Thompson/Center Super 14 Contender

The Super 14 Contender is the most recognizable single-shot pistol produced by Thompson/Center Arms. The Thomspon/Centre single-shot pistol has been in existence since the late 1960s and has proved a very successful design. It has been made available in almost every possible caliber at various times; the company is a small one and staffed by practical men who, if they see a trend, can rapidly produce barrels to suit.

Design

Thus in the days when .17 caliber was all the rage, they produced several .17 chamberings, and when the fashion died away they abandoned them. It would profit us little to tabulate all the variations that have existed. The latest model, the Thompson/Center Super 14 Contender, is intended principally for silhouette shooting, though it is likely to appeal also to hunters who prefer to use handguns.

The Thompson/Center Super 14 Contender would appear to have gained its name from the combination of several powerful chamberings and a 14 in barrel; it is available in .22 LR, .222 REM, 7 mm TCU, .30-30 win, .35 Rem Maximum, .44 Magnum, 10 mm Auto and .445 Magnum.

The basic design has changed little over the years. The Super 14 Contender is still an elegant single-shot with a standing breech and a barrel which hinges down for loading. The Super 14 Contender has a new grip, designed to provide a more firm anchorage when firing heavy loads, and a nicely-shaped fore-end that is designed for a two-handed hold.

The foresight is a blade, while the rear sight can be had in two forms, open notch or aperture, both fully adjustable for elevation and windage. The long and heavy barrel gives good balance and a long sight base so that the Super 14 Contender is certainly capable of as much accuracy as the shooter is likely to bring to it. Fired from a rest at 50 yards, groups between three and four inches are easily obtainable, though some care should be taken in selecting the ammunition.

Technical specifications: Thompson/Center Super 14 Contender