Then I spotted a 6mm TCU carbine barrel for sale at a reasonable price. I have wanted one of these or a 6X45 or 6X47 etc. for a long time and just haven't been quick enough. I intend it for Target work and varmint hunting like PD's pot guts, and other vermin. I have a couple of books that list loads for it and so does Hodgdon's website but I wanted to see what everybody thought of it here or if there were some pet loads you would like to share. DW

Must not be a popular caliber? Oh well

I shoot a 7mms TCU. I really like it with 4895 and blc2.

I also would like a 6mms Tcu.


Contenders are fun, I have 5 frames and probably 20 barrels.


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I used to have a Contender pistol in 44 mag, didn't keep my interest long and it was sold off for something else.

Recently I got an encore in 7mm/08 and it has renewed my interest in these rifles. I am considering an MGM barrel for it in 22-250...then we will go from there.

I love how lightweight they are. and they are compact even with a 24-26" barrel because of the type of action. Great design.

Did you get the pistol barrel or a carbine barrel?

God Bless, Louis

Can't help you with the caliber, but one of my all-time favorite rifles is my T/C Contender carbine in .223 Rem. 5.56mm TCU ;-)

I keep it beside the deck doors in the kitchen and it has stopped many garden and chicken coop raiders in their tracks. It's also handy and light to lug around when I am working outside.

Surprisingly accurate as well.

I would need to check my notes at home but IIRC a 90 trainer and 25.5 grains of H322was a great accuracy load for me.

I just bought a 15 inch encore 357 ,rem max today want it to become a carbine .Tc carbines are awesome I.Have a tc contender carbine in 375 jdj fixing till shoot it again !

Last fall I picked up my first TCU caliber, a 14" 6.5 TCU and was able to find a Hornady die set. Only limiting factor on that barrel is a 9.75ish twist. It wouldn't stabilize a 108 Scenar, but shoots the 100 Amax really well. I was impressed with that little caliber and how well it shot. Also have a 204, 7-30 Waters, 17 Ackley Bee, 223, and 45 cal muzzleloader carbine barrels. The 7-30 Waters has worked very well for a couple of youth hunts.

In the mid 1980's I was big into the Contender, had a couple of frames and almost all of the 16" carbine barrels they made from 22LR to 45/410 and a 10" 44Mag. I'm down to one frame and three barrels now, 10" 22Mag, 10" 357 Max, and 14" 256 win mag. The 357 Max was my deer gun when I lived in Illinois. I did try the Encore for a spell, but I like the old Contender better.

Well I ended up with a carbine barrel, a home made fore end that rides the bags well and I have started out using 70 gr Sierra match. Oh I also loaded some 58 grain Barnes Varminators. I used H4198 and CCI BR primers. I have only shot it once. It shoots about like my 22 Hornet Contender also with a factory barrel right at an inch. Load development is in order but so far the fun factor is way up there. DW

Sometimes my Contenders are left alone for great amounts of time. All I have to do is pick one up again and great times are in order.

I just dug out a bag of mystery bullets from some gun show in the past. They are an 80 grain flat base soft point with exposed lead. I am in the process of loading 100 of them in TW military brass to fire form. We will see how they shoot in the next week or so if the weather ever gets decent again.

Very popular cartridge at one time but has been supplemented by the modern cases...sadly...

I wanted a .25 x 47mm at one time(I have a 10" 256 Win Contender) but the velocity bug bit me long ago so a 250 SAV AI or 25 WSSM will only satisfy that itch now in the Contender/Encore pistol/carbine platform now.

Hodgdon #26 manual has some loading data in the Silhouette section....

Bob Milek used one to take deer/antelope and published several articles in long past publications....

Lots of good info online...check out some of the small cal forums like Saubier and other varminting forums...

I keep looking for a "cheap" TCU barrel for my Contender and/or Encores, but haven't come across one cheap enough....people seem too think they are "Gold pressed Latinum" for some reason even used and abused POS's.

I used 70 gr Sierra HP's for varmints, 85/90 gr Noslers and 90 gr HP's for most other game in my various 6mm's back in the day...now I use 95 Nosler Parts for game and 55 gr for varmints.

Good Huinting