Author Topic: TC Contenders in short supply? (Read 1263 times)

Doc Lisenby · « **on:** January 07, 2004, 10:18:34 AM »

A friend of mine went to a local pawn shop owner who will order firearms for us and asked him to order a Contender with a .223 barrel.
The owner called around and couldn't find one from his suppliers. He said no one he knew had any on hand.
Does anyone know a distributor who has them in stock?
Thanks,
Doc Lisenby

Buford · « **Reply #1 on:** January 07, 2004, 10:23:26 AM »

Here's the link - you will not find a better person to deal with....

http://www.edstc.com/edstc/index.html

Doc Lisenby · « **Reply #2 on:** January 07, 2004, 10:51:33 AM »

Thanks Buford, but Ed only has one which is a collector's item in 22LR.
Doc

BruceP · « **Reply #3 on:** January 07, 2004, 03:43:06 PM »

Doc, either give Ed a call or send him an email. Don't go by the list on his website. His inventory changes often and he does not always have the website list up to date. If you get in touch and let him know what you want he can probably help you. Calling his day time phone # should be the fastest way to check, as sometimes when he is busy it takes a few days to get an email back from him. He is a great guy to buy from.
BruceP

Keith L · « **Reply #4 on:** January 07, 2004, 03:49:02 PM »

Two dealers told me today that G2 Contenders are now becoming quite available. If you are looking for a new Contender they are out there. I had one in my hands this afternoon, the first one I have seen.

Doc Lisenby · « **Reply #5 on:** January 08, 2004, 03:57:41 AM »

Thanks Bruce, I'll have my friend give him a call.
Appreciate the G2 info, Keith. Did you like it? See anything worth paying extra for? I have an Encore but my old wrists can't take the recoil of heavier loads. I like to shoot metallic silhouette matches but the Big Bore tears me up. I'm shooting 7mmBR. Tried .308 Win and the trigger guard ripped my Bull Bag I had rested it on. My Contender is great in 22LR and 22 Hornet.
Generally, is the G2 that much better than the Contender?
Doc

Keith L · « **Reply #6 on:** January 08, 2004, 03:40:53 PM »

The main improvement that I noticed immediately is that it opens much easier. My Contender is a pre easy open frame, and sometimes it is all I can do to get it open. The angle of the grip is a little different, and I don't know how that will be until I shoot one. And the hammer can be re-cocked without opening the breech.

I thought is was neat, but the old ones are neat also.

Doc Lisenby · « **Reply #7 on:** January 09, 2004, 03:15:02 AM »

I know what you mean about the open easier advantage. I sent mine to Fox Ridge to have it altered. As some shooters gets older his/her wrists hurt all the time and worse when opening one of the old TC's (or when shooting some of the heavily recoiling "magnums".)
The ability to cock the hammer w/o breaking the action open will eliminate a minor aggravation. I thought it was safer tho'. The different angle of the grip must have been due to suggestions of shooters who were dissatisfied with the old type. I like the Bisley angle (if that is what they have copied) myself but I didn't throw rocks at the first design. Suits me fine. Might have resulted from the cowboy shooting crowd discovery of the "feel" of a Single Action Colt. Serious target shooting designs have altered grip design away from that design over the years.
I suppose the reason for the shortage of TC's is because the factory has gone to producing the G2 and there is a distributor gap.
Thanks for the overview. Don't think I'll be getting one any time soon.
Doc

bigbuck270 · « **Reply #8 on:** January 09, 2004, 04:32:18 AM »

I also tried to order a G2 and my dist. said they wear house was all out so I ordered a 22-250 for my encore.

Keith L · « **Reply #9 on:** January 09, 2004, 06:16:10 AM »

I don't know if the shortages are widespread or local. The gun dealer in the next town to me tells me that he can get them easily within a couple of weeks. He has a 17HMR in his display case right now.

I also exchanged emails with a fellow on ebay who claims to have all the frames he wants and gets $300 for them. That is about 10% more than the local gun shop gets for them, and doesn't include shipping and FFL fees. Perhaps that is why he has them.

I planned to get a used frame from Ed's Contenders, but had trouble getting a FFL to accept it for a price I was willing to pay. With the transfer fees included it got to within $40 of a new G2. I now have to make up my mind.

Doc, roger on the arthritic fingers. I haven't been able to figure out why, but sometimes my current contender takes two of my old hands to open. I have a barrel that needs refinishing, so I plan to send that barrel and the old frame to Fox Ridge when I decide and get a new one. I hate to be without one. We just might have a day warm enough to go shooting!

myronman3 · « **Reply #10 on:** January 11, 2004, 03:02:26 PM »

geese, would you take a not so subtle hint? you are not going to get away with posting that information here. that person was less than respectful with the boss. and the boss aint going to let that person get any free advertising here. . . and rightfully so.

Paladin · « **Reply #11 on:** January 12, 2004, 06:10:41 PM »

haroldclark · « **Reply #12 on:** January 12, 2004, 08:51:39 PM »

All is well on the website frontier. Now, we can all get back to serious stuff, like shooting and Contender talk.

Harold Clark