Description
Item Description
Bryant Ridge Auction Company is pleased to present this single-shot break-action pistol today for a penny-start auction; this is the Thompson Center Arms Contender!
SPECIFICATIONS:
Manufacturer: Thompson Center Arms
Model: Contender
Serial: 49999
Caliber: .221 Remington
Finish: Blue
Barrel Length: 10" Octagon
Optics/Sights: Post on Ramped Base Front with Rear Sight Mount
Stock/Grips: Checkered Wood Pistol Grip Stock with Right Hand Thumb Rest and Forearm
Action: Single-Shot; Break-Action
Markings: Standard
Bryant Ridge's Analysis:
The Thompson/Center Contender is a break-action single-shot pistol or rifle that was introduced in 1967 by Thompson/Center Arms. It can be chambered in cartridges from .22 Long Rifle to .45-70 Government. The most unusual feature of the Contender is how the barrel is attached to the frame. By removing the fore-end, a large hinge pin is exposed; by pushing this hinge pin out, the barrel can be removed. Since the sights and extractor remain attached to the barrel in the Contender design, the frame contains no cartridge-specific features. A barrel of another caliber or length can be installed and pinned in place, the fore-end replaced, and the pistol is ready to shoot with a different barrel and pre-aligned sights. This allowed easy changes of calibers, sights, and barrel lengths, with only a flat screwdriver being required for this change.
The Contender frame has two firing pins and a selector on the exposed hammer to allow the shooter to choose between rimfire or centerfire firing pins or to select a safety position from which neither firing pin can strike a primer. The initial baseline design of the Contender had no central safe position on the hammer, having only centerfire and rimfire firing pin positions, each being selectable by using a screwdriver. Three variants of the original Contender design were later developed, distinguished easily by the hammer design. The first variant has a push button selector on the hammer for choosing rimfire vs. centerfire, the second variant has a left-center-right toggle switch for selecting center fire-safe-rimfire firing pins, and the third variant has a horizontal bolt selection for choosing center fire-safe-rimfire firing pin positions. All three of these Contender variants have a cougar etched on the sides of the receiver, thereby easily distinguishing them from the later G2 Contender which has a smooth-sided receiver without an etched cougar.
Some of the very earliest Contenders, those requiring a screwdriver to switch the firing pin between rimfire and centerfire, had smooth sides without the cougar etched. The original Contender designs have an adjustable trigger, allowing the shooter to change both take-up and overtravel. This permits user selection of a range of trigger pulls, from a fairly heavy trigger pull suitable for carrying the pistol while hunting to a "hair trigger" suitable for long-range target shooting.
Return Policy:
We gladly offer a 3 day unfired inspection policy from the time that the firearm is delivered to your FFL. Refunds are available for all qualifying orders.
Model: Contender
Serial: 49999
Caliber: .221 Remington
Finish: Blue
Barrel Length: 10" Octagon
Optics/Sights: Post on Ramped Base Front with Rear Sight Mount
Stock/Grips: Checkered Wood Pistol Grip Stock with Right Hand Thumb Rest and Forearm
Action: Single-Shot; Break-Action
Markings: Standard
Bryant Ridge's Analysis:
The Thompson/Center Contender is a break-action single-shot pistol or rifle that was introduced in 1967 by Thompson/Center Arms. It can be chambered in cartridges from .22 Long Rifle to .45-70 Government. The most unusual feature of the Contender is how the barrel is attached to the frame. By removing the fore-end, a large hinge pin is exposed; by pushing this hinge pin out, the barrel can be removed. Since the sights and extractor remain attached to the barrel in the Contender design, the frame contains no cartridge-specific features. A barrel of another caliber or length can be installed and pinned in place, the fore-end replaced, and the pistol is ready to shoot with a different barrel and pre-aligned sights. This allowed easy changes of calibers, sights, and barrel lengths, with only a flat screwdriver being required for this change.
The Contender frame has two firing pins and a selector on the exposed hammer to allow the shooter to choose between rimfire or centerfire firing pins or to select a safety position from which neither firing pin can strike a primer. The initial baseline design of the Contender had no central safe position on the hammer, having only centerfire and rimfire firing pin positions, each being selectable by using a screwdriver. Three variants of the original Contender design were later developed, distinguished easily by the hammer design. The first variant has a push button selector on the hammer for choosing rimfire vs. centerfire, the second variant has a left-center-right toggle switch for selecting center fire-safe-rimfire firing pins, and the third variant has a horizontal bolt selection for choosing center fire-safe-rimfire firing pin positions. All three of these Contender variants have a cougar etched on the sides of the receiver, thereby easily distinguishing them from the later G2 Contender which has a smooth-sided receiver without an etched cougar.
Some of the very earliest Contenders, those requiring a screwdriver to switch the firing pin between rimfire and centerfire, had smooth sides without the cougar etched. The original Contender designs have an adjustable trigger, allowing the shooter to change both take-up and overtravel. This permits user selection of a range of trigger pulls, from a fairly heavy trigger pull suitable for carrying the pistol while hunting to a "hair trigger" suitable for long-range target shooting.
Return Policy:
We gladly offer a 3 day unfired inspection policy from the time that the firearm is delivered to your FFL. Refunds are available for all qualifying orders.
Shipping Details
Handgun Standard Shipping $50.00
Long Gun Standard Shipping $70.00
Any orders placed with magazines that are not compliant with your state, county, or city regulations will not ship with your order.
