Lunker PM'd me about a particular gun that he knew I had, and while I'm not going to reiterate our entire correspondence here, it is worth mentioning to the board in general, especially those newer to firearms and shooting.

 

Today's quest in the firearms market always seems to be for more, more, more. We now have revolvers that hold 10 rounds (rimfire) and 7 or 8 rounds of centerfire ammo. Or conversely, huge handguns that hold only 5 rounds, but those are capable of taking any game on the planet (maybe off-planet too). The current crop of semi-autos hold 17, 18 or 20 rounds - or more if you don't mind extended mags (I am, of course talking about out in the free world).

 

In all this hub-bub for larger, faster, more, there is a gun that is often overlooked by, or totally unfamiliar to, today's crop of shooters - The single shot, break-action - specifically Thompson Center's Contender or Encore line.

 

Here are handguns that can be chambered for everything from .22 LR up through most rifle rounds. For that matter, if the urge strikes you, you can convert it to a rifle with a butt-stock and 16" barrel.

 

The Encore / Contender line is great if you like trying to wring the highest degree of accuracy out of a firearm. Closed breech single shot means no chamber variance, like you'd find in a revolver, or moving barrel, barrel linkage etc. like you would find in a locked-breech SA, all of which makes for a very accurate handgun. I used my .221 Fireball barrel for groundhogs and was confident of owning anything that poked its head up inside of 200 yards. The gun is capable of MOA or better.

 

With these guns you need only buy one receiver and then you have whole array of different chamberings in different barrel configurations. So if you are getting bored with seeing who can put the most holes in a target in the least amount of time (which = mucho $$$$), maybe it's time to try a single-shot, just for a change of pace.

 

Adios,

 

Pizza Bob

 

Here's my Contender (Pachmayr grip & fore-end) with the .221 Fireball barrel and Burris 7X IER AO scope...

 

Nice writeup, Bob. I've always thought i would get a bull barrel rifle in 54R, if possible, for some cheap and potentially accurate shooting.

 

PS. Thanks for the hint, now we know what Lunker's next gun is going to be.

Nice writeup, Bob. I've always thought i would get a bull barrel rifle in 54R, if possible, for some cheap and potentially accurate shooting.

 

PS. Thanks for the hint, now we know what Lunker's next gun is going to be.

 

And what gun we can buy at a big discount in the next 2 months or so

 

Thanks for the reminder bob, this has been on my list for a very long time and I have on permit left after I get the 625 so decisions decisions.

Nice writeup, Bob. I've always thought i would get a bull barrel rifle in 54R, if possible, for some cheap and potentially accurate shooting.

 

PS. Thanks for the hint, now we know what Lunker's next gun is going to be.

 

 

Just dont do a pistol barrel in that round. Once a pistol is commonly available in that caliber, all "cop killer" surplus ammo that is steel core (a great majority) will be illegal to import as per the ATF. Look at what happened to 7.62x39

thats really nice pizzabob, you have the best taste in beautiful looking hand guns, i gotta give it to you....

When the handgun range at Hercules Trap was still open, I was standing next to a guy who was shooting one of those. He was running some huge round through it, standing with a sling and scope, and killing clays on the 50 yard berm with what looked like no problem at all. Load, aim, aim, aim, BOOM!, do it again.

 

Very impressive, and a very nice gun.

For anyone else considering one of these, there are legal implications for rifle-pistol conversions. These guns all begin life designated as a rifle or a pistol. If you buy a rifle version, although T/C makes the parts to let you put a pistol barrel on it, you would run afoul of the Federal regulations on Short Barreled Rifles (SBR) unless you bought a tax stamp for it. Seeing as how New Jersey does not allow you to have SBR's, you are screwed. So, unless you are looking for a dedicated rifle, I would suggest buying it configured for pistol. Someone can possibly chime in on whether it would be NJ legal to put into rifle configuration, because I don't know if you start to run into the NJ max weight limit for a handgun.

this might a dumb question but how do you load her?

this might a dumb question but how do you load her?

Break action, like a shotgun.

I would think starting.g life as a pistol then adding long barrel not an issue what be issue OS the stock. What is the weight limit and what is the rationale for such a limit on weight for pistol

I would think starting.g life as a pistol then adding long barrel not an issue what be issue OS the stock. What is the weight limit and what is the rationale for such a limit on weight for pistol

Asking for the rationale with regard to NJ gun laws is a fools errand. I haven't the faintest idea why there is a max limit. Maybe so a rifle can't be chopped down into a pistol.

Yea believe me I know the rationale ; limiting.g freedom and imposing control. That being said is this nj law or batfe law? In regards to pistol weight that is

The "max pistol weight" issue you guys are referring to applies to semi-auto pistols only. You can have a 70 oz S&W 500 revolver or a big honkin' single shot TC pistol with a 20" bull barrel so heavy the grip snaps off when you off-hand it and its totally fine.

 

ii. A semi-automatic pistol that has an ability to accept a detachable magazine and has at

least two of the following:

(1) An ammunition magazine that attaches to the pistol outside of the pistol grip;

(2) A threaded barrel capable of accepting a barrel extender, flash suppressor,

forward handgrip, or silencer;

(3) A shroud that is attached to, or partially or completely encircles the barrel and

that permits the shooter to hold the firearm with the non-trigger hand without being

burned;

(4) Manufactured weight of 50 ounces or more when the pistol is unloaded; and/or

(5) A semi-automatic version of an automatic firearm;

So theres no problem with buy the handgun version and turning it into a rifle?

Just don't ever use the stock with the handgun length barrels.

The "max pistol weight" issue you guys are referring to applies to semi-auto pistols that are on the list (for example: a Calico M-900, TEC-9 or MAC10/11) or clones of them ONLY. You can have a 70 oz S&W 500 revolver or a big honkin' single shot TC pistol with a 20" bull barrel so heavy the grip snaps off when you off-hand it and its totally fine.

i did not read any part of that quote where stock came into play. another thing is from what i read that a handgun with a threadeed barrel like a fnh fnp45 tactical is cool becasue it doesnt set off any of the other things that are naughty in that list