Thompson Center Arms Contender

It was a beautiful afternoon, not much wind and mild temperature. I was sitting in the shade under a little copse of trees on a small rise. Sandstone rocks jutted up from the pasture land and gave me perfect concealment and a place to use the Harris bipod attached to my gun for a rock-solid rest. I sighted carefully through my scope at an unsuspecting groundhog about 100 yards away, putting the crosshairs right on his nose.

When I touched the trigger the whistle pig flipped backwards off the old stone fence he was surveying his domain from and I knew it was a solid hit. When I checked, the 110 grain .30 caliber "plinker" bullet had taken him just below his chin for an instant kill. My farmer host and friend approved. Big deal, you say? Back in the 70s this wouldn’t have been much of a shot for a dedicated varmint rifle but it opened my eyes to what a Contender pistol could do.

I used that gun with its 14-inch barrel chambered in .30 Herrett to take many more groundhogs. Unfortunately, I didn’t have an opportunity to try it on bigger game before I sold it. What’s a .30 Herrett? It is a .30-30 Winchester shortened and shaped to what its inventor—wildcatter, and grip designer, Steve Herrett— thought was ideal for efficiency in a short barrel. He also created the .35 Herrett.

Being a gun enthusiast not content with a standard caliber when I could use something exotic, I bought into it and laboriously formed and shortened .30-30 cases until my loading arm was about to fall off. I later realized these "innovations" on the parent case couldn’t do anything the original wouldn’t.

That still didn’t stop me from obtaining a 7mm BR when the only cases available were small-rifle-primered .308 "match" cases that had to be formed and worked over in very expensive forming dies to make it work, but that’s another story. As far as I’m concerned the Contender doesn’t need anything special or exotic to work its best. 38 Special, .357 Magnum and .357 Maximum ammunition. 357 Maximum chambering is a good deer getter.

Standard cartridges work just fine or better in the longer Contender barrels and are often more accurate than when used in revolvers or auto loaders, especially at long range. What set the Contender apart from all the rest was the availability of interchangeable barrels in different calibers that could be swapped in minutes. As long as the pressure was kept under 48,000 PSI almost any cartridge could be used, even up to the .45-70.

The scope mounting capability of this gun made it a true long-range possibility, yet barrels for .410 shot shells can be had—what a hoot when slinging clay pigeons. The Contender is what I calla lovely pistol. It is accurate, inexpensive, and versatile. What could be better? By the way, that bucolic pistol perch where I spent many hours in the cool shade happily plinking at whistle pigs is now asphalted and concreted over, occupied by a giant Walmart. I think I got that last one

I find the etched cougar scene engraved on the side handsome if not exquisite. While not of the greatest optical quality this one has held up well to thousands of full power loads. at the end of aisle four, women’s undergarments. You don’t know what you have until you lose it, I guess. Disassembly The Contender is pretty easy to work on, but remember it is not a G2 or an Encore. These guns are similar but are not the same.

There are even a few differences in the original (having been manufactured over a number of years) that you should be aware of. We will get to those in due time. Start by making sure your gun is empty with the hammer down. There is a safety lever on the top of the hammer. It reads "C" (centerfire), "R" (rimfire) and "S" (safe.) Put the safety on "S" and squeeze the trigger guard to break open the gun.

When the safety lever (and selector) is in the Rposition the upper firing pin will be struck by the hammer, in the Cposition the lower firing pin for centerfires will be used. Remove the forearm with an appropriate screwdriver. The short (10-inch) barrels have one screw and the longer barrels have two screws. Open the barrel and remove the hinge pin. Some are tight, some will fall out. Use a brass or nylon punch if necessary so as not to mar the bluing.

This will allow you to remove the barrel. ) Notice the larger, stronger receiver on the Encore. It is a heavier pistol and solid as a rock. The front sight may be soldered on or screwed on. If it is soldered, leave it alone unless you intend to repair or change it. The screwed on sight can be easily removed. The rear sight is held on by a large screw in the middle, which also serves as an adjusting screw and a small pin in front of the sight. When they are removed, slide the sight back and out.

Underneath you find a spring and two screws holding the base on the barrel. Although the iron sight base is held by two screws, there are four holes in the barrel to be used if a

scope base is to be mounted. There is a very small pin holding the windage adjustment screw. Unless there is a good reason, such as a lot of rust or damage where the sight blade needs to be replaced, leave it alone. Otherwise, drive it out and replace what’s necessary. If you do decide to remove it be cautioned that it will probably be damaged and be a booger to get back in. The dovetail blocks to hold the forearm screw in will usually be very loose and may just fall out.

I think this is to give a little clearance when I sometimes use this to shoot bigbore rifles that have a lot of recoil as well as pistols I want to test for accuracy. I’m still refining it. I’d like to sink one in concrete but I don’t own the range. "C" and "R" stand for centerfire and rimfire, respectively. using different fore ends as this gun was intended to do. The locking block is held in by the lower roll pin. The locking block is spring loaded and you should put a finger over it when driving out the pin.

Usually it won’t fly away. It is in two pieces which can easily be separated, though some guns have a one-piece locking block. A small pin holds them together but can be taken apart by hand. Also, the Some guns only have two. spring can then be removed from the barrel lug. The extractor is held in place by the upper roll pin and is not spring loaded. It will pull right out when the pin is removed. Roll pins can be driven out from either direction.

Use the appropriate roll-pin punches (1/16" for the small extractor pin and a 3/32" for the large lockingblock pin) to drive them out. I recommend using a nylon bench block on a hard surface for this operation. I had to use a four ounce machinist’s hammer to start the large pin. If the pins have never been removed since the gun left the factory they may be a little stiff. I also only drove out the pins far enough to remove the parts.

This allows the pins to be driven back in when reassembling the barrel parts much easier. If you do take the pins out all the way, use a roll-pin holder of the appropriate size when replacing it. To disassemble the receiver, the grip must be removed. Take the grip cap wood screws off and remove the grip cap. The large hex-headed screw holding the one-piece grip in place is easily accessible. A washer is also on the screw.

The gun I was using for this article took a 3/16" hex bit but I can’t attest this will be the case for all Contenders. The grip pulls off to the rear and leaves

us with a bare receiver. Remove the guard-stop screw which holds the guard-stop spring in place and positions the trigger guard so it can be compressed to break open the gun. The spring will stay in place when the screw is removed. Compress the spring with a small screwdriver blade and slide it gently out to the side. Here is where I found some variation on the disassembly of these parts.

Some of the receivers have a pin in the front under the large hinge pin holding the barrel on that when removed will allow the trigger assembly to be pulled out the bottom of the receiver. Instead, my gun (newer model) had a pin going through the trigger itself. When this pin was driven out with a 3/32" punch the trigger assembly came out easily.

I had left the guard-stop spring in place when I took out the guard-stop screw and I’m glad I did because the little spring (shaped like a tiny tornado) slides into its seat in the back of the trigger guard on the small end and would be damaged if removed by just prying it out. I don’t know when these changes were made but my gun was purchased sometime in the early 80s. It just goes to show that a gun with this long of a history will have idiosyncrasies.

The manufacturers never stop trying to improve their products and each year may bring changes. To remove the striker, pull the trigger and allow the striker to move This is because it has an internal safety and a clever way of off setting its firing pin for rimfires. Very simple. forward and up.

The pin holding it and the accompanying spring is held in place by another 3/32" roll pin, Hold your finger over the spring and striker when removing it—it probably won’t have much tension, though some will – as it might fly out the back. The spring and striker can then be removed as a unit and slid out the back of the trigger guard. Remember the relationship of how this unit is in the gun.

The trigger, plunger and its spring are then removed by driving out a 3/32" twin roll pin while holding your finger over it to capture any parts that might want to fly off. The trigger is slid down and out the bottom of the trigger guard, and the plunger and spring comes

Both are in .223 Remington and both have a Leupold 12X scope mounted. The Remington weighs 9-1/4 pounds and the Contender comes in at 6-3/4 pounds ready to go. out the top. Some guns have a separate trigger spring that fits in a hole in front of the guard. Mine did not, another variation. Also, there was no Allen screw in the bottom of the plunger hole, but there is on some guns. Mine appeared to be staked in and not removable.

The last tiny Allen screw is in the rear of the trigger guard and serves as a trigger stop. There is no need to remove it unless you want to. Moving on to the receiver, use a 1/8" inch punch to remove the bottom pin holding the sear and plunger and plunger spring. This pin may come out very easily or require a slight nudge. Hold you finger over the sear, but it is usually not under a great deal of tension. A 5/32" punch fits the top pin which holds the hammer and hammer spring.

This spring will fly off if not contained so be careful. I went from right to left in removing these pins, but I think either way would be fine. The little butterfly-shaped locking-block safety is accessed by a small screw from the top of the receiver. It has a small spring. Before removing it, take a punch and push it down so the hammer-block safety and spring can be removed. The only thing holding the hammer-block safety in place is the locking-block safety. It can be easily removed.

After removing the lockingblock safety, take out the small screw in the back of the firing pin bushing and remove it out by insert- You may find this pin in front of the receiver instead. Note the small tornado spring. ing a punch in that hole and gently pushing. Try to keep the bushing straight. It should come out easily and the two firing pins can be removed.

The two pins are identical in size but one is rounded (centerfire) and the other has a square end (rimfire.) The only part left to disassemble is the hammer. For the old-style hammer, the manual safety comes out be removing a screw in the rear but there is a spring with a ball bearing on either side going through it.

Other guns have the pin located at the very front of the receiver. One pin holds the striker and spring in position. Be careful they don’t get lost when you push out the safety from back to front. The only thing left is the safety block which is held in place by a small plunger and spring. Pull out on the plunger with a pair of needle nose pliers and push the safety block to the side. Then, push the plunger out from the front of the hammer to the back while holding to capture the plunger.

The new style hammer has no provisions for disassembly and should be left alone. If needed, contact T/C for a replacement. Reassembly Start on the frame. The firing pins and their springs (flat in top hole, round in bottom) and its screw can be reinserted in the receiver and The springs are identical but the firing pins are not. All these parts are relatively simple to remove and put back together. tightened snugly, not wrist breaking.

Make sure the firing pins are free and protruding out of the plate at the same height. They should appear to be straight up and down. If the screw goes in easily, they should be in the correct position. If you have removed the trigger guard alignment set screw (the little Allen screw in the back of the receiver) replace it, but do not tighten. Replace the hammer and tap the retaining pin in just enough to go through the first leg of the hammer to hold it in place.

Replace the hammer spring with the little loop towards the hammer. Use a small punch on the other side to position the spring in the hammer and push the retaining pin through. That’s all there is to it. The little locking block safety (72) is next. On some of these the screw is just held by a slot in the front and can fall out. Others have it captured in a hole. Insert the safety into position with its small spring and screw. The spring will have to be moved slightly

to clear a shelf in the receiver so it can go in its retaining hole. Screw it tight, and you’re done. The hammer block safety (8) is inserted with its spring towards the front of the receiver. Pull the hammer back just a tad and move the locking block safety so the hammer block safety can fall into position. Insert the sear spring and plunger in its recess and drop the sear on top. Use your finger to position the sear so its pin can be pushed through and make sure it is free and the plunger is doing its job.

Next, assemble the trigger guard. If you have taken out the two small Allen screws (the trigger stop and trigger positioning screws) put them back in now. Obviously the trigger guard must be fully assembled before making final adjustments of these screws. Put the small spring and plunger in place in the top of the guard and insert the trigger from underneath. The front of the trigger should cover the plunger when the trigger pin is reinserted.

By the way, the trigger pin and the striker pin were not exactly the same size on my gun. I thought they were, but when I put the striker pin in the trigger it was too tight and the plunger could not move the trigger. Maybe your gun will be different. Reinsert the striker. This bar will spring up and meet the sear releasing the hammer when the trigger is pulled. Mount the striker in the upright position so there is not a lot of tension on the spring and reinsert the roll pin through the spring and the striker.

Test it for function. Remember, the striker should only go up so high. Some guns have a trigger positioning Allen screw on the top of the trigger guard. Mine has the screw on the bottom of the trigger itself so it can be adjusted without disassembling the gun. This screw will allow for a larger or smaller contact of the trigger and the striker. This should not be set too light, especially on a hunting gun. If the gun is to be used in competition, trial and error at the range is the best way to go.

Just remember too light can be extremely dangerous if the shooter doesn’t follow rigid safety practices. Overtravel of the trigger can also be adjusted now, if preferred, by turning the Allen screw in back of the trigger guard. Remember that too much of a good thing can be too much. A hunting gun needs a little overtravel to account for the rigors of the field. This screw can also be adjusted any time without disassembly.

When you put the trigger guard back in the frame the hammer must be pulled back a little and the hammer block safety out of the way before the trigger guard will fit back in. Use the trigger guard alignment screw on top of the large spring in the back of the receiver to pull the trigger guard almost, but not quite, flush with the bottom of the receiver. If you take it too far you will have lockup problems. The barrel goes back together pretty easily in the reverse order you took it apart.

One of the most common problems you might encounter while working a Contender are misfires, especially when changing to anew barrel. This could be caused by broken firing pins or a weak hammer spring. By far the usual cause of misfires in the Contender is when the customer wants to use a barrel chambered for a bottleneck cartridge and doesn’t full-length size his brass.

When I bought my first Contender many years ago I read an article by a supposed expert who advocated sizing the case just enough so as to require some pressure when closing the action as one might for a bolt action. This man did not understand howa Contender operates as there are several safety features that will not allow the gun to fire if the action is not completely closed. The Contender, being a break open firearm, allows the cartridge case to stretch a little when fired.

If the shoulder of a bottle neck case is not bumped back the lockup will be faulty and the gun will not fire, even though it may cock and seem to work correctly. This is how it should be. If your customer brings in a gun with misfire problems and is using handloads, immediately question him or her about resizing their brass. This is easy, especially if factory loads fire with no problem but the handloads won’t.

There are other causes, but Thompson Center (now owned by Smith & Wesson) will fix anything that is out of factory spec. Shipping costs being what they are I recommend reviewing the handloader’s practices first. AG

54 Adjusting Screw Snap Ring 13 Bolt 65 Bolt spring 67 Bolt stop screw 16 Bushing screw 50 Dovetail lock 12 Extractor 69 Extractor stop pin 14 Firing pin bushing 15A Firing pin, center fire 15 Firing pin, rimfire 26 Firing pin springs (2) 44 Fore-end 57 Fore-end catch 61 Fore-end catch pin 55 Fore-end catch plunger 43 Fore-end catch screws (2) 53 Fore-end catch spring 9 Fore-end lug 45 Grip 47 Grip cap 42 Grip cap screws (2) 35 Grip screw 34 Grip screw washer 19 Guard pin 38 Guard stop screw 29 Guard stop spring 4 Hammer 50 Hammer nose 52 Hammer nose detents (2) 53 Hammer nose snap ring 51 Hammer nose spring 59 Hammer pin 24 Hammer spring 18 Hinge pin 58 Roller 8 Safety 64 Safety spring 46 Sear 20 Sear pin 25 Sear spring 56 Sear plunger Thompson Center Arms Contender (Speci ications subject to change without notice) 5 Front sight 7 Rear sight blade 33 Rear sight elevating spring 40 Rear sight elevation adjusting screw 5 Rear sight housing 41 Rear sight screws (2) 39 Rear sight windage adjusting screw 17 Striker 23 Striker pin 25 Striker spring 3 Trigger 36 Trigger adjusting screw 2 Trigger guard 22 Trigger pin 68 Trigger return plunger 27 Trigger spring 71 Safety screw 72 Interlock safety 73 Safety screw 70 Barrel