An old friend returns home

[Larry in SD]

A few years back I did a dumb thing, I decided to get rid of all of my Contenders and jumped into AR's with both feet. Well it didn't take long to realize that that was a situation I had to rectify.

When I sold all of my Contenders one of which went to a good friend of mine. This particular Contender has a Stainless-Steel Frame made in the second half of 1995 (this is a Contender Frame not a G2 Frame). It has a Stainless-Steel Super 14 .22 LR Match Barrel with a Silver Weaver Scope Base and 1" Silver Weaver Quad Lock Scope Rings that hold a 3x12x Burris LER Fine Plex - PA Handgun Scope with Target Turrets. I was able to buy this Contender back from my buddy (who never did shoot it in the 2 years he had it).

In addition I also picked up 3 more barrels, Stainless-Steel T/C Custom Shop 14" 7-30 Waters, Stainless-Steel Super 14 .223 Remington and a Stainless-Steel Super 14 .45 Colt / .410 Vent Rib.

I have been using the 7-30 Waters with a 4x Weaver Handgun Scope for Deer Hunting ever since the first week of our season. So far I have not had the shot opportunity I have been looking for but I have high hopes of connecting in our January Season.

The .22 LR Contender will get plenty of use this winter as I am going to shoot it in our club's indoor bench rest competition this winter. This is a very informal competition that is shot at 18 yards (all the distance we can get at our indoor range) using the USBR Target. I have used this particular .22 LR Match Contender in this competition a couple years ago and finished 2nd or 3rd against all of the guys shooting .22 LR RIfles. Hopefully I can up that a bit this winter.

Now I just have to quite spending $$$ on other things and get a couple more Handgun Scopes.

Larry

 

[DrMike]

It just feels good to be able to rectify a mistake. And to wind up in a better position than before the initial sale, bonus! Good looking Contender, by the way.

 

[FOTIS]

Been there with my 416 Bee, and only last week too. I know how great you feel Do not let this get away again.

 

[DrMike]

Now, if I could just get back the Model 70 Featherweight in 280, the Browning Eurobolt in 7mm RM, the Model 70 Featherweight in 7 X 57... This sort of good fortune only happens occasionally. Fotis is correct, you do not what to make the same mistake again.

 

[JD338]

Larry,

Glad you got her back and you are into the T/C Contender business again. The 7x30 Waters is a great deer cartridge and tough to beat in a Contender.

JD338

 

[longwinters]

Hey Lar, that's a sweet looking set up. If'n you keep out shooting some of the rifle toters maybe you will have a Contender pistol shootin club.

Long

 

[1Shot]

Glad you got back into contenders. About 25 years ago I sold off my contender and all my barrels to purchase a rifle that I just thought I had to have which is now long gone to another home. About 5 years ago I got a deal on a contender with three barrels. A 45/410 10" with front and back sights. A 10" 357 mag and a custom wildcat 14" 6mm-225 win. I started using the 6mm-225 and 357 mag as a take along to the deer stand just in case I got a close shot. I started killing deer with them and last Christmas I ordered from MGM a 14" SS Shilen barrel 30-30AI and killed 4 deer with it this season. The pistol puts more challenge into deer hunting for me. There is not much of a challenge any more when I take a rifle that will put all the bullets in the same hole at 100 yards and snip a deer a few hundred yards across a bean field.

 

[Larry in SD]

Thanks guys. I hope to hang on to it this time. Yes I was very fortunate to get this one back and as a bonus to get the other barrels I have acquired in the process.

I started hunting with Contender Handguns in 1982, and have had my share since then. No one ever said hunting with these single shot handguns was going to be easy, but it sure has been rewarding. The one thing that amazes me is how I can shoot smaller groups from a bench with these Contender Handguns than I can with a Rifle.

I was headed to the indoor range tonight to shoot the .22 LR Match Contender but work got in the way (I hate that when that happens). I guess that is the downfall to being on call 24/7.

Oh well maybe over the holidays I can get some undistrubed time to get in some serious shooting.

Larry