Help!!!!! - Contender barrel won't shoot some brands of ammo

[Talltexanrancher]

Need your collective wisdom on this problem please.

I've shot TC's forever and I've owned a factory 223 Contender barrel in 21 inch for almost 10 years that until last weekend I had never fired factory ammo through - always reloaded for it (Rem brass, Horn 55sp, 24 grns H335, Fed primers which gives under 1 MOA results routinely). Never a single problem.

I'm going on a prairie dog shoot in S.D. over Labor Day and with my single stage press, I'm simply not setup to load 500 rounds, so I bought various factory rounds, and here's the issue:

Fed VShok 55 grain Nosler BT fired each & every time.
Fed VShok 55 grain Sierra GameKing shot every time.
Fed Power Shok 55 grain sp wouldn't fire at all...primers struck, but no go.
Black Hills 55 grain sp (new ammo, not reloads)...primers struck, no go.
Georgia Arms 55 grain sp reload...primers struck, and 2 out of 4 would fire....if I slammed the action shut REALLY hard, seems like my average improved to maybe 2 out of 3.  Slamming did no good at all with the Fed Power Shok or the Black Hills.

HELP!!!!!! I'm absolutely stumped on this one and I'd appreciate any thoughts/comments.

Jeff

[poncaguy]

have very good results with wally world Winchester white box 45 grain varmit load...............................in my 223

[skb2706]

A couple of ideas that may help. I would start by changing out the hammer spring...a little tricky but do-able. Take some Brakleen or similar solvent and clean out and dry the entire internal frame. Lightly lube but avoid getting any oils on the locking bolts of your barrel or contact surface for them in the frame. Slamming the action shut "really hard" is probably doing nothing for you. If you are using a hammer extension...take it off...slows lock time and can effect hammer strike.
Have you ever had any issues with handloaded ammo ? If not it could also be that your chamber is just slightly deeper cut and your handloads have expanded cases to match...thus no issue. There are few other things that it could be assuming the loaded factory ammo is not the problem in and of itself.

[gbran]

I just bought the G2 carbine in .223. The Winchester white box Varmint 45 grain HP's are so accurate, I'm almost afraid to reload. This is the best/funnest/most accurate rifle I own. I also bought the 17m2 barrel and the 6.8 Rem SPC.

[Talltexanrancher]

skb,

Thanks for the insight.  No handload problems to date and the frame performed fine last weekend in South Texas on a coyote hunt using my 357 max barrel.  The frame does not have a trigger extension.

I talked with a TC gunsmith last week and he said he and the gunsmith seated next to him had no experience with such a problem...that doesn't leave me feeling "warm & fuzzy," and he said to send the 223 barrel and frame in for inspection, which I hate to do, but I guess I've got little choice.

It could be that the chamber is cut a bit short in the shoulder area and some of this factory ammo is simply not letting the gun fully lock up when its closed.

Anybody have any other thoughts?

[Lone Star]

The problem is well known to long time Contender shooters...the safety interlock is partially engaging.  This is usually caused by the ammunition having too long a headspace measurement, keeping the barrel from going fully into battery.  This leaves the interlock partially blocking the hammer, keeping it from hitting the firing pin with full force.  The partial indentation on the primer is the key clue.  Slamming the action closed is actually sizing the case enough to allow the barrel to reach full battery.

The solution is to use properly-fitting ammo.  Doh, factory ammo is supposed to fit.  The fact that some fire yet others do not means that the headspace dimension between the brands is likely different. Your chamber is probably on the minimum side of specs, so ammo on the maximum side may not chamber.  Simple solution - use the brands that fire.

However, the first thing to try is to fully clean out the action....you are keeping it dry and free of oil aren't you?  Remove the barrel and wood and blast out the internal action parts with a spray gun solvent or brake cleaner, then reassemble.  DO NOT USE OIL.  The factory specifically warns against using oil, yet most Conteneder owners ignore the recommendation and use it, then have trouble like the poster has.  Now if the ammo won't fire, it is an ammo dimensional issue, not a gummy action.

[Talltexanrancher]

Thanks Lone Star.

Last week I ordered a new hammer spring and have disassembled and cleaned the action completely.  No, I've never used oil in the frame...or on any other action for that matter.

I guess I need to reload faster or shoot less on these prairie dog outings, otherwise I'm likely to become one of Federal's best customers around!