Thompson center contender question
- Thread starter bobcat93
- Start date
Check out Bellm's website for great info on T/C's. Most people run a rimmed cartridge in a break open. I have a 24".17 Ackley Bee barrel for my Encore and get 3923 fps with 13.5 grains of powder. If you go this route it may be better suited for the short barrel. The Ackley or Hornady Hornets are another great choice. Don't get me wrong I have 3-.17 FB barrels but they are 24 and 26" boltguns for the 18.5 grains of powder. JMHO and hope this helps.
That is a good point., the gun came with a 221 fireball barrel and I thought it would be a cool set if I got the 17 fireball..
There are a lot of 17cal s to choose from and the 17 look fun to reload for. Just another new target gun to play with for me. I did text bellm and have yet to receive a reply.
There are a lot of 17cal s to choose from and the 17 look fun to reload for. Just another new target gun to play with for me. I did text bellm and have yet to receive a reply.
NorCalMikie
Gold $$ Contributor
Try www.saubier.com and/or www.smallcaliberclub.com. LOTS of small caliber shooters with LOTS of good info. More "been there, done that" info for you to sift thru.
I have a 12" .221 now and I love it. I am wanting a .17, as I have a ton of .17 caliber bullets. I looked at the hornets, but hornet brass is so thin. My .221 shoots so well, I am going that route also. Mike Bellm is a good source, but try MGM barrels in Utah, or EABCO. There is more to making contenders work than rimmed cartridges.
I talked with bullberry barrel co, I'm thinking they are the ones to make my barrel.
Talking with other companies about Thompson Center Contender barrels wasn't to reassuring. Bellm does not make barrels. If I had a barrel blank I could send it to him. Bullberry isn't cheap but I look forward to doing business with them.
Man.. what a hassel trying to find a barrel for a gun that I should be able to order from Brownell's or midwayusa.
Talking with other companies about Thompson Center Contender barrels wasn't to reassuring. Bellm does not make barrels. If I had a barrel blank I could send it to him. Bullberry isn't cheap but I look forward to doing business with them.
Man.. what a hassel trying to find a barrel for a gun that I should be able to order from Brownell's or midwayusa.
snert
Silver $$ Contributor
Some people will rechamber from 17HMR to CF 17s. I am foggy, but McPherson rechambers for a 17 micro-cartride...the VHA i think.
I have a bullberry 22Khornet in carbine and it is sweet. well made and very accurate. They make some real wood too for the carbines. Nice and timely.
I have a bullberry 22Khornet in carbine and it is sweet. well made and very accurate. They make some real wood too for the carbines. Nice and timely.
You might try calling SSK Industries (740-264-0176) in Wintersville, OH. Along the way J.D. Jones and his gang of merry men have chambered Contenders in calibers suitable for everything from field mice to rhinoceros.
My redding deluxe die set, lapua 221 brass and 40 gr. Hornady v-max order came in the mail ..I have never seen 221 fireball brass before. I only looked at the specs in reloading books.. What a cool looking little case. I can't wait to load these things up..so cool.. I have reloader #7 so I'm going to try it out.. I'm not sure how it will work in a 12" barrel. With 40 gr. bullet..I'm thinking I might need a faster powder with such a short barrel ..maybe hodgdon lil gun I was talking to a sierra tec guy he said IMR 4198 looked to be the best choice.
My .221 Contender load is 14.8 of 2400 with a 40 grain Sierra HP. I have a 12" T/C Custom Shop barrel. It shoots very well.
Other Co's ?? did you contact MGM [Match Grade Machine] ?bobcat93 said:
Both SSK & MGM will give you a delivery date and live up to it. Go to the Specialty Pistols forum, join for free and ask about Bull Berry's delivery service. It may have gotten better , but I personally wouldn't bet on.
Out of the three SSK has never had a complaint about anything that I know about.
The "Hassel" you mention is strictly market driven, not that many 17 & 20 Cal. shooters, compared to 22 LR , 224's and above.
Ackman
Gold $$ Contributor
bobcat93 said:
Trouble is, each barrel maker chooses the blank. It may not be what you'd choose. Years ago a friend had one done by a well known high dollar company.....he sent them a really good shooting Hart barrel for conversion to Contender. What he got back had a ton of freebore, way too much, and he wasn't happy.
My first choice would be with Mike Bellm. It's a plus that you can choose the blank. Mike knows chambers and how to do them right......he'll cut it perfectly, it'll come out really good.
BC 93
I have rechambered several TC, 17 HMR, to several 17 Wildcats I shoot,
the 17 HMR bbl's have 1x9" twists and I run 17-25 gr bullets with not problems,
that I have found, at ranges to 300yds+, in 14" to 20" bbl lengths,
I generally get the 24" length and cut them to what I need, with a 11* crown.
Tia,
Don
I have rechambered several TC, 17 HMR, to several 17 Wildcats I shoot,
the 17 HMR bbl's have 1x9" twists and I run 17-25 gr bullets with not problems,
that I have found, at ranges to 300yds+, in 14" to 20" bbl lengths,
I generally get the 24" length and cut them to what I need, with a 11* crown.
Tia,
Don
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