That is an interesting screen shot, it appears that the gun is firing with the hammer still cocked!!!!
This may be special effects (adding the muzzle flash) but it is also possible because of the limitations of film. I have a frame of my Desert Eagle firing, with the muzzle flash, but the hammer LOOKs like it is still cocked. A close look shows the hammer is slightly blurred, and a very close look shows the film frame has a blurred and almost transparent image of the hammer half way down.
Now, as to the Contender...
Are they worth it? Do they eject the spent casing out or do you have to pick it out?
Contenders EXTRACT the fired case. They do not eject it.
Are they worth it? That is a personal judgment call.
I ignored the Contender for about 30 years, after all it was "only" a single shot!
Then, mostly out of idle curiosity, I handled one at a shop. The trigger was GREAT! Light, crisp, no creep, nor overtravel. I decided I had to try one of them. It is real eye-opener. Contenders just flat SHOOT!!!
And, its a humbling thing, when you get taught that your offhand shooting isn't as good as you thought it was!
About no one can shoot the 14" well, offhand, and even with the 10", most folks can't shoot up to its potential offhand. The gun shines off a rest, accuracy is phenomenal for a handgun.
I've found a great deal of fun shooting 6" barrel Contenders. 6" barrels are rare, but quite shootable offhand, the Contender is actually lighter than an N frame revolver. And, there is just something about the short barrel that, to me, yells "ARRRR!!! Repel Boarders!!!!" in a modern way..
The Barrel Acquisition Disease is a real thing, and most of us fall victim to it, given time. For me, it finally went away as a strong desire, but if I find a barrel in .32acp, I would buy it.
One of the things I found I loved about the Contender was the fact that I could get barrels in nearly every caliber handgun I already owned, and some rifle calibers, too.
My "main" frame wears the Pachmyr stock set, and I have barrels for..
.22LR 10"
.22 Hornet 10" scoped
.222 Rem 10" scoped
.30-30 Win 14"
9mm Luger 6"
.357 Mag 6' & 10"
.44 Mag 10"
.45 Colt/.410 10"
.45 Colt (only) 10"
.45 Win Mag 14"
.45-70 14" Red Dot sight
I'd show you pictures, but Photobucket has stolen them
The Contender does take a bit of strength to open. You need to squeeze pretty hard. A G2 seems to fall open, compared to the Contender. Also, the Contender needs the action opened and shut before it can be re-cocked. The G2 does not. I've handled a G2, never shot one.
All Contender barrels are supposed to fit the G2 frame. The reverse is not true.
Until you get to the 14" barrels, Contenders, while larger overall, are LIGHTER than 6" S&W N frame guns. Recoil is ...rather noticeable in larger calibers.
The first time I fired my 10" octagon barrel .44 Mag at the range, I said a bad word out loud!!! It REALLY jumps!!! (pencil slim barrel, no muzzle brake)
My 14" .45-70 is much heavier and has a brake, so it jumps much less in comparision, though the recoil is ...stout.
One friend, after watching me shoot it, and even shoot it off hand, wanted a try. He wacked himself in the nose with the red dot sight!!! It bled a fair bit, and we had a good laugh. He said "I locked my wrists, but forgot to lock my elbows!!" He did hit the target. After we got the bleeding stopped, he tried again, and hit the target again, without the gun hitting him!
When shooting heavy recoiling rounds, you really need to hang on to a Contender!
If you want a real challenge, get a .22LR and shoot old style bullseye, off hand, with your off hand in your back pocket!
Contenders aren't good combat guns, unless your enemy is armed with a flintlock. They don't CCW very well. They aren't repeaters. They aren't what most people want as a defensive handgun. And they were never meant to be.
They are a sporting handgun, for plinking, target and hunting use. And, they do it pretty well. REALY WELL in some cases.
The .410 is an absolute rat wrecker in the old barnyard.
My 9mm shoots tighter groups than any semi auto 9mm I've ever seen.
Contenders can handle loads heavier than some revolvers. That strength is not limitless, of course, but you will find heavier loading data for the contender in some calibers if you look in the right places.
Contenders are about shooting, putting ONE shot exactly where you want it to go. They can shoot on a par with a decent bolt action rifle, and better than some. Depending on the caliber, you've got up to a couple hundred yards range, and if you're good enough, more.
Contenders are for sport. For recreation. Don't compare them to service pistols, even when they shoot the same rounds.
IF you haven't guessed by now, I really like my Contenders. They're FUN.
And, if you're looking for another Contender onscreen, check out VanDamme's
HARD TARGET. The bad guy uses one (unrealistically, of course) but he does use one. The music is really good, though...