G1 Stainless carbine

gmd1950 · #1 01-13-2021, 07:15 PM

Went by the LGS looking for a couple of items, while there checked out the new and used rimfire, a couple got my attention. A Remington 541-s in good condition with a Leupold 2-7x scope and a T/C G1 Stainless carbine in .22lr. Rifle's price was reasonable for it appearance but we couldn't get the bolt more than 1/2 open. Told them if they could get it right I'd take it, the Contender was priced at $285 and was in very good condition. The T/C came home with me as I believe that's a better than fair price and I'd been looking for a G1 or G2 for a while, now to start looking for some barrels.

If I'm wrong about the price let me know, I've paid too much for a rifle before.

WadeMod · #2 01-13-2021, 07:46 PM

I'm ENVIOUS even at double the price.

staff3704 · #3 01-13-2021, 08:08 PM

Looks like my match pistol barrel only longer. That is a good price. Looks nice.

Rimfiregal · #4 01-13-2021, 08:26 PM

You did great, Gerald. That's a $450 rig in our area in normal times. Enjoy.

Note that if you go hunting for more barrels for your carbine, there were different bolt and hole spacings on the barrels for mounting the forearms over the years. All the barrels will mount to the frame, but depending on the barrel, you may have to go hunting for the right forearm. This is especially true if you want to use a Super 16 barrel (and you legally can). Early vintage barrels used one bolt, later ones used two bolts and took a Super 14 forearm and the true 21" carbine barrels, which you have with that one used a longer two bolt carbine spacing. The current G2 23" rifle barrels have a larger diameter, so those will also need their own rifle forearms (carbine forearms are insetted too narrow). Anyway, just a heads up if you go shopping for another barrel and are buying without being able to see the barrel.

If you want to go with a walnut stock, original Contender walnut carbine stocks bring big money (you can't use G2 butt stocks) and a weak point was the wrist on the buttstock, so be sure to check for cracks and/or repairs. Some of these had some beautiful wood, by the way. Composite stocks like yours had no such issues.

The stainless Contenders came late in the original Contender production. Those would be 90s vintage Contenders, just prior to the current G2.

The 22 LR Match barrels came in blue and stainless and can be amazingly accurate. These will be stamped Match. Regular 22 LR barrels will not.

Just holler if you have any questions.

wproct · #5 01-13-2021, 08:51 PM

Gerald, you are on a roll. You better go buy a lottery ticket!

You already know it, you did very well.

'ol shooter · #6 01-14-2021, 12:42 AM

You stole that one buddy.

gmd1950 · #7 01-14-2021, 07:04 AM

RimfireGal, as always great info, 15 years ago I had three frame (all G1) and six or seven barrels, sold them all off as I migrated into other lines of interest. Wish I had them all back now. We'll see what barrels I come across, have dies and some brass for the 7x30 Waters, .357 Maximum (couple of hundred loaded rounds of this). 30-30, .44 mag, .22 Hornet, .22 Match. Doubt I go that far with this one, as I recall the G2 barrels will work but with the Caviats you mentioned.

Arrowhead · #8 01-14-2021, 10:33 AM

$450-$500 would get you that rig around here, if one ever came along, that is. Contenders of any kind are few and far between. I would have grabbed it as fast as a duck would a junebug.

Rimfiregal · #9 01-14-2021, 11:04 AM

Gerald, a few years back we sold our extensive Contender/Encore collection. We couldn't shoot it all on a regular basis and were also into other types of shooting at the time. When we got an outstanding offer for the whole collection, we sold it to some friends who worked gun shows, selling Contender to the public. We figured it was time to let others enjoy it all.

gmd1950 · #10 01-14-2021, 12:27 PM

I have an Encore that came to me from a friends estate with a .243 barrel on it and some of the best T/C factory wood I've seen, it now has a .17wsm MGM barrel on it.

.243

.17wsm

wproct · #11 01-14-2021, 12:49 PM

That is some beautiful wood Gerald! I have a similar story as Rimfiregal only on a smaller scale. I had two Stainless steel G1 Contenders, one with a 10 inch .22lr match barrel and the other with a 10 inch vent rib .410/45 LC barrel. Didn't think I shot them enough so sold them. Now I have a blued steel G1 Contender with a 10 inch heavy .22 magnum bbl and also a 10 inch vent rib .410/45 LC barrel. Still don't shoot them alot, but don't want to get rid of them, two wrongs wouldn't make a right ya know.

gmd1950 · #12 01-14-2021, 03:11 PM

I agree Sir, think these two are staying.

Rimfiregal · #13 01-14-2021, 08:44 PM

I got into Contenders in the 80s when I started shooting silhouette. (I still have an Exemplar and that one I will never sell.) These days I shoot silhouette, air gun style, on our backyard airgun range. Not quite the same, of course, but those tiny 1/10th scale airgun silhouettes can be a challenge to hit, because it's all offhand. Never a problem with ringers, though. Any hit at all sends them flying.

Flynmoose · #14 01-15-2021, 01:53 AM

That was a great buy Gerald! One thing to keep in mind, the barrels multiply like rabbits.. don't ask me how I know! Do enjoy the new Contender, light to carry, many calibers to try and pretty easy on ammo.
FM

eastbank · #15 01-16-2021, 07:57 AM

congrats on that super buy. i have two G2 rifes, a 7x30 waters 21" barrel in blue syn stock and a .375 JDJ 24" blue barrel" wood and two encore rifles, a 308 blue 24" barrel syn stock and a 45-70 blue 24" barrel wood. they all shoot moa or better, the one i like the best is the .375 jdj. a 220 gr hornady bullet at 2300 fps is a sure deer killer.