were all of the original contender frames classified as pistols?

[crawford769]

or were some of them classified as rifle frames?   as in, would you need to do a wi pistol check on a frame when receiving it from an ffl?

[Ladobe]

TC sold complete Contender's in both pistol and carbine configurations.   So frames were not all classified as pistols.

[Hopalong7]

      Carbine barrels weren't available until 'bout 1986, I think, and so somewhere around serial #27X,XXX +/- and back would have to be handgun only.  Actually I believe they were only available at first as conversion kits, at least for a little while so the number may be a little higher than that.
      I still maintain the "show me" attitude on said subject so ...until the heavy black boots stomp up on somebody's front porch...then.........
Walt

[Ladobe]

Close Walt, but...

It's true that the carbine kits (21" barrel, butt stock and forend) were offered before complete cabine firearms were, but also it was before 1986 (can't remember which year the kits started though and don't have it in my records).   1986 is when a BATF ruling stopped the sale of the carbine kits and started the sale of complete carbines by TC.  In 1988 they added the 21" .410 shotgun barrel to the other 21" calibers, and in 1989 the first of the 16 1/4" barrels and complete 16 1/4" carbines both designated as youth models.

As for as the subject, with all of the many TC's I've owned since 1968 I always went with if it looks like its configured legal nobody would question it... and nobody ever seriously did. 

[Hopalong7]

     Hey!...."close" is d*#@ good for my memory.

[Ladobe]

"Close" is good for any of us old geezer's.   I have most of it recorded to refer to rather than rely on a failing body.   

[Hopalong7]

     Most of my recorded notes are....well....I can't remember......where they are....I do have a collection of old catalogs and issues of "One Good Shot" that refresh my embarressed memory from time to time.  I did a check on our latest subject and as usual Ladobe is "dead on" with the facts.  Catalog no. 13(1986)announced the Contender Carbine complete in your choice of 9 calibers for the MSRP of $345 and accessory barrels.  There was also a note about the BATF ruling.  I looked several years in both directions and found no mention of the kit. 
Walt 

[Ladobe]

You know Walt, your last post shook some more cobwebs out of the old belfry, got me pondering this deeper in trying to remember and I'm not so sure I was right now.   I also didn't think about looking ahead at my records (Duh).   We both agree the complete carbine sales started in 1986, and that there would have been accessory barrels also as the carbine line started that first year with 8 chamberings.   Then 3-4 years later TC also offered the buttstocks and forends as accessory items.   So... coupled with some daylight in the belfry now and checking more of my records, what I think now is that the carbit "kits" (barrel, buttstock & forend) came AFTER all of the above - not before it.   Whatcha think?

[Hopalong7]

      Well, I went back in time some more....looked through all of the '80's catalogs and I can't find mention of a "carbine kit" anywhere .  I know I've seen it somewhere...
      Anyway, I looked closer at the '86 catalog.  When I read the note about the BATF ruling, it indicates to me that a carbine barrel was previously available and created some controversy and because of that ruling TC is now offering a complete rifle(carbine) to satisfy BATF.  But, then you read the opening paragraph of the introduction of the carbine in which TC states that their customers no longer have to risk losing their factory warranty by customizing their Contenders in order to have a carbine.   If the TC kit was available, surely it wouldn't effect the warranty.  Now the fog is clearing(only a little) and I seem to remember a gentleman down in Texas that was producing carbine barrels before TC ever did .  Maybe this had an effect on the statment in the catalog.
Walt

[RAdkins]

Back in the early 70s there was a shady character by the name of David Ingram that offered carbine kits for the T/C.  It was written up by Jack Lewis in Guns & Ammo.  I had ordered one and the next thing I knew the guy had taken my money and ran. He was in Calif. at the time.
  He later showed up in Arizona selling custom barrels for shooting steel animals.

[expeditionx]

or were some of them classified as rifle frames?   as in, would you need to do a wi pistol check on a frame when receiving it from an ffl?

The originals early on left as pistols only. Not sure up to what serial number range.

[Hopalong7]

      Best I can tell, anything before 273,XXX would be a pistol, but I don't know any way to tell for sure 'cept contact TC.
Walt

[crawford769]

i emailed them and they said all contenders are classified as pistols.   

[expeditionx]

i emailed them and they said all contenders are classified as pistols.  

Thats sort of impossible. If it left TC with a buttstock attached, its a rifle. A pistol aint got no buttstock. If it did, pistol holsters would look funny.
 What next? An email saying you can shoot smokeless powder out of a TC muzzle loader.
If they were all pistols, how the heck can a 18year old purchase a TC contender from a licensed dealer since they can only sell pistols to 21 year olds?
Someone at TC is either new and has not learned he company rules yet or possibly dumber than rocks. Don't believe the erroneous emails or literature they disperse they make for very bad legal council. 

[DavidABQ]

I have a few of the Armor Alloy Contender frames that I picked up second hand with carbine kits.

Were all of the Armor Alloy frames classified as pistols?