TC Contender help

[jpx2rk]

Looking for some info and help on something I stumbled across today and hope someone can point me in the right direction. I shot a 22RF model years ago, and enjoyed it, always wanted one but never got around to it. LOL
TC contender, has the RF and CF selector (assuming this) on the hammer, frame and grips appear to be in good shape, hard to break the action/barrel open, and has a 44mag barrel.
A few pics to help indentify the model or generation, good or bad version??, and possibly a fair value.

 

[ebb]

I don't know much about them , I have shoot and handled a few. All Ive handled were hard to open. Made me think that they were all tight and in good condition. It would be lose that I would be worried about. I loaded some ammo for a guy that had inherited a 375 JDJ from his dad. I looked at his dads notes and loaded some half way between his min and max. He whined so bad about the recoil that I teased him and his friends that shot it. Next time I was around him and the gun it had a 30/30 barrel on it.

 

[mac86951]

Looks to me like a Gen 1 because of the panther engraving. I don't think there are good or bad versions of the TC contender, just some that have been better cared for.

Do you have any specific questions?

-Mac

 

[Bill K]

Nothing bad about any of the Contender frames. Bellm's TC has kits and others also to add a easy open feature to your frame. As for a barrel in 22lr, it will fit and you just select the rf mode on the hammer spur. Price, as shown, probably around 350 to 400, I would say.

By the way a fun frame to work with. I have both hand cannon and carbine barrels in 25JDJ, 6.8SPC, 223R and 375JDJ, love them all and with the proper fitting grips the 375JDJ is a sweet shooting hand cannon.

 

[JSH]

It is an easy open frame. I am not a fan of SS or the alloy. I won’t get into all of the variables, but IMHO, there are the early hard to open, still a CONTENDER and then there is the G2. Both or all no easier or harder to open than the other, unless the early varieties with the pivot pin way forward.
They are not for everyone. Some can master them others cannot.
DO NOT slobber lube all over them thinking it will make things better, it won’t. They are made to run dry.

 

[Handi204]

It's a later model stainless, value anywhere from $400.00 to $600.00 depends pawn shop to gun show. Last one I bought about 3 years ago 400 at a pawnshop. They are usually very accurate.

 

[ihmsakiwi]

Shot Gen 1 for years in IHMSA in multiple calibers; 22LR, 30/30, 7mmSuper Mag, 30 Herret, 32 Mag, 7mmTCU etc etc. Gen1 triggers are apparently the easiest to lighten. The ämourloy(?) (silver) framed versions barrel were not inter-changeable with the Gen1 blued ones. Only one out of a possible 40+ shooters locally used the amourloy version and he shot it well.

 

[Iowa Fox]

Thats a N H stainless frame, all of the stainless were easy open.I wouldn't pay over 250 for a as new SS TC frame. You can buy a brand new SS for 275 or about 40 dollars more (I think) for a slab side.

 

[muleman69]

Looking for some info and help on something I stumbled across today and hope someone can point me in the right direction. I shot a 22RF model years ago, and enjoyed it, always wanted one but never got around to it. LOL
TC contender, has the RF and CF selector (assuming this) on the hammer, frame and grips appear to be in good shape, hard to break the action/barrel open, and has a 44mag barrel.
A few pics to help indentify the model or generation, good or bad version??, and possibly a fair value.

I was watching a video last week on the different pins you could buy for accuracy purposes.From what I remember the tighter the pin the better and they stated to be sure and lube before installation. The last time I put mine back together I used hobo oil on the pin ,now it opens with ease

 

[jpx2rk]

Looks to me like a Gen 1 because of the panther engraving. I don't think there are good or bad versions of the TC contender, just some that have been better cared for.

Do you have any specific questions?

-Mac

Any good discussion groups/forums about them?
Are new barrels in other calibers still available ?
Any other info you would care to share with me, either here or PM.

 

[jpx2rk]

It is an easy open frame. I am not a fan of SS or the alloy. I won’t get into all of the variables, but IMHO, there are the early hard to open, still a CONTENDER and then there is the G2. Both or all no easier or harder to open than the other, unless the early varieties with the pivot pin way forward.
They are not for everyone. Some can master them others cannot.
DO NOT slobber lube all over them thinking it will make things better, it won’t. They are made to run dry.

How would I tell the difference between the location of the pivot pin?

Is the blued version more durable than the alloy/SS versions, or just a personal preference?

 

[jpx2rk]

Shot Gen 1 for years in IHMSA in multiple calibers; 22LR, 30/30, 7mmSuper Mag, 30 Herret, 32 Mag, 7mmTCU etc etc. Gen1 triggers are apparently the easiest to lighten. The ämourloy(?) (silver) framed versions barrel were not inter-changeable with the Gen1 blued ones. Only one out of a possible 40+ shooters locally used the amourloy version and he shot it well.

So I would have to use ONLY the silver/amourloy barrels with this frame correct?

 

[jpx2rk]

Thats a N H stainless frame, all of the stainless were easy open.I wouldn't pay over 250 for a as new SS TC frame. You can buy a brand new SS for 275 or about 40 dollars more (I think) for a slab side.

Is the armourloy the same as SS, just a marketing thing to be a bit different?

 

[sawcarver]

That frame is stainless. It will work with any stainless or blued barrel out there.

It is also an easyopen frame.

Armor Alloy is a blued frame with a coating on it kinda like cerakote. So they used a slightly smaller hinge pin because of the coating. They are not that common.

 

[SEM]

Any good discussion groups/forums about them?
Are new barrels in other calibers still available ?
Any other info you would care to share with me, either here or PM.

https://specialtypistols.infopop.cc/eve/forums

there are a few others also

 

[Mike Casselton]

Any good discussion groups/forums about them?
Are new barrels in other calibers still available ?
Any other info you would care to share with me, either here or PM.

Gary Reeder can make you a barrel in standard calibers or his Wildcats.

EA Brown also.
There are still new barrels to be had and other barrel makers out there. It's just a Google search away.

 

[Iowa Fox]

Is the armourloy the same as SS, just a marketing thing to be a bit different?

Armor Alloy frames have a s/n starting with A- Stainless frames have a s/n starting with S- blued frame had no letter prefix. You might see some frames that appear to be Stainless but they were plated after they left the factory as blue ones. JD was plating them before TC came out with their Armor Alloy.

 

[SBS]

That frame is stainless. It will work with any stainless or blued barrel out there.

It is also an easyopen frame.

Armor Alloy is a blued frame with a coating on it kinda like cerakote. So they used a slightly smaller hinge pin because of the coating. They are not that common.

All correct besides the "coating" on the Armor Alloy. It is a hard chrome plating and has superior corrosion and scratch resistance compared to stainless models. T/C would not guarantee blued barrels to fit them (because of the plating build up), but some would, depending on the stacking of tolerances in dimensions. Only a limited number of calibers were chambered in Armor Alloy.

 

[Bill K]

Bellm's TC and Bullberry are both good sources of information, parts and barrels. Bellm's has the most parts and information on installation, etc. Pull up both sites and check them out.

 

[Iowa Fox]

Bellm's TC and Bullberry are both good sources of information, parts and barrels. Bellm's has the most parts and information on installation, etc. Pull up both sites and check them out.

Looks like we are loosing Fred.

https://www.bullberry.com/