TC Contender and Encore Rifles

[gemihur]

Rad, man!

 

[hrt4me]

I cannot believe how pricey TC Contenders have gotten these days!

 

[highstandard40]

Another resource for Contender and Encore fans to consider. Match Grade Machine makes awesome barrels to fit these firearms. I had a barrel made for my Contender carbine in 35 Remington for Louisiana's Primitive season. It is an MOA capable barrel.

 

[gemihur]

Bullberry and E.A. Brown are good places for aftermarket barrels.
Don't forget SSK Industries.

 

[twinin]

I have a contender in 7TCU with 100 rounds of ammo that I'm not doing anything with if anyone is interested

 

[Danny Ross]

To be upfront though, the furthest I have ever harvested with that set up is 112 yards… complete pass through… I get 2” groups @100yrds outside holes, so with 2-1/2” Bullets taken off that’s around 1.5” c to c grouping… I’m sure I could shoot further, heck another 75fps in the same caliber bout wiped out the N. A. Buffalo population lol

A 45/70 will kill anything at any range that you can hit it. Because of the high trajectory, hitting something, hitting it is the problem.

.45-70 at Two Miles: The Sandy Hook Tests of 1879 – Research Press

researchpress.uk

 

[cajun 22]

I cannot believe how pricey TC Contenders have gotten these days!

Because S&W killed them off. S&W announced the sale of TC in 2021 but no buyer yet.

 

[Bigchillin83]

Love the encore, might have to many lol


left mgm .308 20" leupold vx3 3-10x50 firedot (shooting supersonics)
right encore 45-70 20" leupold vxR 3-9x40 firedot (shooting subsonics)

mgm .45acp 16.25" trijicon tr-24 accupoint 3-9x40 (shooting subsoincs)

both encore .308 26" nikon prostaff 3-9x40 (shooting supersonics)

encore 45-70 20" nikon prostaff 3-9x40 (shooting super sonics)

 

[Gator 45/70]

Love the encore, might have to many lol

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Look at my encores peasants! oooww, ooowww
I can shoot 1 handed and scratch my nutzs with the other hand and still kill a deer OOww ooww.
Lol, just kidding man, What's the scopes you have here?

 

[Bigchillin83]

Look at my encores peasants! oooww, ooowww
I can shoot 1 handed and scratch my nutzs with the other hand and still kill a deer OOww ooww.
Lol, just kidding man, What's the scopes you have here?

there updated with a little more specs

 

[gemihur]

a couple of Contenders, a pair of Aces

Bigchillin, I dig those Encores and only recently 'graduated' to the platform.
I don't find as many wildcats being employed on the Encore but did stumble onto one of my favorites

... course I had to strap a piece of whittled lumber to it and call it a forearm
That setup really shoots nice!

 

[CyManley]

Close to 20 years ago, I've hunted exclusively with a 45-70 contender. The barrel was a 14" made by SSK industries. It was deadly out to 130 yards. Than I graduated to a 309JDJ barrel. I shot a prong horn in Wyoming with a 465 yard shot(it took 6 shots, and I had a spotter). You may want to reach out to SSK Industries. They;ll help you with whatever it is that's Contender related. I'm not sure if JD Jones is still alive. He's the owner of SSK. He's the creator of the round 300 whisper, that transform to what we have today call the 300 blackout.

I have hunted exclusively with a 411JDJ for about 40 years. And it also can handle 130 yds shots. Maxed out near 150yds.
I’ve hunted antelope near medicine bow Wy. Isn’t it amazing how many shots you can sometimes get at them.
And I believe JD Jones is still out and about, unless he’s passed away in the last few months.

 

[bigsk]

About SSK​

J.D. Jones, founder of SSK Industries, has been heavily involved with Contenders® since 1969 and has devoted a great deal of his life to the ballistic aspects of sporting, law enforcement, and military cartridges and the firearms that handle them. During the 40’s and early 50’s he supplied numerous individuals with dressed rabbits in return for shotgun shells, .22s and, on occasion, some cash. J.D. began hunting small game with a pistol at about age 13 and was taught bullet casting and reloading by a local gunsmith at about this time. In the early 60’s, he and Lee Jurras developed the first true high-performance handgun ammunition for revolvers and auto-pistols which was marketed as Super Vel Ammunition. The basics of this ammunition are used by every manufacturer in the world that manufactures high performance handgun ammo today.
SSK Industries was founded in 1977 to manufacture and market specific products related to hunting handguns and ammunition. Custom aftermarket Contender® barrels chambered in JDJ calibers, specifically designed for hunting purposes, soon became the major product of the firm. These barrels and cartridges, unequaled in the Contender® in accuracy, have truly effective big game harvesting ability. Over the years better bullets and optics have simply made them better. Within a few years, SSK became known worldwide as THE manufacturer of custom premium quality firearms for handgun hunting which, of course, includes custom revolvers and bolt actions. The advent of the Encore platform expanded the line to more powerful cartridges. While SSK Industries started with handguns, the reputation of exceptional quality and accuracy has spread all firearm platforms. Today, SSK Firearms provides custom firearms.
I grew up in Ohio and in 1978, a friend’s father let me shoot his 45 Colt Contender®; I was hooked, but it was a number of years later before another friend let me use his 223 Contender on a groundhog hunting trip. I made my first shot at an estimated 300 yards off of shooting sticks. Even after I paced the distance off to 130 yards, I was so excited I could not stand still. I have not hunted groundhogs with a rifle since that fateful day.
Years later, we started Lehigh Defense and we became a supplier of parts to SSK Industries and I got to know J.D. I always had a fascination with ballistics and J.D. took me under his wing and began teaching me a little what he learned in his many years of experience. We began producing subsonic projectiles for the 300 Whisper using the Controlled Fracturing principle. Shortly after Lehigh Defense was formed, we were driven to create unique and innovative products.
As Lehigh Defense expanded to a firearms part supplier to many OEM’s, the desire to see the original Contender return was always present. An opportunity presented itself to assume the operations of SSK Industries and with J.D.’s guidance and assistance of great friends in the industry, we are extremely proud to deploy the manufacturing capacity and capability of Lehigh Defense to continue the innovation that set SSK apart from the crowd so many years ago.
SSK Industries


Thank you for your time and we hope to hear your SSK story.

David Fricke
SSK Firearms Corporate


Haus of Arms SSK-50 Contender, Encore and Hunter
(Frames, Grips, Stocks, Barrels, Muzzle Breaks,etc.)
Haus of Arms - SSK 50 / Contender

THE online source for all things Thompson/Center Arms. Big on imagination, bigger on customer service.

 

[Sbeduckman]

Love the encore, might have to many lol


left mgm .308 20" leupold vx3 3-10x50 firedot (shooting supersonics)
right encore 45-70 20" leupold vxR 3-9x40 firedot (shooting subsonics)
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mgm .45acp 16.25" trijicon tr-24 accupoint 3-9x40 (shooting subsoincs)
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View attachment 159232

both encore .308 26" nikon prostaff 3-9x40 (shooting supersonics)
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encore 45-70 20" nikon prostaff 3-9x40 (shooting super sonics)
View attachment 159234

While not a TC...I do appreciate a short barreled, suppressed, single shot 45-70. You sir are a man of taste.