T/C barrels, esp 223 Rem?

[MarkA]

First, I am a newbie to T/C, got 'bout 50 rds of 22 LR in Green Tag, Quik Shok and Winny Dyna Pts through mine so far.  Incredibly accurate with all.  My question is: Are the T/C factory barrels OK?  I have heard that there may be some questions about them.  I am thinking my next barrel is the 223 Rem in 14" blue, whad ya think?

[skb2706]

I think you would find that for the most part factory barrels are very accurate and at around $200-$240 if you decide you don't like it they are easy to sell off for something else (esspecially in standard chamberings). If you go full up custom you are talking at least twice the money and depending on where you go to get it can take several months to get. I have some full up custom barrels and just got back into some factory barrels...won't cost you much to give them a try.

[BCB]

Tried to post a picture, but no go...
Ain't as easy to post pictures here as it is on other sites...
BCB

[Buford]

Mark, I have used factory T/C barrels for about 30 years and have never had a sour one yet - that goes for the orginal Contender, G2 and Encore - I am comforted by the lifetime warranty.  I have seen custom barrels be outshot by factory barrels and I have seen the reverse, also. I have no complaints with Thompson/Center's products....

[Special Ed]

Thompson factory barrels are very good, you should have no reason to be afraid of buying them. They do stand behind their products.
My father had a 45/410 barrel that would pattern way left with the 410 shells. They replaced it, no problems or questions.
The 223 would make an excellent 2nd barrel for you, I've had mine for 20 years, 1" groups at 100 yards are no problem.
Good Luck!
   

[Thomas Krupinski]

My question is: Are the T/C factory barrels OK?  I have heard that there may be some questions about them.  I am thinking my next barrel is the 223 Rem in 14" blue, whad ya think?

I probably have close to a couple of dozen, all factory barrels and don't have any complaints.  They perform to my level of performance.  I have a Super 14 .223 that prints under 2" at 200 yards shooting from a bench.

[Stan M.]

I loved my Super 14 .223 barrel. It consistently shot groups under 1" @100 yds. A gallon jug of water didn't stand much of a chance at 300yds. Groundhogs didn't like it too much though. :wink:
Good Luck,
Stan

[BCB]

http://www.hunt101.com/img/257842.jpg

Mark A.

I have two 223 barrels.  The first one I purchased was a Super 14".  And, in all honesty, I nearly gave up on it as far as accuracy went.  The barrel was as rough as the proverbial corn cob!  Much shooting and thorough cleaning with Sweet's 7.62 and J&B Bore Cleaner finally smoothed the bore.  Accuracy then became very good.  It took nearly 400 rounds to achieve this!  With Hornady 50 SSPSP bullets and H-335 it is an inch shooter.  
Recently, I purchased a old frame (don't want the new G2's) and it happened to have a 16" 223 barrel on it.  Well, I really didn't need another barrel, but it was part of the deal.  So I loaded the same load that I had been using in my other 223 barrel and sure enough, it stayed at the 1.0" mark.  So I had some 40 grain V-max just setting there and I loaded a few of them up using WC-844 (a bit slower than H-335).  Several loads were tried and I finally settled on a load that chronographed right at 3299 from the 16" barrel.  1/2"-3/4" groups are very common at 100 yards.  
Copy and paste (or click on) the above web address and see a picture of my steel groundhog.  That group was shoot at 200 yards using the 16" barrel and the 40 V-max bullet.  It measures approximately 1.25"+.  It is not over 1.5" center to center.  Not too bad for not really having an aim point on the target.
Wish I could have posted the picture here, but I simply can't figure out how to do so.  Not as user friendly as other sites.  Good-luck...BCB

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