I bought another contender

[Elwood]

I bought another contender a couple of days ago. It is in imaculate shape with a 10" stainless 22lr barrel, crouching cougar easy open frame, gorgeous fingergrooved grip and forend. I took her out shooting yesterday and had to have two tries to fire each shot. The first strike would lightly mark the rim even a sucessfull hit wasnt impressed very deep.
What do you guys think? The lugs?
Elwood

[Iowa Fox]

Given the fact the firing pin is contacting the rim the lugs are locking. The first thing I would check is to make sure the chamber is clean and free from wax or fouling build up. The cartridge rim must bottom out firmly in the barrel counterbore for the cartridge case rim. All it takes is just a couple thousanths from seating and when the firing pin falls the case moves forward with friction, just enough to cushion the firing pin blow. Match chambers agrivate this issue. TCs are extremely reliable in their stock form. I have a hunch you just need a good chamber cleaning and nothing else. Or try a differnt ammo first before any mechanical repairs.

[Elwood]

Update:
I sprayed the receiver and barrel operating parts with WD-40. Took her to the range today along with another contender in 223. It worked at first but after 3 or 4 shots she went back to her fickle ways. When I put the 22 match barrel on the different frame it worked great. Then I put the 223 barrel on the new frame and it worked fine. hmmmm makes me wonder.
Elwood

[Keith L]

If it were mine I would clean off all the WD-40 with some brake parts cleaner, then really scrub the locking bolts and the parts they mate with. I would also lightly polish the bolts, then give it a try.  Let us know what happens.

[Hopalong7]

     I have a relatively small number of frames and a large number of barrels.  Each frame has a list of barrels designated to it's use.  Some few barrels are on more than one list but not many.  When I obtain a new barrel I decide which frame it is listed for.  It's not the only criteria, but how the barrel locks up with that particular frame is most primary in this decision.  When you think about how a Contender is made and how it functions, it makes sense that a particular barrel would "fit" one frame a little better than another, and it may not be the frame that said barrel came with.  With all that said I don't think I have any barrel that would not at least function on any frame, but some have that "bank vault feel" and some don't.  BTW ss or blue seldon enter the equation w/ me.
     Now to your point in particular.  I'm w/ Keith here.  Get rid of the WD-40 quick, inspect and "polish".  I give mating suffaces a rub down with 0000 industrial grade steel wool(it won't remove any desirable metal or blueing, but will address rough spots), apply a coat of Brownell's trigger job in a jar and check for fit/function.  If more is needed then it's time to be a LITTLE more aggressive.  From the sound of your case, I would also remove, clean and inspect the firing pin bushing(it is not difficult),firing pin, and spring.  Good luck!
Walt

[shot1]

I don't care what people say about what WD-40 is made of, fish oil etc. It is nothing but kerosene and paraffin and when the kerosene evaporates all you have left is paraffin and it will gum up the works. My buddy is a gunsmith and he loves for people to spray their guns down with WD-40. He makes a good living cleaning them up so they will shoot again.     

[Curtis]

I use WD-40 to run water out of stuff (what it was invented for) and as a cleaning solvent and sticky-stuff remover, but NEVER on my guns for ANY purpose.  I've seen what it turns into after the carrier evaporates.
Curtis
 
P.S.  Hopalong and Kieth are dead on.  However, Iowa Fox's statement that a firing pin strike means that it is locking up is simply in error.  A partial lockup condition WILL cause light firing pin strikes.

[Elwood]

I could see marks on the locking lugs indicating that the lockup was incomplete. The lugs seem to had already been worked over as the chamfer on the bottom is quite rounded. I cleaned and oiled the barrel and receiver up and they are working compatably now.
Thanks all for the advice
Elwood
 
 

[giddens1972]

I'll tell you another thing about WD-40...it is a penetrator.  It will penetrate your rounds if it happens to get on them and cause misfires!