Fair price for a Thompson Center Contender?

[smithers599]

Friend of mine died recently. Great guy, but 85 years old, and very sick the last couple of years. He had been an outdoorsman his whole life. Went hunting and fishing every chance he had. Took me on my first javelina hunt years ago; he carried a Thompson Center Contender .223.

I'd like to buy that gun from his son as a keepsake. The guy had a lot of guns, so the son might not miss this one. But if he doesn't want to sell, that's fine; I understand.

I want to offer him a fair price. What's a fair price for a Thompson Center Contender in .223?

 

[Ballistic Therapy]

Depending on what variation and condition it is.
There are four different variations.
The receiver $200 - $350 maybe.
The barrel depending on length and sights $125-$200.
If it has a scope you need to figure what it might be worth.

The .223 is a good round in a Contender.
It's my favorite round to shoot out of one.

 

[shooter444]

I think there are two fair prices.
The sellers fair price.
And the buyers fair price.

Not trying to be argumentative, I understand what you seek, but no matter what definitive reply you get here, there will always be two fair prices for everything sold/bought, imo

 

[YNOTAZ]

A lot of “if”s in the question. I have several TCs and will share what to look for.

There is a G1 & G2 frame the barrels are not always interchangeable but if all you want is the .223 then no problem. If you want to add to the TC stable later be cautious.

Check the trigger pull and the frame brake. Some of the early TC has very gritty bad triggers but that is an easy fix by a smitty. The frame brake by pulling the trigger tang is another thing. If it is tough with an empty chamber, once you shoot a hot load you might need a rubber mallet to get it open.

What is the barrel length? If it is a super 14 in .223, you can shoot any .223 load for an AR in it. If it is a 10” barrel you can still shoot anything but expect a good fireball and unburnt powder.

Other items bull barrel or standard and sights, Long eye relief scope, red dot, or iron, grips and forend wood or Pachmayr

Standard prices run from about $650-$999 There are a lot of custom items that your buddy could have added but I tried to list the standard stuff.

 

[redj]

By looking at gun brokers completed listings they seem to average anywhere from $300 to $500.
Some a little more but not by much.
There are some custom ones that do seem to go for more.
There are quite a few that are asking higher prices but most didn't sell.
What variation it is has a lot to do with what it is worth.

 

[smithers599]

Thanks all.
He had it for so long, I am assuming it is the first model they made. No modifications, but a Redfield fixed power scope, IIRC 4X.
I shot it once, years ago, and don't remember anything terrible about the trigger.
No plans to modify it or add barrels, just to own as a remembrance, maybe take it to the range now and then for a nostalgia session.
I will offer his son $600. If he takes it, fine, if not, that's fine, too. Just don't want him to think I am low-balling him.

 

[Ballistic Therapy]

I think $600 is high for a Contender , especially if it is one of the first ones.
If it is a G2 then it might be worth it. Maybe.

The first ones you changed from rimfire to center fire by using a screwdriver.
The second variation you changed from rimfire to center fire by a sliding a bolt on the hammer sideways.
The third variation you changed from rimfire to centerfire by a lever on top of the hammer.
The fourth variation is the G2. This one has no cat etching on the side. This is the best one they made.
Some of the very first variations were made without the cougar etching but you can easily tell the difference by the firing pin selector.

 

[musicman10_1]

If you want it then $600 sounds good. I might go with the approach of saying that it is probably only worth $400-500 but I'm going to offer $600 so that I can have a remembrance of a friend.

 

[AZGlock21]

I think you are being very generous by offering 600. For an older one like this it is worth more in the 400-450 range.

 

[deserttrans]

Very generous indeed!

 

[smithers599]

Well, the bottom line is the kids didn't want to sell it, at any price.
That solves that problem!