It's pretty bad when you have to turn 30-30 necks to be able to chamber .308 jacketed bullets. I am very unhappy with this 10" Contender barrel. Are they all like this? This thing is worthless. Too much hassle to load for. Spend the $$$ for a custom I guess???? Please tell me not all Thompson barrels are junk. I have been looking at others on Gunbroker and Ebay but I'm gun shy now about buying another Thompson barrel. This is very frustrating.
Waco
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 1:7
I have owned dozens of Contender barrels over the years in an assortment of chamberings and have never had a problem you describe. I have had the opposite with some being chambered on the loose side. Can you offer more details?
I've owned three Contenders and at one time had two different 30-30 barrels. No problems ever with any of them. I've had at least a dozen barrels and never had a problem other than they are on the loose side, not the tight side. You've got to have something else going on.
Its like there is no throat at all. Super tight chamber. Even with jacketed .308 bullets I have to turn necks to get them to chamber. This is my first and only TC barrel. The one round that did chamber out of twenty I loaded measured .3275" at the neck with the bullet seated. Others measured .328"-.329" and will not chamber. Cast??? FORGET about it. Way too fat. I'd have to turn the necks way down. I was able to get a stubby little 32 cal. 100gr RN boolit sized to .309" to chamber but it only barely stuck out of the case mouth.
I guess I just got a bum barrel......
Waco
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 1:7
Like every one else the are usauly loose . I would do a chamber cast. I use a .310 sized cast in mine. With only sizing half of the neck.
Did you get this as a used barrel or is it new? Factory TC or aftermarket (Bullberry, MGM, etc)
Used on Gunbroker. Factory TC barrel.Originally Posted by high standard 40
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 1:7
Waco, I just went and miked the necks on some of my 30/30 loads with .310" boolits and they go .329"-.330" using Remington cases. Your loads are just fine.
Maker of Silver Boolits for Werewolf hunting
I thought the loads were ok. Thanks for checking yours.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 1:7
Looks like a chamber cast would be a good idea. That's what I would do.
I read an article by Mike Bellm about all the problems with T/C factory barrels in different chamberings and the problems common in each one. I have 5 T/C's but after buying a .357 Maximum chambered by Mike I'll only buy a T/C factory barrel at a "can't pass it up" price and will buy custom barrels from now on.
“Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing ever happened."
― Winston S. Churchill
It's quite possible that the barrel was sold for the very reason you describe. I would email T/C
Sounds like a perfect candidate to ream out to 30-30AI .
Thats an idea!
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 1:7
A duhh question here. Does factory ammo chamber and close? And are you loading 30-30 bullets or bullets designed for a bolt gun?
Or run a 30-30 reamer in the chamber.
Maybe I'm the excpetion but I have never had a bad TC barrel. All have been 1.25 MOA or less. Some have been....well......if I post it some will think me a liar. I have had a few really really good ones .......put it that way. Seems to me a chamber cast is in order as well. If I were to run a reamer it would be AI.
Our house is protected by the Good Lord and a gun and you might meet them both if you show up here not welcome son!
Try a factory 30-30 round if it doesn't chamber send it to T/C . Or have someone clean it up with a 30-30 reamer
Jesus said ( Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest ) Matt. 11:28
I really don't see what that matteres. If it won't chamber 30 cal J words or normal 30-30 cast boolits, there is something wrong IMO.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 1:7
Oh. Sorry. Yes factory loads seem to fit. But I don't buy factory stuff. Maybe running the loads through a Lee factory crimp die???
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 1:7
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