Author Topic: TC contender 22 match barrels? (Read 1922 times)

jeremiahm · « **on:** August 23, 2004, 09:34:11 AM »

What kind of accuracy are you getting out of yours? What kind of ammo does it like? How much better does it shoot the match ammo compared to cheap stuff?

KYODE · « **Reply #1 on:** August 23, 2004, 10:06:08 AM »

1/2".......sometimes 3/8" 5 shot groups at 50 yards with 14" 22lr match barrel, and bsa 4x16 riflescope on handgun. wolf match target, and federal american eagle 38gr copper plated hp. shoots both of these equally well. amazing gun! haven't tried the really expensive match ammo, and don't need to!

SD Handgunner · « **Reply #2 on:** August 23, 2004, 06:47:10 PM »

Lat spring I picked up a used Stainless-Steel Super 14 Match Grade .22 LR Contender. I mounted a 3x12x32mm Burris LER Fine Plex - PA Handgun Scope on it and did a limited amount of accuracy testing with it (using ammo I had on hand).

Here are the results.

T/C SS Contender Super 14 Match Grade .22 LR
with T/C Rynite Grip & T/C Rynite Super 16 Forend

3x12x32mm Burris LER Fine Plex-PA Handgun Scope with Target Turrets

5 - 5 shot groups were shot for record indoors at 25 yards, the results listed below are the average each brand and type of ammo achieved in this barrel at 25 yards.

(between brands & types of ammo a bore snake was run through the bore twice and 5 fouling shots fired before any shots were fired for record)

#1 - CCI Standard Velocity = .016”
#2 - Wolf Match Target (Old Lot) = .046”
#3 - Federal # 700B Gold Medal Target = .060”
#4 - Lapua Super Club = .083”
#5 - CCI Green Tag = .102”
#6 - Wolf Match Target (New Lot) = .104”
#7 - CCI Blazers = .127”
#8 - Remington / Eley Club Xtra = .162”
#9 - Federal Lightning = .166”
#10 - Winchester BULK X-Pert Hollow Points = .223”
#11 - Remington Target = .256”
#12 - Remington Thunderbolts = .293”
#13 - Winchester T-22 = .294”
#14 - Winchester Wildcats = .307”
Overall Average for 75 - 5 shot groups = .160”

More recently I was checking the zero on a Super 14 .30-30 AI, and while I had the target stand at 100 yards I shot a few groups with the SS Super 14 Match Grade .22 LR Contender at 100 yards. The ammo used was Winchester BULK X-Pert Hollow Points. I shot 4 - 5 shot groups at 100 yards with this ammo, and the 5 shot groups were between 1 1/2" and 2". However in each group I would have 3 or 4 rounds just about in one hole and would end up messing up the group with the 4th or 5th shot. Not really sure if it was me, the gun or the ammo, but I do look forward to doing some more shooting at 100 yards with this rig, but next time with the ammo it prefers.

SD Handgunner

jeremiahm · « **Reply #3 on:** August 24, 2004, 07:25:40 AM »

Thanks for the helpful info. My 10" match barrel should be here in a few days. I can't wait to try it!

SD Handgunner · « **Reply #4 on:** August 24, 2004, 08:07:52 AM »

Good luck with it Jeremiahm. If it shoots anything like the two different Super 14 Match Grade .22 LR Contender Barrels I have had, I think you'll be pleased.

I have shot and hunted with Contenders since 1982, BUT never did try a Rimfire Contender Barrel until a couple years ago. After the very first shooting session I had to ask myself what took so long to try a Rimfire Contender.

I guess I always shyed away from the Rimfire Contenders due to them being a single shot, and thinking that for most of my plinking I needed a repeater. Truth be known in shooting hundreds and hundreds of Gophers I really do not feel the single shot Rimfire Contenders are a handicap at all. In fact the last time I used a Bolt Action Savage Striker Handgun on Gophers, the shooting was so fast and furious I didn't take the time to load the magazines anyway, but rather just fed it one at a time, and I shot just as many gophers as my buddy did with his semi auto rifle.

SD Handgunner

jeremiahm · « **Reply #5 on:** August 24, 2004, 08:31:22 AM »

I'll be happy with the largest of your groups listed there. Looks like your barrel shoots just about anything well, I hope mine does as well.

I'll keep you informed.

SD Handgunner · « **Reply #6 on:** August 24, 2004, 10:56:49 AM »

For the record here is the accuracy results I obtained from the Blued Super 14 Match Grade .22 LR Contender I had prior to getting the SS version.

T/C BLUED Contender Super 14 Match Grade .22 LR
with T/C Herrett Style Walnut Grip & Forend

3x12x32mm Burris LER Fine Plex-PA Handgun Scope with Target Turrets

5 - 5 shot groups were shot for record indoors at 25 yards, the results listed below are the average each brand and type of ammo achieved in this barrel at 25 yards.

(between brands & types of ammo a bore snake was run through the bore twice and 5 fouling shots fired before any shots were fired for record)

1 - C.C.I. Green Tag = .055"
2 - Federal # 711B Gold Medal Target = .068"
3 - Wolf Match Target (Old Lot) = .079"
4 - Lapua Suber Club = .086"
5 - C.C.I. Mini Mag Solids = .113"
6 - Wolf Match Extra = .124"
7 - Remington Thunderbolts = .134"
8 - Remington / Eley Club Extra = .136"
9 - P.M.C. Sidewinder Solids = .136"
10 - Wolf Match Target (New Lot) = .138"
11 - Remington / Eley Target Rifle = .159"
12 - Remington Hi-Velocity Solids = .168"
13 - Remington Hyper Velocity VIPER Solid = .170"
14 - Winchester Dyna Points = .171"
15 - Remington Target = .174"
16 - Federal Bulk Hollow Points = .175"
17 - C.C.I. Blazer = .178"
18 - Winchester Power Point Hollow Points = .180"
19 - Eley Practice 100 (White Box) = .180"
20 - Federal Lightning = .191"
21 - C.C.I. VELOCITOR Hollow Point = .192"
22 - Remington Bulk Hollow Points = .195"
23 - P.M.C. Rifle Match = .203"
24 - Winchester Hi-Velocity Hollow Points = .208"
25 - Winchester X-Pert Hollow Points = .214"
26 - Winchester WildCats = .216"
27 - Eley Standard (Brown Box) = .218"
28 - Federal Hyper Velocity Hollow Points = .228"
29 - Winchester Hi-Velocity Solids = .246"
30 - Winchester T-22 = .255"
31 - Remington Yelow Jacket Hollow Points = .263"
32 - C.C.I. Standard Velocity = .383"
AVERAGE Group Size = .176"

I tested many, many more different brands and types of .22 LR Ammo in this barrel.

I have never had a 10" Bull Barrel in .22 LR so can not comment on what the difference would be between a 10" and a Super 14.

SD Handgunner

Bullseye · « **Reply #7 on:** August 24, 2004, 05:47:15 PM »

My barrel is a 10"er and it will turn in groups under an inch at 50 yards with CCI Mini Mags. The Mini Mags are not the cheapest but are not the most expensive either. It shoots them well enough that I have never tried any of the more expensive stuff.

IHMSA80x80 · « **Reply #8 on:** October 07, 2004, 04:48:41 AM »

My 10" match barrel has a Bausch & Lomb Elite 3000 2-6X scope and is used for handgun silhouette shooting mostly. It likes anything Eley makes in a rifle version, the most used is Eley Standard. Federal Ultra Match turned in the best groups at 100 yards by a hair. Most were around 1" or a bit less. This was with the Ultra Match, Eley Tenex, Lapua Midas.

I've been using some old Fiocchi Biathlon Match for several years and it has shot extremely well with it. Never tested it on paper, but it has recorded a bunch of perfect 40's with 9-10 shootoffs. It also shot a 40 on the 1/5th scale rimfire targets. The accuracy of the Match barrels is outstanding. Only two guns I've ever shot have exceeded it, and both of them are bolt-actions.

Paladin · « **Reply #9 on:** October 12, 2004, 03:31:07 PM »

SD Handgunner
how are you measuring your groups? center to center?

SD Handgunner · « **Reply #10 on:** October 12, 2004, 05:32:10 PM »

Actually I am measuring from the outside edge to the outside edge of the farthest spaced holes and then subtracting one bullet diameter.

Just yesterday I shot some groups at 50 yards with the SS Super 14 Match Grade .22 LR Contender, and was quite pleased with the results. Wolf Match Target (Old Lot) produced an average of .410" for 5 - 5 shot groups from the bench, and Winchester X-Pert Hollow Points produced an average of .466" for 5 - 5 shot groups from the bench.

SD Handgunner