contender pistol

wildwood477 · April 16, 2008, 01:43 PM

has anyone seen an older model contender that has a small square sliding block inside the top part of the hammer, pushing the little block in one direction projects a pin from the front of the hammer and it cannot touch the breach. Was just wondering when this contender might of been made, both sides of the reciever have the cougar engraved on it.

Scorch · April 16, 2008, 01:47 PM

My Contender (made in 1976) had the type of "safety" you described, but Contenders I sold new in 1985 had a little lever setup on the hammer. I am not sure exactly when they changed, but sometime between 1976 and 1985 for sure.

Pahoo · April 16, 2008, 04:06 PM

This how the first generation frame was made. Scorch is going to get you about as close as you can get. This is actually the selecter to switch between rim and center fire. Don't be surprised if you contact the factory and they tell you that they cannot give you an acutal date as most if not all records were lost in a fire. This selector slide can also be used as a safety device. What barrel do you have on it. Many of that time were Octagon.

Be Safe !!!

wildwood477 · April 16, 2008, 04:25 PM

right now it has a 22 cal barrel on it, came with 4 barrels 45/410-38-44mag it belongs to my brother in law, and we were trying to figure out how to change it from center fire to rim fire. gave up because i didn't want to mess it up. but the square block in the hammer is only a safty feature as it does not change the position from center to rim fire.

NavyLT · April 16, 2008, 04:30 PM

You can call T/C and they will send you a manual. The sliding block lever is only the safety. The rimfire/centerfire selector is the slotted screw in the center of the hammer. Just stick a screwdriver in there and turn it, I think 180 degrees. There will be detents where the screw will click into the proper place. If you observe the face of the hammer as you turn the screw you will see the firing pin action changing.

wildwood477 · April 17, 2008, 05:57 AM

thanks for the info will try this later on, i called t/c and they are going to send me the manual. once again thanks to all who replyed.

NavyLT · April 17, 2008, 09:16 AM

Enjoy it! I picked up a 1st generation T/C Pistol about 2 years. It came with a 30/30 barrel and scope. Almost perfect condition - $300!

Also the contender has a lifetime warranty, if anything goes wrong with it, just send it back to T/C, they are very, very good at servicing them.

aaalaska · April 18, 2008, 03:12 PM

Your contender is first generation , all good info so far , being that old you should probably order a new hammer spring from tc and remember if you instal a hemmer spur it voids the warranty.There is a specialty pistol forum that covers single shot pistols witth a lot of experience to draw from. Alex

kyle663 · June 2, 2008, 03:00 PM

mine has a switch on top of the trigger and if you let the hammer down manually you have to break it open again to cock the hammer again. is this a g2, or just a standard contender?

NavyLT · June 2, 2008, 03:10 PM

Does it have a pretty much completely flat side on the frame? Or is there a curved, raised, kind of like scroll part along the top of the frame and a screw just above the trigger in the side of the frame?

Flat side, no screw = old standard contender
Scrolled part on top of side of frame + screw above trigger = G2

kyle663 · June 2, 2008, 03:14 PM

it has the selctor swich on top of the hammer, its 3 position rimfire, safe, and centerfire. it is a switch, not a screw that has to be turned

NavyLT · June 2, 2008, 03:17 PM

Standard, old style contenders were also made with the selector switch on the top of the hammer. I was going off of pictures of the G2 vs the older contender. The screw I am talking about is just above the TRIGGER on the side of the frame. It looks like only G2's had that screw.

kyle663 · June 2, 2008, 03:43 PM

i had heard that either the g2 or the standard could be cocked more than once without have to break it open. mine has to be opened to cock the hammer again

NavyLT · June 2, 2008, 03:57 PM

I know that the old style contender cannot be cocked more than once without breaking it open. I read the G2 manual online and it said nothing about that... it had no instructions about recocking, so I have no idea about the G2 operating that way, one way or the other. I have the old style contender.

April 16, 2008, 01:43 PM	#1
wildwood477 Member Join Date: December 6, 2007 Location: 50 miles NE of Watertown, NY Posts: 49	contender pistol has anyone seen an older model contender that has a small square sliding block inside the top part of the hammer, pushing the little block in one direction projects a pin from the front of the hammer and it cannot touch the breach. Was just wondering when this contender might of been made, both sides of the reciever have the cougar engraved on it.

April 16, 2008, 01:47 PM	#2
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,248	My Contender (made in 1976) had the type of "safety" you described, but Contenders I sold new in 1985 had a little lever setup on the hammer. I am not sure exactly when they changed, but sometime between 1976 and 1985 for sure. __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

April 16, 2008, 04:25 PM	#4
wildwood477 Member Join Date: December 6, 2007 Location: 50 miles NE of Watertown, NY Posts: 49	contender pistol right now it has a 22 cal barrel on it, came with 4 barrels 45/410-38-44mag it belongs to my brother in law, and we were trying to figure out how to change it from center fire to rim fire. gave up because i didn't want to mess it up. but the square block in the hammer is only a safty feature as it does not change the position from center to rim fire.

April 17, 2008, 05:57 AM	#6
wildwood477 Member Join Date: December 6, 2007 Location: 50 miles NE of Watertown, NY Posts: 49	contender pistol thanks for the info will try this later on, i called t/c and they are going to send me the manual. once again thanks to all who replyed.

June 2, 2008, 03:00 PM	#9
kyle663 Senior Member Join Date: April 14, 2008 Location: IL Posts: 311	g2 contender? mine has a switch on top of the trigger and if you let the hammer down manually you have to break it open again to cock the hammer again. is this a g2, or just a standard contender?

April 16, 2008, 04:06 PM	#3
Pahoo Senior Member Join Date: February 16, 2006 Location: IOWA Posts: 8,783	This how the first generation frame was made. Scorch is going to get you about as close as you can get. This is actually the selecter to switch between rim and center fire. Don't be surprised if you contact the factory and they tell you that they cannot give you an acutal date as most if not all records were lost in a fire. This selector slide can also be used as a safety device. What barrel do you have on it. Many of that time were Octagon. Be Safe !!!

April 16, 2008, 04:30 PM	#5
NavyLT Junior member Join Date: January 25, 2006 Location: Oak Harbor, WA Posts: 1,719	You can call T/C and they will send you a manual. The sliding block lever is only the safety. The rimfire/centerfire selector is the slotted screw in the center of the hammer. Just stick a screwdriver in there and turn it, I think 180 degrees. There will be detents where the screw will click into the proper place. If you observe the face of the hammer as you turn the screw you will see the firing pin action changing.

April 17, 2008, 09:16 AM	#7
NavyLT Junior member Join Date: January 25, 2006 Location: Oak Harbor, WA Posts: 1,719	Enjoy it! I picked up a 1st generation T/C Pistol about 2 years. It came with a 30/30 barrel and scope. Almost perfect condition - $300! Also the contender has a lifetime warranty, if anything goes wrong with it, just send it back to T/C, they are very, very good at servicing them.

April 18, 2008, 03:12 PM	#8
aaalaska Senior Member Join Date: March 14, 2007 Location: Palmer Ak Posts: 319	Your contender is first generation , all good info so far , being that old you should probably order a new hammer spring from tc and remember if you instal a hemmer spur it voids the warranty.There is a specialty pistol forum that covers single shot pistols witth a lot of experience to draw from. Alex

June 2, 2008, 03:10 PM	#10
NavyLT Junior member Join Date: January 25, 2006 Location: Oak Harbor, WA Posts: 1,719	Does it have a pretty much completely flat side on the frame? Or is there a curved, raised, kind of like scroll part along the top of the frame and a screw just above the trigger in the side of the frame? Flat side, no screw = old standard contender Scrolled part on top of side of frame + screw above trigger = G2

June 2, 2008, 03:14 PM	#11
kyle663 Senior Member Join Date: April 14, 2008 Location: IL Posts: 311	g2 contender it has the selctor swich on top of the hammer, its 3 position rimfire, safe, and centerfire. it is a switch, not a screw that has to be turned

June 2, 2008, 03:17 PM	#12
NavyLT Junior member Join Date: January 25, 2006 Location: Oak Harbor, WA Posts: 1,719	Standard, old style contenders were also made with the selector switch on the top of the hammer. I was going off of pictures of the G2 vs the older contender. The screw I am talking about is just above the TRIGGER on the side of the frame. It looks like only G2's had that screw.

June 2, 2008, 03:43 PM	#13
kyle663 Senior Member Join Date: April 14, 2008 Location: IL Posts: 311	i had heard that either the g2 or the standard could be cocked more than once without have to break it open. mine has to be opened to cock the hammer again

June 2, 2008, 03:57 PM	#14
NavyLT Junior member Join Date: January 25, 2006 Location: Oak Harbor, WA Posts: 1,719	I know that the old style contender cannot be cocked more than once without breaking it open. I read the G2 manual online and it said nothing about that... it had no instructions about recocking, so I have no idea about the G2 operating that way, one way or the other. I have the old style contender.