T/C Contender

[Deet]

Just picked up this new T/C Contender in 35 Remington. Has a Burris 2.5 x 7 scope, with beautiful wood grips and forearm. Barrel has a few scratches, but overall it is very nice. This is my new deer hunting gun. Took it out to the range last Saturday and it is very accurate at 50 yards. I will take it out this weekend and try it at 100 yards. Recoil is pretty hard, almost brutal.

 

[Jerry45Acp]

Very nice. How long is that barrel?

 

[Deet]

16" long, but hardly helps tame this beast. It is quickly becoming a favorite gun of mine. I want to start adding barrels to it as soon as I come across some for sale.

 

[Jerry45Acp]

Had a 30-30 Contender with a 10" bull barrel back in the early 1980's. It was a kicker from the bench but was not so bad from standing. It was very accurate. It liked 180gr Frontier Ammo, with groups running about 1" at 25 yards and 2" at 50 yards/with iron sights.
I now use a Contender .44mag for Indiana deer.

 

[snapping turtle]

If you like the 35 rem you will flip over some of the other options. When I first got my gen 1 contender the frame was 135 dollars and the 14 inch 35 rem barrel was 130. I have added many barrels over the years. Shoot that 35 rem at dusk and watch the 3 foot long fireball.

Must read mike bellams contender web site. Great info.

If you think you can hold that long barrel up get a Stoney creek shooting stick to help.

If you hand load look at the 7-30 waters round as it even outshines the the 35 rem for deer in Indiana.

turn that into a rifle also if it is the super 16 barrel just add a stock.

Other contender friendly and accurate rounds include 222 rem 22 match and 7 mm TCU.

 

[comanche]

I have a .357 Herrett...it's been a blast over the years. Shot a deer the first year you could use one and hit the deer in the middle of the back. He went down belly first and it separated the back completely in half.

 

[Mgderf]

I have more than half a dozen barrels for my Contender, but my favorites have to be the .30/30 (14" barrel) and the .45-70govt (Super-16" barrel).
The .222Rem mag is really nice, but then so is the .45Colt/.410 barrel...

Who am I trying to kid, I love them all!

 

[dangar]

My dad had one in the 35 rem that he also used for deer hunting. He liked it and took a couple of deer with it. His only complaint was that it was so darn loud. He didn't like to wear ear protection while in the woods so that he could hear if a deer was approaching, but he really should have with this one. I never shot it that I can recall. Did you notice it being any louder than a slug or muzzleloader?

He ended up trading it to someone on INGO for a shotgun.

 

[Mgderf]

My dad had one in the 35 rem that he also used for deer hunting. He liked it and took a couple of deer with it. His only complaint was that it was so darn loud... I never shot it that I can recall. Did you notice it being any louder than a slug or muzzleloader?

To me, that 10" barreled .222rem mag may be the loudest perceived firearm I've ever shot.
That thing is unbelievably loud!

 

[Contender]

Gotta love them Contenders. It was my first handgun years ago in 35 Rem. The 35 Rem is long gone but many others have taken its place. Used to hunt only with the Contender until they passed the pistol cartridge law. Switched to a Marlin lever gun for a few years using the Contender less. Also have some Contenders in carbine form and used one of them in 41 mag for deer this year.

 

[45fan]

To me, that 10" barreled .222rem mag may be the loudest perceived firearm I've ever shot.
That thing is unbelievably loud!

Never been near one of those when it went off, but I know the 30 Carbine Blackhawks are pretty noisy too. Something tells me that the 500 Smith in the short barreled Alaskan might give them all a run for their money.

My dad hunted deer for a while with his 45/70 contender. It worked beautifully, I cannot remember ever having to track a deer he shot with that one, but he went to the pistol caliber rifle when that law came about, and hasnt looked back. His 45 Colt and 44 Mag lever guns do everything he has ever asked of them.

 

[bdybdall]

I have a .357 Herrett...it's been a blast over the years. Shot a deer the first year you could use one and hit the deer in the middle of the back. He went down belly first and it separated the back completely in half.

Do you handload for that? If so, what is a favorite loading?

 

[bstewrat3]

If that is a Super 16 barrel and you handload you could use your new pistol as a rifle for deer in Indiana. Shorten your cases to 1.8" and load to the same overall length as called for in the manuals and you are done. I am doing just that only taking it a little further and making my ammo using 30/40 Krag brass shortened and reformed to get a rimmed cartridge.

 

[Deet]

Decided the 35 Remington was a little too much for me, so I traded the 16" barrel for a 14" in 30/30 win. I also changed the grip and forearm to black composite. It looks like a whole new gun. These contenders are certainly very customizable. Here is a pic