Tech Force Contender 89
Tech Force 89
The newest series of guns from Tech Force has arrived on American shores, and this Chinese-made powerhouse compares very nicely with many European models. At 46” long and weighing in around 7.5 pounds, it is a full-size airgun meant for the adult shooter. Click here to view product details and pricing.
Fit and Finish
Below you see the Contender 89 to the right of the RWS 350. Notice the checkering is comparable in quality and placement on the gun, with the RWS 350 being the longer of the two guns by about an inch. It sports a very nice hardwood stock that really fills the hand of the shooter. A nice rubber buttpad with an excellent fit finishes off the attractive hardwood stock.
The forward stock screws are hidden behind a plastic cover that gives the appearance of a spanner screw head, but if you remove the cover, you’ll find the standard Phillips-head screw where you would normally expect it to be. Keeping these screws tight proved to be a deciding factor in gaining accuracy during the test firing.
The trigger and trigger guard are both plastic. However, I noticed in the side-by-side comparison to the RWS 350 that the 350 also sported a plastic trigger guard. The safety is located in front of the trigger, easy to reach with your trigger finger.
A well-fitting rubber buttpad adorns the rear of the gun, assisting in controlling the recoil of the magnum springer.
Shooting the Contender 89
Upon first receiving the two Contender 89’s for a test (one in .177, the other in .22), I cleaned out the barrels, removing the oil and grease used for a preservative by the manufacturer. As you can see, it is a good idea to clean the barrel before ever firing the gun. However, this isn’t just found on Chinese guns…..my Beeman R-9 had similar deposits in its barrel when I first received it.
The front and rear sights are quality metal, not the cheaper plastic affairs of years past. They are adjustable in both elevation and windage, and work very well if you choose to use the open sights.
In the event you choose to use a scope, the Tech Force 3-12x40 is an excellent choice for this gun. Tech Force scopes are built rugged, and for the money, are some of the best deals on the market today. The Contender 89 comes with a scope stop already installed which you will need to help the scope holds its grip on the scope rails. As I mentioned before, this is a powerful springer, and the scope will creep on you if you don’t fasten it down firmly. Place the scope stop behind the rear mount if possible to keep the mounts from shifting during firing.
So how does the Contender 89 fare against other high-powered spring-piston airguns? I’ve owned the RWS 48, and have fired the Gamo 1250 and RWS 350. In terms of power, the Contender ranks right up there with the two of them in ease of use and firing behavior. It takes roughly 40 pounds of effort to cock the models I tested, but the firing sequence did not have nearly the spring twang I was expecting. Rather, it was within the expectations of such a powerful airgun to my way of thinking, perhaps a little better than expected. I ran a few hundred pellets through both calibers and then proceeded to try and stay on target with a new gun that was still breaking in. The .177 quickly proved to be very accurate, but I had problems getting the .22 to like any pellet I used. I went through my mental checklist of what could be wrong….scope, ill-fitting pellets, loose stock screws….oh, that was it. I had some loose stock screws on the .22 model. Once I tightened those, the target began to look more like it was supposed to. Remember, these are guns that are still breaking in, and accuracy will improve as the parts mesh and the last imperfections are worked out.
.177 cal at 20 yards
.22 cal at 20 yards
After a couple of hundred rounds, I began to record the velocities over my chronograph. The .177 caliber shot medium weight pellets (8.3 grains) right at 1000 fps, for an energy rating of 17 fpe, with lighter pellets going even faster. The .22 caliber hit the high 700’s with 14.3 gr Crosman Premiers, yielding slightly over 18 fpe. These figures will change as the gun continues to break in, but it is plain to see that the energy is there for small game hunting and pest control.
If I were to criticize the Contender 89, it would be over the lack of an integral scope stop machined into the receiver. The scope stop supplied with the gun works, but because it also uses a clamping design, it can occasionally slip as well. Perhaps the manufacturer will address this in future upgrades to this line of airguns.
Final Thoughts
So, would I recommend this gun to the end user? With a 15” trigger pull length, this gun is not for kids or adults of smaller stature. It is a large gun, and if you are larger in build, this gun is for you. It completely fills the hands of the user, and at 7.5 pounds it's sturdy and well built. The firing behavior is pleasant right out of the box, and the more you shoot it, the more you will like it. And at half the price of the RWS 350, this gun should go far at pleasing the budget-minded shooter.
Comments
You mentioned the strong trigger pull and I'm wondering, can air rifle trigger pulls be modified at all? I have a new Crosman Quest and it seems like a fairly hefty pull.
Posted by: Jason Woodrow | March 19, 2007 11:20 AM
Jason,
Whether or not a trigger can be adjusted depends in large part on the manufacturer and the style of trigger. Rekord triggers found on the Beeman R-series guns adjust very nicely. However, many manufacturers do not provide a way for the user to make adjustments.
The triggers on the Contender 89 are adjustable, however, I did not write about that aspect as I didn't have a small enough screwdriver set to make any adjustments.
Posted by: Randy | March 20, 2007 01:38 PM
One of the nicest looking springers I've seen in a long time I'm really thinking about getting one as I was in the marker for a RWS 350 but for the money this seems to be a better deal. How well will the stock work for a lefty? It looks ambi in style like the RWS so I assume it will be fine. Thanks for the review!
-Mark
Posted by: Mark Lemm | March 20, 2007 07:57 PM
Mark,
The Contender has the cheek swell for a right handed shooter, but it isn't so drastic that a lefty couldn't use it. If you are used to making do with right-handed rifles, then you will have no problem with this stock, either.
Posted by: Randy | March 21, 2007 08:01 AM
Randy thanks for the reply one more question. If I go with a scope is the supplied muzzle break removable so I could install a third party one if I wished?
Posted by: Mark Lemm | March 21, 2007 09:53 PM
Mark,
I believe the muzzlebrake that comes from the factory is glued on, so it may be difficult to remove. ANYTHING is removeable, but I imagine you would have to apply some heat and have a means of pulling the brake off, which may take more effort than it is worth. I've not tried to remove it myself, so this is just my best guess.
Posted by: Randy | March 22, 2007 06:41 AM
Compared to guns such as the TX200 or even RX-2, how much noise does it make ? Are there other guns in the $200 category which would work better for pest control ?
Most stores I speak to say RWS guns are a step down from most HW or Air Arms guns. What's the biggest difference I'd miss for saving 1/2 the cost ?
Thanks
Posted by: Ben | April 9, 2007 12:00 PM
Looks like the Contender 89 is a nice gun. Can you comment on how loud the gun is ?
How does it compare to other Chinese guns such as the BAM40 ?
Thanks,
Ben
Posted by: Ben | April 9, 2007 08:51 PM
Ben,
RWS is an importer, and they import airguns from several different manufacturers. The Diana series are among the top-of-the-line guns they import, being made by Diana in Germany. Other RWS guns come from Spain, China, Korea, and other locals.
I personally would rate the Diana RWS guns just under the HW guns. They are both very well-made, but the HW guns have a slight edge in finish and blueing in my book. And the triggers are wonderful on the HW guns. That is a personal opinion, and I have several Diana guns on my list that I am going to be acquiring in the near future.
The other guns in the $200 range that would be excellent for pest control would be the Diana 34 model and its near-cousins.
Posted by: Randy | April 10, 2007 06:00 AM
Ben,
The Bam 40 is a copy of the TX-200 and has a growing reputation as a really nice gun. I rank the Contender 89 higher in power than the B40 based only on what I've read. I've not had the chance to compare side-by-side the two guns, one against the other.
In your other post, you asked about the noise the Model 89 makes. It is a robust power-plant for a spring gun, so it makes a louder mechanical sound than some others. However, there isn't the "pow" that you get from a PCP or CO2 gun....the sound is different.
Posted by: Randy | April 10, 2007 06:32 AM
It's been 2 days after receiving the 89 with the 3-12x42 scope. I am new to this but I am somewhat surprised that the zero seems to change after adjusting the zoom factor.
I only have 10yards available to practice so thats the range that I zeroed the scope to.
After changing the zoom the shots moved by an inch no less.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Yuriy
Posted by: Yuriy | April 25, 2007 04:26 PM
Yuriy,
Here is a demo that might help explain how a scope works and why your point of impact changes when you adjust the magnification.
http://www.arld1.com/
Take a look at Demo #3 on the scope demos.
Posted by: Randy | May 6, 2007 10:33 AM
hey there , well i bought the TF89 couple of days ago..and im really surprised of the power of this rifle, bume came with fiber optic sights installed from the factory.. but the scope stop won't hold in it's place! it keeps on jumping arround and so does my mount and scope.. any ideas about how will i fix that mount and scope?.. i really wish that it have HOLES for the stopper pins in the dovetail rail.. but it is really a great rifle! i love it!
thanks for the help.
Posted by: John | September 27, 2007 08:40 AM
I own a Contender 89 .177 clone which is the exact same air rifle but without the checkering. I have ordered the Tech Force Contender Series® Model 89 .22
With that said I must say that the review is on this air rifle is right on the money. I have tested, shot over 1000 rounds and did a complete lube and debur tune on the clone I own.
It truly is a magnum air rifle and very accurate indeed. The cocking pressure is as the writer said, at least 35 to 40 lbs. The trigger however is the best part. You can adjust this trigger and if you pull the gun down and finely polish all the surfaces and lube the trigger you will be amazed at the difference. No creeping and just a good two stage trigger that clearly beats most of the average air rifles sold in the $300.00 dollar range. The metal finish is above average and the wood is very nice with a beautiful dark stain with red highlights. My clone has no checkering and I can hardly wait to hold my new Tech Force Contender Series® Model 89.22. The .22 should make for a great small game hunting rifle. Compared to the RWS 350 in power, they are in the same range but the Tech Force Contender Series® Model 89 is half the price.. Now that makes me happy..
To sum this up the Contender 89 will be a valuable addition to my already 24 springers that I own now.
Gene
Posted by: Gene Curtis | November 30, 2007 07:33 PM
I'm totally new to this but only have one question. Can you put a silencer (terminology?) on the Tech Force Contender 89?
Posted by: Neville | December 18, 2007 12:07 PM
Neville,
Silencers don't work well on springers, though they do have a small effect. Most of the noise from a springer comes from the mechanical action. I normally don't bother trying to quiet down a springer other than having the internals lubed and tuned.
Posted by: Randy Mitchell | January 17, 2008 07:39 AM
What are the best pellets to use for the .22 caliber?
Posted by: Josh | May 11, 2008 06:46 AM