Bye-Bye Contenders?

[guns-o-fun]

Is this old news and does it jive with what you have heard?  I just spoke with a distributor in Alabama about why it is getting so hard to find new contender barrels.  I was told that Smith and Wesson (current owners of TCA) is trying to set up a deal with ATK to buy the single shot portion of the business.  If that falls through, at the very least, the Contender is likely to be phased out of production by the end of this year.  Can't imagine the Encore going away, though.

[Curtis]

Either way it doesn't matter to me.  I have five Contender frames, 18 pistol barrels and 2 carbine barrels including (mostly) T/C, MGM and SSK none of which I bought new.  I figure the used market will keep me going for a lifetime.
 
Curtis

[David D.]

Same with me the stash I have is more than I'll ever need!!!!

[Bullseye]

There was a note in One Good Shot (T/C Association Magazine) about a year ago about the Contender having a good possibilty of being discontinued.  Main reason was that the Encore outsells it by a huge margin.
 
I am safe since I have 7 frames.

[Sourdough]

I'll keep my Contenders, they can keep the Encore.  The only use I have for the Encore is as a muzzleloader.  It's a great muzzleloader.  As far as a rifle, I got no use for it.  I've owned five barrels and not a one shoots worth a darn.  The 30-06 is the only one that shoots reasonable enough to keep.  I got rid of all the others.  The 30-06 is not any good beyond 150 yards.  My cheap H&R will shoot more accurately, and on out beyond 300 yards.

As for the Contenders, I love them.  I have many barrels for them, everything from .22RF to 45-70.  Mostly pistol barrels but quite a few carbine barrels too.  I carry a Contender Carbine in .223 on the handlebars of my snowmachine during the winter.  Great for when a Wolf, Coyote, Lynx, or Grouse is in the trail.  (I miss a lot of grouse, their heads are small).  My son used a Contender Carbine in .22RF when he was shooting in the Tanana Valley Sportsman's Association shooting program.  It worked good for him.  His Mom put a youth stock on it, along with a .22 match barrel.  I carry that barrel a lot during the winter too.   I put the .22 match barrel and a reguler length stock on one and take it south with me every year to hunt squirrels and rabbits with my Dad in Tennessee.  It fits in a hard arrow case for shipping.  Much easier than a rifle case.

[Vincent]

I had two frames and 8 barrels and bought my first in 1976. 12 years ago it came down to live in my tent or sell some things I did not want to sell.
Last year I bought and early frame like I had before and a "Super 14" .223 barrel. I had every intention of selling or trading my .223 barrel but I bought a box of Walmart Winchester 45 gr Varmint ammo and the freaking thing shoots like a laser!! Old one piece bolt and all.


It would kind of break my heat to see the Contender die. I miss my 22, lr 22 Hornet, K-Hornet, 256 Win Mag (I loved this barrel) my first run Super 14 30 Herrett, 45/410.


I do not want a big klugy Encore. The Contender has an elegance the Encore never matched in my opinion.
Some how I KNEW S&W would screw up Thompson/Center!!

[Curtis]

Vincent, 256 win mag was my first Contender caliber and was the cartridge that introduced me to hand loading when the factory ammo finally ran dry.  That octagon barrel still has a special place in my collection and has become one of my son's favorites.
 
Curtis