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02-22-2020, 09:54 PM
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Contender find...
I've been wanting a Contender for quite a while but the prices have continued to climb beyond what I had tucked away in the stash. I had even considered picking up just a frame then saving for a barrel.
Well today I was browsing through the cases at the LGS and spotted a lone Contender in the back of the case with a mismatched wood grip with a composite fore-end. The barrel is a 10" 45LC with what looks like a step tapered tube over the end. The tag on the gun said the barrel was ported but I saw no holes that would indicate it being ported, or maybe I didn't look hard enough. Price Tag read $205 ... I didn't hesitate, it is now on layaway. Looking up the SN at home (911xx) places it circa 1978. Ya Ya Ya, I know I should have taken pictures. It won't be on layaway long... I'll be looking for a 22LR or a 357 barrel as I have no other guns in 45LC and don't want to add another caliber to the collection at this time.
Looking this up on Gunbroker I am fairly sure that someone miss marked the whole gun for what the barrel alone would go for...
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22lrfan, 4T5GUY, brucev, dbh1956, DeathGrip, desi2358, Dr Charlie, dr. mordo, fishcreekrim, Fishinfool, Gripgrabber, Jebus35745, M E Morrison, moosedog, Ngtdog, Pondoro, RobertJ. |
02-22-2020, 11:07 PM
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I think you described a 45 Colt rifled Contender with a 3" chamber for 410. the "nose" is a type of factory choke that stops the wad from spinning and helps maintain a pattern. I knew a guy that was pretty good at Skeet with on and a couple of rabbit hunters that were pretty successful.
Ivan
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02-22-2020, 11:13 PM
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Wow that was a very great find. Glad you got it on “hold” and you are finally able to enter into the Contender world.
I really need to warn you though, since it’s so easy to get different calibers/barrels it CAN become an addiction.
I got a few barrels/dies from Mike Bellm as trade for the cash I fronted him for a 375 Epstein he was going to built for me on my 1909 Argentine Mauser action. Never happened but I got to choose what I wanted and it worked out great. I was already into my Contender and the different barrels/calibers so I doubled my options. I really don’t mind not being able to “go to the store” to buy the ammunition for many of them.
Jim
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02-23-2020, 12:20 AM
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Been playing with Contenders since the 70’s. Shoot off hand at the club 50 ft. Always wanted a single shot handgun in .32 & .38 special so it fits the bill. The second frame is dedicated to a rifle in .357 Maximum will wild custom wood a mannlicher forend. Larry
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02-23-2020, 12:33 AM
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I Really HATE to break rules and change the direction of the OP, but that is an awesome Contender Larry. For sure.
Who did the 357 Max chambered barrel. There seems to be some “issues” with too much free bore on some out there.
Thanks for posting it here.
Jim
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02-23-2020, 05:01 AM
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Smokin deal on a nice sounding rig. Does the barrel look like mine, pictured below? If so, it sounds like Ivan is correct. These barrels are twist rifled, but the screw on attachment is not a choke, but a section of barrel with straight rifling, so as to stop the spin of the shot charge, allowing for better patterns when using .410 loads. Mine is an effective small game getter out to about 24 yards or so. Remove the "choke" to use .45lc cartridges. Not sure about chamber length, as I use 2 1/2 inch .410's, never tried 3 inch. Barrel is marked .45lc, no mention of being .410 compatible, but the screw on "choke" makes it obvious that it is.
Larry
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02-23-2020, 09:06 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fishinfool
Smokin deal on a nice sounding rig. Does the barrel look like mine, pictured below?
Larry
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Yes, it looks similar to yours.
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02-23-2020, 02:38 PM
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I was at a gun show on the 15th and contender or barrel prices were all much higher that I was expecting to see! 10" Bull barrels were priced used for more than I paid for whole sets net (back in the day-early 80's!) I guess if you want a deal, don't bother with the guy with 20 actions and a hundred barrels on his table!
Ivan
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02-23-2020, 05:07 PM
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Nice score! They are neat guns. I really like the older tapered octagon barrels. By far my favorite Caliber to shoot is 30/30. So much fun. Now you can start collecting barrels and the appropriate forends. Good luck.
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02-23-2020, 07:22 PM
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Picked her up .... first pictures. The barrel looks to be in excellent shape and the frame in Very good shape
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Last edited by indigo22; 02-23-2020 at 07:24 PM.
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02-23-2020, 07:40 PM
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I went back in to find out for sure either what the story was on the gun and to find out if it had been miss-marked. Sales manager agreed that there had been something done incorrectly and that it had been priced at the barrel value only. It had been on the books and in the case for almost six weeks with no one else even looking at it. They list all their used guns, frames, and barrels, on line and I had seen it a while ago and I had thought that it was only a barrel that had been marked as a handgun by mistake... as per the price listed. They honored the price and I brought it home. I didn't feel right about buying it without first talking it over with the manager. The manager said that if I were to not purchase it they would definitely be adjusting the price before returning it to the case.
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02-23-2020, 08:01 PM
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You got a smoking deal on that
I got hooked on T/Cs back in the Metallic Silhouette days. I was shooting 30-40 Krag.
I bought several other frames and lots of barrels over the years.
I even added an Encore for shooting some bigger stuff . . . . 22-250 and 308 Winchester to start
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02-24-2020, 07:15 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by indigo22
I went back in to find out for sure either what the story was on the gun and to find out if it had been miss-marked. Sales manager agreed that there had been something done incorrectly and that it had been priced at the barrel value only. It had been on the books and in the case for almost six weeks with no one else even looking at it. They list all their used guns, frames, and barrels, on line and I had seen it a while ago and I had thought that it was only a barrel that had been marked as a handgun by mistake... as per the price listed. They honored the price and I brought it home. I didn't feel right about buying it without first talking it over with the manager. The manager said that if I were to not purchase it they would definitely be adjusting the price before returning it to the case.
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Good for you. You weren’t technically in the wrong. Paying the asking price. But you did the right thing.
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03-17-2020, 03:45 PM
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You did good
Keep your eye out for a few more barrels.
You'll get hooked!
It's a good reason to start reloading if you get a 7TCU or a Herrett barrel!
welcome to the club
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03-17-2020, 04:30 PM
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I bought a Contender years ago. A LGS I went too often had a Contender with the 14" 223 barrel and Leopold scope on it. It was also priced low to sell. He also had a bunch of barrels for sale too. One was in 22 Jet! I already had a S&W 53 and reloaded Jet, so I bought the gun and the Jet barrel. Since them I also found a 221 Fireball barrel. Fun guns and you got a great price on yours.
Last edited by nutsforsmiths; 03-17-2020 at 05:02 PM.
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03-17-2020, 04:44 PM
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The money you saved on the initial purchase will likely all go toward additional barrels. The most accurate handgun I ever owned was a Contender with a .45 Colt 10" bull barrel. Super 14 .41 Mag with a Williams peep was close though. You'll have fun with that.
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03-17-2020, 04:45 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gemihur
You did good
Keep your eye out for a few more barrels.
You'll get hooked!
It's a good reason to start reloading if you get a 7TCU or a Herrett barrel!
welcome to the club
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+1 the 7 TCU is a fun round.
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03-20-2020, 01:13 PM
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I'm very jealous. I've been shopping them on and off for a year or so and never saw one close to that price.
Nice work!
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03-22-2020, 11:57 AM
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The 7 mm can be taken to the extreme
7-30 Waters is excellent
7mm Bellm is a bear, also
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03-25-2020, 07:45 PM
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Ready to go to the range with the 22LR barrel mounted. I'm already plotting how to get a 357 barrel... Thinking of selling a toy that is rarely used.
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04-23-2020, 11:44 AM
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That's a very comfortable grip as shown with the rynite forearm.
Herrett-style with thumb support.
You'll eventually want an array of furniture to assemble as the situation dictates.
I've begun carving contender buttstocks but this is the first attempt at a grip shown here with a 357 magnum barrel:
I learn a little more every time I get involved in a new project.
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Last edited by gemihur; 04-23-2020 at 01:03 PM.
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04-23-2020, 11:57 AM
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You did good . Frames go for $ 250 or so . I've got a frame I got from an older silhouette shooter & been trying to come up with ideas about what caliber . Already have Encores in 357 mag , 357 Max , 44 mag . 32/20 carbine , 25/20 or 256 Win but all those will be labors of love . Already spend enough time loading for what I got .
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04-23-2020, 02:21 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by boatbum101
You did good . Frames go for $ 250 or so . I've got a frame I got from an older silhouette shooter & been trying to come up with ideas about what caliber . Already have Encores in 357 mag , 357 Max , 44 mag . 32/20 carbine , 25/20 or 256 Win but all those will be labors of love . Already spend enough time loading for what I got .
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My suggestion would be 221 Fireball, 7 TCU (6 & 6.5 are good too!), or for a big boy a 445 (that way you can shoot 44 mag.)
I have a Super 14" 22LR: Just too heavy! I have a 10" Bull 22 Hornet, I love it but the 221 Fireball stole my heart away! I have a 44 Mag Super 14" that I had mag-na-ported, and always planned to take out to 444 Marlin, but the 445 Super Mag would do all that and still shoot Remington Mags. I have a 44-310 grain SSK mould, it makes very nice craters in the hillside/backstop at dad's farm!
Ivan
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04-23-2020, 03:16 PM
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Nice. I had one in the early 1970's in 357 Herrett and 222 Remington. I miss that gun and may have to replace it.
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04-23-2020, 03:43 PM
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My 10 inch 22 Match barrel will easily kill a golf ball at 100 yards.
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04-23-2020, 09:47 PM
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The all-around, hands down, king of contender cartridges is the 7-30 Waters. Available commercially from Federal Ammunition but best if hand loaded. The 7 TCU is a very efficient round as explored by Junior Doughty: Shooting A 14" T-C 7mm TCU
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Last edited by gemihur; 04-23-2020 at 09:49 PM.
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04-25-2020, 08:38 PM
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Don't forget the venerable 45-70 Gov't
It's a lot of fun to shoot
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04-26-2020, 10:40 AM
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Congrats on a great deal and a great find.
Back when I had my gun shop I sold a contender to someone. Last year I bought it back. Frame, .22 Match Barrel, .44 Magnum Barrel, .223 Barrel with TC Scope, .410/.45 LC with rib and choke (we have a group at the gun club that shoot Contender Skeet - two contenders for doubles. fun if you keep it safe) also included a 16" barrel in .30-06 and a buttstock. Sold the barrel as it is too long to use on a pistol in New York, but got everything for $500.00.
Bob
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Last edited by rkittine; 04-26-2020 at 10:43 AM.
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04-27-2020, 07:56 AM
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Bob, I'd be curious as to that 16" 30-06 Bbl for a contender!
You'd have to very careful loading for that one. SAAMI pressure 60,000 psi
I push the envelope with my 250 Savage but I'm not that crazy!
.. but I'm pretty crazy. Here's a 6x223 barrel that needed a forearm ...
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Last edited by gemihur; 09-13-2020 at 10:03 PM.
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