THIS GUN IS SPF

SOLD ON ANOTHER FORUM

PLZ LOCK








Note, I have not sold on this forum for a while. If you need to see my activity, check the two main 1911 forums have a lot of my activity under the same handle name. You can ask a lot of questions or if you need more pics.



I am selling this for a friend.

TC - Thompson Contender

The current owner of this piece is a good friend who inherited it from a family member who passed. According to my friend, his family member would buy firearms and never shoot them. This one comes with no history but it shows use. It only came to me with the TC, the manual, the threaded shotshell adapter.







There are a couple of marks at the muzzle and on the furniture. Since I know nothing about TC, this is what I learned.

*The serial number dates to 1976

*This is a Gen 1 model. It is stiff to open the action (but I learned a way to defeat it)

*This barrel has the threaded device for the TC .44 shot shells which are no longer made, but there may be some rounds out there.

*IMPORTANT: Remove the threaded device to shoot regular .44 cartridges.

*This TC package is missing the shotshell device removal and install tool.

***But do not fear, I made one and luckily the threaded device was only slightly tightened, and it removed easily.

*I am told the furniture is TC but it's not what came on the pistol when new. The grip is set up for righties only. I am also told this grip is far superior to the original grip.

There was concern of me selling this piece w/o shooting it, with no history... so today I headed to the range.

How to open this very tight action which I am told is notorious for Gen 1. I believe it can be minimized with Gen 2 parts but this guy is bone stock except for the grips.

One has to squeeze the trigger guard to release the action and the barrel pivots open. If you have a strong grip, this should not be a problem. For others, what I learned is with your support hand on the forened, using the side/heel of your palm and with a quick slap of your palm on the trigger guard (while still holding onto the forend), it will "break" open with ease.

Range time :

Disclaimer - I have zero time behind a TC and it showed. I am not a good sand bag shooter and my eyes dont see the sights and target very well. I set up a target at 25 yards.

thats 25 yards



I removed the shotshell "choke" and the only 44 mag ammo that I have was heavy stuff that my dad and likely me loaded in the 80s. Based on the load tag, my dad's handwriting, this stuff was HOT!

Let's just say my first shot ever with a TC was an experience and I am glad no one else was around to witness it. It slipped out of my support hand and my right hand went up and to the left. WOW! and thanks DAD!

I was having hell putting a shot on paper and could not figure out what I was doing wrong. I was muscling my grip to keep the gun in both hands during recoil and felt I was upsetting the follow thru. I started screwing the front sight with no success. I shot 6 rounds of Speer 225 grain HP 44 mag 21.3 grains of 2400. I show 1425 FPS. One shot did hit the bottom of the target (I think it was my very first shot) and one shot hit the orange paster, but it was a fluke. I aimed high on the target, and it happened to land on the orange paster. I marked it with a sharpie slash.

Here comes the DOH moment. I was baffled and opened the action and looked down the barrel onto the target. W/O moving the TC, I moved my head to the sights and it lined up under the target. DOH, I never FFFFn flipped up the rear sight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! When the rear sight is down, there are two ears that resemble a sight blade and it had me fooled.

Once I realized my issue, I moved to 7 yards standing and I changed ammo to 220 grain Sierra FMJ with 22.2 grains of 2400 @ 1300 FPS. Hey, it's a softer recoiling round (NOT!) I shot 6 rounds from 7 yards and each shot was a front sight adjustment to zero. At the 6th round, I was happy with my shot placement.

Last 3 rounds, with great difficulty seeing clearly to aim at the same mark at 25 yards all hit the orange paster. I measured center to center on the two outer shots and its 1". Damn, not bad for old eyes, iron sights and ammo made in the 80s that kicks like a mule. It should be noted, I was letting the gun recoil out of my support hand to maintain consistency with each shot.





Rear sight is flipped up in this image.



Here is the gun for a cleaning.

It has a minor few corrosion spots on the right side that I rubbed off the exterior with oil when I first got the gun (nothing major), and you can see the single scuff lines on two sides of the muzzle. I removed the TC plate on the wood grip as I did not want to ding it up as I did not know what to expect.













$500 shipped US CONT ONLY
FFL to FFL
No states with red tape
PM for payment options
the owner is not interested in any trades

The first "I'll take it" and follow up with a PM gets it.

thanks for looking!

added: a forum member has TC .44 shot shells should you be interested and that info can be relayed.

__________________
if you're gonna be a bear...