My new pirate pistol - tell me about Contenders

sigp220.45

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It was a combination of a good price, a long-time interest, and Black Sails. Something about this old Contender with the .45/.410 barrel turned my fickle head, so here it is.



It rolled out of the factory in 1979, while I was majoring in beer and Pink Floyd at the University of Illinois. Its a handsome thing, I think.



I like the puma.



It only came with the one barrel, which is what put me over. I remember reading about the .45/.410 combo. The barrel is rifled to keep things legal and to handle the .45 Colt rounds.



At the end, there is a screw in thingy with straight rifling, to stop the twirling of the .410 charge and avoid the dreaded donut hole pattern. I haven't tried it yet, but most accounts I've read say this approach works.



I suppose I'll mostly use it as a little shotgun. The sights don't seem conducive to accurate .45 shooting, though I bet they work close up.



I had a Contender once before, and sold it here. It was a stainless .223, and I never did warm up to it. It was so loud, even with doubled up ear protection, that it gave me a toothache.

I'd love to hear from other Contender owners about their experiences with this .410 setup. Do you hunt with it? It seems like it would be just the thing for squirrels.
 
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Congratulations Sir! You have acquired one of the iconic Contender set ups. My F-I-L has one also although it predates yours some (I know he had it before I married his daughter in 78). I personally enjoy an early action (like yours) and a easy open action and about 10 barrels. My first was a used Super-14 in 223, and it was loud, Loud, LOUD! I sold that barrel in the Mid 80's but kept the action. I currently have a bunch of 10" (bull and octagon) barrels in small 22 center fire "varmint" cartridges. Buy an "Uncle Mike's" nylon flap holster Shoulder or cross draw) to protect the Contender, and carry that puppy in the wilds for snake medicine. I have seen guys hunt rabbits and shoot skeet with these. Have fun. Ivan
 
Never had that combination but still have my early one with both a 357 Herrett and a 30-30 barrel. Purchased it with the 357 for steel critters and added the 30-30 for Michigan whitetails. A terrific combination and I am sure you will enjoy yours.
 
I bought a 32-20 Contender in 1990 for silly wets. I still use it as my scoped gun a couple matches a year.

I have shot a few partridge with a friends 410.

By far the best factory trigger.

Nice find

David
 
I have an old Contender, like yours. I do not have a .45 barrel though.
Mine has a .22, .357 Herrett, .44 mag / with a choke, And I was just given a .222.

The .44 mag with a choke is similar to your set up. The special .44 shot shells have almost as much shot as a .410. It shoots fine with the shot shells, but the range is pretty limited.

The barrel that I enjoyed the most was the .357 Herrett. Followed by the .22. Both are very accurate.

I am sure that you will enjoy yours!!

Tom
 
Nice guns, tried to sell mine once but would have to give it away so I decided to keep it. It had the 357 Max bbl on it, nice caliber. I like the .32 calibers so I bought a .32 mag bbl that is 6 1/2" long. Always wanted an accurate indoor single shot. Also found a .22 bbl 10" long for the same purpose. Lots of calibers available in rifle or pistol. Pics are with the .32 mag bbl on it. Larry
 

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It was a combination of a good price, a long-time interest, and Black Sails. Something about this old Contender with the .45/.410 barrel turned my fickle head...

I remember when the Contender first hit the market. I really wanted one. The problem was back then, my state required a permit for each pistol purchased, which meant I would have had to go through the permit process for each new barrel I wanted. That isn't the case for me now, though.

I think the old ones are beautiful with a graceful appearance, and you made a wise decision in buying this one.
 
I have one in 45/410 with the 10in non ribbed barrel. It has regular sights and a longer choke than yours. It is a hoot to shoot skeet with. Seems everybody at the club wants to try it whenever I have taken it out.
 
I have never owned one, but have shot several. They are a fine handgun. A good friend had one with the .35 Remington barrel, and I used it for IHMSA. That thing spoke with authority! 200 meter Rams were no problem.
 
Google TCA Thompson Center Association. More information there.
I bought my first at FT Lewis in 1970 been hooked ever since.
 
"...fickle head..."

Somehow in reading your posts over the years I never thought your head was fickle! :)
Maybe some day I will meet you, nonofficial I hope, and check to see if you have a fickle head.
BTW, what exactly is a fickle head?
Another reason to go home this fall and see how the tumbleweed crop is doing? ;)
 
Somehow in reading your posts over the years I never thought your head was fickle! :)
Maybe some day I will meet you, nonofficial I hope, and check to see if you have a fickle head.
BTW, what exactly is a fickle head?
Another reason to go home this fall and see how the tumbleweed crop is doing? ;)

Fickle in the sense I went with every intention of buying an underpriced Cimarron 1860 Army and wound up leaving with this.

The tumbleweeds are out in force - I qualified Friday and a fine example tumbled its way to a dead stop in front of me while I was shooting prone from the 25. I was confident in my ability to shoot through and still make the grade, but the guy running the qual didnt see it that way and called a halt.
 
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I have a Earlier Style Contender Too,Mine has a 20" Gonic Arms .45 Muzzleloader Barrel & The T/C Carbine Stock & a Leupold 4X Scope,It uses 209 Shotshell Primers for ignition & Shoots Great,Gonic is out of business now I think I purchased the Barrel in the early 90's
 
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