"GOOD SHOOTERS"

[Spcwolf]

Unless there is something wrong with the barrel I think the thing that makes most guns shoot poorly is the trigger. My S&W .380 Bodyguard has a trigger pull so heavy that my Brownells trigger gauge doesn't read that high. Also kicks like a small mule. Can't hit shit with it. I am reasonable with other guns although old eyes don't help.

I owned a s&w bodyguard a while back.
The gun was just bad. It wasn’t accurate, and for whatever reason it jammed often.

I sold it.

a few years later I bought another one.
It’s accurate, and doesn’t jam.

it’s just a 300$ gun, I guess I can’t expect a whole lot out of it.

 

[striker55]

I owned a s&w bodyguard a while back.
The gun was just bad. It wasn’t accurate, and for whatever reason it jammed often.

I sold it.

a few years later I bought another one.
It’s accurate, and doesn’t jam.

it’s just a 300$ gun, I guess I can’t expect a whole lot out of it.

I have an inexpensive Bersa .380 that shoot's great.

 

[Spcwolf]

I have an inexpensive Bersa .380 that shoot's great.

Glad you got good one.

I am a big fan of s&w firearms.
I got revolvers made around 1900 that still function and shoot. Legacy thing and all.

 

[benenglish]

1st-2nd gen T/C Contenders.

You had to know I couldn't resist.

• 1st-2nd gen T/Cs had lousy lockups that were known to spring open on firing. Some competitors actually set up their guns to do so in order to save time on the firing line but, frankly, I never wanted to stand behind an auto-eject single shot. (I'll never forget that guy from New Mexico with the giant forearm on his Super 14 in .30-30. The weight out front and his stout loads meant that his empties were automatically thrown into a pile just over his shoulder. People used to stand around saying "Isn't that neat?" while I wondered "Isn't that idiotically dangerous?")
• Accuracy was far, far worse than their reputation because nearly all of them would string vertically. Early competitors with them in silhouette shooting often cheated by using oversize hinge pins to try to get some sort of more consistent lock-up. The later split locking lug helped but didn't fix the problem and seemed mainly designed to improve the force required to open them.
• For years, the rear sights were so sloppy that you had to pinch the sides of the base with pliers to get any semblance of windage consistency.
• Early hammer spurs broke off if you dry-fired much.
• I've seen firing pins and hammer noses fall out on the firing line.
• The first pattern grips were not designed for human hands and, under serious recoil, were damn painful.

I have great respect for the gunsmiths, true artists like Juenke, who could take those pieces of crap and turn them into works of functional art. In fact, I'd love to have a slightly updated 1st gen with the slim, octagon barrel, in .22LR. That would be a really fun gun. But let's face it, early stock TCs were garbage. The problems weren't solved until they were completely re-designed into the G2 version.

No disrespect is intended. I know there are devout T/C lovers out there who won a bazillion trophies with them and think they're the bee's knees. Those people aren't wrong. They had good experiences with their T/Cs.

It's just my opinion that those people were really, really lucky to get above-average samples. The ones I had were all from the other end of the spectrum.

 

[Lonesome Dove]

You had to know I couldn't resist.

• 1st-2nd gen T/Cs had lousy lockups that were known to spring open on firing. Some competitors actually set up their guns to do so in order to save time on the firing line but, frankly, I never wanted to stand behind an auto-eject single shot. (I'll never forget that guy from New Mexico with the giant forearm on his Super 14 in .30-30. The weight out front and his stout loads meant that his empties were automatically thrown into a pile just over his shoulder. People used to stand around saying "Isn't that neat?" while I wondered "Isn't that idiotically dangerous?")
• Accuracy was far, far worse than their reputation because nearly all of them would string vertically. Early competitors with them in silhouette shooting often cheated by using oversize hinge pins to try to get some sort of more consistent lock-up. The later split locking lug helped but didn't fix the problem and seemed mainly designed to improve the force required to open them.
• For years, the rear sights were so sloppy that you had to pinch the sides of the base with pliers to get any semblance of windage consistency.
• Early hammer spurs broke off if you dry-fired much.
• I've seen firing pins and hammer noses fall out on the firing line.
• The first pattern grips were not designed for human hands and, under serious recoil, were damn painful.

I have great respect for the gunsmiths, true artists like Juenke, who could take those pieces of crap and turn them into works of functional art. In fact, I'd love to have a slightly updated 1st gen with the slim, octagon barrel, in .22LR. That would be a really fun gun. But let's face it, early stock TCs were garbage. The problems weren't solved until they were completely re-designed into the G2 version.

No disrespect is intended. I know there are devout T/C lovers out there who won a bazillion trophies with them and think they're the bee's knees. Those people aren't wrong. They had good experiences with their T/Cs.

It's just my opinion that those people were really, really lucky to get above-average samples. The ones I had were all from the other end of the spectrum.

Never had a problem with any of mine. Shooter of T/C in 13 calibers since the 70s

 

[Tonyt915]

I always wanted a FN Five Seven. So I bought one new several months ago, went to the range and at 15 yards it was all over the place. Tried different ammo and even let a friend try and still couldn’t get a tight group. Kept reading that you have to relearn your grip because of the recoil. Sold it off and then about a month ago I found one in FDE and decided to try again. This one groups much better

 

[Axxe55]

I have a few friends that own and shoot the T/G Contender pistols. I enjoy shooting them as they are a very interesting pistol. I like that it's available in just about any cartridge ever made. I just never really desired one enough to own one.

 

[benenglish]

Never had a problem with any of mine. Shooter of T/C in 13 calibers since the 70s

Since well before you joined the forum, it's been kind of a running joke on TGT how much I hate Contenders and how much other members, mostly silhouette shooters from the 1970s, love 'em. We like to poke fun at each other. No offense intended.

 

[striker55]

Since well before you joined the forum, it's been kind of a running joke on TGT how much I hate Contenders and how much other members, mostly silhouette shooters from the 1970s, love 'em. We like to poke fun at each other. No offense intended.

Silhouette shooter from the 80's, had T/C in .357 maximum, didn't want to deal with bottleneck cartridges at the time also had a bull barrel .22