Thompson Contender Hot Shot Loads

slasher2019

I have 2 Contender Hot shot barrels, 1-.357 mag, the other 1-.44 mag.
I have not seen Hot Shot ammo for years. Does anyone know if you can buy the components to reload?

Thanks.

richbug

I have a box of the TC 357's here. I saw some on the shelf of a local shop 10 years ago, but not since.

You could certainly load them using the Speer capsules, which would get you shooting those barrels again. Disadvantage is the Speer capsules don't hold nearly as much shot as the TC ones did.

b0400879

Both are long out of print.
In fact - almost "relic" status.
Time to substitute, improvise or create some ersatz capsules

elubsme

I got lucky about a year ago & picked up 3 boxes of capsules & 4 boxes of loaded .44 hot shots. That was at our pee wee show here in Susanville, took maybe 1/2 hour to see everything!! Ed

reddnek

I've got a box and a half of the 44 hot shots

beltfed

Hello I have two boxes of 357, one has 15, one has twenty. and a box with 24, 44 cal shot capsules. Shoot me a e-mail. Thank you and best regards John H.

GUNFUNCO

I talked to one of the guys at T/C a few years ago. What I recall of our conversation went something like this.

Thompson Center used to market not only the ammo but also the loaded capsules for those that reload.

He told me that although the Hot Shot cartridges were much better than the speer capsules because they could hold more shot, since they came out with the 45 colt/410 barrels, demand had really dropped off for them so they discontinued them.

He told me that because they couldn't be used in most other guns (like revolvers, since they would stick out the end of the cylinder, preventing the revolver from being closed) the speer capsules were more popular with more people.

He told me the hot shots were not especially hard to make and did say that if there was enough interest (meaning reasonable profit) then Thompson Center could probably produce them again but since the demand had dropped off, they just decided to phase them out.

SO....

If enough of us get together and tell the industry that we want these kind of things, it is possible to see them again. Some people are not aware but a company or two has started making 5mm rimfire ammo again because there was a reasonable demand for it.

The old Remington rifles and Thompson Center Contenders that used this obsolete 5mm ammo can now be fired again.

If you Contender owners want Hot Shots again, your best bet is to start letting T/C know.

Call, write letters, etc or maybe some enterprising person could make up something similar and create a niche market for themselves.

There are a LOT of those old barrels floating around.

It can't be all that difficult to manufacture. I know I would buy some if they were halfway reasonably priced.

Woodsmanlw

I have probably 100 or so of these. Send me an email if you would like to get some. Regards.

oldgunman

Keep watching the gunbroker auctions. I sold some awhile back here and I do see them here every now and then. They're not bringing big prices so you can get them pretty resonable. Just takes time looking but it pays off.

charliemeyer007

I still see both sizes of factory ammo at the gunshow. I had a 44 with the internal choke. Sold that pistol, but it was a good grouse getter. I really like the 44 capsules in my 458. I bush them out with a .410 plastic wad. Excellent pattern and makes a Super .410 out of my 458 based on the 350 Rem Mag. 9 grouse 7 shots. 2 pair of doubles on the ground, the rest on the wing. Haven't seen any capsules lately, so am working on cut off .410's roll crimped on both end. Results look promising. Ah another project to complete.

armilite

Got a full box of ones for a .44 mag.