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Early Contender issue
bpost
Member Posts: 32,669 ✭✭✭✭
This Contender shoots great but is hard to open up. It appears that if you wiggle the hammer back a bit after firing and pull HARD on the lever it will eventually open. Can anyone help me figure out what I need to do to fix this issue?
Comments
Long ago I had the early ones. I believe the yare solid lugs and when they changed they went to split ligs for easier open. It's the nature of the early ones as far as being "hard" to open, imo only and no expert.
I had the same issue with my early Contender. It has been quite a few years, but IIRC a little careful work with a honing stone did the job.
Thanks for both responses. Where do I carefully apply the stone? There are a lot of mating surfaces in that contraption.
It's been more than 30 years, will have to take a look and try to remember what I did.
On the schematic, the spring loaded part in a slot under the chamber is named BOLT and functions as the lockup catch. The protruding top surface of this part had machining marks which I smoothed out just enough to enable easier opening. Work front to back rather than side to side, being careful not to change the angle or round off edges. There is quite a bit of pressure on this surface on lockup, an EP lube on this part might be of use. Hope this helps…..
Might be Bellm T/C or EA Brown, but there's a simple device that attaches to the Contender trigger guard that gives you more leverage to open up the action. I switched over to the newer model "easy open" a few years back - before S&W botched up the whole line.
The interaction between the locking bolt and angled front of the trigger guard legs is what opens the action. Smoothing the mating surfaces would help. IIRC though the trigger guard is aluminum and the locking bolt bosses are steel.
This is an early Contender with the cougar engraving. The trigger guard is stainless steel not aluminum. I CAREFULLY hard stoned some mating surfaces but the issue remains. I may have to find a Contender expert to send it to and have it fixed.