locking bolt questions with 4 digit frame

[ralfus]

I recently bought my first Contender, it is a 4 digit frame only that was in storage for maybe 15 years and suffered some minor rust issues and I am refinishing it now and it's in pieces. It has the hammer upgrade. The previous user is not available to answer any questions. I have acquired two barrels for it and both have split locking bolts.

I searched this forum and see differing info that the barrels may not fit and some say it will. I have seen that an upgrade may be needed by TC for $55ish.

I wont have it assembled for maybe two weeks to figure out if the barrels will work.

Whats the real story on lug interchangeability?

[Keith L]

The only Contender barrel that I know of that won't work on any Contender is the muzzleloader barrel made for the G2.  Split bolts work on any series Contender.  I have had to polish the bolts to get barrels to lock up.  You can also get different sized ones from TC to fit.

In the past TC has refinished two of my guns for me at no cost.  Perhaps if you contacted them they would refinish your gun and fit your barrels for you.

[ralfus]

Thanks for the info. I do Duracoating and parkerizing and enjoy beater projects. Mechanically it is fine but it was stored in a vinyl case and collected moisture. It will have the same appearance as Armalloy when done with stainless duracoat.

I'm hoping to avoid any surprises when putting it back together.

[RonF]

I think you may just have to wait and see, and you may have to polish the lugs.  I have two four digit frames, and one works with split lug barrels but the other does not.  It locks, but won't unlock.  I'm not into polishing lugs, so I just use barrels I know work on each frame. YMMV

RonF