Loose barrel. How does T/C go about tightening up a frame?

[bknight]

I have a new carbine barrel from the custom shop on an almost new G2 frame.  When I first put the barrel on the frame, it seemed to be a tight fit with no noticeable play.  Now after fireforming/sighting in, there is what I consider, large amount of wiggle in the barrel/frame fit.  I called T/C and they said to send it in and the G2 specialist would tighten it up?  How is he going to do that?

The wiggle I am seeing is movement of the barrel back and forth along the hinge pin.

Will this be a recurring problem?  Any suggestions?

These are medium loads with 100 and 120 grain bullets and nowhere near max pressure/velocity.  

It's kinda irritating to buy a new barrel for deer season and get it sighted in and then the action has loosened up before I get to go hunting.

I did ask if they could send me some locking lugs and the person I talked to didn't think that was the problem.

Thanks in advance for responses.  I know there is a lot of people on this BB experienced with the contender/G2/encore.

Brad

[Encore28]

From your description it sounds like your hinge pin is loose?
If this is so I would buy an oversized hinge pin and try that before sending it back and losing the gun for deer season. If I were you I would ask the "guy in Oregon" what to do----------I am sure he would help.
Encore28

[Keith L]

I think I would send it in.  If it was tight, you shot a few times and now its loose you could have a serious problem with either barrel or frame.  You may get temporary relief with an oversize pin, but if something is stretching or wearing that fast you may have a very unsafe condition in the making.

[bknight]

Thanks.  I did change out some locking lugs with two other barrels last night.  That did not fix the problem (didn't think it would, but figured i'd try anyway).  However with one set of lugs, it did take most of the play out of the action.  So I may use it on one stand where shots will be close.  I'm still getting 1 1/2 to 2" groups with the barrel, so it's still shooting minute of deer.  I will be sending it back after deer season is over, though and have T/C go through it and fix it.

Should I send all three barrels back with the frame just to have them check the fit?  They all exhibit a little bit of play, but the new carbine barrel is the worst.

Thanks, again.  Brad

[Lone Star]

...movement of the barrel back and forth along the hinge pin...

Is this movement right-to-left, or front-to-back?  Is the movement with the action open or closed?  If all three barrels exhibit this movement then the issue is probably with the frame.  Changing bolts may help a little as you noticed, but I suspect that if the movement is with the action closed then there is a frame tolerence issue.  As with all things mechanical, T/Cs are built within tolerences; if the frame tolerences are on the large side and the barrel's are on the small side, looseness can be a result.  Sending the frame and the "worst" barrel back to T/C will result in a satisfactory repair.  I once sent a ten-year-old frame back for inspection only, as I knew I'd stretched it.  T/C sent back a new frame no charge.   :eek:

[bknight]

The movement is right to left with the action closed.  I cannot detect any movement front to back.  The amount of movement left to right seems to be about .002-.003" along the hinge pin (right to left).  It's not an extremely loose fit, but when you grip the forearm you can detect the movement.

[Bullseye]

That is not much movement to feel in the forarm, are you sure the forearm is not moving to?  Did the barrel shoot better groups before than now.  All of my barrels have a little bit of movement in them which is more noticable with the Carbine barrels, but I have never found it to hurt anything.

[bknight]

There is that much movement at the hinge pin.  The end of the barrel moves much more than that, maybe 1/16".  This movement was checked with the forearm removed ( to take that out of the equation).  However. The forearm is bedded to the hanger bar and has no detectable movement.  

The barrel did seem to shoot a little better before.  I now get occasional fliers that I wasn't getting before.

In regard to the hinge pin fit in the frame, how tight is it sypposed to fit.  Is it supposed to slide freely from the frame when you tilt the frame to the side (with the forearm removed of course).  My hinge pin will slide (fall) out of the frame when the frame is tilted sideways.  Since one person mentioned the oversize hinge pin, I was wondering what the proper tension should be on the hinge pin.  My encore hinge pin does does fit somewhat tigher in its frame.

[Arrroman]

I have to use a light drift just to move the hinge pin with the gun opened.

The pin also should require a light tapping to get it in.

If the pin fits loose, I'd replace it.

Good luck hunting!  >>>------------>

[pebco]

I had the same problem with my encore, the frame's hinge pin hole were somewhat larger than the barrels. I sent it back to TC with letter explaining all details, they sent the gun back without doing anything to hinge pin, I called them and gave them the tech's number off of the return reciept and they gave me the shop foreman, to make a long story short he told me the hinge pin being loose would not effect accuaracy,  after much discussion I order oversize pins and reamer from above mentioned supplier, all is well but all barrels I purchase will have to be reamed.

[kjg]

I had this same problem on  a old frame contender, had bunches of movement side to side, like another suggested, getake a measurementand get the pin that is slightly larger tha what you have and install it, the pin you have sould not just fall out of the frame it should be slightly tapped out, and that will take care of your problems, I sure helped me when my 21"7x30 waters had up to.006" side to side playand was experianceing 3 1/2" groups with afctory ammo at 50 yards and that was really unacceptable, with the change in hinge pin accuracy was awsome with factory and reloads averageing 1" at 150 yards that is true M.O.D. kjg