New member with a question

[Yosemite Sam]

Hi all,

I'm Sam from Oregon, and just picked up a T/C Contender.  I've been around other forums for years, but it appears this is the place for T/C info.

My Contender appears to be an older one.  It does not have the "R|C" selector on the hammer, but a little slider that causes a pin to pop out.  There is no hole for this pin in the frame, and it appears to act as a safety, keeping the hammer from contacting the pins mounted in the frame.  I can find no information on this, and the TCArms site seems to only have manuals for G2 Contenders.

Is anyone familiar with this hammer setup?  Is it possible to use both center and rimfire barrels on this frame?  I bought it with a .22 LR barrel.

-- Sam

[blhof]

If you have the one I think you have; you should have a flathead screw on one side of the hammer that will change the pin contact area from rim to center. As far as I know all Contenders were made for both center and rimfire barrels.

[Slowpoke Slim]

Yosemite,

I have the exact same frame and hammer. It is an earlier style hammer than the selector switch version. The selector for rimfire or center fire is "under" the hammer spur. If you look under the back side of the hammer spur, you will see what looks like a screw head. Using a screwdriver to rotate this screw 180 degrees will switch between rimfire and center fire. If you rotate this screw and watch the face area of the hammer, you will quickly see the rotating block that strikes whichever firing pin you select. When the rotating block is to the top, it's set for rimfire, and when it's to the bottom, it's set for center fire.

Hope that covers it for you. Feel free to ask more questions as they come up.

[Yosemite Sam]

Yosemite,

I have the exact same frame and hammer. It is an earlier style hammer than the selector switch version. The selector for rimfire or center fire is "under" the hammer spur. If you look under the back side of the hammer spur, you will see what looks like a screw head. Using a screwdriver to rotate this screw 180 degrees will switch between rimfire and center fire. If you rotate this screw and watch the face area of the hammer, you will quickly see the rotating block that strikes whichever firing pin you select. When the rotating block is to the top, it's set for rimfire, and when it's to the bottom, it's set for center fire.

Hope that covers it for you. Feel free to ask more questions as they come up.

Bingo! Slim, you nailed it.  Thank you, sir!  I can even see how the mechanism works.

Am I right that the little slider and pin setup in the hammer is a safety of sorts? 

Thanks again for the info, and I'm looking forward to participating around here.

Now, what's the best barrel to get first? 

-- Sam

[Czech_too]

Now, what's the best barrel to get first? 

-- Sam

Now you gone and done it    by asking that question.  The answer to that is gonna depend on if you roll your own and the intended use.  Some will say the .22 Hornet, others the .357 Max.  Myself, I lean towards both AND the 32-20.  There will always be the 'need' for another barrel.  Good luck in deciding and enjoy.

Brian, in Ohio

[Hopalong7]

What barrel next?  My usual answer to that question is .22lr for lots of cheap practice and fun...but you've already got that...what's next is WIDE open.  I personally MUCH prefer rimmed cases for ease of loading and unloading.  Many "Contender" choices require or at least greatly benefit from handloading, so that would enter in to the equation.  The intended purpose of the next barrel is of prime importance of course.  But, to be totally honest, in my case, the next barrel is usually decided by what "smoking deal" I run across next(rationalization and common sense go right out the window).
GOOD SHOOTIN',  Walt

[Slowpoke Slim]

Yosemite,

Yes, the hammer has a safety of sorts. As you can tell, with the pin "out" you cannot strike the firing pins with the hammer. I do use mine, but it still doesn't take the place of the main safety, the one between the shooters ears!

 

If you forget to switch it off, and release the trigger, the hammer will fall to the pin. It's not really designed to be dry fired that way however. It's not good for the pin or the hammer, and it will mark the frame if done repeatedly. If you do forget, you will have to reopen your frame to be able to recock the hammer. Same thing goes if you forget to cock the hammer and pull the trigger, you will have to reopen the frame to be able to recock the hammer. The newer style frames don't have this "problem" (it's not really a problem or flaw, but they "improved" it in later generation frames).

As far as barrels go... that's like asking a stranger, "What kind of car should I buy?"

LOL

Welcome to the Contender!

There is no wrong answer.

A couple of important questions:

1. Do you reload/handload ammunition already? If not, are you planning/wanting to start?

Lots of wildcat cartridges running rampant for the Contender platform. Most are a handloading proposition. There are some good "factory ammo" barrels out there, but sadly, not near as many as used to be available in years past.

2. Are you planning on hunting game with it, or just target shooting?

Are we talking big game, small game, African safari or? If it's target shooting, what kind? Fun/informal, steel plates, near, far?

3. How much money you got?!

There are some wide ranges in prices on barrels and other TC accessories. Some of the used factory TC barrels can be had quite cheap (all things considered of course!), especially on this site's classified forums. I've scored some great deals here myself. The other end of the spectrum is there are some fantastic aftermarket barrels made by some barrel makers that are more artists than machinists. Some of these premium barrels are rather spendy, but the quality and accuracy of those barrels will ruin you to all other barrels! I know of several guys that shoot some Contender handgun barrels that rival and beat high-dollar custom bench rest guns.

4. Do you want handgun or rifle barrels?

Another cool thing about Contenders, you can have both. I have both carbine and handgun barrels for mine.

Good luck, sounds like we've "corrupted" another one guys! Welcome to the Contender, sounds like you've been bitten by the bug too.

[chiefs50]

As Czech_too stated, intended use and ability to handload should determine your next barrel(s).  You can usually find nice, used .223 barrels at reasonable prices.  They are usually very accurate and economical to feed.   Others I would consider if I were starting out and didn't handload would be: .30-30 or .35 Rem, .357 mag, .32 H&R, and .45 Colt.  I also like the 7-30 Waters, .45/70 and .375 Winchester.  The .45Colt/.410 barrels are a lot of fun too.  I prefer the "rifle" cartridges in barrels 14" or longer.  

Those would be the ones I would consider first but, again, intended use and ...............

Mike

[Yosemite Sam]

I sorta figured that ("what barrel?") was a can o' worms, that's why I put in the smiley... 

Yes, I handload.  So far I do .243, .223, .45 Colt, .44 mag, .38 special, .357 mag, and 9mm.  I may be picking up .308 dies, as I'm trying to outfit for loading all calibers I shoot and I'm not convinced the current ammo "situation" is going to change anytime soon.  But I'm not so sure I want to shoot a .308 out of my old style Contender, in any case.

I definitely want a .223 barrel, as that was the caliber of the first Contender I shot, and what sold me on the platform.  It just took me 20 years to get around to buying one.  Then I'm thinking of something relatively cheap to shoot.  I'm more into the target shooting aspect than the load development aspect, at least at this point.  I'll probably lean toward the .38/.357 since that's a little more versatile than, say, 9mm.  Though I can get 9mm lead bullets real cheap.

Thanks for the info re: the hammer, as well as the welcome.  This is going to be a great adventure! 

-- Sam

[Slowpoke Slim]

The .308 win chambering is NOT available for the Contender platform. Too much cartridge for the frame. That one would have to go on an Encore.

Any of those other calibers are available for Contenders however (except 243). 223 would be a good choice, my buddy has one on a Contender he recently inherited. We've only just started playing with it, and it's showing early promise as a tack driver and we're still only shooting factory ammo out of it. I brought some of my handloads that my Savage likes, but we ran out of time before we could try them out.

I would probably do .223 and either 44 mag or 45 Colt, that way you get something that booms a bit.

Then a 45-70...next a 375 JDJ...then maybe a....

 

[Yosemite Sam]

If you forget to switch it off, and release the trigger, the hammer will fall to the pin. It's not really designed to be dry fired that way however. It's not good for the pin or the hammer, and it will mark the frame if done repeatedly.

And apparently, a previous owner of mine decided this was just a dandy way to practice.  The "stop" is a mess from repeated hammer drops with the pin extended.  And the hammer spur is chewed up from an extension that was installed, moved around, and removed.

I may try to clean up the pieces and have it reblued at some point (though that spur looks like aluminum).  I might also decide to just leave it.  I probably need a new hammer extension anyway;  It has a Lobo 3x scope on it.

-- Sam

[Ladobe]

...
I would probably do .223 and either 44 mag or 45 Colt, that way you get something that booms a bit.

Then a 45-70...next a 375 JDJ...then maybe a....
...

You're leading him astray Chris.   Those of us who have seriously shot Contenders for over 4 decades know that you only need two cartridges total for both target shooting and to hunt anything that walks the earth with your Contender.    A 22LRM and 375JDJ (or in my case a 17HM2 and 375JDJ).   The other 225+ possibilites for the Contender's are just "fluff".   

[Slowpoke Slim]

You're leading him astray Chris. 

I know...SSSHHHH!

That's the only thing I'm REALLY good at!

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

 The other 225+ possibilites for the Contender's are just "fluff".   

Does that mean I can have your "fluff"?


 

Good to see you around Larry, you've been missed around here.

[Ladobe]

 The other 225+ possibilites for the Contender's are just "fluff".   

Does that mean I can have your "fluff"?

Good to see you around Larry, you've been missed around here.

As for "my" fluff, you've been getting the carbines one at a time lately.

I'll be here off and on... I'm buried getting ready for a move to a new house in less than a month - even cancelled surgery #6 mid March for it (which just breaks my heart    ).   So that gives you plenty of time to save up your pennies for the next fluff sale (probably in late April or May).  If it has anything to do with going bang it all goes eventually.

[hunterspistol]

  My choices have been 22 Hornet(at 100 meters, it shoots really flat), 32-20WCF with 98 grain bullets, 7mmTCU (I think 6mmTCU has proven easier accuracy though) and 9mm.  The 22 lr barrel will serve you well, I've got two on the shelf for year-round anytime shooting.

 Czech_too has it, man after mah own heart, there.