SSK reboots the Contender

[awp_101]

I know it's not a revolver but this seems to be the best spot until I petition LittleLebowski for a Single-Shot, Specialty Pistol and Other Otherwise Archaic Firearms sub-forum.

SSK-50 FRAMES (http://www.hausofarms.com/SSK-50-FRAMES_p_2661.html)

http://www.hausofarms.com/thumbnail.asp?file=assets/images/ssk-50/photo%20oct%2004%2009%2035%2017.jpg&maxx=108&maxy=108


Here is the simplest way to describe the NEW SSK-50 frame, the "BEST EDITION OF THE LAST MODEL ORIGINAL CONTENDER MADE". The exception is that it is made of stronger materials and to more consistent specifications, with state of the art CNC technology.

Manufactured by Lehigh Defense/SSK Firearms in PA, they have revived the legendary T/C platform from the ashes, and this is the best news for the single shot community in decades. David Fricke of Lehigh Defense, was first introduced to the Original Contender 41 years ago, and he is the driving force behind the revival of this platform that was discontinued roughly 17 years ago. He also has a passion for the wildcat calibers created by his friend and mentor, JD Jones, and has a quoted goal of "Making Wildcatting Mainstream" bringing forth the resources of probably the most innovative ammunition and bullet manufacturer to support that goal with ammunition, brass, dies and bullets.

Since this frame includes the "easy open trigger guard revision" all G1 Contender, current production T/C G2, MGM, Bullberry, and SSK Contender barrels will work on these frames.

100% Crossover Compatibility: meaning that all Original Contender barrels, stock sets, grip sets, and accessories will work perfectly on this new frame. Any chambering that worked well on the Original Contender will work as well or better on this frame.

The new SSK-50 boasts a Stainless Steel frame with a black nitride finished trigger guard, black oxide finished hammer and trigger to create a stunning package. The trigger is as good, if not better than the Original Contender's famous trigger that we hear about all the time.

3 frame options are available on this initial offering:

1) The LYNX engraved edition for $275-shipped to your FFL dealer.

2) The HausOfArms Logo (in place of the LYNX) edition for $275-shipped to your FFL dealer.

3) The "Flatside" has no engraving and has an up charge of $40 as these are hand selected for finish perfection, just like the old days at the custom shop, shipped to your FFL dealer.

Unlike standard T/C offerings that we have been accustomed to where the frames are designated at the factory and shipped with the appropriate stock or grip set. These frames are not designated therefore can be used for either pistol or rifle just like an AR lower checking the "other" box on page 2 of the 4473! If a full firearm is shipped then that would designate to either handgun or long gun box being checked on the 4473.

Lifetime factory warranty.

Enjoy, Marty

[cornstalker]

That is cool. Many years ago I had a collection of those. Used to hunt exclusively with Contenders.
The SSK barrels I had were the .375 JDJ and .257 JDJ. Both were absolutely awesome. Killed prairie dogs, coyotes, a badger, deer, antelope and bear at distances up to 326 yards with them. Good stuff.

Had a couple of Bellm barrels too. A .308 Bellm and a .45-70 throated for 500-grain bullets.

The Contender is an awesome platform. I love to see it come back. I never warmed to the Encore, despite its obvious advantages.

[OlongJohnson]

This SSK update is awesome. You'll pay about that for a decent classic frame. Stainless models are very rare. Most of the classics that were built with any inherent corrosion resistance were plated, and there are some minor issues that need to be addressed with fit of components due to the plating thickness.

I've thought about starting a thread for Tactical Single-Shots in Rifles and Carbines.

Due to the breech face being basically directly above the grip, a 17-inch barrel carbine ends up about as long as a 10.5 AR with a muzzle device. And they are very light. And probably legal everywhere. A 21-inch SPC barrel would make a heck of a youth rifle.

Choate even has a PG that mounts a buffer tube, so you can have an adjustable LOP stock on your carbine. They also have folders. Could be very convenient way to have something in the truck that will put down a wounded animal or take shots of opportunity on varmints, etc.

I've been waffling on barrel length. I'm planning to get one made in .45 Auto. The excuse is to work up well-behaved .45 Super loads with instrumentation. Theoretically, I should make it match the length of my longest .45 Super-capable pistol barrel to make sure nothing weird happens when the bullet clears the muzzle. But I kinda want to mess around with the minimalist carbine concept, too. Having a USP .45 on my belt while hunting with it would make a ton of sense.

I happen to know where there's a 24-in. MGM barrel in .44 Magnum for sale at the moment.

[oregon45]

A 17-inch .357 Maximum barrel is on my list of projects for my Contender. Very versatile gun, although I find that rather than use many barrels on one frame I tend to simply accumulate frames along with barrels...

[farscott]

I have a twenty-six inch SSK stainless barrel chambered in .45 ACP for one of my Contender actions. It handles everything from wadcutter loads to .45 Super with no issues. And it is short and handy, even with that long barrel. For many years, I had SSK #1 barrel in .30-20 (.32-20 Win with a .308" bore) but got tired of dealing with .32-20 brass. A buddy who is much more patient has it now. SSK makes good stuff, especially the T'SOB mount and rings.

In any event, I am ordering one of the new "flatside" frames.

[mtnbkr]

Years ago I had an original Contender with a 30-30 pistol barrel and 7mmTCU barrel. Neat gun, but it didn't fill a niche for me, so I sold it. I now have an Encore rifle with a 17" 35 Whelen barrel and a Katahdin 20" 50cal muzzleloader. The 35 is a little barky, so I'm experimenting with heavy cast bullets and pistol powders to see if I can get something more pleasant to shoot that will still have terminal effect on deer and bear out to 100yds.

The new Contender is interesting. I could be tempted to set up a 357max carbine...

Chris

[Hambo]

My name is Hambo and I have a Contender/Encore addiction. Added to my Xmas list. :)

[Lester Polfus]

Years ago I had an original Contender with a 30-30 pistol barrel and 7mmTCU barrel. Neat gun, but it didn't fill a niche for me, so I sold it. I now have an Encore rifle with a 17" 35 Whelen barrel and a Katahdin 20" 50cal muzzleloader. The 35 is a little barky, so I'm experimenting with heavy cast bullets and pistol powders to see if I can get something more pleasant to shoot that will still have terminal effect on deer and bear out to 100yds.

The new Contender is interesting. I could be tempted to set up a 357max carbine...

Chris

How do you like that 20" Katahdin barrel? I'm tired of hauling a Knight Bighorn through the thick woods here so I can shoot something at 30 yards, and an Encore with a Katahdin barrel looks like just the ticket. It would also give me the ability to play with other calibers easily.

[mtnbkr]

How do you like that 20" Katahdin barrel? I'm tired of hauling a Knight Bighorn through the thick woods here so I can shoot something at 30 yards, and an Encore with a Katahdin barrel looks like just the ticket. It would also give me the ability to play with other calibers easily.

I like it. It's pretty accurate, compact, and relatively light. I use mine with a peep rear and fiber front sight. I use mine with Blackhorn209 powder and 44cal 240gr XTP HPs. I don't recall the exact velocity, but with 90gr of BH209, it's a good bit faster than the same bullet in a 44mag, but well under 2k fps. Once I use up the last of my XTPs, I'll use either my home-cast 260gr SWCs or 310gr WFNs (also home cast).

It's also a good plinker with patched round ball and a 50gr Pyrodex pellet, though the clean up is worse.

Chris

[mmc45414]

I had an Encore for a while. I know I had a 26" 7mm RemMag for it, and a 20ga rifled slug barrel. Put the FO Williams peep on it and it was cool. These days maybe a SIG Romeo would be a nice setup. Have recently been thinking about stepping back in.

[Lost River]

.....snip..

I've been waffling on barrel length. I'm planning to get one made in .45 Auto. The excuse is to work up well-behaved .45 Super loads with instrumentation. Theoretically, I should make it match the length of my longest .45 Super-capable pistol barrel to make sure nothing weird happens when the bullet clears the muzzle. But I kinda want to mess around with the minimalist carbine concept, too. Having a USP .45 on my belt while hunting with it would make a ton of sense.

I happen to know where there's a 24-in. MGM barrel in .44 Magnum for sale at the moment.



I had Thompson’s custom shop, “ Fox River “ or something like that build me a 45 acp barrel for my contender years back and thread the barrel for my suppressor. They told me it was the only one they had ever done. It was shortly prior to them closing their doors.

I’m traveling for work again but when I get home I will snap a couple pics. I very rarely ever shot the thing. It was not the cheapest project but pretty fun. Would be a killer 45 Super shooter.

[jandbj]

I love the platform enough that I SBR’d my gen1 Contender with a youth size stock set. The idea of lots and lots of calibers for 1 stamp had/has a lot of appeal to me. Presently have 10” barrels in .22, .32 H&R, & .357. Threaded the .22 & .357’s for cans. I also have a 14” .44 mag barrel, but that one hasn’t been used in a few years.

[mtnbkr]

I wouldn't want an SBSed Encore. They're short enough with non-SBS barrels. The pic below is my 17" 35Whelen Encore. It is 31.5" long. It no longer wears the scope, having since been outfitted with a peep rear and fiber front, but otherwise is the same config currently sitting in my safe.

43850

Chris

[Lester Polfus]

I wouldn't want an SBSed Encore. They're short enough with non-SBS barrels. The pic below is my 17" 35Whelen Encore. It is 31.5" long. It no longer wears the scope, having since been outfitted with a peep rear and fiber front, but otherwise is the same config currently sitting in my safe.

43850

Chris

I think a 17" Encore with a red dot in either .357 Mag or .357 Max may be my kid's first deer rifle.

[mtnbkr]

I think a 17" Encore with a red dot in either .357 Mag or .357 Max may be my kid's first deer rifle.

For that scenario, I'd go Max, with a light plastic stock and non-heavy-barrel profile. My gun shown above is pretty heavy for its size, so I'd want something lighter for a kid. Go with a 1:16 or faster twist so you can possibly use some of the 200gr+ bullets intended for 35cal rifles. The RCBS or Lee 200gr FP-Spitzer mould would be my choice. If you're going with jacketed bullets, there are a number of good choices in the single-shot pistol class of bullets.

That said, either of those chamberings (mag or max) would work in a Contender and be lighter in weight...

Chris

[jandbj]

That said, either of those chamberings (mag or max) would work in a Contender and be lighter in weight...

Precisely the reason I went with the Contender over the Encore. And rimfire options too.

[Hambo]

I think a 17" Encore with a red dot in either .357 Mag or .357 Max may be my kid's first deer rifle.

The down side is that the triggers kind of suck from the factory. Mike Bellm has trigger spring kits for them.

Another kid option would be a Contender in 7mm TCU or .300BO if you're not limited to straight wall cartridges.

[1911Nut]

It's been a LONG time since I have used it in the field, but I had SSK build me one several years ago on a G2 frame. It has a 15" Shilen barrel in caliber .223 Remington and is topped with a Burris LER 3X1 Ballistic Plex scope in SSK rings. I have taken numerous coyotes with it and it as accurate as any rifle I have ever owned. Purchased it with the intent of hunting ground hogs with it someday, but that hasn't happened yet.

Below is a photo of a three shot group at 100 yards.

[TicTacticalTimmy]

I've always been interested in these rifles but dont know much about them...

Could someone school me on the difference between the Contender and Encore?

[mtnbkr]

I've always been interested in these rifles but dont know much about them...

Could someone school me on the difference between the Contender and Encore?

The Contender is the original firearm and primarily designed around low pressure rifle rounds (ie 30-30, etc) and pistol rounds. The Encore was a later version upsized for high pressure rifle rounds (30-06, 300wm, etc). An Encore will weigh roughly 1lb more than an identically spec'ed Contender.

Chris

[mtnbkr]

The down side is that the triggers kind of suck from the factory. Mike Bellm has trigger spring kits for them.

Another kid option would be a Contender in 7mm TCU or .300BO if you're not limited to straight wall cartridges.

The trigger on my Encore wasn't too bad, but I still put Bellm's spring kit and another guy's overtravel stop in mine. My old Contender's trigger was fantastic.

I'm not sure I'd go with 7mmTCU. It's a fine cartridge, but you have to reload for it (and make your own brass if you can't find factory brass for it, which is what I did). 300BO can be found at Walmart. 357max isn't any better than 7mmTCU for ammo availability, but you can shoot 357mag and 38special through it. Also, if you already load those two, adding the Max is just a matter of getting the brass.

Chris

[Trigger]

17 Fireball? 20 Fireball? Make a neat little varmint rifle with a can on it.

[OlongJohnson]

357max isn't any better than 7mmTCU for ammo availability, but you can shoot 357mag and 38special through it.

I've kinda wondered how much accuracy would improve in .357 Max or .357 Mag if the chamber ahead of the case was more like the .35 Remington, i.e., along the lines of a traditional rifle chamber. I suspect that having it be a giant funnel so that rounds can be launched from brass much shorter than the chamber will accommodate gives up something.

BTW, I hate this thread. As a serial owner of small sports cars, I am attracted to doing more with less. So I really want a .22 K-Hornet barrel. But if someone gave me one for free, it would still end up costing me around $700 after all was said and done.

[OlongJohnson]

I've thought about starting a thread for Tactical Single-Shots in Rifles and Carbines.

Due to the breech face being basically directly above the grip, a 17-inch barrel carbine ends up about as long as a 10.5 AR with a muzzle device. And they are very light. And probably legal everywhere. A 21-inch SPC barrel would make a heck of a youth rifle.

Choate even has a PG that mounts a buffer tube, so you can have an adjustable LOP stock on your carbine. They also have folders. Could be very convenient way to have something in the truck that will put down a wounded animal or take shots of opportunity on varmints, etc.

Was stuck with a few hours and nothing to keep me from being very bored but a phone this morning. Found this guy, who's done what I described.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?295489-TC-Barrels&#post3485210

They're Encore frames, but the lower unit is represented as being legal non-NFA length and appears to even have some sort of muzzle device attached. Who knows, maybe I will find a deal on some Choate parts on Black Friday...

[cornstalker]

I've always been interested in these rifles but dont know much about them...

Could someone school me on the difference between the Contender and Encore?

In addition to what mtnbkr said, the Contender is intended to use rimmed cartridges for the most part, whereas the Encore can use rimless cases. The exception that I am aware of being the .223.

[OlongJohnson]

As long as headspace is in spec and the extractor/ejector works, it's hard to see how that should matter.

It's my understanding that the cases using necked down .444 Marlin brass are doing so more for the wall thickness than the rim.

[JAD]

I have a twenty-six inch SSK stainless barrel chambered in .45 ACP for one of my Contender actions.

That’s very interesting. I love reloading .45 and that would be super fun to play with. I distantly remember a fun rag article wherein the author determined the optimal length for .45 and 9 barrels using a long contender that he progressively cut down and chronoed. As I recall .45 started losing velocity at 10” — in other words longer barrels gave up velocity to friction because the gas expansion had reached diminishing returns.

[JAD]

My name is Hambo and I have a Contender/Encore addiction. Added to my Xmas list. :)

Hi Hambo. A contender, a Sinclair press, and a couple of barrels is essentially my retirement plan.

[OlongJohnson]

That’s very interesting. I love reloading .45 and that would be super fun to play with. I distantly remember a fun rag article wherein the author determined the optimal length for .45 and 9 barrels using a long contender that he progressively cut down and chronoed. As I recall .45 started losing velocity at 10” — in other words longer barrels gave up velocity to friction because the gas expansion had reached diminishing returns.

http://ballisticsbytheinch.com/

[JAD]

http://ballisticsbytheinch.com/

So cliff’s notes: all the pistol calibers fall off after 16” or so with most loads.

[Super77]

Delta V drops off but I’ve always wondered if a longer pistol caliber barrel gets much quieter (suppressed) as it gets longer. The theory being that the pressure of the gas exiting the barrel would drop as length increases. Seems like a Contender is a great configuration for a longer suppressed barrel because there’d be no sound coming from an ejection port and the breech is so far back in the action. Anyone have a lathe and want to do “decibels by the inch?”

[Prdator]

Ill be spending $$

[Poconnor]

IIRC part of the reason for the JDJ wildcats using the 444 cases was not just the pressure but the back thrust against the breach. I remember looking over SSKs catalog and dreaming of which caliber to buy for hunting. I do remember that a 308 was a no go in a contender but a 300 savage was ok and the 309 JDJ the hot 30 cal set up. I remember thinking that for hunting a 6.5 JDJ and a .375 JDJ would cover anything I would want to hunt. I hunted with a family friend that had had more than a few contender barrels. He also hunted all over the world. The last time I hunted with him was a whitetail hunt in Texas. He used a 375 JDJ for everything. Deer, turkey, boar, javelina; a 375 slug whistled right through and didn’t damage any meat. Time for me to get out my contender and finally get an SSK handcannon

[OlongJohnson]

Delta V drops off but I’ve always wondered if a longer pistol caliber barrel gets much quieter (suppressed) as it gets longer. The theory being that the pressure of the gas exiting the barrel would drop as length increases. Seems like a Contender is a great configuration for a longer suppressed barrel because there’d be no sound coming from an ejection port and the breech is so far back in the action. Anyone have a lathe and want to do “decibels by the inch?”

This is why I've contemplated a pistol caliber carbine for HD. Especially with .38 SPL, which is a lower-pressure round to begin with, but also 147gr 9mm. About 1/5 the amount of powder of a 5.56 round expanding into ~2.5x the bore volume may be significantly less damaging to hearing when fired in a hallway. The fact that it's a faster burning powder and has more time to complete its burn can't hurt.

[jandbj]

Just gonna leave this thought here... Contender, Choate M4 grip, SBA3, whatever pistol length barrel... :cool:

Possibly as fun as my Ruger Charger with a shockwave blade brace and a can.

[jandbj]

Delta V drops off but I’ve always wondered if a longer pistol caliber barrel gets much quieter (suppressed) as it gets longer. The theory being that the pressure of the gas exiting the barrel would drop as length increases. Seems like a Contender is a great configuration for a longer suppressed barrel because there’d be no sound coming from an ejection port and the breech is so far back in the action. Anyone have a lathe and want to do “decibels by the inch?”
https://www.hensleygibbs.com/edharris/articles/32calsmallgamerifles.htm
https://www.hensleygibbs.com/edharris/articles/tinyhandguncartridges.htm

Articles above will lead you down an entertaining rabbit hole of thoughts on building the perfect pistol caliber single shot. I freely admit, it’s had me order .32 ACP dies and now a .32 H&R contender barrel.

[ps122]

I've thought about buying/ trading for a Contender so many times but somehow the $$ always goes to something else.... This will likely change that.

[Lost River]

Behold, the one off custom job. :cool:

https://i.imgur.com/tbEwjlT.jpg


https://i.imgur.com/WZqCUH5.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/tyisxRU.jpg


It is a super cool little thing. I forgot I even had it until this thread came up. Sadly it has been sitting unused for far too long.

That Charger looks like loads of fun! One of these days I need to pick one of those up, as I have a .22 can already and could seriously make use of it!

[PNWTO]

This thread isn’t good for me. I seem to have strong but intermittent urges to get a T/C pistol and some wildcat cartridges and have myself a ball.

Damn you P-F, as usual.

[Hambo]

This thread isn’t good for me. I seem to have strong but intermittent urges to get a T/C pistol and some wildcat cartridges and have myself a ball.

Damn you P-F, as usual.

Two bits of advice on wildcats:
-make sure you can find dies before you buy a barrel
-avoid cartridges based on obscure brass

[OlongJohnson]

Behold, the one off custom job. :cool:

It is a super cool little thing. I forgot I even had it until this thread came up. Sadly it has been sitting unused for far too long.

That rocks. I reckon +P HST would still be subsonic, and with that long barrel to expand gas in, should be stupid quiet. People who hunt whitetails with a can describe them basically just standing there wondering what bit them until they fall over...

How do you like that poly butt stock? Looks like you have extra LOP in the leather pad.

What's your all-up weight and OAL? (Without can, I guess...)

Does the barrel have six lands the same width as the grooves (typical of factory T/C .45 Auto barrels), or a more "normal" bore configuration?

[Lost River]

I had no idea, so I threw it on the postal scale.

https://i.imgur.com/Rdsjh30.jpg

4 pounds, 8 ounces for those who cant see the pics.

:cool:

Edit to add it is a rubber slip on pad. I put on there to add a little length to the thing.

The poly buttstock is great, no complaints, but then again, I really have hardly used this. I meant to, It was one of those things that got put by the wayside and forgotten about.

I have absolutely NO idea about the twist rate, but I told them to thread it, since I would be shooting 230s pretty much exclusively and using a can, I am sure it is a standard twist rate.

[awp_101]

This thread isn’t good for me. I seem to have strong but intermittent urges to get a T/C pistol and some wildcat cartridges and have myself a ball.

Damn you P-F, as usual.
I have the same urges but I've gotten realistic with myself about wildcats. I don't have the time now to reload factory calibers so there's no chance I'll have time to fiddle with most wildcats.

I think that if/when I decide to jump back into the Contender pool I'll go with a late first gen or a G2 over the SSK. I'm just not a fan of stainless Contenders. I understand the "why" of having one in stainless but they just don't look "right" to me.

[Grouse870]

I’ve always wanted a nice lightweight 16” threaded barrel 9mm with peep sights and maybe a red dot. This might be the ticket. Plus if it doesn’t work out like it does in my mind I can always toss on another barrel

[AKDoug]

Sweet baby Jesus :D I'm not sure how I missed this thread. I got a little frisky with my handloads in my .357maximum years ago and ruined my Contender frame. I still have a bunch of barrels and a reason to pick up another frame :D

[Dagga Boy]

I need to fully read this thread. Been super busy. I will put my Moderator hat on though and fully take Contenders under the revolver banner. I have both a .444 Katadyn (sp.) Hunter and a custom little 6.8 rifle that is a dream to carry in the field. I haven’t gotten to shoot anything yet with the 6.8, but it was really nice to carry getting into hides and blinds and just walking around. It has been cut to 16” and is really compact.

[mtnbkr]

I kind of want to sell my Encore and two barrels as it's overkill for my needs and get one of these new Contenders and a 16" 357max or 44SM barrel. Either cartridge could be loaded using my existing dies and bullets, but I'd need to get brass. Both, properly loaded, would handle my hunting needs. The only drawback is lack of a good muzzleloader option.

Chris

[OlongJohnson]

I will put my Moderator hat on though and fully take Contenders under the revolver banner.

I think we've all been reckoning it fits under the (slightly) broader category of, "an elegant weapon for a more civilized age."

[Hambo]

I kind of want to sell my Encore and two barrels as it's overkill for my needs and get one of these new Contenders and a 16" 357max or 44SM barrel. Either cartridge could be loaded using my existing dies and bullets, but I'd need to get brass. Both, properly loaded, would handle my hunting needs. The only drawback is lack of a good muzzleloader option.

Chris

https://matchgrademachine.com/custom-thompson-center-muzzleloader-barrel/

[mtnbkr]

https://matchgrademachine.com/custom-thompson-center-muzzleloader-barrel/

Yup. Aware of it. The problem is that it is a 45cal, which means I will have a hard time finding sabots and I won't be able to use my existing 44cal cast bullets.

Chris

[Dagga Boy]

I think we've all been reckoning it fits under the (slightly) broader category of, "an elegant weapon for a more civilized age."

I endorse this message.

[Hambo]

Not only elegant, but innovative. Today, companies won't take a chance on anything new. TC started making single shot pistols when no one was asking for them, and they've been making them ever since.

[OlongJohnson]

I have both a .444 Katadyn (sp.) Hunter and a custom little 6.8 rifle that is a dream to carry in the field. I haven’t gotten to shoot anything yet with the 6.8, but it was really nice to carry getting into hides and blinds and just walking around. It has been cut to 16” and is really compact.

My little terrier brain won't let go of some things, and I was reading more on 6.8 Contenders today. Read lots of reports of people having ignition problems with 6.8 in Contenders due to the harder, AR-compatible primers generally used in factory 6.8 ammo. Seems like it would be pretty lame to lose an animal when it goes click on the perfect shot, but all my 6.8 ammo is and is going to be loaded with AR-friendly primers.

Have you ever gotten a click instead of a bang with this gun?

I'm thinking it might be a nice application for the Grendel. No mag length limitations and no feeding issues. And no AR crossover issues in this house. The barrel makers set them up to only work with G2 frames, apparently.

[Lost River]

Just gonna leave this thought here... Contender, Choate M4 grip, SBA3, whatever pistol length barrel... :cool:

Possibly as fun as my Ruger Charger with a shockwave blade brace and a can.

The more I look at that, the more I think I would ditch my Contender for that Charger with a Brace. That thing just looks like FUN! I bet it would be hell on Jackrabbits in the winter!

[jandbj]

The more I look at that, the more I think I would ditch my Contender for that Charger with a Brace. That thing just looks like FUN! I bet it would be hell on Jackrabbits in the winter!
It’s even more fun than that. I think the reptilian part of my brain enjoys it even more because it’s like the SBR 10/22 i waffled back and forth on doing for years. My other 10/22’s haven’t gotten near as much use since I set this little rig up.

[coldcase1984]

Sorry for continuing the drift, but did have to relieve the barrel for the can? Got my SBR 10/22 SET up similarly though have the barrel cut at 10.5 for original walnut stock.

Back to the thread, digging idea of putting together an SSK-based stainless suppressed pistol and/or carbine in .44 Mag w a silver Aimpoint R1 on it.

A 200-grain hardcast WC at 1050 will kill any critter in TN and be no louder than a popcorn fart!:cool:

[Hi-Point Aficionado]

I hate you all for this thread. A buddy recently picked up a scoped Encore in 308 Winchester, Contender with selectable centerfire/rimfire hammer in 41 Magnum with excellent irons and perfect Pachmayr revolver-style stocks, spare ported 14" 30-30 barrel needing an optic, and 10" 30-30 barrel with good front sight and decent glass but needing a proper rear sight to shift the glass to the longer barrel.

Has me itching for a Contender with same furniture, 30 Carbine, 22 Long Rifle, 30-30, and 357 Maximum barrels to back up my Ruger No. 1 as is only proper.

[OlongJohnson]

I've gone down the Contender carbine rabbit hole lately.

If you have a Hornady loading manual, read what it says about .30-30 with a 10 inch barrel. Probably not worth the time.

On the other hand, I think a 20-ish-inch carbine on a Contender frame and the .30-30 cartridge are incredibly complementary, like to the point where both may be optimized in that combination. A 4.5-lb Fudd gun that carries like an SBR and is chambered in one of the all-time great slayers of ungulates is hard to argue with. The lower pressure levels of the .30-30 are favored in the Contender over any of the newer mid-capacity cartridges, but the large-ish capacity still has the ability to impart significant KE to a bullet, as long as you give it enough time (barrel length) to push. Hodgdon's LeverEvolution powder was basically engineered to exploit this characteristic, and data shows significantly greater velocities than other powders in the 140gr and higher weights. Conveniently, H4895 is particularly well-suited to the cartridge at 130 grains and lower. It maintains consistent performance in low-percentage-fill loads, so it is likely to work better than most in the "oversize" case of the .30-30, and book data shows it producing some of the top MVs with 130 grains and below for the .30-30. Eliminating the restrictions of a tube mag permits loading spire-point bullets, which opens up a whole new world of external ballistic performance, not to mention the bullets developed in recent years for .300 BO will work beautifully as reduced loads.

And then there's the KISS aspect: Expanding hunting ammo in .30-30 is usually the cheapest, often even cheaper than the same product line in .223. Factory ammo is made for a 20-inch barrel, so you're running right on the design spec. You can just grab the cheap box at Walmart, check zero, and probably be good to go for taking out Bambi.

I'm close to spending money.

[jandbj]

Sorry for continuing the drift, but did have to relieve the barrel for the can? Got my SBR 10/22 SET up similarly though have the barrel cut at 10.5 for original walnut stock.

I did have to relieve the stock quite a bit for the can. Sandpaper wrapped around a 1” dowel. WECSOG engineering

[JHC]

The Contender is an awesome platform. I love to see it come back. I never warmed to the Encore, despite its obvious advantages.

What are the obvious advantages?

[Lester Polfus]

On a somewhat related note, Hornady has announced subsonic .30-30 ammo (https://www.hornady.com/ammunition/subsonic#!/), and the related component bullet. (https://www.hornady.com/bullets/rifle/30-cal-.308-190-gr-sub-x#!/)

A 16" to 20" Encore or Contender in .30-30 with a can would be a useful thing to own.

[OlongJohnson]

What are the obvious advantages?

AFAIK, that it can handle more powerful cartridges. Also, T/C currently supports it with muzzle loader barrels. They used to sell ML barrels for the G2 only, but no longer do. Lots of chatter findable on Contender-focused forums about that situation.


On a somewhat related note, Hornady has announced subsonic .30-30 ammo (https://www.hornady.com/ammunition/subsonic#!/), and the related component bullet. (https://www.hornady.com/bullets/rifle/30-cal-.308-190-gr-sub-x#!/)

Interesting they are only advertising the .300 BO bullet (190gr) as a component. The loaded .30-30 round, which should be capable of driving a heavier bullet, is 175 gr. I'd love to see them publish load data for that 190gr bullet in .30-30, .308 and .30-06. Could be a stellar lower-recoil option.

Also, I'll just note that loading XTPs to subsonic MV in a 147gr 9mm and 230gr .45 Auto and calling it a new product line does not require the involvement of the engineering department, unless they use engineers to assemble bills of materials for new packaging.


A 16" to 20" Encore or Contender in .30-30 with a can would be a useful thing to own.

I'm leaning more and more that way...

[OlongJohnson]

This is a good read (quoting SSK Facebook post by Lehigh's David Fricke, explaining his personal history with and love for Contenders and how it led to the new Contender frame project):

https://specialtypistols.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/4766056864/m/1950060596?r=1880042596#1880042596

[Lester Polfus]

Interesting they are only advertising the .300 BO bullet (190gr) as a component. The loaded .30-30 round, which should be capable of driving a heavier bullet, is 175 gr. I'd love to see them publish load data for that 190gr bullet in .30-30, .308 and .30-06. Could be a stellar lower-recoil option.

Also, I'll just note that loading XTPs to subsonic MV in a 147gr 9mm and 230gr .45 Auto and calling it a new product line does not require the involvement of the engineering department, unless they use engineers to assemble bills of materials for new packaging.



I'm leaning more and more that way...

I wonder if there are stability issues with the 190 grain bullet at subsonic velocities in common .30-30 twist rates? That's total speculation on my part. I also hope to see load data, and odds are they will. I skip every other generation of the Hornady Manual, so I'm due for the next one.

I also got a chuckle out of the "new" 147 grain 9mm and 230 grain .45 ACP loads....

[Hambo]

but needing a proper rear sight to shift the glass to the longer barrel

If he's OK with a factory sight, I think I have some. Send me a PM.


What are the obvious advantages?

Cartridges with a larger base diameter and/or higher pressure can be used in the Encore. As a hinged action it still has its limitations, but you can move up from .30-30 to .308, .30-06, .300WM in an Encore.

[mmc45414]

Cartridges with a larger base diameter and/or higher pressure can be used in the Encore. As a hinged action it still has its limitations, but you can move up from .30-30 to .308, .30-06, .300WM in an Encore.
I had a 7mmRemMag that I wish I still had, though I do wish I still had every car, gun and motorcycle I ever traded away.



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[cornstalker]

What are the obvious advantages?

Some guys have covered it, but to me, the most obvious advantage of the Encore is the ability to use high-pressure rimless cartridges. If you are really going to push things to the max, the Encore can host a variety of high-pressure wildcats, like the SSK Dreadnaught series, or a 6.5-06 AI, 280 AI, etc. With the Contender, you are limited to wildcatting off of low pressure rimmed cartridges. .225 Win, .307 Win, .30-30 Win, .30-40 Krag, .348 Win, .444 Marlin, .45-70.

The Contender is much easier to do a fantastic trigger job on than the Encore.

The point of view that I come from is that of a big game and predator hunter in the West. Long shots in the wind are the norm, so powerful high-velocity cartridges are preferred. If I was shooting whitetails at under 100 yards from a tree stand it would be different.

[OlongJohnson]

I wonder if there are stability issues with the 190 grain bullet at subsonic velocities in common .30-30 twist rates? That's total speculation on my part.

Hadn't thought of that, obviously. It makes sense. T/C and Marlin use 1:10, but Henry and Winchester use 1:12. Could be a tad slow.

[JHC]

Olong, Hambo, Cornstalker,
Thx much.

Makes sense. In that case I would lean Contender for a lower pressure chambering. I used to think a suppress capable. .45 LC to throw 300 grains at 800-900 fps was just the ticket to handle some large pests discretely.

[mmc45414]

I started out this thread wondering what the big deal was, because I was never dissatisfied with the Encore. But the more I read the more I realize most of what interests me would be low pressure rounds anyway. Thinking a 16" 38 wadcutter would be pretty quiet without a can...

[Lester Polfus]

I started out this thread wondering what the big deal was, because I was never dissatisfied with the Encore. But the more I read the more I realize most of what interests me would be low pressure rounds anyway. Thinking a 16" 38 wadcutter would be pretty quiet without a can...

It's funny you should mention that. I was shooting 148 grain wadcutters out of my 18.5" Marlin 1894c today. It's probably not hearing safe enough to shoot without ear pro, but I did it a half dozen times anyway. Sounds like a loud airgun.

[OlongJohnson]

They feed in Special brass? Any tuneup required to make heavy "empty cases" run?

[awp_101]

I prefer the switch on the Contender hammer for rimfire cartridges over the offset chamber solution of the Encore.

[mmc45414]

It's funny you should mention that. I was shooting 148 grain wadcutters out of my 18.5" Marlin 1894c today. It's probably not hearing safe enough to shoot without ear pro, but I did it a half dozen times anyway. Sounds like a loud airgun.
Were they handloads? If so, what powder?
It would be handy to be able to shoot that damn groundhog behind the house with people wondering "What was that?" instead of "Who is shooting?" It is legal, but seems like somebody always calls the cops.

[Odin Bravo One]

Should have known a return to PF.com would cost me money.

[OlongJohnson]

I put together a budget for my pending .30-30 project and the bottom line has the thing on hold indefinitely.

[mmc45414]

I put together a budget for my pending .30-30 project and the bottom line has the thing on hold indefinitely.Woah, that sounds like some kinda rookie mistake, actually adding it all up in advance... [emoji41]

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[awp_101]

Woah, that sounds like some kinda rookie mistake, actually adding it all up in advance...
#truth (https://pistol-forum.com/usertag.php?do=list&action=hash&hash=truth)

[Lester Polfus]

Were they handloads? If so, what powder?
It would be handy to be able to shoot that damn groundhog behind the house with people wondering "What was that?" instead of "Who is shooting?" It is legal, but seems like somebody always calls the cops.


They feed in Special brass? Any tuneup required to make heavy "empty cases" run?

The Marlin 1894c manual says they won't feed wadcutters, so of course I had to try it. They work "well enough" if you work the lever briskly, but it certainly isn't smooth. The ideal would be to feed them into the chamber singly, which involves some ammo juggling. If somebody made a lever action rifle with a magazine cutoff, me and probably at least three other people on the planet would be enthused about it.

They were some leftover Remington 148 grain wadcutters. I just switched over to Federal for my J-frame and was using up my old stock.

I have all the stuff I need except the time, to load up a mess of wadcutters using Missouri Bullet Company's hardcast, coated wadcutter. Might be fun to see how quiet I can make them.

[OlongJohnson]

I wonder if there are stability issues with the 190 grain bullet at subsonic velocities in common .30-30 twist rates? That's total speculation on my part. I also hope to see load data, and odds are they will.

Just to close the loop...

I contacted Hornady CS, and they recommend 1:8" or faster the 190gr. That's definitely custom for a .30-30 barrel.

[OlongJohnson]

The Marlin 1894c manual says they won't feed wadcutters, so of course I had to try it. They work "well enough" if you work the lever briskly, but it certainly isn't smooth. The ideal would be to feed them into the chamber singly, which involves some ammo juggling. If somebody made a lever action rifle with a magazine cutoff, me and probably at least three other people on the planet would be enthused about it.

I have all the stuff I need except the time, to load up a mess of wadcutters using Missouri Bullet Company's hardcast, coated wadcutter. Might be fun to see how quiet I can make them.

Wonder if they'd work better loaded in Magnum cases.

[OlongJohnson]

Woah, that sounds like some kinda rookie mistake, actually adding it all up in advance... [emoji41]

And then blowing it away. Just picked up the Choate M4 adapter, a composite stock like on Lost River's .45, and one tapered and one bull carbine forend. Now I'm all set for any combination I've thought about trying. Prices were cheap on the single shot Fudd forum... Not anything I had planned at lunchtime.

ETA... Last three posts in this thread are me. I need to take a break, methinks.

[mmc45414]

And then blowing it away. Just picked up....
You Da Man!


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[mmc45414]

So where would a fella get a 357mag barrel, in stainless, in minimum rifle length of 16"? Asking for a friend....

Seriously though, upthread it was mentioned that there was an advantage of using the Encore for rimless rifle rounds, does that imply that the Contender has trouble with them? If I were to start screwing around with these again probably 38/357 and 300BO would be a couple of good ones.

[mtnbkr]

So where would a fella get a 357mag barrel, in stainless, in minimum rifle length of 16"? Asking for a friend....

Seriously though, upthread it was mentioned that there was an advantage of using the Encore for rimless rifle rounds, does that imply that the Contender has trouble with them? If I were to start screwing around with these again probably 38/357 and 300BO would be a couple of good ones.

For barrels: MGM.

Chris

[Flamingo]

So where would a fella get a 357mag barrel, in stainless, in minimum rifle length of 16"? Asking for a friend....

Seriously though, upthread it was mentioned that there was an advantage of using the Encore for rimless rifle rounds, does that imply that the Contender has trouble with them? If I were to start screwing around with these again probably 38/357 and 300BO would be a couple of good ones.

I have a contender barrel in 300 BO Rimmed. The case is made from .360 Dan Wesson brass, necked down using standard 300 BO dies. I like mine a lot.

[mmc45414]

For barrels: MGM.
Cool, and they have Savage Prefits…

[mtnbkr]

Cool, and they have Savage Prefits…

Their after-sales support is fantastic too. I bought my MGM 35 Whelen barrel used, yet they still took it in on two occasions and made changes for me free of charge (I was willing and expecting to pay each time).

Chris

[Flamingo]

44780

[mmc45414]

Not anything I had planned at lunchtime.
Don't feel bad, we bought our house at lunchtime after deciding to look at it at 10:00am, and we have been happy there for 25 years.

[HeavyDuty]

(snip) BTW, I hate this thread. As a serial owner of small sports cars, I am attracted to doing more with less.(/snip)

I’ve never thought of it that way, but it’s true - the same part of me that attracts me to simple sports cars (I ended up with a Miata) is probably the part that has always attracted me to T/C single shots. I need to finally scratch that T/C itch, I think...

[HeavyDuty]

And then blowing it away. Just picked up the Choate M4 adapter, a composite stock like on Lost River's .45, and one tapered and one bull carbine forend. Now I'm all set for any combination I've thought about trying. Prices were cheap on the single shot Fudd forum... Not anything I had planned at lunchtime.

ETA... Last three posts in this thread are me. I need to take a break, methinks.

I really shouldn’t ask this, but... what forum is that?

[mtnbkr]

I really shouldn’t ask this, but... what forum is that?

Sounds like Specialty Pistols, but could also be Greybeard Outdoors.

Chris

[jandbj]

So where would a fella get a 357mag barrel, in stainless, in minimum rifle length of 16"? Asking for a friend....

http://www.edstc.com/hot.html
Ed stocks more TC barrels (including MGM barrels) than just about everyone else combined. Website is usually woefully out of date but a phone call or email will get you precisely what you want.

[awp_101]

Seriously though, upthread it was mentioned that there was an advantage of using the Encore for rimless rifle rounds, does that imply that the Contender has trouble with them?

My understanding has always been it's the pressure that comes with most rimless rifle cartridges that's the issue, not rimmed vs rimless. The Encore was designed around higher pressure rifle rounds from the start. Pressure can be a real issue with Contenders. I've heard of stretched frames with Trapdoor level .45-70 loads. Now what I don't know is if those were worked up with smokeless and right at the top of "safe for Trapdoor" loads, BP loads, or if the frame had already started to stretch from something else and heavy but safe for TD loads exacerbated the problem.

[mmc45414]

My understanding has always been it's the pressure that comes with most rimless rifle cartridges that's the issue.
Good info. Probably most of my interest would be stuff like 357, 300BO, and maybe 44mag, so maybe I would be better off with the Contender than the Encore.

[OlongJohnson]

The poly buttstock is great, no complaints, but then again, I really have hardly used this.

How do you work with that? I got one, it arrived yesterday. 13 1/2-inch length of pull, but with where the grip is positioned, I thought I might have been sent a Youth stock by mistake or omission, until I measured it. I feel massively scrunched up with it shouldered. Very awkward. Need to add an inch or so. Nothing like a standard bolt-action rifle stock.

I also picked up a Choate M4 adapter. Will probably just move forward with that initially, as LOP is adjustable and I have a surplus buffer tube sitting around. The assembly will end up heavier, though. That'll probably be OK for awhile, as my only rifle barrel at this point is a 24-inch bull.

[jandbj]

How do you work with that? I got one, it arrived yesterday. 13 1/2-inch length of pull, but with where the grip is positioned, I thought I might have been sent a Youth stock by mistake or omission, until I measured it. I feel massively scrunched up with it shouldered. Very awkward. Need to add an inch or so. Nothing like a standard bolt-action rifle stock.

I also picked up a Choate M4 adapter. Will probably just move forward with that initially, as LOP is adjustable and I have a surplus buffer tube sitting around. The assembly will end up heavier, though. That'll probably be OK for awhile, as my only rifle barrel at this point is a 24-inch bull.

In keeping my SBR as short as possible I use the youth synthetic stock. Probably a 12.5” LOP. Works for me but I’m 5’9” and generally prefer shorter stocks on my bolt guns. I just ordered my first actual rifle length barrel to try on it, a 16” .17hmr.

I think that Choate adapter will really shine with a brace like the tailhook and a 12” barrel. I may try one with an SSK50 frame and my SBR barrels.

[OlongJohnson]

I’m 5’9”

6'4" here. Wingspan is ~78" tip to tip.

[jandbj]

6'4" here. Wingspan is ~78" tip to tip.

Definitely a substantial difference from me.

[OlongJohnson]

I also picked up a Choate M4 adapter. Will probably just move forward with that initially, as LOP is adjustable and I have a surplus buffer tube sitting around. The assembly will end up heavier, though. That'll probably be OK for awhile, as my only rifle barrel at this point is a 24-inch bull.

Fiddled with this a bit while waiting for dinner to be ready. Screwed in a carbine receiver extension and threw a Magpul SL-K on it. LOP comes out pretty close to 15 inches fully extended. That will be plenty. And it has all the benefits of an adjustable stock on any other carbine.

Easy button.

[OlongJohnson]

There are a few 14-inch .41 Magnum barrels on Fleabay at the moment. Perfect snowflake caliber for the ultimate snowflake gun. :)

[awp_101]

There are a few 14-inch .41 Magnum barrels on Fleabay at the moment. Perfect snowflake caliber for the ultimate snowflake gun. :)
Fortunately I got the .41 bug out of my system pretty quickly so that's not very tempting. Nope, not tempting at all. Nope, don't want need it. Nope, nope, nope.

How many times do I have to repeat that before I start believing it?:D

Not to mention a little threading, a 2.25" extension, a little welding and you've got a handy little hammer of a carbine...

[OlongJohnson]

Not to mention a little threading, a 2.25" extension, a little welding and you've got a handy little hammer of a carbine...

In spite of what I read on Rimfire Central about prices for threading barrels, I can't find a smith in this area who will thread a barrel at a low enough price that buying a barrel and having it threaded comes out to less than just buying a full custom brand new barrel from MGM or EABCO that's exactly the way you want it in the first place. Maybe it's because anyone who cuts metal around here could theoretically be working in oil and gas.

Bullberry is a bit more, but may be worth it (for however many days/weeks they'll still take an order). SSK is probably awesome, but they don't even put prices on their site.

[awp_101]

True. With what barrels bring* today on GB/Ebay/gunshows it's probably not worth buying used and then modifying to taste in most cases. I've been told there's one real gunsmith not far from me but I haven't stopped in to check around. The last LGS that mentioned threading in a general conversation we were having said they farmed theirs out even though they had a "gunsmith" on site. This was a place heavy into suppressors and other Class III goodies with a rental range.

*or at least what they keep being listed for and sitting for months and years at a time

[jandbj]

Finding a good machinist is worth more than many “gunsmiths”. I’m gonna be heartbroken when the 80 yr old guy I use retires for good. I’ve never paid more than $50 for absolutely perfect and precise threading from him.

[mmc45414]

Not to mention a little threading, a 2.25" extension, a little welding and you've got a handy little hammer of a carbine...
I do have a couple of the Choate flash hiders that are intended to be welded on to a Super 14 barrel. When I bought them they were not listed but they still had a few.

[jandbj]

Weighed my newly assembled 16” 17hmr rifle with a Leupold vx-r 2-7 scope... 6lbs 4.6oz.
The scope is both overkill and underkill, but I had it sitting unused.
Chomping at the bit to shoot this thing. I can’t get over how compact it is, despite still feeling very solid in hand.

If anyone wants a lightly used 14” .44 magnum factory T/C (Rochester, NH) barrel, I’d part with the one I have for $200 shipped in the US.

[coldcase1984]

I've dipped in and out on this thread, and don't want to re-read from start.

Has anyone bought one of these actions yet?

If so, how's it working?

[mmc45414]

Has anyone bought one of these actions yet?
Still preorder
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20191204/3c93c01ab2f2c220ea6ee15e6a62d0c7.jpg

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[jandbj]

4552445525
Updated Contender rifle pic with 16” barrel... compared to an already small CZ527.

And new and improved Ruger Charger folding brace setup.

[OlongJohnson]

After languishing in the Fudd forum classifieds for a couple months, my 24-in. (too long, heavy, and not threaded) .44 barrel just sold. So, heaven forbid I hang onto that money, I'm shopping carbine barrels. Here are the ideas:

.223 Super 16. This is such an obviously good idea it will probably happen regardless of other options. T/C factory twist on .224 caliber barrels is 1:12, according to the internet, which should just stabilize the Nosler Bonded 64gr. Would test 62gr Gold Dot/Fusions, understanding they would be unlikely to work. But the Nosler, assuming accuracy can be found, makes this setup good for whatever a slow-fire .223 is good for. And down through Hornet to .22 WMR-level loads with reduced load data that's available for varmints.

.30-30 discussed a couple pages back: ~18.50-in, intermediate taper, threaded 5/8-24, 1:8 twist to enable the use of the Hornady subsonic 190 gr expanding projectile. This is an interesting science project, but since I don't already have a .30-30, less compelling. Also, I have a .308 that can do everything this could do as far as reduced loads, although it might not stabilize the 190gr due to 1:10 twist. Isn't Contender-handy, but I already have it.

Something starting with a 4, threaded 5/8-24, and 16.75-in long:


A .45 Auto would enable the use of cheap FMJ factory ammo for practice and relatively inexpensive stuff off Doc's list for game. Standard pressure .45 Auto should be silly quiet; +P may go supersonic. Could handle .45 Super beautifully, which would make a USP for backup a neat companion.

A .44 Magnum has more flexibility, but is higher cost and requires hand loading to exploit the options. JHP and JSP options from 180-300 grains, copper expanding and solids. Cast from 165 up to ~325gr. Can hit harder, be flatter shooting for more range with heavier bullets than the .45. It wouldn't be as optimized for the can with factory ammo; there aren't as many choices for reliable, modern bullets that can be counted on to expand and penetrate at sub-1000 ft/sec. However, a 320 grain flat nose at 1050 would go through a lot of hog without stopping.


Help me spend this money!

[OlongJohnson]

.223 Super 16. This is such an obviously good idea it will probably happen regardless of other options. T/C factory twist on .224 caliber barrels is 1:12, according to the internet, which should just stabilize the Nosler Bonded 64gr. Would test 62gr Gold Dot/Fusions, understanding they would be unlikely to work. But the Nosler, assuming accuracy can be found, makes this setup good for whatever a slow-fire .223 is good for. And down through Hornet to .22 WMR-level loads with reduced load data that's available for varmints.

So, a .223 Super 16 barrel showed up today. It's so beautiful, I want to collect them all. Old-school glossy bluing. Almost too nice to use as a knock-around problem solver/critter broom that you have with you in the truck or on the tractor or ATV. But it will function pretty awesome that way, I reckon. Tiny and light. Looking forward to getting it set up.

[OlongJohnson]

I've had an itch to pick up a .357 Bisley Blackhawk for several months now. Pretty much have myself talked out of it on the basis that what it will do better than my GPs, it probably won't do as well as the Contender, and what it will do better than the Contender, it won't do as well as my GPs. At least that's my thinking.

If someone has some good reasons why that thinking is wrong, I'd be all ears.


I'd tend to agree with your thinking.

Okie John


Have you thought about a CVA Hunter or Scout? I just woke up and remembered I can buy a whole rifle for way less than an MGM barrel. The .35 Whelen is 25 inches, and you might be able to find an old fluted stainless/Realtree version still in stock if you look.


I've looked at them in the past, but I don't want to invest in and learn yet another platform. My Katahdin 50cal barrel is a shooter, so I would be holding onto the Encore frame for it.

Chris

Well, I was poking around. Going down the CVA rabbit hole reminded me that they had CVA Scout pistols a few years ago, and got me thinking about a longer-barrel .357 again. Found a slightly-used 10-inch MGM .357 Magnum bull barrel with their rail attached on fleabay; hit the BIN. Added 1000 cases of Starline brass, rather than depend on the hodgepodge of once-fired in various brands I have around (that'll be fine for plated DEWCs and stuff, but not serious .357 load workups). I already have a forend for this barrel and it will be the home for a handgun scope.

For some reason, I feel a lot better about this than I did when I was thinking about getting a CVA in .44RM, which I would then need to get chopped and threaded, etc before my little terrier brain could rest. Mostly because it's just putting together pieces that I've had some sort of plan to assemble for a long time already, there isn't really any new "project" built into it other than shooting and loading, and I know I can fairly easily sell the barrel for close enough to what I'll have in it if I ever want to, rather than significant unrecoverable sunk costs.

So I have 10-in. octagon barrels with iron sights for plinking and small game/varmints in .22LR and .38 SPL, the new .357 bull barrel that will be scoped, and the .223 Super 16. I know it's not very Contender-y to have standard, cheap, everyday chamberings rather than handloader-only chamberings developed just for the Contender where you have to convert brass from something else, but it should keep me going for awhile.

And it should keep me from buying any SA revolvers - why buy a 7.5-inch single action when you already have a 10-inch single shot of similar size, maybe a little less weight and no cylinder gap to get flame cut? One challenge I'd like to see is an empty Blackhawk and an empty Contender on the bench with 12 rounds of ammo each. Who would get the 12th round on target first? Obviously, if you start with a loaded Blackhawk and a loaded Contender, you know who will get the 6th round out first, but the first 7th round will for sure be some guy with a DA, as I alluded in the first quoted post above.

I may have to check in with JonInWA's Tactical Tailor and see if I can get a sweet tanker or something made for carrying the beast around outside.

Back to the OP: I checked on the SSK frames in the past week. Apparently, S&W has voiced some form of objections to the plan, and that's delayed the delivery schedule.

[OlongJohnson]

Guess I'm turning this thread into my personal Contender blog.

Just stumbled across this on 300blktalk:

https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2020/04/14/sharps-bros-to-make-t-c-contender-grip-picatinny-stock-adapter/


And the manufacturer site. Some interesting options!

https://sharpsbros.com/t-c-contender-ssk50/

[HeavyDuty]

Guess I'm turning this thread into my personal Contender blog.

Just stumbled across this on 300blktalk:

https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2020/04/14/sharps-bros-to-make-t-c-contender-grip-picatinny-stock-adapter/


And the manufacturer site. Some interesting options!

https://sharpsbros.com/t-c-contender-ssk50/

I saw that... interesting option.

[OlongJohnson]

Another video on the Sharps grip.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UldnPGI0fmI

[LHS]

Man, y'all are not doing anything to blunt my desire for a suppressed .44Mag Contender...

[Hizzie]

I can see the daughter’s first “firearm” being a Contender with Sharps grip and brace.

[oregon45]

I would not want to use that Sharps grip for any chambering generating more than moderate recoil; it appears likely to direct recoil straight back into the web of your hand. It is nice to see innovation on the Contender platform, however, it's a great gun and very versatile.

[Wheeler]

So I found this thread after scoring this G1 with a 10” .223 Rem barrel. It’s a little rough but the price was very right. I’ll eventually go the carbine route but want to score a .22 LR barrel first.

62796

[OlongJohnson]

^That's not an easy-open frame. Not sure what the process would be in 2020 for converting it, but my understanding is it's preferred.

[Wise_A]

My club's elderly Board of Directors has yet again voted No Pistol Caliber Carbines on the open-air 75-yard pistol range with its enormous dirt backstops and berms. Handguns only. Because those PCCs accelerate ordinary 9mm to ear-splitting volumes!

Would .223 in a Contender pistol barrel be sufficiently obnoxious to make my point? I already have N-frames in .357 and .44 Magnum, but the irony isn't getting through to these deaf bastards.

[Wheeler]

^That's not an easy-open frame. Not sure what the process would be in 2020 for converting it, but my understanding is it's preferred.

You are correct. The frame is quite stiff when opening. It's so first gen that it requires a screwdriver to swap between rimfire and centerfire ad has a cross bolt safety with a protruding pin in the hammer.

[awp_101]

My club's elderly Board of Directors has yet again voted No Pistol Caliber Carbines on the open-air 75-yard pistol range with its enormous dirt backstops and berms. Handguns only. Because those PCCs accelerate ordinary 9mm to ear-splitting volumes!

Would .223 in a Contender pistol barrel be sufficiently obnoxious to make my point? I already have N-frames in .357 and .44 Magnum, but the irony isn't getting through to these deaf bastards.
Your BoDs sounds like a bunch of BoCs...

[Wheeler]

Your BoDs sounds like a bunch of BoCs...

I shot mine today. It is quite obnoxious. Recoil is roughly equivalent to running hot .158 grain 357s through a K frame. Noise is just loud. One of the guys on the rifle range said he heard me shooting when he came in the gate of our club with the windows up. :)

[olstyn]

I shot mine today. It is quite obnoxious. Recoil is roughly equivalent to running hot .158 grain 357s through a K frame. Noise is just loud. One of the guys on the rifle range said he heard me shooting when he came in the gate of our club with the windows up. :)

Yeah, having shot a .223 contender owned by my father in law, I concur with this. It's quite loud. The BoD in question seems not to be operating from a position of logic - IME with PCCs in USPSA, they're often quite a bit quieter than pistols, so...?

[Wheeler]

Yeah, having shot a .223 contender owned by my father in law, I concur with this. It's quite loud. The BoD in question seems not to be operating from a position of logic - IME with PCCs in USPSA, they're often quite a bit quieter than pistols, so...?

Yeah, I'se shot USPSA, SCSA, and Rimfire Challenge and I double up on ear pro when the consumers show up with their Open Guns with Loudeners on them. At a guess I'd suspect your BoD has another reason they don't want the PCCs on the range but don't want to come right out and say so.

[olstyn]

Yeah, I'se shot USPSA, SCSA, and Rimfire Challenge and I double up on ear pro when the consumers show up with their Open Guns with Loudeners on them. At a guess I'd suspect your BoD has another reason they don't want the PCCs on the range but don't want to come right out and say so.

Not my BoD, but you bring up a good point. Wise_A should clearly borrow someone's 9mm major or .38 super Open gun to demonstrate to the BoD what loud truly is.

[JAD]

I swear 9x25 Dillon changes the density of the atmosphere.

[HeavyDuty]

I’ve really been trying to ignore this thread.

Back in the late 70s and very early 80s I used to drive up to Gander Mountain’s original retail store in Wilmot, WI. For a few years at least they had a glass faced end cap with a large assortment of Contender components, and if it was slow they were always happy to play Legos with them so you could handle different configurations. I’ve wanted a light, handy Contender carbine ever since.

One of these new SSK-50 frames with tapered stainless 16” barrels in a few calibers would be a blast. I don’t hunt, so I’m thinking .17 HMR, .22 WMR and .223 would be a great set. I have no idea what I’d do with it, but...

Maybe if I sell off some stuff I’ll do this.

[olstyn]

One of these new SSK-50 frames with tapered stainless 16” barrels in a few calibers would be a blast. I don’t hunt, so I’m thinking .17 HMR, .22 WMR and .223 would be a great set. I have no idea what I’d do with it, but...

Maybe if I sell off some stuff I’ll do this.

Don't forget the .357 Maximum barrel. My FIL has a Contender pistol in that caliber, and pardon the pun, but it's a blast. :)

[Lester Polfus]

Don't forget the .357 Maximum barrel. My FIL has a Contender pistol in that caliber, and pardon the pun, but it's a blast. :)

.357 Maximum out of a 16" Contender carbine look super useful.

[olstyn]

.357 Maximum out of a 16" Contender carbine look super useful.

I suppose it is, but I don't think "useful" figures into my father in law's pistol version. IIRC it's something like an 8" barrel or so, and exists primarily for the purpose of being obnoxious. :)

[Wheeler]

.357 Maximum out of a 16" Contender carbine look super useful.

MGM has some testing and load data where they are pushing a 140 grain Hornady FTX at just under 2400fps out of a 16.25” barrel. That’s pretty impressive.

The more I look into Contenders the more I want to tinker with a .357 Herrett.

[Lester Polfus]

I suppose it is, but I don't think "useful" figures into my father in law's pistol version. IIRC it's something like an 8" barrel or so, and exists primarily for the purpose of being obnoxious. :)

Is the muzzle blast like that much like getting punched in the face?

[olstyn]

Is the muzzle blast like that much like getting punched in the face?

It's probably been a solid 9 or 10 years since I last shot it, but I remember it being pretty substantial, yeah.

[oregon45]

I've shot .357 Maximum from my 7.5" Ruger Super Blackhawk and did not find the blast to be objectionable--although I've only used 180-200gr bullets over H4227 powder, and the use of lighter bullets and heavier ball powders might result in greater muzzle blast in a similar barrel length. That said, I prefer my 10.5" Super Blackhawk for the .357 Maximum as higher velocity with heavier bullet weights are the reason I use that cartridge.

[olstyn]

I've shot .357 Maximum from my 7.5" Ruger Super Blackhawk and did not find the blast to be objectionable--although I've only used 180-200gr bullets over H4227 powder, and the use of lighter bullets and heavier ball powders might result in greater muzzle blast in a similar barrel length. That said, I prefer my 10.5" Super Blackhawk for the .357 Maximum as higher velocity with heavier bullet weights are the reason I use that cartridge.

My *guess* would be that my FIL loads his with lighter bullets and Unique, simply because he'd have the lighter bullets around because he uses 125 grain .358 diameter bullets for SASS and he seems to use Unique for everything it's possible to use it for.

[oregon45]

Using Unique would account for the obnoxious blast. Although the blast from my 7.5" .357 Max is not annoying, I own that revolver primarily because I love Ruger single actions and any true Ruger fan will have a 7.5" Super Blackhawk .357 Maximum :D The cartridge really does best in 10" and longer barrels. .357 Herrett is similar, but I have found that it really does best in 14" and longer barrels. My 10" TC .357 Herrett barrel shot well, but I found the loads I tried left behind quite a bit of unburned powder.

[Wheeler]

Using Unique would account for the obnoxious blast. Although the blast from my 7.5" .357 Max is not annoying, I own that revolver primarily because I love Ruger single actions and any true Ruger fan will have a 7.5" Super Blackhawk .357 Maximum :D The cartridge really does best in 10" and longer barrels. .357 Herrett is similar, but I have found that it really does best in 14" and longer barrels. My 10" TC .357 Herrett barrel shot well, but I found the loads I tried left behind quite a bit of unburned powder.

I’ve been doing some serious consideration about delving into .357 Herrett. What powders have you used? Do you have any bullet recommendations?

[oregon45]

I’ve been doing some serious consideration about delving into .357 Herrett. What powders have you used? Do you have any bullet recommendations?

I used H4227 with Hornady 180gr .358 spitzer bullets. Because I was using it for silhouette competition, and I could get similar performance on the steel targets with the .357 Maximum, I chose the Max over the Herrett. The Max wins out for convenience and ease of reloading, but the Herrett is a good cartridge if you need the performance it offers and don't mind forming brass.

[Wheeler]

I used H4227 with Hornady 180gr .358 spitzer bullets. Because I was using it for silhouette competition, and I could get similar performance on the steel targets with the .357 Maximum, I chose the Max over the Herrett. The Max wins out for convenience and ease of reloading, but the Herrett is a good cartridge if you need the performance it offers and don't mind forming brass.

Thanks. That’s good info. I’m still pondering what direction to take while I’m plotting to get a BLR in .358 Winchester.

[Hambo]

I suppose it is, but I don't think "useful" figures into my father in law's pistol version. IIRC it's something like an 8" barrel or so, and exists primarily for the purpose of being obnoxious. :)

Way back in the day, when some states restricted handgun hunting/cartridges, a 10" Contender in Max with Hornady's spire point pistol bullet was the cheat code.

[awp_101]

So did anyone here actually order one yet? It looks like the early adopters are still waiting for delivery a year later...

[OlongJohnson]

I've had intermittent correspondence with Marty @ Haus of Arms. There was a mention in there somewhere of "S&W interference."

I'm told that I'm on a list for when any not already spoken for become available.

I understand the seriousness of IP issues, but part of me still wants to say S&W can screw up anything...

[Wheeler]

I've had intermittent correspondence with Marty @ Haus of Arms. There was a mention in there somewhere of "S&W interference."

I'm told that I'm on a list for when any not already spoken for become available.

I understand the seriousness of IP issues, but part of me still wants to say S&W can screw up anything...

John Sharps said in one of his videos that S&W sold the rights to the G1 Contenders to Lehigh Defense. How can they interfere at this point?

[OlongJohnson]

I've gone down the Contender carbine rabbit hole lately.

If you have a Hornady loading manual, read what it says about .30-30 with a 10 inch barrel. Probably not worth the time.

On the other hand, I think a 20-ish-inch carbine on a Contender frame and the .30-30 cartridge are incredibly complementary, like to the point where both may be optimized in that combination. A 4.5-lb Fudd gun that carries like an SBR and is chambered in one of the all-time great slayers of ungulates is hard to argue with. The lower pressure levels of the .30-30 are favored in the Contender over any of the newer mid-capacity cartridges, but the large-ish capacity still has the ability to impart significant KE to a bullet, as long as you give it enough time (barrel length) to push. Hodgdon's LeverEvolution powder was basically engineered to exploit this characteristic, and data shows significantly greater velocities than other powders in the 140gr and higher weights. Conveniently, H4895 is particularly well-suited to the cartridge at 130 grains and lower. It maintains consistent performance in low-percentage-fill loads, so it is likely to work better than most in the "oversize" case of the .30-30, and book data shows it producing some of the top MVs with 130 grains and below for the .30-30. Eliminating the restrictions of a tube mag permits loading spire-point bullets, which opens up a whole new world of external ballistic performance, not to mention the bullets developed in recent years for .300 BO will work beautifully as reduced loads.

And then there's the KISS aspect: Expanding hunting ammo in .30-30 is usually the cheapest, often even cheaper than the same product line in .223. Factory ammo is made for a 20-inch barrel, so you're running right on the design spec. You can just grab the cheap box at Walmart, check zero, and probably be good to go for taking out Bambi.

I'm close to spending money.

I ended up buying a CVA Scout rifle in .300 BLK for significantly less than just the custom barrel described would cost, so that basically checks the box of the concept above, but


My little terrier brain won't let go of some things...

...so I recently did a little more research on 7-30 Waters, and realized that everything I wrote above (except about factory ammo) is even more true of the 7-30. Still low pressure, so no issues stretching G1 frames, better ballistic coefficients for a given bullet weight, lighter varmint bullets with still decent BCs, Barnes LRX bullets that are engineered to have the same expansion velocity range as the TAC-TX matching the velocity range of the cartridge perfectly, etc. The 7-30 has a little more of a shoulder and some of the taper blown out, so you might get longer brass life. It is a SAAMI cartridge and there has on occasion been factory brass available. There's lots of good load data, and it appears to be in the H4895/Varget sweet spot for mid-weight bullets.

For a hand loader, a 7/30 carbine would probably be the lightest, most compact, shoulder-fired deer stalker you could come up with.

[OlongJohnson]

Hambo

https://www.hausofarms.com/Newsletters_bc_2.html

Scroll down on the page for the announcement and screen grab from Book o' Feces:


SSK FIREARMS/LEHIGH DEFENSE ANNOUNCEMENT

This was posted on the SSK Firearms Facebook Page and we also shared it on our page. For those not on social media, we wanted to share it here as well:

We are pleased to announce that we sold Lehigh Defense to Bill Wilson the founder of Wilson Combat. Now that Lehigh's future is secure we can focus our efforts on taking SSK to the next level. We know that we have a lot of work ahead us, but we are up for the challenge.

Looks like Bill is in the monolithic business and SSK is back to focusing on Contenders. Scroll down a little more and they discuss the status of the SSK-50 project.

[Hambo]

Hambo

https://www.hausofarms.com/Newsletters_bc_2.html

Scroll down on the page for the announcement and screen grab from Book o' Feces:



Looks like Bill is in the monolithic business and SSK is back to focusing on Contenders. Scroll down a little more and they discuss the status of the SSK-50 project.

Thanks for posting that. I'm in for at least one frame.

[Wheeler]

I finally came across a 30-30 barrel locally. It’s a 23” bull that I think will work quite handily with a carbine setup. I have an unused Vortex Venom that’s languishing in a pocket of my range bag that will get tried out first although I’ll probably go the route of a 1-4 LPVO. 84706


The picture was just for fun but I suspect if I had a good shooting stick I could make it work.

[Zeke38]

I would love to have a 10" Bull Barrel 357 Maximum.

[awp_101]

https://youtu.be/PTDfOAh-ePk

[oregon45]

I would love to have a 10" Bull Barrel 357 Maximum.

SSK has one on their website.

[awp_101]

Is anyone still making ~16” .357 Encore barrels? Preferably Mag but a Max would suffice I suppose.

Part of me wants a .357 Mag Contender/Encore carbine as a replacement for my ugly but functional .357 Cadet. Of course another part of me says to keep the Cadet because I don’t shoot the rifles I currently have anyway.🙄

[mtnbkr]

Is anyone still making ~16” .357 Encore barrels? Preferably Mag but a Max would suffice I suppose.

Last time I looked, a year or two ago, MGM and other semi-custom barrel makers would. They're not terribly expensive either. I'd go with Max so you could shoot 3 cartridges from it.

Chris

[oregon45]

Is anyone still making ~16” .357 Encore barrels? Preferably Mag but a Max would suffice I suppose.

Part of me wants a .357 Mag Contender/Encore carbine as a replacement for my ugly but functional .357 Cadet. Of course another part of me says to keep the Cadet because I don’t shoot the rifles I currently have anyway.🙄

Here's one on SSK's website, 16.25" and threaded.

https://www.sskfirearms.com/357-rem-max-cbl16-25.html

[jandbj]

Here's one on SSK's website, 16.25" and threaded.

https://www.sskfirearms.com/357-rem-max-cbl16-25.html

SBR’d my Contender years ago… but THAT is tempting.

[Hambo]

Is anyone still making ~16” .357 Encore barrels? Preferably Mag but a Max would suffice I suppose.

Part of me wants a .357 Mag Contender/Encore carbine as a replacement for my ugly but functional .357 Cadet. Of course another part of me says to keep the Cadet because I don’t shoot the rifles I currently have anyway.🙄

If you reload, Mike Bellm says he can cut a .357 chamber deeper so you can seat bullets farther out and get very near to Max performance.

[OlongJohnson]

Got a phone call from Marty at Haus of Arms today. He finally has SSK-50 frames inbound and I'm on the list from when I put my name in however many years ago that was. So of course I said yes to a flatside. Price has gone up quite a bit, so I only bit on one. Hope I don't kick myself later for not getting two.

[Super77]

Dang, is that $1950 apiece or for 5 receivers?

[Hambo]

Got a phone call from Marty at Haus of Arms today. He finally has SSK-50 frames inbound and I'm on the list from when I put my name in however many years ago that was. So of course I said yes to a flatside. Price has gone up quite a bit, so I only bit on one. Hope I don't kick myself later for not getting two.

No calls, no emails.

[OlongJohnson]

Dang, is that $1950 apiece or for 5 receivers?

$395 each.

[awp_101]

Bringing this back up for some first gen Contender questions.

If the hammer has the safety that slides back and forth (as opposed to the shoulder thingy that goes up), it's an early first gen correct? I know it won't be an easy open frame but I'm not ready to worry about that yet. My primary concern is, are parts for the early first gen still around or am I stuck like Chuck if something breaks?

[awp_101]

Got a phone call from Marty at Haus of Arms today. He finally has SSK-50 frames inbound and I'm on the list from when I put my name in however many years ago that was. So of course I said yes to a flatside. Price has gone up quite a bit, so I only bit on one. Hope I don't kick myself later for not getting two.

Did it ever get delivered? I see everything is still OOS on the website.

[farscott]

Bringing this back up for some first gen Contender questions.

If the hammer has the safety that slides back and forth (as opposed to the shoulder thingy that goes up), it's an early first gen correct? I know it won't be an easy open frame but I'm not ready to worry about that yet. My primary concern is, are parts for the early first gen still around or am I stuck like Chuck if something breaks?

Yes, the Contender actions with the sliding safety are relatively early first generation. Parts for any Contender are pretty much nonexistent. Numrich Gun Parts has some but not many, especially parts for the early guns.

[awp_101]

Thanks! It's not like I'd ever shoot one much but that's good to know.

Obviously springs would be something to keep on hand, but what other part are considered wear parts or prone to breakage on the later first gen and G2 series?

[farscott]

Thanks! It's not like I'd ever shoot one much but that's good to know.

Obviously springs would be something to keep on hand, but what other part are considered wear parts or prone to breakage on the later first gen and G2 series?

The bolt pieces that engage the frame and barrel, firing pins, and hammer. The hammer is a difficult one to source. Do NOT add a hammer extender as that often leads to a broken hammer.

Another thing to note is the Armor Alloy frames are not quite compatible with the other frames unless returned to T/C to ream the barrel pivot holes in the frame. That service is no longer offered, so caveat emptor with any such frame.

As far as spare parts, it is less expensive to purchase a spare frame or pistol. Earlier this year, I grabbed a .35 Remington Super 14 barrel, a late Gen 1 frame and furniture, a Leupold M8-2X EER scope, a T/C leather case, and a holster for $780, including FFL fees. I wanted it for the frame and scope. The .35 Remington barrel was a plus as I have experience with the round from a Marlin 336SS, but I will likely send it down the road as I do not have a compelling use for it.

[farscott]

Not mine but may be of interest. $550 is pretty fair. https://www.rimfirecentral.com/threads/tc-contender-g1-222-remington-14-with-redfield-2-5x-scope.1293793/#post-13285205

[awp_101]

Not mine but may be of interest. $550 is pretty fair. https://www.rimfirecentral.com/threads/tc-contender-g1-222-remington-14-with-redfield-2-5x-scope.1293793/#post-13285205

There's a handheld flamethrower! :D

[awp_101]

And now it looks like TC is back under new ownership: Gregg Ritz Acquires Thompson/Center Arms (https://www.archerywire.com/releases/a5116798-4adc-4e59-96ab-34bbbbf0867e#:~:text=%5BWabash%2C%20Indiana%2C%20A pril%2030,legacy%20in%20the%20firearms%20market.)

If I’m understanding some of the comments I’ve seen, he’s the guy that sold it to S&W in the first place.

[OlongJohnson]

Did it ever get delivered? I see everything is still OOS on the website.

It did. I haven't gotten around to putting anything on it, yet, though. Life has been wonderful and busy with other things. Also, things not this site.

[Hambo]

By the time I can check the site, SSKs are gone. However, I got a screaming deal on an older frame with a Super 14 barrel that has silhouette sights.