Why did you become a Contender collector

[onausable]

Having just recently caught the infection myself, I just wondered what was it that attracted you become a collector. Was it by chance? Was it the relative affordability? Was it the myriad of barrel configurations? What it the simplicity and shootability of the gun?

[neald]

probably all of the above
neal

[rural17]

The first time I ever saw one was when a neighbors grandson had a carbine in .223 it was about ten years ago. After that I just had to have one. It just looked so compact and easy to carry, and it is.

Jeff

[KN]

Because it's an unexplainable illness that takes over and you just can't quit.    KN

[David D.]

I think its because I really, really, really like them. They are cool looking. They can be made to shoot great. The ease in customizing them. And did I say I really like them???

[Curtis]

Like Jeff said, as soon as I saw one I had to have it.  I've always been drawn to the unusual.  My first glimpse of a Contender was when a coworker set it on the break table in the shop at work and said he wanted $200 for it.  That was in 1988.  It was chambered in .256 win mag and he helped me locate a coupe of boxes of factory ammo.  It was inevitable that I become a hand loader with that caliber, and that opened up all the possibilities for the addition of barrels in calibers that raise eyebrows and cause question marks to pop out of folks heads.  It was all downhill from there.  Like KN said, an unexplainable illness.

Curtis

[Hopalong7]

Actually, the first time I saw one (1967-68)  I thought it was quite ugly, awful, gangly looking thing.  A few years later someone had one at the range...set a clay pigeon on the 100yd line and pronounced he was gona pop it with one shot....right... let me see that THANG...As I recall it took me about 10 minutes to even find the clay in that awful little scope, but when I finally pulled the trigger it turned to dust.  The seed was sown.  Now two full sized safes won't hold'm.  Grrrr!!!    Walt

[Alaska Dave]

It's like opening up a can of peanuts  ;)you can't have just one. Dave

[Hafast]

Like Curtis, my first Contender was in 256 Winchester magnum. I bought mine in 1976. I lost all my guns in a house fire in 1985 and have only recently started accumulating Contender stuff again.

[skb2706]

Actually my first ex wife bought me my first one back in '79.....only good thing I ever got from her too.

It was a mint condition octagon barreled .22 lr w/leather shoulder holster. I thought it was kinda odd at first but I was already a handloader and it made sense that for less than $100 I could be shooting something different.

Until the internet came along I had no idea there were so many people with the same affliction and how wide spread they were.

[Bullseye]

Had a friend show up one day with 35 Rem Contender.  Shot it (1st handgun I had ever shot).  Got one of my own.  Looked cool, shot great.  A few years later, I started buying barrels.  Went through a bunch of calibers, kept the ones I really liked.  Was down to 13 that I said I would never get rid of.  Some were fairly rare.  Then started selling and am now down to 7 barrels and 5 frames.  Mostly just ones that I use for some type of hunting or really like.  I still think Contenders are cool and love their accuracy, but I no longer think that I am a collector.  The collecting part can get expensive!

[skarke]

When I was in college, I was becoming interested in the 357 Maximum.  At that time, the Contender was one of only a few handguns chambered for this great cartridge, so I went to my local gun range to order one, and was promptly talked into a 3030 super 14, which I never regretted. The contender frame plus barrel was $235 new, but on a college budget, I couldn't afford a scope.  I still shot about 2.5 inch groups with hand loads.

 After graduation and a real job at a whopping 18K, I saved and purchased a 1.5x4 burris, which I still have atop this original barrel (which with the scope is a true MOA shooter)  I shot my first deer with this gun, which is an interesting story in itself.

As my income went up, I purchased several barrel and scope combos, but among my favorites is my original 3030 with that old Burris scope.

I most enjoy my 223 14 inch barrel with a Burris 3x9 LER AO.  This rig shoots better than I do, but it routinely posts 5s and 6s, with a few 2s off of a Bower rest and a great Denzel Roberts stock.  This is my fun gun when I am just passing time.

Bottom line, I burn more powder through this rig (very nicely tuned now) than all other guns in my case.  The Contender, and its behemoth son the Encore, are both fabulous, and I'm glad to have enjoyed them for so many years.

The 3030 still makes it out of the case during hunting season, and I haven't touched the adjustments on the scope in probably 15 years.

[spinafish]

there was this gun writer named Bob Milek.  I loved to read his articles.  He lived and hunted out west.  Idaho, I believe.  He hunted mainly with a handgun and was good at it.  He and Steve Herrett were buddies and they invented the .30 and .357 Herretts together.  So I was bitten by the bug years before I bought my first Contender.

[Hopalong7]

Spinafish, Milek put the bug in a bunch of us, myself included.

[canyon-ghost]

     Not really all chance, I liked handguns when I shot my Dad's .45, I was 11 years old. One day at work, I drove a bobtail truck to an oilfield lease to meet and work for a pumper. We got together and were vaccuuming liquid from a small pipeline when I heard, "pop, ting- pop, ting" repeatedly. I asked him what I was hearing. He told me it was a shooting range. I asked what they were shooting at, metal silhouettes. I mentioned it to my neighbor one day, "I can take you right to it, would you like me to introduce you to them?"  Of course, I went, met the men, shot a scoped contender to 100 meters- It hit every time. I had to have one!  These two men that I met became my shooting friends and mentors. The first years I shot .22 long rifle and acquired a .22 hornet. Then, I learned to reload for the hornet. Now, I have several and a lot of barrels. I love the country, the shooting range-there just isn't any better hobby.  It takes up my thoughts even when I do something else. The calm, the breath control, the concentration- it just almost forces you to relax. Yep, I love it.

[ourway77]

I think because I have no good sense No they are very versatile. One frame, and you have a variety of barrels. Not the case with me I have a frame for every barrel I have Being fantastic shooters and really nice to look at with them all dolled up, Furniture Etc. Lou

[alan in ga]

Back then it was a very attractive gun in that the shooter did not loose POWER/VELOCITY due to a cylinder gap AND was easy to SCOPE.
Also the barrel was 10" long but the pistol was not overly long. Not sure why I"m saying that because my FIRST T/C Contender ever was a Super 14 in .35 Rem w/Leupold 2X. So very accurate. I have since decided I like the 10'' barrels better mostly because they are easier to carry in the woods. I've owned a bunch of different barrels. The 44 mag in a Super 14 was a worse recoil than the .35 Rems in my opinion~!
Partial list:
22 LR Match SS 10"
223 Rem [carbine]
30/30 Win [carbine]
357 Mag 10"
44 Mag 10"
45 Win Mag 14"

Wish list: a .458" bore instead of .452" bore. The 45/70 shortened to at least 1.5" or shorter. Love that big rim in a single shot. Here's a round I made just for having around in case I had one built up. I enjoy paper patching and the .458 bore has lots of bullet selections compared to .451":