Re-zero After Barrel Swap??

[adam11082]

I read in a couple of places that you need to re-zero your contender after swapping out barrels. Is this true? I bought this gun because I thought it would be just as easy as swapping the barrels since the sights are attached to the barrel. Any help is appreciated.

Thanks
Adam

[teamnelson]

If your scope is well mounted, and your iron sights are secure, I cannot imagine how swapping barrels would cause a need to rezero. I've shot IHMSA with one frame, 3 barrels, changed barrels in between each event. I had my dope already set on each prior, and didn't lose zero that I could tell.

[shot1]

I have never had to re-zero any of mine after a swap and I have had them for a loooooooooooog time. I zeroed them one time and they have stayed right where I had them all these years. I use Weaver bases on all but one which was a custom barrel I got in an estate sale that had a Control base and ring set on it. I use blue locktight on the base screws. Steel Weaver rings and Weaver 2.5-8X28 scopes and have never had a single problem.

[Buckskin]

There is no reason that you would need to rezero after a barrel swap, the scope (or sights) never leaves the barrel, and the lockup should be the same so nothing is different from the last time.  Of course taking a shot to make sure doesn't hurt...

[donkey445]

I've never had to rezero any of mine between swaps.  The only thing that changes between swapping is how tight your forend screw is.  Just make sure you use around same amount of torque and you should have no problems.

[Ladobe]

You got bad advice from ACE's (aka arm chair experts)  and can ignore it.   I've never re-zeroed because of swapping barrels, not since my first Contender bought 44 years ago.   Not even on all the long range TC's I hunted very small game with.   With proper sight mounting, storage and transport they are always good to go soon as you slap them on a frame.   

[Steve P]

Yes and no.  Have to disagree with some posts.  You can swap barrels with same frame numerous times and not have to re-zero.  However if you use a DIFFERENT frame you may have to re-zero.  I have shot contenders for the better part of 25 years.  I have had several occasions where sight adjustments had to be made, but only because barrel and frame were not matched. 
 
All of my competition contender barrels have frame serial number painted on barrel lug.  This way I match barrel to correct frame every time and no re-zero.  A buddy and I shoot silhouette and several times something has happened where one of us had to borrow a frame, barrel, or sight from the other.  Hammer spring tension, barrel lug height, frame thickness, etc all play a part and you might have to make sight adjustments.  Sometimes it is only one or two clicks on the iron sight and maybe a click or two on the scope, but it can happen.
 
He who has only one frame should have NO worries about repeatability. 
 
Steve

[adam11082]

Sounds like I have nothing to worry about. Thanks for the info guys!

[swift-justice]

Out of my 50+ barrels I never had to rezero.

[Ladobe]

Nor did I with the around 47-48 frames and 220+ barrels I owned over the years.   Since I always had up to 20+ frames at a time except the first few years TC was in business, I did have some I dedicated to one barrel only (long range wildcat tackdrivers), some I dedicated to a group of barrels used for the same purpose, some for just my hardest recoiling barrels, and all the rest to do all the other barrels as the whim dictated.   

[atm]

"However if you use a DIFFERENT frame you may have to re-zero."
 
I concur.

[Iowa Fox]

Nor did I with the around 47-48 frames and 220+ barrels I owned over the years.   Since I always had up to 20+ frames at a time except the first few years TC was in business, I did have some I dedicated to one barrel only (long range wildcat tackdrivers), some I dedicated to a group of barrels used for the same purpose, some for just my hardest recoiling barrels, and all the rest to do all the other barrels as the whim dictated.

Holy Smokes!! You have me beat on frames and barrels. I have 25 frames currently and probably thats where I'll stay for the rest of my days. Just thinking about the lead that I had in the air with them over that last 40 years puts a big smile on my face.

[Ladobe]

"However if you use a DIFFERENT frame you may have to re-zero."

Only if there is a big difference in the amount of wear on the different frames, and even then only maybe IMO if the barrels are set up right to start with.   I had no problem going back and forth between even different vintages of frames.   I set up the barrel once with my methods of proper headspacing, mounting sights/scopes and sight in to the PBR for its intended use, not just for changing frames, and it didn't matter which frame it went on after that.   But then I did not own any sloppy frames either - when a frame started to show more wear than was acceptable to me it was replaced.   Another factor was what a frames trigger pull was as I had Contender triggers as light as 3-4 ounces up to others in the 1.5-2.5 pound range.   The lightest were bench only frames, the heaviest for field carry (same as all my other firearms).   Sure I had to sight in again sometimes if I drastically changed the primary use and so PBR of a barrel, but only if the difference was enough to not just "hold for".   As I said I did dedicate some frames for specific useage, but it was because they were used very often in those configs (same barrel/same furniture) so there was no need to break them down with plenty of other frames on hand.  And some were dedicated to a certain group of barrels because I carried that group with a frame as a "kit" all together... and also used them often.   
 
 
 

[Ladobe]

Iowa Fox,
 
Hey pard, I was just a sick adventurer I guess... but it kept a smile on.   Had my standard commercial cartridge eras, old defunct/oddball eras and wildcat eras that overlapped each other several times over the years as I learned about them.    I liked having barrels for cartridges just not seen often in any firearm.   Was fun to see what they would do in a Contender, and they made for interesting conversation pieces with friends and strangers alike.   
 
Anyway, not a lot of Contender users can say they have 25 frames on hand, so you are almost as sick as I was. 

[Camba]

I am not sure this happens to contenders but back a number of years ago, I had a single shot 22LR rifle (Voere, german made) that was a tack driver.  One time during a clean up session, my friend put the gun together and torked the barrel/stock screw tight (did not know at the time) but the next time I was shooting, the point of aim and accuracy seem to have changed to the point that I thought something was wrong with the rifle.  I took it appart (that's when I notice the tork) to check and other than having a hard time to unscrew it, the gun did not show any signs of damage.  Put it back together and the accuracy and zero was back.  Go figure it.
That is my unscientific 2 cents.
Camba

[Keith L]

People, lets not forget want to buy posts do not belong on discussion forums and will be removed.