Thompson Center pistols

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  • master*photog

    Plinker
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    Mar 21, 2013
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    Mooresville
    Hello, I have a friend that just sold me to Thompson Center pistols, 1 Contender 223 and 1 Encore 270. His neighbor passed away and kept his guns in impeccable condition, so I thought I’d jump on them.

    I have no intentions on shooting these with the barrels that are on them, I’m a small bore guy and want to swap out the barrels to a 17AH (centerfire 22H necked down to 17).

    Does anyone have a good amount of experience and are very knowledgeable with regards to the T/C pistols and rifles or knows someone that does?

    It seems there is quite a bit more to it than just slapping a new barrel on these guys, below are bullet points that need attention and maintenance.

    Tighten up the hinge pin area and lock up
    The trigger.
    Lock time and reliable ignition
    Headspace
    Forend bedding
    Chamber Throats

    Thanks for pointing me to someone that knows the ins and outs of these T/C pistols! They appear to be a lot more complex than what I imagined a pretty straight forward looking breakaway single shot to be.
     

    Mgderf

    Grandmaster
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    43   0   0
    May 30, 2009
    17,877
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    Lafayette
    Thompson Contender/Encore pistol are designed to be modular.
    No "tuning" required.
    Pull the hand guard, drop old barrel off of frame, drop new barrel on, replace fore end, rinse and repeat.

    Don't over think this.
    I have the Contender, and no less than 9 different caliber barrels.
    Swapping out barrels/calibers takes all of 2 minutes, and nothing more than a screwdriver.

    That's the beauty of Thompson's.
     

    snapping turtle

    Grandmaster
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    Dec 5, 2009
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    Madison county
    There are a few generations of TC frames. A couple that change from rimfires to center fire different and the true generation change that take different furniture for grips and butstocks. The older models have great triggers and you can adjust the over travel ect.

    Google mike Bellem Thompson contender and find his archived sight it has all the TC info you are wanting.

    They em are great hunting pistols. My third pistol purchase was a TC and I still have it.
     

    master*photog

    Plinker
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    Mar 21, 2013
    53
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    Mooresville
    Jmarriott

    I reached out to Mike Bellm recently and when he replied with this (below) when I asked about a barrel, I knew I was in trouble and in over my head.

    I asked him about a particular barrel for the encore and this was his reply.

    “what they don’t make clear is if the barrel is bored on center it will require an additional offset firing pin bushing and firing pin OR if the bore is offset and they have used what’s known as a stubbing of the barrel then there is nothing you can do with it down the road in way of rechambering”.

    This answer was far more technical and in depth and made me think that I bought a couple really nice guns that I had no business in getting (due to my ignorance and lack of research prior to buying them).
    There are a few generations of TC frames. A couple that change from rimfires to center fire different and the true generation change that take different furniture for grips and butstocks. The older models have great triggers and you can adjust the over travel ect.

    Google mike Bellem Thompson contender and find his archived sight it has all the TC info you are wanting.

    They em are great hunting pistols. My third pistol purchase was a TC and I still have it.
     

    snapping turtle

    Grandmaster
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    Dec 5, 2009
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    Madison county
    Now remember that mikes experience in barrels is looking at thousands of factory barrels. He is looking to get the very best out of a mass produced item. Hunting quality barrels verses benchrest barrels. He made me a 7-30 waters barrel that shoots lights out. He got my 35 rem shooting much better with an extractor switch.
    The barrels you have are fine. Most likely will shoot better than the nut behind the trigger. Just slightly out of whack. Like a ten 22 barrel. Some are great some are average all seem to work. The only barrel I could not get to shoot well was in 45-70 in a super sixteen. I was told when I purchased it that the guy shot 45-70 with black powder reloads. It was a one inch shooter at 50 but about a 4 inch shooter at 100. Could not get it to do any better.

    Rimmed rounds work best. That said my 223 and 222 barrels are fine. The 35 rem after mikes extractor work shot much better. The 257 max does well and he made that one from a 357 barrel.

    He is picky hard headed and opinionated like many here.
     

    master*photog

    Plinker
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    Mar 21, 2013
    53
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    Mooresville
    He is picky hard headed and opinionated like many here.


    Picky and hard headed are traits I'm ok with. I'm just wanting to get off to a good start without spending experimental time and money as I look for a barrel in the caliber I'm wanting.

    I don't mind tweaking loads and spending time with the piece to make it a shooter. What I'm trying to avoid is having a system that won't work due to some of the more technical details that I have no knowledge of looking out for.....such as "is the barrel bored of center OR if the bore is offset".

    Many thanks for your input and suggestions!! Much appreciate this.
     

    patience0830

    .22 magician
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    Nov 3, 2008
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    Not far from the tree
    I've had several of each, Contender and Encore. Most of the time the various bbls work fine. Occasionally you'll find an issue. Mr. Bellm is a wealth of information. Sometimes so much that it's hard to digest. He has been finding best accuracy from these guns for some time. I have a couple of his oversized pins.
     

    700 LTR 223

    Expert
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    Apr 5, 2008
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    It seems there is quite a bit more to it than just slapping a new barrel on these guys

    I bought my TC Contender new in 1989 that came from the factory with a 357 Mag barrel. Since then I've had 10 other barrels mounted on the frame by simply removing and replacing them. All have shot remarkably well. The only modification I ever had performed was a trigger job by one of the silhouette shooters I used to compete with. These days I still have the original 10" 357 barrel along with a pair of 10" 22 match barrels and a Super 14 in 223.
     

    DocIndy

    Master
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    Mar 30, 2010
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    Franklin
    I just purchased a new barrel for my encore in 308. I went with Match Grade Machine and could not be happier.
     

    master*photog

    Plinker
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    Mar 21, 2013
    53
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    Mooresville
    I appreciate all the support and positive comments on the T/C. I feel better about the pistols instead of having second thoughts and doubting the purchase.

    Here are a couple pics of my Contender and Encore pistols.

    contender.jpg contender_2.jpg contender_3.jpg
    encore_2.jpg encore_1.jpg encore.jpg
     

    Hookeye

    Grandmaster
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    Dec 19, 2011
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    armpit of the midwest
    Your Contender is of the "easy open" type (trigger pivot pin visible).

    Selector/safety on top is of the newer type...........so I'm guessing it all came that way. Used to be older frames (non easy open) could be sent back for easy open mod ($55 back in the day). Don't think TC has offered that service for a while.

    All Contender bbls should fit your frame..........however if using older bbls, you might have to change/fit locking lugs.

    I've had five different frames and probably a dozen or so bbls.
    Misfires and lockups with some combos.

    The 14" .223 is pretty mild actually...........as far as recoil goes. Blast is pretty good with rifle ammo.
    You might want to give that one a whirl on some waterjugs.
    Should be a hoot :)

    As for bedding, headspace, pin fit etc...........shoot it first and see what it needs. Probably nothing.

    Note: both of your scopes are good ones.

    Like a 2.5-7X on a varmint setup/range toy............30mm reddot on a deer rig.
     
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    prescut

    Marksman
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    Sep 23, 2014
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    I have the Contender, the Encore, and the G2 I got from Kurt Bellm, Mike's son. Kurt took a Match Grade Machine barrel and put it on one of his tuned G2s. I am very happy. Great family !


    Step 1
    Shoot the gun. Look for issues like any new to you gun. Take the barrel off, checking the Pin for snug fit.
    Put a second barrel on and shoot. Look for issues like any new to you gun.
    That's it. Call Mike if there's a problem. I doubt it.


    Step 2
    Call MGM and order a 357 Maximum barrel. This caliber is Mike Bellm's second specialty. It is my favorite. T/C ruled the silhouette game when they came out. I also got a 357 Max rifle barrel for the Encore.

    I have several 357 Maximum revolvers (Ruger, Dan Wesson, USA Seville), but the T/C really makes that Max caliber zing.

    Your questions:
    I don't understand how a timing issue comes up. This is not a revolver.
    MGM takes care of the headspace, the chamber, and a quality bore.
    There is no forend bedding. The forend stock has two screws.
    They usually have pretty nice triggers.

    The pin may need after 10 years to be replaced by one from Mike.
    The poster above had it right on. Don't overthink this.

    OP wrote first sentence:
    "Hello, I have a friend that just sold me to Thompson Center pistols ."
    This is actually pretty funny to many of us T/C junkies. T/C's are addictive. Your friend sold you to T/C.


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    snapping turtle

    Grandmaster
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    Dec 5, 2009
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    Madison county
    Your contender looks just like mine from 1984.
    You should find that trigger breaks very nice. Go ahead set the selector into the middle and try it. “I’ll wait “
    nice is it not? “Homey don’t play dat?”. That trigger can spoil it for other platforms.

    You said you wanted a small bore just remember that a small bore under 22 will need special cleaning rod ect. 22 hornet does great and if you pick up some little gun powder it will work in most of the small caliber stuff real well the contender is often chambered in. Might be able to push the 22 hornet to the power level you were looking at in the 17 hornet. I moved away from 17 caliber items after I had a rem 700 with rifling chattering marks in barrel. The .222 triple deuce has become my favorite light rifle round now for many years. I have a pistol and two rifle loads that work great in my 222’s.. 7 mm TCU 7-30 waters are a couple of others I like to use.

    Next thing is to find a rifle butstocks and a batch of fore-ends for other sizes. As a nice light hunting rifle they rock. They also made a 410 shotgun barrel and the encore has a very good muzzle loader for it.

    There is almost always ways a couple of tables at gun shows with an assortment of contender parts.
     

    walleyepw

    Master
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    Sep 9, 2012
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    One of my favorite squirrel hunting rigs is my contender with a 22lr supper 14. Other barrels that I have are 10" - 30-30; 14" - 44 mag; 14" 375 win; 14" - 35 rem; 14" - .17 rem and a carbine barrel in .223 and one in 375 win.
     

    master*photog

    Plinker
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    Mar 21, 2013
    53
    6
    Mooresville
    You said you wanted a small bore just remember that a small bore under 22 will need special cleaning rod.

    Jmarriott, this is one of the reasons I would like to swap out the existing barrel and have a 17 made for my 17AH caliber. I currently have a Cooper Model 38 in a 17AH and just thought it would be pretty versatile for me to have a 17AH T/C. Not only versatile, but I wouldn't have to invest in new dies, another rod size, source new brass, try different powders, experiment with bullets, etc.

    Depending on the weather and terrain conditions, having a couple of options in terms of the type of firearm (rifle or pistol), would add to my small predator hunting options.

    17AHsb.jpg
     

    sportsman223

    Marksman
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    1   0   0
    Aug 7, 2010
    267
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    Passing on Doe's
    I have seven frames, and more barrels than I care to mention, Virgin Vally, Bullberry, MGM, Vanhorn, Fox Ridge been in the game 35+yrs I have never seen anyone or myself use an oversized hinge pin. Have switched out and modified locking lugs, free floated forearms with shimms under studs and trigger jobs. Don't know about the 17AH but did have a Fox Ridge in 17Rem it was fun to shoot but fouled up real quick. I would bet neither one of those needs anything but some good ammo
    Look up Specialty Pistols lots of good info on that sight
     
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    master*photog

    Plinker
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    0   0   0
    Mar 21, 2013
    53
    6
    Mooresville
    I have the Contender, the Encore, and the G2 I got from Kurt Bellm, Mike's son. Kurt took a Match Grade Machine barrel and put it on one of his tuned G2s. I am very happy. Great family!

    Prescut, the T/Cs that you have gotten from Kurt Bellm......Did he have the complete setup and you purchased an already assembled "tricked out" firearm OR did you send him the components and he performed his gun smithing and fine tuning and sent them back ready to go?

    I'm just curious how he operates?

    Thank you!
     

    prescut

    Marksman
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    Sep 23, 2014
    206
    18
    United States
    Kurt is great to plan with. Give him a call and I'll bet he can do whatever combo you like. He is very accomodating.

    I bought the G2 frame and stock from Kurt. He also recommended the MGM barrel and I got that delivered to him. He did an action job and general fit and finish. A couple of other things as I recall.

    Very fair prices, but it really was about getting to talk to Mike and then Kurt. Mike and I must have spent at least an hour talking about everything under the sun. I will definitely take him up on his offer to drop by. That was a treat. I wanted to buy a barrel and then have Mike make the chamber, but he said he had trained the guys at MGM and helped them get setup correctly. Mike sent me to them and Kurt.

    Kurt also saved my azz with a locking lug issue I had with an old original 45 colt barrel on my Contender.

    I highly recommend them without reservation. It doesn't hurt that they both are experts on two of my favs: T/C and 357 Maximum.



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