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Re: Contender Frames [message #30322 is a reply to message #30318] Wed, 02 April 2014 23:13 Go to previous messageGo to next message
jamesgammel is currently offline  jamesgammel
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The Angry Cougar or angry cat frames was introduced when T/C finally came out with stainless frames and barrels. it was decided that they would also change from the old and familar "crouching cougar" to The snarling cougar head. That design wasn't "new", It had been used several times in the past, usually on grip caps. The second major grip style, the "oval" used it the third (and last) variation, which was "silver", It was used again on the "magnum" or "target version" which was paired with the earliest super 14's, until 1980, again "silver". The original carbine kit buttstock used the same design, only black anodized on it's gripcap. Note that up until this time "angry cat" was visually cued with "silver" so it was kind of an automatic connection. They weren't going to have two etching patterns dependent solely on frame material, so the standard blued frrames got the same etching. We just noticed the other day, that *maybe* there was a frame internal change associated as well. Internal parts, pins, etc were not blued in the SS frames, all but just two parts were. The interlock safety and it's retaining screw. Those were still blues. It may be that that happened just with the early SS frames, Mine was an early SS#. The SS parts may not have been ready yet when the frame was assembled. I'd have to find and check a later frame to see if it stayed blue throught the series, or changed to SS.
Up until this time, interlocks had a groove as a pivot, around the shank of the retainer screw. My SS had a cylindrical boss , like an attached tube where that groove was, and the retaining screw went up thru the center of it in a cylindrical hole. Logicly that part change was simultaneous with the etching change (model change), if you needed a replacement interlock safety, rather than looking up by serial number, just saying I have an angry cougar frame would tell them which interlock saftey version you needed. Whether it was a blued or SS frame wouldn't have mattered. That was the only difference we could find in regards to internal frame parts. SS frames did get SS pins everywhere, hinge, hammer, trigger, etc. Blued kept using the old blued steel pins as they always had. The trigger guard pivot pin did get one minor addition, a shallow "groove" in the center. Whether that slight groove made a difference or mattered is another matter.
Due to the fire in 1997, the portion of the shop where blued frames were etched and blued was heavily damages. The portion of the shop where The stainless frames were handled and process escaped the severity. Post fire when they restarted operations they started etching the angry cat motif on blue frames as well.
Jim

[Updated on: Mon, 22 June 2015 21:43]

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Re: Contender Frames [message #34226 is a reply to message #30322] Tue, 25 November 2014 13:29 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Crubear is currently offline  Crubear
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Well... restored the pics, and found some more stuff

Another early add
http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy10/Crubear/Shown%20on%20Web%20Pics/Contender%20Frames/5294cd882cefb5ad3f7146e17497d229_zpsd3fcdf35.jpg

If you wondered where the Angry Cougar engraving (as opposed to etched) came from? This was a grip cap on one of the MANY grip styles TC came out with.
http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy10/Crubear/Shown%20on%20Web%20Pics/Contender%20Frames/2510761_01_tca_contender_cougar_grip_butt_640_zps4d9c7e12.jpg

TC would sell un-etched frames, called flat-sides
http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy10/Crubear/Shown%20on%20Web%20Pics/Contender%20Frames/100_0653jpg_thumbnail1_zps705014af.jpg

Close-up of the cross-pin safety. They have a bad habit of becoming difficult/impossible to set too.
http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy10/Crubear/Shown%20on%20Web%20Pics/Contender%20Frames/images_zps6c42bfb7.jpg

Early frame (front opening) with it's guts hanging out
http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy10/Crubear/Shown%20on%20Web%20Pics/Contender%20Frames/TC_Trigger_01_zps079dec24.jpg

Very early forend. These snapped onto a ball headed screw and were quickly changed to the screw on kind. The recoil quickly grew to the point that firing the pistol and reloading required the shooter to pick up and snap the forend back on. The new add at the top of this post shows you what the screws looked like.
http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy10/Crubear/Shown%20on%20Web%20Pics/Contender%20Frames/d9cc86cb-b20f-45fd-a247-6840dffbfa3e_zps5abc1ada.jpg

And finally, when TC released the Carbine conversion package they also sold carbine barrels. These are pictures of the box ends.
http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy10/Crubear/Shown%20on%20Web%20Pics/Contender%20Frames/DSC07626.jpghttp://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy10/Crubear/Shown%20on%20Web%20Pics/Contender%20Frames/DSC07627.jpg


Honestly, I have all the barrels I want or could ever need..... wait, look, there's another!!

[Updated on: Tue, 25 November 2014 13:31]

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Re: Contender Frames [message #35850 is a reply to message #34226] Mon, 19 January 2015 20:54 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Crubear is currently offline  Crubear
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Here we go, found something interesting on one of the auction sites... probably rarest of the rare.

You walk into a store and they show you an early TC Contender. It's pretty, but you've seen that beforel
http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy10/Crubear/Shown%20on%20Web%20Pics/Contender%20Frames/e8d2002c-91f6-431c-b560-117dc88155e1_zps83ec4e9e.jpg

and then you flip it over....
http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy10/Crubear/Shown%20on%20Web%20Pics/Contender%20Frames/d49e4e4a-895b-4d44-9fc9-3bf6d27b564b_zps7759c1cc.jpg

Very early on TC found that they were having to reject too many frames for imperfections in the casting process. The solution they went with was to etch (acid burn) in a design that would cover the minor cosmetic imperfections. They had two designs made, one the cougar and the other the eagle. You know which one won. Some one else will tell you that there were very few of these made (40?). Way back in the 80's there were unsubstantiated rumors (wishful thinking?) that there was at least one frame with eagles on both sides.

Either way, you will pay handsomely to add one of these to your collection.

It's worth it


Honestly, I have all the barrels I want or could ever need..... wait, look, there's another!!

[Updated on: Mon, 19 January 2015 20:57]

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Re: Contender Frames [message #41967 is a reply to message #35850] Thu, 20 October 2016 14:54 Go to previous messageGo to next message
jd_elam is currently offline  jd_elam
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I had a couple of the stainless frames at one time that had the same picture on the side, but one was etched and one was engraved. I am not sure, but seems like I was told that the fire they had had damaged the etching equipment, so they had to engrave some frames. Anyone know anything about this?

They also sold some of the stainless ones with no engraving through Fox Ridge Outfitters.

Serial Number: S300xx

index.php?t=getfile&id=7213&private=0


Serial Number: S392xx

index.php?t=getfile&id=7214&private=0


Fox Ridge Outfitters Serial Number: FRO S12xx

index.php?t=getfile&id=7215&private=0

[Updated on: Thu, 20 October 2016 15:00]

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Re: Contender Frames [message #41971 is a reply to message #41967] Thu, 20 October 2016 16:09 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Crubear is currently offline  Crubear
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Dibs on the FRO....

As far as I know the etched frames were Armour Alloy II. The etching was done to hide the minor imperfections casting always seemed to produce, thus making more frames fit for sale cosmetically. The engraving may have started after the fire, but all I heard was that it was cheaper and faster to engrave than etch.

Flatsides were an option for as long as I was aware of them at FRO - TC's Custom Shop. I always liked the looks of the flatside too


Honestly, I have all the barrels I want or could ever need..... wait, look, there's another!!
Re: Contender Frames [message #41973 is a reply to message #41971] Thu, 20 October 2016 21:21 Go to previous messageGo to next message
jd_elam is currently offline  jd_elam
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The etched one in the picture is definitely stainless. The serial number started with an S.

I have not seen too many of the FRO flatside frames.
Re: Contender Frames [message #41992 is a reply to message #41973] Mon, 24 October 2016 14:34 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Crubear is currently offline  Crubear
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Got me there (now that I see what you're talking about)

Honestly, I have all the barrels I want or could ever need..... wait, look, there's another!!
Re: Identifying Contender Frames (with pictures) [message #42030 is a reply to message #18559] Tue, 01 November 2016 21:13 Go to previous messageGo to next message
nhmikel is currently offline  nhmikel
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Anyone have pics of eagle frame?

Seeking Thompson Center items, anything TC pls pm me or nhmikel@yahoo.com
Re: Identifying Contender Frames (with pictures) [message #43262 is a reply to message #42030] Mon, 21 August 2017 11:03 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Crubear is currently offline  Crubear
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< --- I'm redoing this because the photo storage site I used change it's policies/permissions.

I will be adjusting somethings because of site limits, and others because it will work better. Some posts will be dropped and/or incorporated, but I will attribute the original poster. Thanks for your patience.


Honestly, I have all the barrels I want or could ever need..... wait, look, there's another!!
Re: Identifying Contender Frames (with pictures) [message #43263 is a reply to message #43262] Mon, 21 August 2017 11:06 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Crubear is currently offline  Crubear
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Question keeps coming up, so lets get some pics out there

Here's a very early add I found in some magazine published in 1968.
index.php?t=getfile&id=7542&private=0
Notice the scrolling on the frame.



index.php?t=getfile&id=7544&private=0
This again shows the frame with scrolling. You can also tell it's an early frame because the hammer doesn't have a safety or switch, and the trigger guard is hinged at the front.


index.php?t=getfile&id=7545&private=0
TC Then decided they could save some money if they reduced the amount of etching on the frame, so out went a bit of the scroll work from above the cougar. The hammer in this picture has the cross-bolt safety.


index.php?t=getfile&id=7547&private=0
(per James Gammel) You could buy a kit from Brownells that would let you gold wash a frame (see the add above as well). I've seen around 5 and have always liked it. So keep in mind that it's an owner applied option, not a factory option.



index.php?t=getfile&id=7548&private=0
Probably responding to Customer comments, someone figured out that you could increase the leverage and decrease the effort of opening a frame by moving the hinge in the trigger guard to the middle. These are called "Easy Open" frames. The hammer on this one has the top mounted selector switch.
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Honestly, I have all the barrels I want or could ever need..... wait, look, there's another!!

[Updated on: Mon, 21 August 2017 11:23]

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Re: Identifying Contender Frames (with pictures) [message #43264 is a reply to message #43263] Mon, 21 August 2017 12:12 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Crubear is currently offline  Crubear
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Maybe should have started with this, but... I didn't.

When T/C first started production they had intended on having nothing on the side of the frame (called a flat side). Bluing a frame is an exacting process and any variation of the steel or the process can result in a color other than the deep blue/black - it's called plum, and this shows it well. I'm most familiar with it on the trigger guard and the hammer. It is normal, but some people are particular. (I've had someone refuse a Contender because they didn't like the plum on the trigger guard. Include pictures if yours has this so there's no question).
index.php?t=getfile&id=7553&private=0


Frames though, are cast, and all castings weren't perfect. So there were a lot of culls because of small imperfections in the sides of the frame. T/C decided that instead of tossing perfectly good frames they'd increase inspection passes by doing a bit of acid etching (which James Gammel correctly pointed out is not engraving). There were two designs up for consideration, the Crouching Cougar that you're familiar with, and this.
index.php?t=getfile&id=7554&private=0

The Eagle frame is very rare, but you will see them on gun auction sites. These frames have the panther on one side and the eagle on the other. There are/were unsubstantiated rumors of a double-side eagle, but it's only been a rumor and I've been fairly positively assured (told) that it doesn't exist.



Flat sides were a Fox Ridge Custom Shop option and you will occasionally find them in both the front pin and middle pin (easy open) variety
index.php?t=getfile&id=7555&private=0


And, that being said, another option was case hardening. Which I happen to like the look of so you get to see a pic here.
index.php?t=getfile&id=7556&private=0

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Honestly, I have all the barrels I want or could ever need..... wait, look, there's another!!

[Updated on: Mon, 21 August 2017 12:18]

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Re: Identifying Contender Frames (with pictures) [message #43265 is a reply to message #43264] Mon, 21 August 2017 12:19 Go to previous messageGo to previous message
Crubear is currently offline  Crubear
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OK, I have to get some work done and there's an eclipse to watch in a bit.... more to follow. While I'm going through this your comments and corrections are appreciated. (I will be adding Jame's comments in as I get down to his correction and additions).

Honestly, I have all the barrels I want or could ever need..... wait, look, there's another!!

[Updated on: Mon, 21 August 2017 12:21]

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