Cal. 22 LR. S# 3165. Bbl. rare 8 3/4" octagon having early short rear sight, "ROCHESTER N. H." address, permanently attached Patridge blade front sight and Bonanza gold filled markings. Mfg. second half of 1968 (1967-2000) with photo engraved Puma on each side of the receiver. Unusual in that the nicely figured checkered grip has a slight thumb rest for left handed use; rectangular pewter grip cap with engraved initials of "W" over "H". Hammer of first style with firing pin selector activated via screwdriver at face of hammer; later models had a hand selection lever on top of the hammer. First Contender was numbered 1001. Forend is checkered with schnable tip that snap installs over stud on bottom of barrel. Most barrels were 10" octagons during initial production with this length being uncommon; most of the early Contenders were shipped with rimfire barrels. UNATTACHED ACCESSORIES: 1). Very early 45 Colt 8" barrel with sights and markings like the main 22 LR barrel. Muzzle end is round with brake having 8 holes (some made with 4) and factory screw in choke designed for T/C's proprietary Hot Shot cartridges. This barrel appears to have its chamber reamed for 410 shotshells (3") as well, which was a common alteration; also done by the factory (not 410 marked). Flats of choke have marks from use of its included wrench; balance of barrel is near excellent. 2). 22 Hornet 10" barrel configured like main 22 LR barrel but without rear sight. Fitted with Lobo 1.3 power rail mounted scope and matching base. Matte finished scope exterior of multi flat design plus standard crosshair reticle. Very slight thinning of finish at muzzle with balance near excellent including scope set. 3). Later production checkered walnut grip for right handed use; missing its oval grip cap. 4). Factory walnut presentation case with shadow line interior for pistol and spare barrel. Most cases were for the 10" barrel, yet this case configured for either 8 3/4" or 10" barrel. Barrel outline is precise for its 45 Hot Shot barrel. Satin on underside of lid along with gold T/C logo plus red velvet on shadow lined base. Very faint handling marks on exterior. Near excellent interior. LH gripped pistol sits in shadow line, but would lay flat if it were the RH (or ambidextrous) variation. Missing latch key. CONDITION: grip and forend have very faint handling marks. Triggerguard has slight thinning on high edges plus normal function wear between barrel and frame. Balance of pistol is near excellent to include its 22 LR bore. (26-1752/NW). CURIO. $750-1,000.

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Shipping

19. SHIPPING: Poulins makes every attempt to ship your goods in a timely fashion. Because of the high volume of items being shipped and delays that shipping carriers deal with, please allow 2-3 weeks for your items to be delivered after all paperwork and full payment is received and applied. We do not attempt to make money on shipping but neither do we wish to lose money on shipping. The following is our shipping policy and shipping/handling/box and insurance charges.
SHIPPING CHARGES:
All shipping charges must be charged to a credit card. The shipping cost is calculated at the time the package has been prepared so we have accurate dimensions and weights. This includes the carrier shipping cost, handling insurance. Insurance is required and provided through Poulin's insurance carrier. If you have your own insurance or do not want insurance you will need to fill out a Poulin Insurance Waiver and submit it. Please be aware if you do not utilize Poulin's insurance and decide to self-insure, there is no compensation for any damage or loss.
*ASAP Orders: Are available on small quantities of 10 guns or less, however there is an additional charge of $50.00
*Hard Cases: There is a $20.00 charge for hard cases.
*Handling charges: Handguns are $8.00 per gun. Longarms are $15.00 per gun. Miscellaneous items and larger Class III items will vary depending on material used and time it takes to package. Labor rate is $30.00 an hour on these other items.
*Insurance Charges: A rate of $8 for the first $800 and 95 cents PER each $100.00 after $800. This covers the Hammer & Buyers Premium only. This does not include shipping, nor does it include what you expected to get for the item if resold.
*Shipping cost: Carrier cost plus all firearms (including antiques) are shipped with adult signature required. Any item(s) shipped with a value of $1000.00 and up is shipped with signature required.
*Boxes: $7.50 per box used in your shipment. No charge if it is a free box supplied by the carrier. (We do not carry all box sizes from these carriers, only generally sized ones).
POLICIES:
*Multiple winning bids will be combined to save buyer money.
*We reserve the right to not ship an item if we feel that it is too fragile or bulky to be done safely. (i.e. Bronzes, frames, delicate and/or oversized items, etc.)
*Poulins will not pack or ship anything that consists of a frame with glass or mirror. We recommend using a company that specializes in handling these types of items, such as Sure Express or a similar company. Prior to the release of the items, it is required that a Poulin insurance waiver be signed by the customer and it would be understood that insurance on said shipment is the sole responsibility of the customer and or the specialized company they choose to handle their shipment.
*We are happy to assist you in your shipping needs. Please understand that we will try to expedite your shipment when requested, but we make no guarantee that it can be completed in such a time frame as you may request or in the manner that you may request.
5/7/26

by Poulin Antiques & Auctions
May 28, 2026 10:00 AM EDT
199 Skowhegan Road
Fairfield, ME, US 04937

Poulin Antiques & Auctions

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000