Contender carbine at the range w/ 2 bbls - I could use some advice.

[Slowpoke Slim]

My daughter and I have been shooting my carbine at the range lately. With a 22 lr match bbl, and a 6.8 SPC bbl. There has been quite a contrast in accuracy between the 2 bbls. The 22 match bbl has been wonderfully accurate, even with "junk" ammo like the Federal Am Eagle brick ammo. It'll shoot dime sized groups at 25 yards with this junk ammo. I was pleasantly surprised. I have my daughter practicing/training with this bbl before we move her up to the 6.8 bbl.

The 6.8 bbl has been quite different. It has had terrible accuracy with all the handloads I've tried so far, save one. I've tried 4 powders, 4 primers, and 2 bullets. So far the only load it will shoot reasonably well is a mid range load of 27.0 grains of H335 and a Sierra 110 gr gameking. This load is 1.5 grains under max, and I haven't chrony'd it, but I assume it's fairly slow, but reasonably accurate. A 5 shot group has been .5" wide, and .75 inches high. Changing this load by .5 grains in either direction, and I get a vertical string of over 2 inches. All the other loads have had severe vertical stringing up to 4 inches

This 6.8 has been the toughest rifle I've ever loaded for, to include the 25 WSSM. I think I finally noticed the problem with the bbl. There is a noticable ring in the rifling about .125" in from the crown. It almost looks like the machine marks where made when the crown was cut or faced on the muzzle. I don't know if this is the only place the rifling is affected or not, since I don't have a borescope. I think this is the problem with the poor performance of this bbl.

I know T/C will stand behind the bbl with their warranty, I'm not worried about that. The problem is, my daughter needs to be using this rifle for her deer hunt at the end of October. I seriously doubt that T/C will be able to turn the bbl around in time for me to work up a different load for my daughter's hunt. If I was absolutely SURE that the only problem was with the crown, I could have my gunsmith cut it down and recrown it below the affected area. But I'm concerned that there may be other issues with the bbl. and once it's been cut down, T/C will no longer warranty it.

So I guess I'm looking for some advice on what I should do here? I'm open to suggestions.

Thanks.

[wJAKE19]

give tc a call. see what the turnaround time is.

[BobT]

What Jake said. I would give them a call. I have never had a problem with delays when dealing with them.

Bob

[Heavy C]

Aside from giving TC a call I would also try running some factory ammo through it just in case.  I think factory ammo is always a good place to start.  If the barrel is messed up I'm sure TC will just send you a new one.

Enjoy the hunt with your daughter.  I took mine on her first hunt last year and we had a real good time and she came home with two doe's.  She's really looking forward to this year in hopes of taking her first buck.  Good luck.