such as: "Why do you teach kids to use weapons?" when we are teaching gun safety. We always responded to media questions with the term "sporting firearms".

Even though, there are some people who look at anything not originally sold as a sporting firearm as a "people killer gun". You cannot explain that the Brown Bess was a state-of-the-art "assault rifle" in it's time, as was the bolt action rifle, they don't look like current military guns. Maybe we shouldn't explain that to them since then they will probably try to take them away next! There are even some who look at bolt action high power rifles as "sniper guns" and feel that nobody should be able to shoot something several hundred yards away. The point is to not give them any ammunition to use against us. We are still free to discuss guns any way we want to, but don't be surprised when these discussions are used against us when the country becomes even more PC in the future.

Chilachuck · « **Reply #18 on:** January 20, 2008, 02:40:14 PM »

As I recall, gun grabbers were making some comments about single shot zip guns and how easy they were to make not long ago, and there was some noise about black powder revolvers as well.

The 1994 election was 13 years ago, and the grabbers have had plenty of time to convince themselves that the Clinton Crime Bill had nothing to do with the Democratic party losses.

Some of the gun grabbers who have forgotten that are Republicans.

woodchukhntr · « **Reply #19 on:** January 20, 2008, 02:48:10 PM »

I remember when zip guns were a big thing for youth gangs. At least they were more interested in shooting each other back then. Those guns make a Contender look like a death ray gun in comparison.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #20 on:** January 21, 2008, 02:05:44 AM »

a weapon is anything one uses to defend them selves whether you acknowledge it or not doesn't change what it is !
If we keep only using words to suck up to the anties at some point we will have no words left !
the right to self defense is God given , and to teach ones child to defend their self is not only the correct thing to do it is a God given right and a sin not to do so !
I will nod cower behind Politically Correctness , at one time the use of weapons was a respected trait !
Guess i just don't get a warm touchy/feeley since of well being when people start tap dancing around right and wrong calling it PC !

Old Syko · « **Reply #21 on:** January 21, 2008, 03:16:16 AM »

I learned a long time ago that hiding your head in the sand leaves your vital backside exposed. As far as the NRA goes, I can totally believe the above statements as they have of late given in to many forms of PC B/S. That is the main reason they lost my support and the support of others who aren't afraid to face the facts, quite some time ago.

Some of us refuse to play the game. The mentality of, as long as they aren't coming after me personally its' OK has to go. Rest assured that unless we learn to stand up and be heard by using correct but not PC language to support ALL firearms possession the singles will at some point face the same opposition as others.

As far as the OPs query goes, a search of available records shows a handful of crimes committed with non-specific single shot pistols but I'm yet to discover the mention of Contender or Encore specifically.

David D. · « **Reply #22 on:** January 21, 2008, 12:36:48 PM »

I for one in the post I have made have not been political correct, only factual. I do own a lot of sporting firearms purchased for the sole purpose of shooting and hunting. If I wanted to use them as weapons I could, but until I do they will remain sporting firearms, factual, not political correct. Now I do own one Kimber 45cal. semi that I love to shoot, and I would classifier as a weapon as its sole purpose is for home and personal protection.

reloading_rich · « **Reply #23 on:** January 22, 2008, 10:11:56 AM »

I had a Contender with a Super 14 chambered for 30-30 Win stolen from my home. About 2 years later I received a call from my local PD that they had gotten a call from the Detroit PD regarding my gun. It had been used in the commission of a homicide in the city. They wanted to know if I was interested in getting the weapon back after the trial was over. That was probably 8-9 years ago and I have never heard any more about it.

kennisondan · « **Reply #24 on:** January 22, 2008, 02:56:36 PM »

I once traded off a contender with a 223 ten inch barrel on the pistol frame, as it was hard to open and I wanted other things ... within a few days the gun store owner and I were doing more business and he informed me the cops had been in to discuss the weapon... someone had broken into the gun store through the front wall and windows with a truck or other auto and stole a few guns, including the contender .... that very first night the new owner used it to shoot another guy in the back as the hapless foe had emptied his semi auto at the contender owner without drawing blood...and took off running.... the dead guy was unlucky that the gun had been sighted in before his intended prey purchased it ....
needless to say the 223 effected a one shot stop, but the shooter's problem was the entry was back to front...the gun was stolen.... and he may have had some other items in possession that were troublesome to his defense attorney and interesting to the LEOs...
this was in Opelousas, Louisiana many years ago... that was the only time I heard of a contender used in a crime.... now if you had asked about semi automatics....
lol
dk