Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots T/C Contender -Encore accurate rifles ??

All my barrels are factory and all shoot very well. I have a 20 inch .22 K Hornet, 23 inch 7-30 Waters, and 23 inch .30-30 AI carbine barrels. I also have a 10 inch .22 rf, 10 inch .30 Herrett, 10 inch .22 Hornet, and 14 inch 7 mm TCU. All factory and all accurate.

I'm glad to read that. As a backup plan, I have contacted the importer about bringing in an MGM barrel. The price difference is $55, so it's not an issue. I don't want to curse my luck, but barrels are usually a piece of cake to import. Actions on the other hand can be problematic.

Steve, I would share the same thought. The barrels I have that came from Fox Ridge were not custom production, but Thompson Center stock. FR did do limited custom production, but nothing extreme.

The importer has been around for a while, but usually doesn't answer emails for a few days. As I understand it, the purchase is the same as for a firearm. I make the purchase from the seller and the FFL holder is the go between. Once they get on this side of the border, it will come through Canada Post.

The 23" .30-30 T/C barrel I have is quite accurate. I never did a lot of load development with it but 1" groups with 125gr bullets was easy.

That's good to know. I bought a pile of lighter bullets for one of my disaster rifles - an H&R SS in 30-30. That rifle and I were destined from the start to have a falling out. As a result, I have a cardboard box full of pointy 30 cal bullets that I will try in the Contender. I also bought some FTX and GMZ bullets with the gummi tips. I even fired up the camp stove and made a bunch of cast bullets.

This Contender is like the NHL draft when a team pays big bux for an unproven Junior A player.

The .30-30 and Lyman 311041 go hand in hand. Lyman's load data revolves around their vaunted #2 alloy. It is harder than necessary but functional. You can walk the line around 1800-to maybe 2000 fps with an alloy of 11-12 BHN and find remarkable accuracy. Dunno what the regulatory gods have to say about it, but I'd be happy to send some of the Sneezer bullets your way if interested. PM will work on that.

You mean these? I made up a few hundred last weekend.

Indeed. Hard to go wrong with that one.

I had a factory 6.8spc 23" contender bbl that was very accurate. Ended up selling it to fund my 7-30waters MGM custom barrel though. Still working on loads for it. I don't think I'd be too concerned with the factory barrel. Hope it all works out for you. They are a fun little rifle to play and hunt with.

3 factory barrels, 405 Win, 375 H&H and 204 Ruger. All under an inch with handloads, 405 shoots factory loads equally well.

For me at least, it will be whatever barrel is available. I am seeing good and bad in factory and aftermarket barrels.

That's the problem with the Interweb. It's difficult to know if there are any problems inherent in the various manufacturer's work. I should take my own advice. It's about Lee Precision, but is appropriate here. If any of the equipment made was substandard, the company would stop producing it or go out of business.

Steve,

Hope you get a good one! Keep us updated. Funny Tex Avery video, thanks for posting.

My only inconsistent barrel was a MGM in 223.
My most accurate whether I did my pay or not..... Factory 25-06
My current most accurate is a Bergara in 308.
Lock up, sandbag position etc doesn't seem to matter with these two.
Sometimes you just get lucky.

Me too. The title got my attention. I liked the special apparel for th mother in law. Probably not politically correct these days, but still funny.

I have a contender carbine. I bought a 22 lr barrel from fox ridge that was not good it is easily the worst thing I have ever shot.. I have a blue 223 factory barrel that shoots great everything I have tried is a tack driver. I have a factory stainless 30-30 barrel also. It doesn't shoot like the 223 barrel but is acceptable for hunting at the ranges and animals a 30-30 would be used. It is very handy to carry and light. I haven't shot an encore but a contender does have a good trigger.