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Author Topic: New Contender owner!  (Read 607 times)

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Offline baranjhn

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New Contender owner!
« on: September 09, 2006, 04:28:41 AM »
O.K., it was a total impulse buy, but I did it. I had wanted a contender "off and on" for several years, and I found an older (circa '81) pistol with a 10" .45/.410 vent rib barrel and a ported 10" .357 max barrel for $320 out the door. I think that was a good price, it's been around the block, with some bluing wear, and the grip and fore end are a bit dinged up. Also, it's got a right hand grip, and I'm a lefty.

I took it out for a test drive, and found .410's to be a hoot! I didn't have any .357 max so I used .357 mags instead, recoil was mild.

I did have a problem opening the gun several times though, it seems like I had to squeeze the beejeepers out of the barrel release to get it to open. Are they all like that? I cleaned it up and oiled it, and it seems better, but I won't know for sure until I get back to the range.

Now I need a carbine stock set and barrel (.357 mag or .44mag).
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Offline Keith L

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Re: New Contender owner!
« Reply #1 on: September 09, 2006, 06:20:27 AM »
Contenders were designed not to be oiled.  The older ones like you (and I) have can be a bit hard on the hand sometimes to open.  There are extensions for the lever available, and also TC will modify older frames to easy open if you want.  Cost used to be around $70.00, but I haven't checked lately.  I left mine original and supplimented it with two G2s, whinh are much easier to open.

Have fun with your Contender.  But know that you can't have just one.  I started with one and a 14".222 barrel and now have three frames and a couple dozen barrels.
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Offline Gregory

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Re: New Contender owner!
« Reply #2 on: September 09, 2006, 09:54:44 AM »
There's a little trick to opening the non easy open frames.  When I had one I could open it with no problem but friends would hand it back to me to open for them.   Try holding it with one hand an let the weight of the barrel help open it.


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Offline Dan Chamberlain

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Re: New Contender owner!
« Reply #3 on: September 09, 2006, 01:47:50 PM »
Does your barrel have the screw on choke?  Mine did and it was a hoot shooting clay pigeons.  On mine, the trick was to let the bird fall below the line of sight and we'd break them every time.

Dan
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Offline baranjhn

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Re: New Contender owner!
« Reply #4 on: September 11, 2006, 02:20:54 AM »
Quote from: Dan Chamberlain on September 09, 2006, 01:47:50 PM
Does your barrel have the screw on choke?
Dan

It's got the screw in choke. I haven't tried it on thrown targets yet, but I intend to soon.
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