S&W sells TC interesting video

[S&W ucla]

Interesting video on Thompson Center going back to New Hampshire. Views of S&W plant, TC prototypes, etc. Gregg Ritz has aquired it. S&W paid $102 million in 2007 for it, I haven't found how much they sold it for.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTOnMRyKqII[/ame]

 

[David Sinko]

A few short years ago a guy from Lehigh Defense was at my range with some prototype Contenders. He told me that Lehigh was going to start producing the Contender. One of the prototypes was a .300 Blackout with a suppressor and he let my son put a few rounds through it. Shortly thereafter Wilson Combat took over. I'm guessing that what we have here is the latest chapter in the saga? I have always wanted a Contender and had a chance a year ago when a friend's relative died and they were selling his guns. One was a Contender with a .223 barrel. I was allowed to borrow it and it misfired with all ammo tried in it. Apparently the barrel fitment is sometimes not as simple as it seems. I lost interest and haven't considered one since.

 

[CajunBass]

I used to have a mild itch for one in 22 LR to use for squirrel hunting. I never acted on that though, just a "That would be cool" thought.

Oh, I saw the video yesterday and agree, it was interesting. I wish them good luck.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

I have two actions. One is an original (hard to open( and the second is a Easy Open action. I bought the first used in 1983 with a Super 14, 223 barrel. I shot factory and many different hand loads rounds through it, and never even got fair accuracy. The small 22 center fire cartridges are what I play with now days. I have a scoped Bull 10" 22 Hornet, a scoped 10" Bull 221 Fireball and a 10" Octagon 221 Fireball with Iron Sights. The scoped guns are groundhog accurate out to 200 to 250 yards. The octagon/Iron sights require better eyes and skills for me to hunt whistle pigs beyond 100 yards.

Almost 20 years ago a friend and shooting buddy had a Scoped Super 14 in 22 Hornet. He was using hand loads that were about 1/2 MOA accurate, and I was using First year lot number, Hornady V-Max 35 grain factory ammo. In a head to head shoot off. We were laying prone and using Harris bi-pods. From the ridge we were on we had safe shots into a freshly plowed field. A rain had washed the dirt and dust from field rocks, so those were out targets. It was a draw out of 50 rounds each we both had 45 hits at unknown distances. Our misses were all from underestimated distances not wind or trigger errors.

I have several other barrels, but my favorite is a 12" Hunter (iron sights) in 375 Winchester circa late 90's. I love to shoot is when there is just enough light to see the backstop. The Ball of Lightning & Thunder is mere inches in front of your hands! I estimate the muzzel flash to be just over 3 feet in Diameter!. That "Muzzle Tammer" break controls the recoil very well. I would shoot warm cans of bubble-gum soda (vile tasting stuff!) at 30 to 40 yards very easily. If you get a chance to shoot alternating cans of bubble-gum soda and cans of sour kraut on a warm afternoon; be sure the wind doesn't bring the smell back to you!

Ivan

 

[mtgianni]

I have 4 actions and about a dozen barrels. I like them obviously. The Haus of Arms has had some actions made and is in communication with new/previous owner. Things look good for TC.

 

[.38SuperMan]

I had a 14 in bull barrel 223 with a Leupold scope. Quite a gun!

My brother had one in 22LR and 7mm TC he used for silhouette competition and my dad had one with a 357 and 44 barrels. Seems like one has a choke on it.

I regretted selling mine and have seen several since but never acted on another.

 

[rosewood]

I think EABCO has a new production Contender copy they are selling also.

Rosewood

 

[ACORN]

I had a 14” .223 with a 7X Burris and a Harris bipod.
I had worked up some mild handloads(55gr Sierra @ 2500-2600 fps).
My buddy was spotting.
First shot about an inch out of the black at 1:00.
Second shot he couldn’t see. The same with the third.
We took a walk to the target to see if we could find where they were hitting.
All three were sub 3/8” CTC.
In a bout of insanity, I sold all my barrels and my 2 frames.
Now I see some complete guns asking $1000.
I hope the new guns are more reasonable.

 

[Farmer17]

I had one of the original small frame, light weight barrel Contenders in .45LC someone had reamed the cylinder to take 3" .410 shot shells and installed the skinny tapered choke. They originally made the the gun in .45LC/.410 for a couple years but the ATF told them they couldn't do that any more so this gun was modified. It had one of the best triggers of any gun I owned but I never fired any handgun ammo out of it. It was a hoot to shoot skeet off a tire mounted thrower and it came with a very nice TC left hand flap holster and I think I paid $200 for the gun and holster.

 

[hdfinder47]

Had one long ago with 22, 357 Maximum and 44 Mag barrels. Regrettably sold the package. Now I just have one with the 44 Mag / shot shell barrel. Never fired it, yet.

 

[The Norseman]

Changing Times

Wow. Thank you for posting the Thompson
Center video. I don’t follow TC but learned
a lot from the video.

Interesting TC history, interesting Guns, interesting
manufacturing machinery, and inventory.

I’ll have to keep an eye them. I wish TC the Best
and in their Endeavors.

Picture from old magazine.

 

[ACORN]

I was friends with a local gunsmith and was hanging out at his shop she a customer came in and was saying how hard the .44 mag Contender he had bought kicked worse than his other .44s. Neither of us could see why so the gunsmith began checking it over. He asked the customer if he had the wrench to remove the choke tube. The guy looked bewildered and asked “What choke tube?” The guy fired factory Rem. Loads through the choked .44/.44 shotshell barrel which if IRC mic’d at around .375. About .054 restriction.