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Post by Ken O'Neill on Dec 28, 2013 19:48:05 GMT -5
I have a pair of .44 Magnum Contenders, a 10" barrel version and a 6 1/2" version. The shorter one was a limited run of 43 made for the Thompson Center Association perhaps 20 years ago. Both of these have optics mounted, but you can get the idea from the photo. As Lee says, JD Jones can certainly make you what you want. Now, not to burst any bubbles, but a Contender is not a compact gun, yet the recoil of an unscoped full charge .44 Magnum Contender is um...exhilarating. I would also consider speed strips for reloading during an adrenaline charged bear encounter to be fraught with potential problems. I'm not trying to talk you out of a .44 Contender - obviously I like them. But the application you're suggesting might not be perfect.
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Post by jayhawker on Dec 28, 2013 19:56:28 GMT -5
Lee, Fascinating handgun history. Please keep it coming and Happy New Year to all.
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Post by jayhawker on Dec 28, 2013 19:59:05 GMT -5
Early on TC changed the design of the forends, as the early >44 Mag forends split into 2 pieces and fell off from the recoil. I saw the broken forend on a friends .44 Contender.
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Post by Ken O'Neill on Dec 28, 2013 23:31:26 GMT -5
I had the same concept in mind when I built my Howdah series, back in the 80's. The last Howdah was a 5" bbl'd 500 Jurras. Strange concept maybe but it brought 2K dollars. There is always something for somebody. Might check with J.D. Jones. About 10 years ago, I was given a 6 1/2" .45-70 Contender barrel. I still have it, but whew !!!
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Post by curmudgeon on Dec 29, 2013 11:40:05 GMT -5
I built what I believe was the first 45-7 Contender, before the factory, mid 70's for Hal Swiggwtt. Several years later JD Jones said he built the first 45-70, I found that strange because I loaned him my 45-70 reamer built with a rim cutter by Dave Manson before he started Manson reamers. FWIW
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Dec 29, 2013 16:01:24 GMT -5
Trade the Ruger and the Contender for a S&W Mountain Gun or a 329 and be done with it. Contenders are heavy, and knocking off 2 inches of barrel isn't going to improve things measurably. If you want a lightweight 44, get one. A bear or feral dog encounter is one hell of an inconvenient time to discover you probably could have used a little more practice speed loading. Especially if you're with someone who can't run like hell while you delay things a bit. In some instances, a 12 gauge pump or semi-auto isn't enough gun either. Personally, I've lived this long because I've consistently prepared for worse case scenarios, and have accepted circumstances that fall short of worst case to be gifts.
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cmh
.401 Bobcat
Posts: 3,745
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Post by cmh on Dec 29, 2013 17:46:56 GMT -5
Not to take this thread in another direction but would love to see and hear about.Mr Jurras's howdah pistols. Some years back I was lucky enough to fire a old english made howdah with reduced loads as the owner was afraid of damaging it. For a few seconds I was stopping a charge of a enraged tiger lol..... it was interesting and glad I was fortunate.enough to do it
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Post by indigowolf on Dec 29, 2013 18:48:43 GMT -5
If I were to move back to thinking "inside" the box I'd choose either a 1911 Series 70 45acp or a Vaquero in 44Spl. I've had both the 1911 and a Vaquero in 44-40. I tend to think outside the box though... Therefore toting a contender into the woods that vaguely resembles a modern day pirate pistol piques my interest, either as a hunting arm or self defense weapon (as need arises). If I could find a used barrel chambered in .480Ruger or .500S&Wspl I might be interested. On the other hand 44mag barrels are an easy find at less than $160ea and I could get my reloading dies back from my son. A 310 grain bullet moving along at 1200fps is serious in my book. On another note even Skeeter admitted that he tucked a .380 in his pocket from time to time. Does it have its limitations? Yes, that is exactly why I would want to have something bigger along while walking on mountain trails. Not having one though has not detoured me so far.
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Post by indigowolf on Dec 29, 2013 18:54:29 GMT -5
I have a pair of .44 Magnum Contenders, a 10" barrel version and a 6 1/2" version. The shorter one was a limited run of 43 made for the Thompson Center Association perhaps 20 years ago. I like the looks of the 6 1/2" too. Looks to be at least or more so compact than a revolver with a 4 1/2 barrel.
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Post by jayhawker on Dec 29, 2013 20:44:01 GMT -5
I'm sorry but "self defense" and "single shot" do not go together under any circumstance.
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Post by curmudgeon on Dec 29, 2013 21:15:18 GMT -5
Jayhawker: As far as a CCW I'll agree. But under most circumstances a S/S is better than a rock.
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Post by jayhawker on Dec 30, 2013 0:18:10 GMT -5
Lee, Very true!!
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Post by tek4260 on Dec 30, 2013 10:38:49 GMT -5
I say go for it. Of course there are better options, but use what you want and are comfortable with. Besides, even if you don't like the concept later, you will have the start of a nice hunting handgun.
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Post by jayhawker on Dec 30, 2013 12:26:31 GMT -5
As a Manlicher fan, I really like the looks of that forend length barrel TC.
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Post by bradshaw on Dec 30, 2013 12:40:06 GMT -5
Warren Center enjoyed seeing the diverse uses to which his Contender was put. He said he started out to make a single shot .38 Special. Soon saw the rampant possibilities with more serious hunting cartridges. And Warren Center was emphatic in thanking IHMSA silhouetters for torturing his pistol and forcing improvements, most noticeably strengthening of the water table, bolt lockup & release. He may have seen Lee Jurras' Howda incarnation. T/C had a standing offer to replace free a worn out pistol. Center and Ken French, his close friend and associate at T/C, told me that they'd replaced a couple pistols, one of which had 50,000 rounds through it. As Center and French emphasized, the Contender bolt should not be lubricated. This, in contrast to nearly all other designs.
Of all the Contender grips I've shot, the Pachmayr Gripper is the most comfortable. As serious Contender veterans know, some grips are abominations of recoil. Low bore axis coupled to elevated velocity from the closed breach visits stout shock on the base of one's thumb. Far as I know, Warren Center is the main instigator of the grip spike concept as a means of promoting grip choice. The Pachmayr Gripper for the Contender is wide in comparison with Grippers for other guns, and has an air pocket under the backstrap. The Gripper holds still in my hand; unlike the skinny Redhawk Gripper, which wants to squirm. (Besides being too skinny, the Redhawk Gripper has w-i-d-e finger grooves, which spread my fingers apart, causing vertical stringing.)
A short barrel big bore Contender is impressive to look at and impressive to fire. By any definition not a derringer. If you want to carry one, by all means. And unlike a so-called modern derringer chambered for a serious handgun cartridge, the Contender delivers power with ACCURACY. As for reloading any gun in the steamy breath of a bear, how about tossing a smoke grenade first, just in case you fumble that reload? Big bears have the reflexes of a bantamweight boxer. Or faster. David Bradshaw
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