Who do you recomend for a re-chamber job in Armor Alloy ?

[Ex-Cajun]

I have a 7tcu that I'm considering rechambering to a 7BR or 7-30 waters.  It's a 10 incher in Armor Alloy and I'd like to use it for deer out to 150 yards.  Is this barrel long enough for this step up in power?  Am I waisting time and money doing this or does anyone have any suggested loads/bullets for my purpose?  I got this barrel in a trade when I decided I wanted to start shooting silly-wets, and I've seen a number of good load recommendations for the 7tcu to so some ram-slamm'n, but I also want to KILL a deer humanely with it, not just poke at it.  I have a 14" 44mag barrel that would probably do the job, but for some reason, the loads or the barrel, I can't get a tight group at 100 yards.  Best so far is 7-8" spread.  I have a Leupold 2X scope on the 44 barrel.  I have not had time to work up an accurate load that doesn't drop off severely past 100 yards with a 220 gr. slug.

This is my first post, although I've been a loomer for a couple of months now.
A little about myself:
38 yrs old, married, daughter of 2yrs
New Mexico Resident, originally from Baton Rouge La.
Lived in Hawaii for 11 years and now here for 3
Profesional Jeweler for 23 years
Hobbies are too may to list, but include re-loading, hunting, jet skiing, and when I have time, wooden boat building (full size you can use, not models)
I've been re-loading and shooting since I was 15.  Shot thousands (literally) of 45ACP and 38.
I own 13 guns of varying usage my fave being  the Kimber 45 and my TC
Have currently 3 barrels, 7tcu 10", 44mag Super 14", and 223 in Super 16".
Thanks for any responses guys.  

Travis Duggan
Placitas, NM

[tnwill]

Travis, the 7BR is not suitable for the contender as the pressure is to high for the contender frame.  As for the 7-30 Waters, IMHO, it is better suited for a 14" barrel. I would work up a load for the 7tcu with 120gr Nosler BT's and use it. Remember, shot placement is the key to a quick, humane kill.

[skb2706]

Welcome Travis....in 7-30 Waters or something comparable I would suggest On Target Tech for a rechamber.

[jhalcott]

Ex,I have 7tc/u in 10 ,14 & 21" barrels.It is all you need for deer with120 or 130 grain hand gun bullets. Not many companies will rechamber an AA barrel.I won't give you a load as all my barrels shoot different loads. I have used the 10" barrel to kill deer at over 150 yards with 130 grain SSP and 145 cast bullets.Just work up loads to about 2100 fps or better.Keep accuracy to around an inch or so and you will have no problem.
  Heavy bullets will NOT open up at the velocity you can get from a 10" barrel.748 is a good powder to start with.It isn't the one for fastest speed or best accuracy,but is one that is very easy to load with.

[skb2706]

j - Curious why some wouldn't rechamber an AA barrel ?

[Graybeard]

AA barrel are an industrial hard chrome finish. It is both inside and outside the barrel. Hard chrome finishes are really rough on tooling and takes off a lot of the life of the tools used in rechambering.

There is no real advantage to be gained by a rechamber to 7-30 in a 10" barrel. You'll be lucky to pick up 100 fps and the muzzle blast and noise will increase tremendously.

Either use the barrel as is or trade it for a 14" 7-30 barrel. You can likely trade it for less than a rechamber will cost.

The 7 TCU is a perfectly fine 150 yard deer killer. Use the Sierra 130 SSP or the Hornady 120 SSSP or the Nolser 120 BT either of those three bullets will do a fine job on deer to 150 yards.

[Ex-Cajun]

Thanks everyone.  I feel real welcome here at this site.
I started digg'n around and found a box of Nosler 120 grain BT ballistic tips.  I called up Nosler (can't remember who I spoke too) and said the 120's do fine as long as the FPS is above 1600.  I'll start loading some this weekend with some H322 (recommended by Nosler), and 'cause it's what I have on hand.  Several different loads and see what it has a diet for.
G~Beard,  I didn't know the hardchrome was on the inside as well.  I tried filing part of the outside and MAN , that stuff is harder than Japanese trigonometry!!  My file just rolled off it.  I won't re-chamber it know that I know this and just keep it the way it is.  Don't wanna spend if I don't have to.  I'll feel more confident with this barrel the more I shoot it, just didn't know I could work a suitable load with it for my purpose.  Someone told me that it's not powerful enough for deer so I started this search, looking for enough power to do the job.  And yes, I agree, shot placement is key, but I like to have a little room for error, especially at that distance.
Going back to Louisiana the week after Christmas on my uncles property.
The longest shot there is 178yrds. so I'm on fleaBay right now looking for a chrono to start checking my work.
Anybody got one for around 50 bux?

[skb2706]

go to the bottom of the page and you can get a refurbish for 50 bucks right from Chrony.

http://chrony.ca/sc_mc-MV.html

[Possum]

I will agree with Skb2706, On Targe Tech will do the rechamber on AA barrels.  I had a talk with him about it when I thought about doing a 35 Rem rechamber.  Said he would do it.  Nobody else will touch it from what I have found.

[SD Handgunner]

I have worked with both a 10" 7mm T/CU and a 10" 7-30 Waters. In both barrels I used 120gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips. Using H-322 in the 7mm T/CU our accuracy load was 2050 FPS, with 5 shot group averages at 100 yards coming in a 5/8". The powder was H-322. In the 7-30 Waters I tried both H-322 & W-748, and settled on W-748. The load I settled on produced 2258 FPS out of the 10" Barrel with 5 shot 100 yard groups averaging a inch.

The recoil & muzzle blast with the 7-30 Waters was considerable, but not abusive. I would say it was like a heavy loaded .44 Magnum. On the other hand the 7mm T/CU was super mild to shoot.

As per Nosler's recommendation that the 120gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip will expand at impact velocities down to 1600 FPS, in my experience that figure should be 1800 FPS, as the Whitetails I shot through the chest (without hitting bone) at impact velocities below 1800 FPS there was little or no expansion.

Good luck.

SD Handgunner

PS, yes On Target Technologies can and will rechamber Armor Alloy Barrels.