Are Contenders a dying pastime?

[tred1956]

Try this link:

Encore Barrels | bullberry

Offering over 200 guaranteed accurate calibers, custom built for the Encore, ProHunter and Endeavor frames to suit your project.

www.bullberrylegacy.com

 

[Longtine88]

crap that worked. thanks tred

 

[KYODE]

Yep. Bullberry site was down today. Working this eve.

 

[selmerfan]

Well maybe not in the past. This thread peaked my interest once more. So much so, 28 years ago I had Bullberry make me a sweet 16" bull barrel encore with really nice wood. It was so slick. Sold it after I started shooting long range. So I thought last night, you know I'm calling Bullberry tomorrow and I'm going to get them to make me another one. Well crap........when did they go out of business????? I tried to go to their website 5 times thinking it was a mistake.

So question to the TC guys......who's the go to for making custom TC encore rifles?????

If you just want the barrel, MGM is the place to go. At least in my opinion.

 

[crazymonkey]

Contenders will get you some looks and a few what is that at the range.Ive got 2 one as a pistol that came with 4 barrels super14 in 44 mag and 223 also a super fun 10 inch 357 harret and a 22lr .Picked it up with the barrels for $600 bucks otd.The other is a stainless set up as a rifle in 223.I get a lot of questions when I bring them out along with my striker in 22-250 it's got to be the loudest thing I've shot.

 

[rickiesrevenge]

Contenders aint dying.... they're stone dead! I know there are a few companies still making barrels for them. But they're dead

 

[comfisherman]

Had a Christmas party and as is often the case all the husband's ended up downstairs huddled around the safe playing big boy show and tell.

Out comes a contender, fellow had recently inherited from a old fellow who died last year with no kids and the niece had tracked him down as in high school he had a fascination with them and had shot with the old guy and his dad. That marks the second time this year I've personally known of a tc transfer because of death...

It was fairly well received and guys all exclaimed "that would be handy to have strapped to the pack". But the excitement seemed to fade when the question of "where do you get these?" Turned into a long explanation of gunbroker, gun shows or other online shops.

To put it into perspective a rimx and 60 degree curtis were also passed around, those ended up correlating to a sale. At least one curtis and rimx sold because of that evening of show and tell. Conversation evolved to who's favorite stocking dealer to use, and who is the least sketch cheap ffl in town.

Reality is pastimes continue with availability and recruitment... the opposite is true of the contenders and encodes.

They aren't dead per say, but it's probably gonna take someone dying to find one...

 

[Buttermilk]

The other thing is they are guaranteed for ever, no questions asked.
Tom

While they do have a lifetime warranty, S&W has has ceased production of all T/C products. They're looking to sell T/C and so far no takers unless there have been recent developments. It will be I teresti g to see how the "warranty" plays out.

If I were looking for barrels, my personal choice based on my own experience, would be SSK.

 

[KYODE]

Well….they are no more dead than an xp100.

 

[rickiesrevenge]

Agreed, XP-100's are also dead. Though there are several companies making rear grip bolt pistols. I think they are mostly trying to get around the SBR rules. Its a niche thing, will never be main stream to shoot or hunt with SP's of any kind. Doesn't mean I'm going back to long guns

 

[flyin lizard]

35 Rem double From last year with Covid at the time.

Had a 35 rem. Sent to out ssk to be rechambered to 358 jdj, shot a lot of deer with it.

 

[Ernie]

Agreed, XP-100's are also dead. Though there are several companies making rear grip bolt pistols. I think they are mostly trying to get around the SBR rules. Its a niche thing, will never be main stream to shoot or hunt with SP's of any kind. Doesn't mean I'm going back to long guns

Agreed.
The only company I know that is not trying to get around the SBR stuff would be Kauger Arms...There might be others.

 

[comfisherman]

Whatever happened to all the center grip bluster from nosler?

 

[rickiesrevenge]

Nosler still makes those pistols. I've never used one just held one for a minute or two. I cannot get past the chassis. Don't care for ar grips at all. But it's cheaper than building an xp even if you don't pay for machining