contender questions?

[stevinator]

Ijust purchased an old style contender with 357 barrel on it with a scope base installed.Looks to be in real good shape. There are more barrels and calibers at the shop. Most of them have factory sights on them. Can you take these sights off and install the weaver type contender base? Most of them were 10" octagon barrels. Also is a 10" 222 tc barrel plenty accurate? They have one with the mount on already. Any info or previous experiences would be useful. Thanks guys. :P

[SD Handgunner]

Yes the Scope Bases on a Contender Barrel mount in the holes that the rear sight attaches to. The rear sight is held on buy 2 screws, but when you remove the rear sight you'll find that there are 4 screw holes drilled and tapped into the barrel for attaching a scope base. To remove the rear sight simple unscrew & remove the elevation adjustment screw. Depending on the vintage of the rear sight it'll either rotate forward so the attachment screws can be removed, or a pin needs to be removed to remove the sight blade to gain access to the rear sight attaching screws. The pin in question is the pin that the front of the rear sight pivots on.

SD Handgunner

[stevinator]

SD handgunner thanks for the info. The shop had barrels with and without sights and with scope mounts.So I wasn't sure if there were 4 screw holes under there or not. This contender is my first and is used but I am impressed with it so far. :confused: < This is what I look like thinking about all the barrel possibilities. :D

[shooter243]

Contenders are addicting !!!!!
I have 5 barrels for mine in 357 herret, 7mm tcu, 35 rem 45-70 and 44 mag
all my barrels are stainless excpet for the 45-70 and 44 mag. I also have the Savage striker in 22-250 , now thats a fun gun to shoot!
You will enjoy the T/C for many years, as long as your wallet holds out, the more barrels you get , the more you want :)

I guess my favorite is the 7mm tcu, little 223 case necked up to 7mm, the most accurate so far is the 357 herret (30-30 necked up to 357)

[stevinator]

Your right about addicting. I just brought home a 10'' bull barrel for the contender in 22 hornet. They had one in 222 but I have that in a rifle already. This is supposed to be a fun little cartridge in a pistol. The weather ever warms up I'll give it a try. Both my barrels so far are 10'' bull and I kind of like that size. How bad would the recoil be on a 10'' 44 barrel of the same? They have one of those left and I could hunt deer with that here in Illinois. I used a 357 in a wheel gun this year. The 357 contender is more accurate so far but didn't have that in time for the season. B)

[gossman]

My contender has one barrel, a 14" .35 rem and is very accuarate. I have had it for 13 years or so and have taken 7 deer with it ( open sights ). Just never have had a tickle for a different barrel yet. Sometimes I think maybe I will break down and get another one but that .35 is hard on deer. The only problem that I have noticed was that this past hunting season after taking a nice blacktail was that the rear sight was beginning to become very loose. Any suggestions? The years of heavy handloads must be taking their toll. :o

[jlevach]

I would stay away from the 44 barrel just yet or you will be in for a rude awakeing.
The recoil of a full load 44magnum is harsher in a contender than a revolver due to the design of the gun You can handle it it proper precautions are taken and the proper grips are used as well as shooting technic(don't put both hands on the grip behind the trigger guard in major calibers the trigger guard will give you a very painful wak on the nuckles. A better deer barrel in the contender is the 7-30 waters or just the palin ol 30-30 recoil on these especually in a 14" barrel is not a problem and mine is quite enjoyable to shoot(I have the 30-30) My 14" 223 is a lot of fun to shoot and can really reach out there if you can. Just watch the big boomers and magnums in the beginning until you are ready and lookinto a set of pachmayn decyleter grips for the gun as well they help with recoli a whole lot.
Jim L
:cannon:

[Old Judge Creek]

I can attest to how a 10" 44 mag bull barrel will thump "right back atcha" - I used to shoot IMHSA with one until one day at a match my son suggested I try 7 TCU (and the rest, is history). I have 2 of the ancient octagonal barrels (357 & 22mag) but all the rest are 10" bull barrels.

Fer sure, fer sure, the Contender can be addictive !!!! Knocking over the 200meter rams with a 7 TCU is downright exhilarating. Taking a deer or a ground squirrel at 150 is even more so !!! :lol:

[gossman]

The old Long Colt / .410 combo is a fun barrel. The .410 is a great vermin round in the barn and around the yard! :usa:

[jlevach]

Yes I really love shooting the 410 barrel especually with the 410 buckshot at water filled soda bottles its a lot of fun. I currently have 2 of the older octogon 45/410 barrels one of which has the ckoke stuck on it unfortunelately its the one with a rear sight! I need to get that choke off and put it on the other barrel without the rear sight a its been desnignated the "Shotgun" barrel, I have some bullet experments I want to try with some 444 & 445 supermag brass in the other barrel but first i have to get the choke off. Theres even a few experments on 303 brass I want to try.
Jim L

[DropTheHammer]

jlevach,

what are the physics behind the .44MAG being more brutal in a contender than in a revolver? I understand you have some gas escaping at the revolver's cylinder gap, but what else plays a part?

I have a 12" .44MAG on layaway, but I keep hearing about how brutal this caliber is on a contender. I've heard several people say that the 45-70 is more forgiving????

I believe what I'm hearing, I just don't quite understand why.

[nola]

I have both the 44 mag and the 45-70 in 14in
both are fun to shoot . the 44 does nothing and the 45-70
you have to hang on to as it wants to rise upon shooting.
the only one that realllllly hurt was a 14in 44 mag rechambered to 444 marlin
it hurt the recoil was straignt back into hand it was brutal. I shoot hot reloads
in both barrels the 444 was factory rounds. :



:beer: