« Reply #2 on: February 17, 2003, 02:17:57 PM »
When I bought my contender used in '88, the barrel that was on it was an octagon .256 Win. Mag. It remains to this day one of my best shooters. When I added a scope, I started out with a weaver base and rings but have since switched to the T/C duo-mount. The weaver worked fine but looked out of place since the front of it hung out over the octagon portion of the barrel.
Although I have never carried my contender for extended distances, the light weight of the octagon barrel would seem to me to be an advantage here. This lack of weight seems to be a disadvantage for my other octagon barrel which is in 44 Mag. This barrel produces lots of muzzle flip and I can't seem to shoot it worth a hoot. It seems I shoot it less and less and IF I ever got rid of a barrel (I havn't yet) this one would be the first to go.
My frame is '78 or '79 vintage ser# 109xxx and I have had no lockup difficulties with either modern split lug barrels or the octagon barrels which have solid locking lugs. The octagon barrels also have the flat based lug which was strengthened in later barrels which have a small "step" in the bottom profile of the barrel lug.
My other barrels are 10 inch bull and super 14. I know this information is kind of general, but I hope it helps.
Curtis
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Lord, please help me to be half the man my dogs think I am.
Contender in 17 Rem, 22lr, 22k Hornet, 223 Rem, 256 WM, 6TCU, 7TCU, 7-30, 30 Herrett, 300 Whisper, 30-30 AI, 357 mag, 357 Herrett, 375 JDJ, 44 mag, 45/410..... so far.
