Barrel Markings 'OTT LLC' Manufacturer??????

[Robert]

Who's makes these barrels?  I have never seen this marking before.  It is on the new 358x444 I just traded for.  Thanks

[Tad Houston]

That would be "on target technologies" made by Mike Sirois. He uses EDM (electronic discharge machining) to form the chamber instead of cutting it with a reamer. I am still waiting for a couple of his barrels i ordered quite some time ago. He has a really good reputation over at the specialty pistols forum. Please let us know how it shoots!

[Robert]

Tad, it shoots real nice...except that it dosen't have a brake of any kind.  I put a bad kink in my neck with the first shot.  Wow....but at least it didn't blow my ear-drums inside out like the 375 JDJ I used to have with a muzzle break.  But I still plan on using hearing protection.  The finish is a little weird.....looks more like a paint job rather than blue....very similar to the 'beaded/matte' finish that E.R. Shaw put on my Whelen.  I still had brass from my 375...so it was a quick conversion to 358.  I also have about 100 rounds of loaded ammo for the 375....and I figured I can pull the bullets.....then remove the expander ball assembly and neck them down to 358 and load them with my 200 gr Hornady bullets.  I have the 375's loaded with 52.0 grs of AA 2520.....and JD's 358 data calls for 53.o grs of 2520.  Way cool....Merry Christmas!

[Graybeard]

Robert, you need to be aware that JD's data is for SSK barrels with SSK chambers. How that relates to the OTT .358x444 chamber and barrel is really anyone's guess. It might need more or a LOT less to give same pressures.

I'm not a fan of trying to get off brand copies of SSK wildcats and then apply SSK data to them. Go slow. If you reach the velocity JD lists as max stop no matter the powder charge and don't go above his max charges regardless of the velocity you're reached. I'm a firm believer taht the fellow chambering his barrels to a wild cat cartridge should provide you data for the chamber he cut. The only thing you can be sure if with this barrel is that it is NOT an SSK and it is NOT a .358 JDJ. How much different it is I have no clue. But different it is.

[armory414]

Your best bet would be to contact Mike Sirois directly via www.ottllc.com.  He would be able to tell you if he has any load data for that barrel.  His barrel chambers are cut based off of the cartridges you send to him--you don't get a generic chamber and then have to try and fit your reloads to it.  Your barrel may have his matte/bead blast finish.  Mike may be able to tell you the source of the barrel blank as well.  Most of his barrels are made with Douglas blanks, I believe, unless a customer requests something different or sends them their own blank/stub/take-off.

[xphunter]

Robert,
Your new/used barrel may be one of the most accurate you own.
I primarily use bolt, canon breech, or falling block actions, but when I have a custom barrel made for my Contender, Mike is at the top of my list, specifically because of his exceptional tolerances that he holds.
Many times, when I build a custom XP I am paying for 1/2 of a new reamer so that I can build/design a reamer around my brass.  The beauty of it with Mike is that you can send him your brass and your dies and he can build it to give the best possible fit.  Recently there was a very good article about Mike Sirios on 6BR.com and they quality of work he does.
There are a number of guys that do good work on or with TC products, and Mike is one of those guys.
FWIW you could have someone send you a couple of fired JDJ rounds and do some comparisons.  There will even be some discrepencies with JD's chambers simply becasue of the wearing of the reamer over time.

[Robert]

Thanks Guys.  This seems to be an incredible barrel.  I have only fired one shot through it so far....that was sure enough to wake me up...WoW.  Quite the kicker.  Last night I installed my Bushnell Elite 2-6....it sure looks cool....and the added weight and bulk of the scope should tame it down slightly.  I went to Sportsman's Warehouse yesterday and got another jug of AA2520 and a 375 caliber collet for my bullet puller.  I have a bunch of 375 JDJ ammo loaded up, and it is a pretty simple task to pull the bullets, and neck them down to .358.  That is what I did with the first round I tried and it was a little too hot for my liking....so I ill use these up with 158 gr plinkers.  As for re-loading more ammo....I will certainly take the advice from you guys and start low and work my way up to a safe load.  I am pretty excited about this barrel, I have wanted one for a very long time....I share G.B's opinion that it is more suitable for N.American game hunting than the 375....the slightly smaller caliber allows the .358 to be loaded just enough better velocity to give better bullet performance.  I don't want to knock JD's 375....but I had a very bad experience with it.  I put out 600 bucks from a guy and got a barrel that had a crack in the locking lug and was spitting empty cases in my face when fired.  I sent it to JD and he said he needed to disable it, and would rebate me 50 bucks toward a new one to replace it.  I am not sure who screwed me worse...the seller or JD.....  I guess it wasn't JD's fault, but he won't ever see any more of my money.  So, the point is...in leiu of all the grief I have been through with the 375.....you can guess how much I appreciate this fine barrel. .... ..Bob (robojoko) really made my Christmas.  Thanks Bob.

[Robert]

Thanks Guys.  This seems to be an incredible barrel.  I have only fired one shot through it so far....that was sure enough to wake me up...WoW.  Quite the kicker.  Last night I installed my Bushnell Elite 2-6....it sure looks cool....and the added weight and bulk of the scope should tame it down slightly.  I went to Sportsman's Warehouse yesterday and got another jug of AA2520 and a 375 caliber collet for my bullet puller.  I have a bunch of 375 JDJ ammo loaded up, and it is a pretty simple task to pull the bullets, and neck them down to .358.  That is what I did with the first round I tried and it was a little too hot for my liking....so I ill use these up with 158 gr plinkers.  As for re-loading more ammo....I will certainly take the advice from you guys and start low and work my way up to a safe load.  I am pretty excited about this barrel, I have wanted one for a very long time....I share G.B's opinion that it is more suitable for N.American game hunting than the 375....the slightly smaller caliber allows the .358 to be loaded just enough better velocity to give better bullet performance.  I don't want to knock JD's 375....but I had a very bad experience with it.  I put out 600 bucks from a guy and got a barrel that had a crack in the locking lug and was spitting empty cases in my face when fired.  I sent it to JD and he said he needed to disable it, and would rebate me 50 bucks toward a new one to replace it.  I am not sure who screwed me worse...the seller or JD.....  I guess it wasn't JD's fault, but he won't ever see any more of my money.  So, the point is...in leiu of all the grief I have been through with the 375.....you can guess how much I appreciate this fine barrel. .... ..Bob (robojoko) really made my Christmas.  Thanks Bob.

[EdK]

Did you get your $50 375 JDJ barrel back?

I would think you could replace the lugs cheaply enough yourself.

[Robert]

Nope...I think you misunderstood.  There was a hairline crack from the corner of the slot that the locking lug is housed in.  I tend to call the entire protrusion that is welded to the barrel the 'lug'...whether it be on a Contender or NEF or any other single-shot firearm.  The entire assembly would have to be removed and weld another on.....certainly something I can't do myself.  I didn't bother to pay the expense of shipping it back....and I HAVE NO DOUBT that JD would have charged me for it rather than take it out of my 50 bucks.  I won't deal with Him OR JJHACK ever again.   I know lots of folks have been very happy with JD.....I just am NOT one of them.

[myronman3]

glad to see you around,  i havent crossed paths with any of your posts lately.   hope things are going better for you.  

disclaimer:    i dont know jdj or have never done business with him or his company.....

as far as the jdj barrel,  i dont know how you can be mad at jdj; he made the barrel,  but God only knows what was done to it to cause the problem after it left his hands.   unless i am missing something,  it sounds like someone hot-rodded that barrel and messed it up really good before you bought it.    i honestly dont know how or why you would want jdj to eat it.  for safety and liability concerns- i am sure he had no choice but to destroy such a barrel if it crossed his path.    i think whoever sold that barrel to you should be the focus of your anger.    just my opinion....

good luck with your new barrel.   glad this one is working out for you.  :wink:

[gcr]

"as far as the jdj barrel, i dont know how you can be mad at jdj; he made the barrel, but God only knows what was done to it to cause the problem after it left his hands."


I doubt that JD get's so many of these back, that he couldn't eat one for good will, or at the very least, do a lot better than $50, that's kind of an insult IMO.

[skb2706]

There are some other sources of comparable data for loading. The concept of using .444 Rem. brass and necking it to .358 only allows for so many variations...start low work up. The quality of barrel material not withstanding the frame can only take so much regardless of whos barrel you stick on it. Mike at OTT has an excellent reputation for accuracy and quality....my guess is you have a keeper.
 
Part of working with Contenders requires a "tinkerers mind" I think load development could be included in that. This is how we came up with so many obscure chamberings for them in the first place.