I’ve always felt the T/C Contender was grossly under-appreciated......
Times and attitudes changes, I guess. Used to be people were more serious about actually hitting their target than making noise, but even in its heyday, I think there were relatively few who appreciated it as much as it deserved. Shortly after it came out, I discovered it in some magazine or another and thought it was a neat idea, even if it did look a little futuristic. Ran the idea by the o'l man and, while he usually took the stance that anything - ANYTHING - was either pure crap or pure gold, he was lukewarm to it. I specifically remember that. My idea at the time was that it'd surely make a neat little rifle, but I got dirty looks and at least one scolding for even thinking about making one into a rifle, lest I end up in jail. This was long before TC actually did that and fought that fight.
I personally never appreciated it as a handgun. I figured I could carry five or six rounds of handgun ammo in a proper handgun, so why not carry a proper handgun AND a rifle/carbine? I shot the Contender in 41 Mag and 30 Herrett when I was younger and just did not care for it - especially in the 41 Mag, which seemed much less abusive in a revolver to me.
It really is an understated, often overlooked tool.
I've had or used all manner of guns and have been especially fond of Mauser bolt-actions, some lever-actions, a few different single-shots. As things changed in my life, I adjusted my perspective regarding need v. want and the result of a long process was that the Contender (carbine) was what I needed. Actually, not just one because I'd rather grab a whole rifle than stop and switch barrels. If something ever goes wrong with one, I can swap frames/barrels to keep the chambering I need in action. Couldn't do that with my other stuff.
Some would believe that the limitations of the action strength would pose a problem, but there are no polar bears, moose, cape buffalo here, so I'm covered with room to spare. Back to needs v. wants again, but I'm lucky that most of my actual wants center on the tamer stuff anyway.
As a utility piece - a "tool," I couldn't come up with anything better* as a "homestead gun", except that Handi Rifles would do fine too. Just couldn't get the barrels I wanted in a Handi-Rifle and several companies supply new ones for Contenders, as well as small spare parts still, so...
*Note that where one lives/hunts/defends themselves will have a profound impact on this assertion.
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