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Author Topic: Contender barrel in kit form  (Read 1144 times)

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Offline trotterlg

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Contender barrel in kit form
« on: October 18, 2008, 01:47:03 PM »
I have a Contender barrel and a bag of parts.  I need to chamber and assemble it, it is in the white and the barrel lug is welded to the barrel with about 1/16 inch of barrel behind the lug, it is in .256 Win mag.  Is there any place I can go to find the proper dimensions to machine the barrel breach to?  Any other suggestions would be appreciated.  I have chambered and built up lots of H&R Handi rifle barrels, both rechambered and stub projects, but this is my first Thompson barrel.  Larry
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Offline hunterspistol

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Re: Contender barrel in kit form
« Reply #1 on: October 18, 2008, 05:49:31 PM »
    A lot of the custom barrel makers can rechamber for you, OTT (On Target Technologies) and SSK (J.D Jones) come to mind. This is a good question to ask at Specialty Pistols website.
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Offline Keith L

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Re: Contender barrel in kit form
« Reply #2 on: October 18, 2008, 07:38:30 PM »
Where did that come from?  I have never seen a Contender barrel "kit" advertised.
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Offline Graybeard

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Re: Contender barrel in kit form
« Reply #3 on: October 19, 2008, 01:17:24 AM »
Dunno about Mike but JD will not touch that barrel. The welding of the lug onto the barrel is the real key to a properly made and safe barrel. JD is very sensitive to safety and unless he KNOWS beyond all shadow of a doubt it was done correctly and safely he will not even discuss working on the barrel.
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Bill aka the Graybeard
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Offline hunterspistol

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Re: Contender barrel in kit form
« Reply #4 on: October 19, 2008, 04:52:22 PM »
  Since you mentioned it, I was messing around TC's site today. There are barrel specs there but, I don't know if they showed any chamber specs.  You could get specs for it from a reloading manual by reversing the cartridge specs.   I've heard of kits before, just haven't seen any for Contender.  They just don't show up at guns shows. Good Luck

     By the way, Graybeard is right, there are some grave safety concerns involved here.  The little winchesters wouldn't be too terribly dangerous, it's just that folks get sued over that sort of thing.
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Offline trotterlg

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Re: Contender barrel in kit form
« Reply #5 on: October 19, 2008, 06:05:46 PM »
The barrel is built by Texas Contenders, they seem to be a real company, I don't deal with contenders at all, I am doing two barrels, one a Handi rifle in 357 Herrett which is near done and the 256 Winchester Contender which is sort of the kit.  It isn't rocket science, I will just find the drawings some place and finish it off, I can find someone with a frame at the range to see if it fits before I parkerize it.  I thought with all the contender fans out there there must be a site with all the specs...................Guess not.  Larry
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Offline Keith L

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Re: Contender barrel in kit form
« Reply #6 on: October 19, 2008, 07:30:00 PM »
I don't know anything about them.  I just googled them and all I came up with gun related was a reference to a shop by that name that used to work on Contenders that closed down, apparently a long time ago. If that is the case I guess they wouldn't be the one to ask your questions to.
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Offline Graybeard

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Re: Contender barrel in kit form
« Reply #7 on: October 20, 2008, 01:51:16 AM »
If it's the outfit I think it is they had some VERY spotty quality and while some barrels seemed OK from them others were just down right unsafe. It bothers me greatly that folks just keep messing with such stuff that might wind up one day getting someone killed or blinded when they let go. Amazing the chances folks will take to save a few bucks.
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Bill aka the Graybeard
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Offline rpharder

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Re: Contender barrel in kit form
« Reply #8 on: October 21, 2008, 02:03:22 AM »
In case you haven't read the Encore and Contender rifle forums, the is some discussion about Frank Kendrick and Texas Contenders in the last couple days. Based on the comments they appear to be of good quauity.
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Offline Ladobe

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Re: Contender barrel in kit form
« Reply #9 on: October 21, 2008, 03:18:44 AM »
In over 40 years of using Contenders I don't remember ever seeing a dimensional drawing of them anywhere.   However, I'm not sure I understand your question unless you are asking because the block welded to that barrel is not finished to specs (ie, machined to the correct dimensions, drilled for the pivot pin and machined/drilled for the extractor/locking bolt assembly).     All dimensions are exactly the same specs on all barrels regardless of what cartridge they are chambered for, and all barrels/blocks are flush on the chamber end when finished.


Add one more to Bill's do not touch list... Fred Smith at Bullberry.   He is so concerned about the barrel block weld that he welds all barrels produced in his shop himself.   He also will not rechamber any barrel made by somebody else.


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Offline Lone Star

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Re: Contender barrel in kit form
« Reply #10 on: October 21, 2008, 04:28:00 AM »
Quote
You could get specs for it from a reloading manual by reversing the cartridge specs.

This won't work, the dimensions of a cartridge and the chamber it fits into are not the same.  How could they be, if they were the case wouldn't fit into the chamber.  And reloading manuals do not include headspace datum, which is critical in properly chambering a barrel.  I'm not one who likes the idea of using a piece of brass as a headspace gauge, although with a rimmed case this is probably less critical.





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Offline trotterlg

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Re: Contender barrel in kit form
« Reply #11 on: October 21, 2008, 03:38:21 PM »
The under lug is welded, slots and holes drilled and the pivot pin hole is there.  The barrel breach is not machined flush with the under lug and has the cal and twist rate stampings on it still.  It is not a problem to turn it flush, I was just looking for some dimensions to check to make sure I don't take too much off the breach end.  There must be some drawings of the distance from the pivot pin to the breach around some place with all the barrels out there.  Larry
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Offline hunterspistol

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Re: Contender barrel in kit form
« Reply #12 on: October 22, 2008, 02:16:56 PM »
10-4, they are flushed up. Just have no idea what length is critical.
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