Thompson Center Arms Contender 44 Mag - The Firearms Forum

Dewats · 10-26-2009, 09:37 PM

Low Serial #47XXX. good condition octogan barrel with the wad cutter for birdshot loads. What do you think it is worth?

CHW2021 · 10-28-2009, 04:27 PM

Reciever and barrel about 500.00 in good condition. Shoot it it is a great gun!!

Contenderizer · 10-31-2009, 01:45 PM

Welcome to TFF Dewats,

I have not heard of a "wad cutter" on the end of a 44 Mag barrel. The barrels for 45 Long Colt can also chamber 410 shot shells, so they frequently (but not always) have a screw-in wad stripper at the muzzle. Perhaps what you have is a muzzle brake on a 44 Mag?

Anyway, CHW2021's value is about right, though in the real world Contenders have lost value recently given that most folks prefer the Encore.

Oohrah · 11-02-2009, 03:50 AM

I have one of the older ones also in 45 LC. It came at the time when the ATF was fighting the 45/410 being a illegal shotgun. Totally disreguarded it was a rifled barrel. So the company for a while, made the 45 LC barrel, but with a choke device with the idea a 45 LC with a shot capsule would be legal as it was a pistol cartridge shooting shot. That choke device took the spin out of the shot charge and choked the shot down before it left the barrel. Without the choke, very poor patterns, with the choke in, very tight out to fifty feet!
Later the ATF changed their minds and decided because of the rifling it could be chambered for 45 LC and 410 Shot shell. I had tmy transition barrel chamber lengthed to fit the 410. It still retains accuracy for the 45 LC and very nice 410 patterns. Remember to remove the choke while shooting 45 LCs.
I suspect the 44 with the screw in device is the same as the transitional barrel I have, and was made to enable 44 shot capsules out of it. There are no shotshells that would work as in the 45 LC. I suspect that THE JUDGE handgun shoots very poor shot patterns. Lacking the device found in the Contender, the spin on the shot collum continues right out the bore. Perhaps slugs, and large shot would do better,

CHW2021 · 11-02-2009, 12:22 PM

My first answer was rather curt, my apologies. I bought a contender new in about 1980, I have fired thousands of rounds in many cal. The .44 barrel is threaded inside the muzzle end for a "choke" to break the .44 shot capsule. The rather heavy plastic shot capsule could be loaded with and shot or bb's and was made to stay intact when fired and shatter at the muzzle .... it is possible to fire a bullet thru the choke; the cast lead round that I fired gave an interesting recoil.(this is NOT recommended!!!!!) The contender was built as a hunting/target gun and excells as both; chambering is changed to another cal. by switching the barrel; it will fire centerfire and rimfire rounds by rotating the firing pin (located on the hammer). Additional barrels are available e-bay ect.... at a cost of 100.00 to 200.00 each. The 45 long colt barrel was made with a chamber that will accept 21/2 and 3 inch .410 ga. shells; but is rifled, not smoothbore so it escapes the ATF restrictions just as the Taurus "Judge" does. I stand by my first statement; GO SHOOT IT ! it will fire .44 mag, special and any light reloads you can shove in the barrel.

gdmoody · 11-02-2009, 02:39 PM

Last week I ordered a .44 mag barrel for my contender and caught it on "sale" for $215. This was the newer round barrel and not the old type with the shot shell choke that screwed on the end of the barrel.

contenderizer, I am pretty sure that he is talking about the choke that is on the end of the barrel that breaks up the plastic capsule on the .44 shot sells that Thompson used to sell.

Contenderizer · 11-06-2009, 01:23 PM

gdmoody: A picture is worth a thousand words. Thanks for the education.

Alpo · 11-06-2009, 06:19 PM

They called that a "Hot Shot" cartridge. I sold my 357 one, years back, but still have a couple of boxes of the loaded shot capsules.

10-26-2009, 09:37 PM	#1
Dewats Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 1	Thompson Center Arms Contender 44 Mag Low Serial #47XXX. good condition octogan barrel with the wad cutter for birdshot loads. What do you think it is worth? -->

10-28-2009, 04:27 PM	#2
CHW2021 V.I.P. Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Louisiana Posts: 467	Re: Thompson Center Arms Contender 44 Mag Reciever and barrel about 500.00 in good condition. Shoot it it is a great gun!!

10-31-2009, 01:45 PM	#3
Contenderizer Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: North-Central Florida, USA Posts: 599	Re: Thompson Center Arms Contender 44 Mag Welcome to TFF Dewats, I have not heard of a "wad cutter" on the end of a 44 Mag barrel. The barrels for 45 Long Colt can also chamber 410 shot shells, so they frequently (but not always) have a screw-in wad stripper at the muzzle. Perhaps what you have is a muzzle brake on a 44 Mag? Anyway, CHW2021's value is about right, though in the real world Contenders have lost value recently given that most folks prefer the Encore. __________________ NOTE: The information herein is provided free of charge. In some instances, you may actually be getting your money's worth. Author of: The History and Guns of Simson & Co., Suhl www.cornellpubs.com

11-02-2009, 12:22 PM	#5
CHW2021 V.I.P. Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Louisiana Posts: 467	Re: Thompson Center Arms Contender 44 Mag My first answer was rather curt, my apologies. I bought a contender new in about 1980, I have fired thousands of rounds in many cal. The .44 barrel is threaded inside the muzzle end for a "choke" to break the .44 shot capsule. The rather heavy plastic shot capsule could be loaded with and shot or bb's and was made to stay intact when fired and shatter at the muzzle .... it is possible to fire a bullet thru the choke; the cast lead round that I fired gave an interesting recoil.(this is NOT recommended!!!!!) The contender was built as a hunting/target gun and excells as both; chambering is changed to another cal. by switching the barrel; it will fire centerfire and rimfire rounds by rotating the firing pin (located on the hammer). Additional barrels are available e-bay ect.... at a cost of 100.00 to 200.00 each. The 45 long colt barrel was made with a chamber that will accept 21/2 and 3 inch .410 ga. shells; but is rifled, not smoothbore so it escapes the ATF restrictions just as the Taurus "Judge" does. I stand by my first statement; GO SHOOT IT ! it will fire .44 mag, special and any light reloads you can shove in the barrel.

11-02-2009, 02:39 PM	#6
gdmoody Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Northeast Georgia Contributor Posts: 6,354	Re: Thompson Center Arms Contender 44 Mag Last week I ordered a .44 mag barrel for my contender and caught it on "sale" for $215. This was the newer round barrel and not the old type with the shot shell choke that screwed on the end of the barrel. contenderizer, I am pretty sure that he is talking about the choke that is on the end of the barrel that breaks up the plastic capsule on the .44 shot sells that Thompson used to sell. __________________ NRA Endowment Member GeorgiaCarry.Org Member Retired US Army Postal Worker Personally, I carry a gun because I'm too young to die and too old to take an ass whoopin'.....author unknown (but obviously brilliant) Last edited by gdmoody; 04-22-2013 at 11:32 AM..

11-02-2009, 03:50 AM	#4
Oohrah V.I.P. Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 60	Re: Thompson Center Arms Contender 44 Mag I have one of the older ones also in 45 LC. It came at the time when the ATF was fighting the 45/410 being a illegal shotgun. Totally disreguarded it was a rifled barrel. So the company for a while, made the 45 LC barrel, but with a choke device with the idea a 45 LC with a shot capsule would be legal as it was a pistol cartridge shooting shot. That choke device took the spin out of the shot charge and choked the shot down before it left the barrel. Without the choke, very poor patterns, with the choke in, very tight out to fifty feet! Later the ATF changed their minds and decided because of the rifling it could be chambered for 45 LC and 410 Shot shell. I had tmy transition barrel chamber lengthed to fit the 410. It still retains accuracy for the 45 LC and very nice 410 patterns. Remember to remove the choke while shooting 45 LCs. I suspect the 44 with the screw in device is the same as the transitional barrel I have, and was made to enable 44 shot capsules out of it. There are no shotshells that would work as in the 45 LC. I suspect that THE JUDGE handgun shoots very poor shot patterns. Lacking the device found in the Contender, the spin on the shot collum continues right out the bore. Perhaps slugs, and large shot would do better,

11-06-2009, 01:23 PM	#7
Contenderizer Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: North-Central Florida, USA Posts: 599	Re: Thompson Center Arms Contender 44 Mag gdmoody: A picture is worth a thousand words. Thanks for the education. __________________ NOTE: The information herein is provided free of charge. In some instances, you may actually be getting your money's worth. Author of: The History and Guns of Simson & Co., Suhl www.cornellpubs.com

11-06-2009, 06:19 PM	#8
Alpo Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: NW Florida Posts: 8,662	Re: Thompson Center Arms Contender 44 Mag They called that a "Hot Shot" cartridge. I sold my 357 one, years back, but still have a couple of boxes of the loaded shot capsules. __________________ Meddle not in the affairs of dragons, for thou art crunchy, and taste good with catsup - George of Lod, Year of Our Lord 297 I always take precautions. Beware the Evil Bullet Fairies.