Author Topic: Contender 6mm barrel  (Read 995 times)

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Offline barber

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Contender 6mm barrel
« on: May 11, 2004, 06:33:22 AM »
I have a 14 in. Contender barrel, marked 6mm.  Does this mean it takes a regular 6mm  rifle cartricge?  I was just given this gun, and I know nothing about Contenders.  Thanks.
barber

Offline Graybeard

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Contender 6mm barrel
« Reply #1 on: May 11, 2004, 07:10:54 AM »
Are you sure it doesn't say 6MM TCU? If so that's the chambering. BUT NOT it is NOT anything like the 6MM Remington rifle round.

GB


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Offline barber

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6mm TCU barrel
« Reply #2 on: May 11, 2004, 10:30:36 AM »
Yes, it says   6mmTCU.   What is that??  Thanks for the reply.
barber

Offline 22hornet

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Contender 6mm barrel
« Reply #3 on: May 11, 2004, 10:32:34 AM »
It stands for Thompson Center Ugalde (Spelling)  Basically a 223 necked up to 6mm.
Mike D.
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Offline bgjohn

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Contender 6mm barrel
« Reply #4 on: May 11, 2004, 12:45:42 PM »
Try it, you'll like it. They are very accurate.
JM
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Offline springer222

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Contender 6mm barrel
« Reply #5 on: May 11, 2004, 01:25:18 PM »
And if you don't, let me know and I will take it off of your hands.

Offline KYODE

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Contender 6mm barrel
« Reply #6 on: May 11, 2004, 03:19:21 PM »
thats a great caliber! i love mine dearly 8)  yes, theses guys nailed it. it's a .223 case, simply ran into a 6tcu die to open up the neck to 6mm. then just fire a reloaded round to form the case. it makes a really neat case with 40 degree shoulders, and the fireform loads are deadly accurate, and very usable. no waste in ammo at all in my opinion. hornady makes dies for loading the 6tcu. i'm not sure who else.......i forget :roll:

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6mm TCU
« Reply #7 on: May 11, 2004, 03:48:39 PM »
When reloading for the 6mm TCU use commercial brass,
remington or winchester, instead of military, the brass is
alot softer, and easier to form, You will really get attached
to this barrel they shoot great :-)

Offline SD Handgunner

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Contender 6mm barrel
« Reply #8 on: May 11, 2004, 03:51:34 PM »
IMHO the 6mm T/CU is a very under-rated cartridge. I had a 15" Stainless-Steel Virgin Valley Custom Guns Contender Barrel in 6mm T/CU. It is a very accurate cartridge, and like KYODE stated, fireform loads are very accurate also. In my previous barrel I loaded two loads for my Fireform Loads, both used Hodgdon H-335 Powder, and Nosler Ballistic Tip Bullets.

The one I used for Varmints consisted of a 55gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip at a muzzle velocity of 3003 FPS, and the one I used for Coyotes and Whitetails consisted of a 80gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip at a muzzle velocity of 2816 FPS. Both were quite accurate. The 55gr. Nosler Balistic Tips were super explosive on the varmints I took with this load. Unfortunately I never did get to take a Whitetail with the 80gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip. I did however take a Whitetail Doe at a range of 184 yards with a 80gr. Remington PLHP out of the 6mm T/CU at a muzzle velocity of 2650 FPS.

Like an idiot I traded off the VVCG 6mm T/CU Contender Barrel. However I am currently awaiting the arrival of a new Stainless-Steel On Target Technologies 6mm T/CU Barrel.

Yep it is a great little cartridge, and does not lag too far behind a .243 in a Handgun Length Barrel.

SD Handgunner
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Offline Lone Star

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Contender 6mm barrel
« Reply #9 on: May 12, 2004, 04:00:02 PM »
Quote
Yep it is a great little cartridge, and does not lag too far behind a .243 in a Handgun Length Barrel.
I agree it is a fine cartirdge for its intended purposes, but it is clearly pretty far behind the much larger .243 in handguns.  ( Wouldn't want the new guy to be misled. )  From the Hornady V Edition Manual, max loads, 14"/15" barrels:

6mm TCU 80 SP = 2600 FPS
.243 WCF 80 SP = 3000 FPS

6mm TCU 100 SP = 2300 FPS
.243 WCF 100 SP = 2600 FPS

The recoil and report with the 6TCU is substantially less than the .243, and this matters to many folks.  Regardless, the 6TCU with 80-grain handgun bullets is adequate on small deer-sized game at moderate ranges.  With the 55 Noslers it is outstanding on varmints.  :-)

Offline KYODE

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Contender 6mm barrel
« Reply #10 on: May 12, 2004, 04:25:43 PM »
i just bought a 15" ss .243 encore barrel and i'm hoping i can achieve those types of velocities that hodgdon lists in their annual manual.

really it wouldn't take much to make them fairly close. i have gotten 2700fps out of a 14" 6tcu with 80gr bullets. if one would get a slow barrel, or not be able to fully achieve the .243 listed velocities, then the gap could be closer. gotta love all the variables to be dealt with in reloading. :lol:

Offline SD Handgunner

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Contender 6mm barrel
« Reply #11 on: May 12, 2004, 06:45:23 PM »
Lonestar

I based that statement on my own chronograph data from having both a 6mm T/CU Contender Barrel, and a Savage Striker in .243 (actually had two different barrels on the Savage Striker and velocity with both was about the same). No I was not trying to mislead anyone, just relating my own experiences.

SD Handgunner
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Offline barber

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6mmTCU
« Reply #12 on: May 12, 2004, 08:09:14 PM »
Thanks for all the repllies. Y ou  guys are great.  I've written my brother to see what he wants me to do about the barrels.  Thanks again.
barber

Offline SLAVAGE

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Contender 6mm barrel
« Reply #13 on: May 12, 2004, 08:15:26 PM »
sd your striker in 243 would you say that has the same amount of recoil as a 44 mag ruger super black hawk?
i've been thinking of getting a striker in 243 or 7mm-08 an was just wondering how much punishment ill be taking most hang guns i shoot are 44 mag an 357 mag

thanks
dave

Offline bgjohn

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Striker recoil...........
« Reply #14 on: May 13, 2004, 02:21:12 AM »
I just sold a Striker in 260 Remington. That's right between the 243 & 7mm-08. It recoils but recoil is not a hurtful thing with the Striker. It is large, fairly heavy and the ergonomics handle the recoil nicely. I still have one in 223 Rem and it is a pussycat. I also have a Sport Striker in 17 hmr. Recoil is nearly non existent on it. All of these are accurate guns but you do need to work on the trigger. Get one before they quit making them. :grin:
JM
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Offline SD Handgunner

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Contender 6mm barrel
« Reply #15 on: May 13, 2004, 03:51:50 AM »
I would say the recoil was closer to a hot loaded .357 Magnum than a .44 Magnum. Recoil was not bad at all. However Muzzle Blast and Flash was a different story altogeher, but this too depended on the powder used. Hodgdon's Varget produced some amazing accuracy, but the Muzzle Blast and Flash was horrible.

SD Handgunner
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Offline Joe Kool

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Contender 6mm barrel
« Reply #16 on: May 16, 2004, 07:49:29 PM »
For my 6mm TCU, in the 14" T/C barrel, I like the 70 gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip. I use Remington cases, Rem. 7.5 primers and IMR 4198. Velocity is 2850 fps. With a 4-12 Tasco rifle scope on this barrel, it will shoot under a 1/2 inch at a 100 yds., if I'm having a good day on the bench. I've tried other bullets and powders, but have not found a better combination I've shot ground hogs beyond 600 yds. The 6mm TCU is a good cartridge.   8)

Offline SLAVAGE

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Contender 6mm barrel
« Reply #17 on: May 17, 2004, 04:59:06 AM »
a 6 or 7 mm tcu thats a 223 case necked out right?

Offline KYODE

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Contender 6mm barrel
« Reply #18 on: May 17, 2004, 06:27:25 AM »
exactly :agree: .......the neck is opened up to 6mm....or 7mm, reloaded, then fired in the chamber where it takes on a new improved shape with straighter case walls, and a 40 degree shoulder.
very simple, and no trouble to reload. 8)

Offline SLAVAGE

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Contender 6mm barrel
« Reply #19 on: May 17, 2004, 07:51:05 AM »
what kind of bullistics are the avg? , dose it have enough k. energy to drop a deer under 100 yards?
seen a used striker in 223 so i was thinking of geting it tos a different barrel on it or a used tc contender barrel

thanks
dave