Thompson Contender G2 Suppressed Pistol project

Fun little project in the works..
TC Contender G2 with custom threaded barrels from Match Grade Machining.

I remember my dad having a set of TC pistols with various calibers when I was a kid. I don’t recall the calibers but I just thought it was so cool to have this case with several different barrels in it and how you could change calibers in a few seconds.

Since I started hunting with suppressors several years ago and idea had popped into my head numerous times out hunting. ARs, compact bolt guns, SBRs, are cool, but how cool would it be to be able to have a suppressed pistol in say 300 Blackout? The more thought about it the more I thought that if I really wanted it to be very quiet a single shot would be better than a semi auto. The idea of using a TC came into my head and I couldn’t let it go. Now, I know the gun world has been all over the 300 Blackout buzz and I have had a few and still have one Ruger compact bolt action in the safe with a 16″ barrel. My issue has been really on the actual bullet for shooting subsonic on game. There isn’t any readily available and reasonably priced ammo with bullets that are designed to expand at subsonic velocities. I have thought and discussed with people “why not just use 45 ACP?”, 230g ball ammo is available everywhere for fun and practice and the good defensive loads are designed to expand at subsonic velocities and are cheap. Add in that you can get ammo from Double Tap and Buffalo Bore in a 255g +P hardcast load and what I carry in my 1911 out hunting and things get really interesting for things like pigs. I have handgun hunted a lot and know that a 250g hardcast at 1ooo FPS will punch through the shoulders of a big pig or a buck. I thought that if you went to a longer barrel, say like an 8″ you could get some more velocity and might be able to get right under 1050 FPS. An 8″ barrel is what the 300 Blackout is designed for and so the idea of getting a barrel in each caliber came to life. Oh yeah, you can even use 45 Super ammo which will bump up the velocity.

I knew from previous research that Match Grade Machine made high quality TC barrels and offered them threaded as well.

I gave them a call and discussed my idea with Dillon the owner and he was excited because he has been thinking the same thing of doing a 45 ACP threaded barrel.

We discussed it and I ordered one of each with the 45 ACP barrel having their shorter rail on top for an Aimpoint T1 and the 300 Blackout having the longer rail to be able to mount a pistol scope on it.

I got the barrels in and inspected them closely, they appear to be very well made.

I had ordered a new Contender G2 with the stock 14″ 44 mag barrel with factory iron sights that I plan on using as well, it might get chopped and threaded at some point or left as is.

One minor glitch I ran into is the forearm stuck out past the shoulder of the threads and would interfere with the suppressor. I didn’t think about that but being that it is rubber I broke out a hacksaw and cut off about 3/8″ and problem resolved and it looks fine. If you do decide to duplicate my project bear that in mind and perhaps go 8.5″ on barrel length. You can buy replacement forearms for 25 bucks and I will probably order another one or two.

My sons were super excited about this and we can’t wait to get out to the hunting property next week.

Going to bang some steel and then go hunt!

My wife has the house all decorated for Christmas and given that our favorite family tradition is to go hunt for a 4-5 days between Christmas and New Years I thought it fitting to take the pictures on the table in the spirit!