I have read and been told about the Contender "easy opening" of later models. Does anyone here have an easy opener and of so, how much easier is it and is there a way to spot one by just looking at it?

Easy open contenders have the pin above the trigger. Non easy opens have the trigger pin in the front of the frame

Are they really that much easier to open. The older one I had took quite a bit of squeezing to open.

The pre-easy open do take a good bit of force to open, but nothing crazy. the easy open ones are quite easy in my opinion. In general the triggers feel better on the early non-easy open models, so it's a trade off. I wouldn't let it stop me from picking up a good deal on one. now that SSK is making new frames I would be inclined to just get one from them. they're selling for less than you often see used frames go for online ($399) but you do have to backorder them and get on the wait list if you want one.

SSK web site, I am guessing, right? How long is the waiting list?

I think SSK only sells wholesale to FFL's, frames are backorderable from a few places, these are the two cheapest that I know of

https://www.hausofarms.com/SSK-50-FRAMES_c_2185.html

https://bellmtcs.com/ssk50flat



EA Brown also lists them as back orderable but charges $20+ more than the others.
https://eabco.com/shop-by-model/tc-contender/tc-contender-frames/


Edit to add, looks like Modway is IN STOCK on the flat side ones for $425 if you don't want to wait.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1026488950?pid=222663