John Taffin T/C Contender 10” .256 Win. mag Single Shot Pistol & Scope C&R
SOLD FOR: $1,126.01
LSB#: LSB260521SS072
Make: Thompson Center
Model: Contender
Serial Number: 41277
Year of Manufacture: 1975 / C&R
Caliber: .256 Winchester Magnum
Action Type: Break Action, Single Shot, Hammer Fired Pistol.
Markings: The barrel is marked with T/C address and its respective caliber. The frame is marked with the serial number, “41277” and the T/C Mountain Lion scene on both sides.
Barrel Length: 10”
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a blade pinned atop a serrated ramped base screwed to the barrel. The rear of the barrel has a picatinny rail with a Burris 4x mounted to it. The scope is in Good condition.
Stock Configuration & Condition: This pistol has a two-piece smooth walnut set with a Herrett style forend, and pistol grip with a soft rubber backstrap. There are light scratches and pressure dents throughout. There are no chips or cracks. Overall the stock set rates in Very Good condition.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is sharp. There is no erosion in the bore, but there is some heavy stubborn fouling throughout. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates at a 7/10.
Overall Condition: This handgun retains about 98% of its metal finish. There are light scratches and handling marks throughout with rub wear on the barrel from the frame. The action has light wear. The screw heads are sharp, and the pins are undamaged. Overall, this Contender rates about Excellent condition.
Mechanics: The action functions as intended. We did not fire this handgun. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: John Taffin Certificate of Authenticity.
Our Assessment: The Thompson/Center Contender was introduced in 1967 and quickly became one of the most influential single-shot handgun designs ever produced. Its break-action system and easily interchangeable barrels allowed shooters to configure one frame for an extraordinary range of cartridges, helping establish the Contender as a favorite among handgun hunters, experimenters, and metallic silhouette competitors. The .256 Winchester Magnum is an especially interesting chambering for the platform. Developed by necking the .357 Magnum case down to .257 caliber, the cartridge offered a flat trajectory and high velocity that made it well suited to varmints and precision handgun shooting. Thompson/Center was among the manufacturers to chamber the cartridge in the Contender, including 10″ pistol barrels such as this example. Manufactured in approximately 1975, this pistol combines the classic early Contender frame with a 10″ .256 Winchester Magnum barrel, Herrett-style walnut furniture, and a fixed-power Burris 4x scope. Its John Taffin provenance adds another layer of interest to an already uncommon and distinctly period-correct handgun configuration. This Contender remains in Excellent overall condition, retaining approximately 98% of its original blued finish. The metal surfaces show light scratches and handling marks throughout, along with rub wear on the barrel where it interfaces with the frame and light operational wear in the action. The screw heads remain sharp, the pins are undamaged, and the markings are clear. The bore is bright with sharp rifling and no visible erosion, though heavy stubborn fouling remains throughout, rating 7/10 in this writer’s opinion. The two-piece walnut furniture consists of a Herrett-style forend and pistol grip with a soft rubber backstrap. Both pieces show light scratches and pressure dents but remain free of chips or cracks and rate in Very Good condition. The Burris 4x scope remains in Good condition and provides a period-appropriate optic for the long-barreled hunting and target configuration. Mechanically, the action functions as intended, and the pistol is accompanied by a John Taffin Certificate of Authenticity.
For collectors of Thompson/Center handguns and unusual vintage chamberings, this Contender has considerably more interest than a routine barrel-and-frame combination. The .256 Winchester Magnum never achieved broad commercial success, but its high velocity and efficient performance made it particularly well suited to the Contender’s strong, accurate single-shot platform. Period 10″ barrels in the cartridge remain closely associated with the experimental and performance-oriented handgun culture that helped make the Contender famous. The early frame, uncommon chambering, scoped hunting configuration, Herrett-style furniture, strong cosmetic condition, and documented John Taffin provenance combine to make this a distinctive example of the Contender’s remarkable versatility and its important role in the development of serious long-range sporting handguns. -R.E.