Thompson Center Contender troubles

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rustynut1

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I bought a used T/C Contender .44 Rem Mag bbl. I just shot this in my gun and as the gun fired the gun opened itself, discharged the brass and I couldn’t even find the brass for a while. This happed four times. There was a drag line on the primer on these 4 brass. I have two 44RM bbls, Fired the first one no issues, this new to me bbl big issues. Afraid I might break my firing pin.

Thoughts, advice. I have contacted the seller but no response so far.
 
Happens when the frame is stretched. Your first barrel may have a longer bolt lock but in. The other cause is more likely. TC changed the bolt locks for different years. Problem happens when an early barrel is put on a later frame. If you can find a longer bolt lock it should fix your problem. They changed the design to one piece part way through production. I have the same problem with a couple of mine. I bought two early frames which solved my problem,they fit the early frames. One of my later barrels will not lockup on my earliest frame,four serial number. The bolt lock is too long. I have four frames so it is easy to switch them out. Or your bolt lock is well worn which should be easy to see. Your not mentioning that so I assume that’s not the problem. Find a longer bolt lock.
 
I have three Contender bbls. The two .44RM and a .22LR. They all look the same but the bad bbl. has a silver lock on it the others have a black lock. I can't see a difference with my eye regards to size or strength of spring, the bad bbl. spring might be a little weaker than the other 44RM pushing it with my finger. My serial number is 323###.

I looked that up seems my frame is 1988.
https://www.gunandgame.com/threads/thompson-contender-manufacture-dates.164099/
 
rustynut1 said:
I have three Contender bbls. The two .44RM and a .22LR. They all look the same but the bad bbl. has a silver lock on it the others have a black lock. I can't see a difference with my eye regards to size or strength of spring, the bad bbl. spring might be a little weaker than the other 44RM pushing it with my finger. My serial number is 323###.

I looked that up seems my frame is 1988.
https://www.gunandgame.com/threads/thompson-contender-manufacture-dates.164099/
Click to expand...

If you require parts, NINE35 is a good resource for both pistol and rifle parts. I have had great success with them.
 
Sounds like someone changed your bolt lock. They should be the same colour. I would try finding a new one. They may have fit it to their frame. They are easily changed. Take one off another barrel and put it in see if that fixes your problem. Dates of the barrels can be figured out by the stamps on the tangs.
 
So I looked more closely at this thing. The bbl. in question has a smaller lock, front to back. This bbl. in the gun, I can lock the bbl and than just open it without touching the trigger release. The other two bbls no way in hell. Even just squeezing the trigger opens this bbl.

Do you think I can order the correct bbl. lock, say from the source above? I would need the roll pin punch as well, don't have a punch that small. My origional plan was to sell the other 44RM bbl, it is a combo shotgun/44Mag. I wanted to get a straight 44Mag bbl.

The seller of this bbl will take it back I guess, not that happy about it I would assume.
 
Well to finish this off. I tried to contact the new S&W repair center and crickets, waited a week. They don’t answer the phone or their e-mail as near as I can tell. Good stuff. The locking lug on this barrel is 0.012” smaller than another barrel I have that causes no issues. I got really clever and thought maybe this barrel was setup for a bigger(oversized) pin but this isn’t the case as near as I can tell. My 3 barrels are close to the same with the pin. The two .44RM barrels are a touch loser but I doubt you could measure it.

So I guess this barrel is setup for an early T/C Contender and I have a later flavour.

So I had a chat with the seller on here and this barrel is going back to him as it worked fine in his gun(s). If I could have bought the correct locking lug I would have done that.

I was kind of peed off at Freedom Arms for not selling me a new barrel with out my gun in their hand (M2008). Now I think they are on the right track with that.
 
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