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Thompson Center - Contender or Encore

rustyh
I have read all the threads I can find on this topic and am still a little confused. Thanks for any help.

I purchased a few handguns and acquired a Thompson Center Pistol with two scoped barrels. I believe it to be a Contender. It is a blast to shoot. I am interested in getting additional barrels and also would like to know if I can get a rifle stock to fit the frame. So figuring out exactly what I have is important.

Frame is stainless with a cougar or mountain lion engraved on each side. 1 barrel is .223 Rem "Super 14" in stainless - 1 barrel is 30.30 Win "Super 14" in stainless. The serial number is A2693 found just below the trigger on the top of the frame just forward of the grip. "TCA-C" and "ROCH NH" are stamped on the front vertical edge of the frame.

From these I deduce that this is a Contender. However....

From this site:

http://www.handgunhunt.com/tech/t1/index.html

I am a little confused as no serial numbers seem to have an "A".

The next confusing part is the trigger. The trigger has a sliding selector for Center or Rimfire. I am not finding conclusive data that indicates a Contender has this selector. Unless it is the older Standard model which I am not sure of.

Is this a Contender? I may be trying too hard and just generally confused but any help is appreciated.

Thanks, rusty
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Comments

8 comments

Date Votes
  • 260
    what you have is the contender. yes you can put a rifle stock on provided it has a 16" barrel on the receiver.
    the firing pin selector is the older type. i recall three differnt types. switching barrels is the fun part. i have 8 barrels and 4 frames myself.
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  • 2-blade
    I'm not a A contender expert but I think you have an armor aloy Contender.If that is the case--to add new barrels you would need to alter the hinge pin holes in the frame and your cerrent barrels and get a ss.hinge pin. I dont think that vintage contender was made in SS.what it was is a hard plating they called Armor Aloy,When they plated it it reduced the clearence in the pin hole.To alter mine I used A brass shaft,of the correct size and valve grinding compound,however Thompson Center will do it for about $50.00. Yes A rifle stock for the old contender will fit.
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  • elubsme
    Rusty, Welcome to the world of Contendering[:D][^]. Now immediately go to the auction side & search CONTENDER BARRELS. You will find over 150 of them for sale. You do not need an FFL to buy either.[;)] I have one on the way to my home as we speak. I also have a TCR (discontinued) that I have purchased barrels for on GB. Enjoy, [:p][:p] Eddie By all means, get the carbine stock & forend & a few barrels over 16 inches. My wife surprised me with a 22" 25-35 WCF which she bought on GB. It is my favorite rifle for "treking" in the mountains, weighs about 5 pounds[:)][:)] EZ
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  • dfletcher
    You have the older style Contender as opposed to the newer G2 version Contender. Main difference is that the new G2 is easier to open and the hammer can be lowered & recocked without firing without having to open the action. Personally I think the trigger on the old style Contender is better than the G2 - there is an adjustment screw in side the frame for sear engagement.

    The 223 and 30/30 set up that you have is a great start - you might want to add a 35 Remington and a 45/70 to round things out. Check out Match Grade Machine, they have quite a few calibers. They made an 8mmm Mauser and 375 H & H for me in Encore, great fun to shoot.

    I've been shooting the T/Cs for about 30 years, I think they do great as rifles in small and medium caliber cartridges. Some of my favorites in the Contender as a rifle are the 25-35 (accurate as heck) and a 16" 30 Carbine and a 222.

    Regarding switching back & forth between rifle and handgun, you can not legally do so. T/C has no special exemption regarding reconfiguring a rifle as a handgun, even if the gun started life as a handgun - see the attached ATF memo a few pages into this thread:
    http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?p=3023914#post3023914

    Note the only T/Cs granted exemption are those few sold as kits about 18 years ago. I have a Contender pistol frame and a separate rifle frame and an Encore pistol frame and a separate rifle frame. If you want to shoot the Contender as a rifle, buy a rifle frame or better yet, buy an Encore frame.

    As an aside, if your Contender frame has a fairly fine acid etching of a crouching Couger then I'd say it has been armaloyed or hard chromed. If it has just the head of a couger, it could be stainless, I think T/C made some stainless Contender frames late in production - not sure, just seem to recall.
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  • chaneyd
    Rusth:

    You do indeed seem to have an Armor Alloy model. I also have one and your description is identical what I have. I sent mine into Thompson and they upgraded it to the regular contender model for $35.
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  • Leebo5
    I have a question on this handgun to rifle to handgun situation.I read the Calguns.net link with the ATF letter. I own an Uberti Cattleman Buntline with an 18" barrel.I bought it used and it came with a detachable stock.Both pieces have the same serial number so they were built together, not added later.So if I put the stock on my Buntline revolver and make a rifle. When I take off the stock is this a technically illegal revolver?.Uberti no longer sells detachable stocks, but does sell Buntlines. Lee
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  • dfletcher
    quote:Originally posted by Leebo5
    I have a question on this handgun to rifle to handgun situation.I read the Calguns.net link with the ATF letter. I own an Uberti Cattleman Buntline with an 18" barrel.I bought it used and it came with a detachable stock.Both pieces have the same serial number so they were built together, not added later.So if I put the stock on my Buntline revolver and make a rifle. When I take off the stock is this a technically illegal revolver?.Uberti no longer sells detachable stocks, but does sell Buntlines. Lee


    This may be worth a separate thread, but my best answer is that the Uberti was probably manufactured as a rifle and that with the stock removed (and having an 18" barrel) the gun is just at or greater than 26" OAL and is then classified as an "AOW" - any other weapon.

    If the gun was subsequently 4473'd as a handgun, I don't know what impact if any that would have on the legality of reconfiguration.
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  • Leebo5
    The gun is 24" w/o the stock.I think Uberti made these thinking they were OK and ATF said no just stop and we'll pretend it didn't happen. Mine was imported by LA Dist. Inc. NYC NY and I've read Iver Johnson imported some. Uberti still makes the 18" buntline and a revolving carbine. http://www.uberti.com/firearms/revolver_carbine_and_buntline.php . Dixie gun works sells the stocks. I don't know what year it was made. I found the proof marks but no box with letters for the date.The serial number is low K29XX It's not very practical but a fun gun. Very Lee Van Cleef(ish) Leebo
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