T/C Contender Experts
I was given a T/C contender and I can not get the action to open. It is a 5 digit serial # with the Puma engraved on the side. It has a 44mag 10" octogonal barrel. Help!
Thanks,
Steve
Thanks,
Steve
0
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Are you pulling up firmly on the trigger guard? [:)] 0 -
i had that happen on a brand new gun of the same age . I had to disassemble the gun. Still dont know why as it never happened again. As a guess, the locking lugs are not being pushed forward enought to let action unlock. Try a lot of hand pressure on barrel while holding trigger guard back. Make sure there is not a round in the gun. Could the gun have been fired with an overloaded round?
Join the NRA0 -
Squeeze the trigger guard really hard with one hand, and then bump it hard with your other hand.
That works sometime if it's a little tight.
Gun control is hitting what your aiming at.0 -
Hi,
Occassionaly there are problems with the older, solid locking lug, having problems in a newer frame. But a 5 digit s/n shouldn't be a problem unless it has had the "easy open" modification. I've seen a couple with this modification have that problem, but it is rare.
As already suggested, first try and make sure that there is not a loaded round in the pistol. And until then keep it pointed in a safe direction. Since the action wont open you don't have the option of just looking, and I'm certain that by now the trigger set has been tripped. Keeping the barrel in a safe direction insert a dowel rod down the bore, mark the rod after it comes to a stop. Remove the rod and lay it along the barrel ... does the rod extend to the breech end of the barrel? If it don't the pistol is loaded. Find a gunsmith! and Be darn sure to tell him that you believe the pistol to be loaded.
After the preceding "safing" of the pistol, should this be a case of old barel locking lug and newer/modified frame, and you can't open it with a good pull back on the Trigger guard and padded bump to the barrel then remove the forearm and drift the barrel hinge pin out. It may be a little stiff as with the action locked there is some tension/pressure on it, but it will come out. Use a brass drift or hardwood dowel rod. Then with the pin out you may have to wiggle things a bit.
If the preceding don't work (and I estimate about 10% of the time it won't) your going to have to pull the trigger group and release the latch. If your unfamiliar w/ the inner workings of a Contender I suggest a gunsmith at this point.
Once the barrel is out, check the locking lug ... it will in all liklihood be a solid lug ... order a new split lug from TC (they are easy to replace) or arrange to send the barrel back to them and they will do it for you for a reasonable cost.
Of course all this assumes that there is not some other internal problem. In 35+ years I have seen 2 cases of a failure of the latch.
If you only have time to do two things so-so, or one thing well ... do the one thing!0
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