Contender

ammo.crafter · October 11, 2013, 12:33 PM

My older style Contender will not ignite primers. All very light indents.

Not headspace as I have tried several different barrels.

Not hammer spring, installed new one.

Any one have a brilliant idea?

Doyle · October 11, 2013, 12:44 PM

Refresh my memory, does the Contender use a transfer bar? If so, perhaps the problem is there.

john323 · October 11, 2013, 01:57 PM

Broken or worn firing pin?

James K · October 11, 2013, 02:34 PM

Dirt or crud in the firing pin channel? Have you ever had pierced primers?

Jim

steveno · October 11, 2013, 04:30 PM

reloads? if so what primers? CCI primers are a little bit harder than Remington and Federal.

Old Stony · October 11, 2013, 05:21 PM

If you have the trigger adjustment set very light, the older contenders will tend to drop the transfer bar out of the way from just closing the barrel. If this seems the case, just back off the adjusting screw on the trigger and it should cure the problem. I have seen this problem numerous times but it's just a guess in your case trying to diagnose it from long distance.

Roughedge · October 11, 2013, 07:44 PM

Is your rimfire/centerfire lever in the right position? If so it sounds like you broke the firing pin.

ammo.crafter · October 12, 2013, 06:49 PM

Old Stony may have hit on the problem. I'll give it a try.

Pahoo · October 12, 2013, 07:31 PM

I learn something new every day. So in keeping in that spirit, would someone care to point out the "transfer-bar". There are two firing pins but have never seen the transfer bar as we normally understand. ....

http://s29.photobucket.com/user/TheR...ender.jpg.html

Be Safe !!!

Old Stony · October 13, 2013, 05:26 PM

I'm sorry if I used the wrong term by referring to a transfer bar on a contender, as they don't have one in the traditional sense as we think of one such as on a Ruger revolver. I haven't been into a Contender for many years and I'm just guessing at the problems with this one, so please excuse me if my guess is all wet. If I remember right they actually refer to it as a safety.

SVO · October 19, 2013, 09:52 PM

Does your Contender have the slide bar safety mounted on the hammer? If it is pushed to the right, it will prevent the hammer from striking the firing pin.

October 11, 2013, 12:33 PM	#1
ammo.crafter Senior Member Join Date: June 25, 2006 Location: The Keystone State Posts: 1,970	Contender My older style Contender will not ignite primers. All very light indents. Not headspace as I have tried several different barrels. Not hammer spring, installed new one. Any one have a brilliant idea? __________________ "Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading". --Thomas Jefferson

October 11, 2013, 01:57 PM	#3
john323 Member Join Date: June 16, 2009 Location: MONTEREY PARK , CA Posts: 80	Broken or worn firing pin? __________________ [email protected] Southern California Anything legal, Rifles, Handguns, Shotguns, Black powder

October 11, 2013, 07:44 PM	#7
Roughedge Senior Member Join Date: January 24, 2011 Location: Monroe,NC Posts: 669	Is your rimfire/centerfire lever in the right position? If so it sounds like you broke the firing pin. __________________ The man that die's with the most stuff win's!

October 12, 2013, 06:49 PM	#8
ammo.crafter Senior Member Join Date: June 25, 2006 Location: The Keystone State Posts: 1,970	thx Old Stony may have hit on the problem. I'll give it a try. __________________ "Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading". --Thomas Jefferson

October 12, 2013, 07:31 PM	#9
Pahoo Senior Member Join Date: February 16, 2006 Location: IOWA Posts: 8,783	Show me ?? I learn something new every day. So in keeping in that spirit, would someone care to point out the "transfer-bar". There are two firing pins but have never seen the transfer bar as we normally understand. .... http://s29.photobucket.com/user/TheR...ender.jpg.html Be Safe !!! __________________ 'Fundamental truths' are easy to recognize because they are verified daily through simple observation and thus, require no testing.

October 11, 2013, 12:44 PM	#2
Doyle Senior Member Join Date: June 20, 2007 Location: Rainbow City, Alabama Posts: 7,167	Refresh my memory, does the Contender use a transfer bar? If so, perhaps the problem is there.

October 11, 2013, 02:34 PM	#4
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	Dirt or crud in the firing pin channel? Have you ever had pierced primers? Jim

October 11, 2013, 04:30 PM	#5
steveno Senior Member Join Date: June 18, 2004 Location: Minden , Nebraska Posts: 1,407	reloads? if so what primers? CCI primers are a little bit harder than Remington and Federal.

October 11, 2013, 05:21 PM	#6
Old Stony Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 2013 Location: East Texas Posts: 1,705	If you have the trigger adjustment set very light, the older contenders will tend to drop the transfer bar out of the way from just closing the barrel. If this seems the case, just back off the adjusting screw on the trigger and it should cure the problem. I have seen this problem numerous times but it's just a guess in your case trying to diagnose it from long distance.

October 13, 2013, 05:26 PM	#10
Old Stony Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 2013 Location: East Texas Posts: 1,705	Transfer bar I'm sorry if I used the wrong term by referring to a transfer bar on a contender, as they don't have one in the traditional sense as we think of one such as on a Ruger revolver. I haven't been into a Contender for many years and I'm just guessing at the problems with this one, so please excuse me if my guess is all wet. If I remember right they actually refer to it as a safety.

October 19, 2013, 09:52 PM	#11
SVO Senior Member Join Date: December 20, 2009 Location: Texas Gulf Coast Posts: 728	Does your Contender have the slide bar safety mounted on the hammer? If it is pushed to the right, it will prevent the hammer from striking the firing pin.