Bad Contender chamber

[mattd]

I think I Remember reading about the chamber, and/or throats being out of alignment with the bore on some Contender barrles.

Is this a sign of that? From a chambered and extracted round, the shinny part on the left is where it started to engage the throat, and it dosent go all the way around


The rounds that are loaded 2.180 do that. Some end up a bit longer, 2.182 and any bigger have a concentric circle all the way around. But what’s funny is that it’s not as thick of an engagement mark.

Having a heck of a time getting any better then 1.5” at 40y with my 35 Rem. Tried H4895, RL7, Varget, H335. All from ~1650-1850. With a NOE 180g cast of 50/50 WD. The same bullet I get great accuracy out of my Whelen with at 1850fps.

[upnorthwis]

There were some 7TCU barrels in the 90's that had the chamber at an angle. I had one that couldn't keep 3 shots in a foot. Ran in to a TC rep at a muzzle loading match. He told me to send it back and who to send to the attention of. Got a new one that would put 5 in 1-1/2". I'm thinking those days are gone.

[MT Gianni]

Without a pound cast or cerrosafe pour it's hard to see. Most of the bad chambers were in the octogan barrel years. Some are great shooters and some round ones aren't. I start out with factory rounds and move to jacketed bullets to track down problems.

[uscra112]

I know that T/C used a pistol reamer to chamber .357 Max barrels. The pistol pilot is .346", which doesn't fit your typical .35 caliber barrel having a bore diameter of .350". Offset chambers abounded.

[500Linebaughbuck]

bellm's used to have have something like that(off set chamber to rifling or some such). give them a call.

https://www.bellmtcs.com/

[curioushooter]

There is an old advertisement for "Americas Master Gunmaker" showing a cross-eyed bearded dude clambering a barrel with a little homeowner drill press. NO JOKE. Part of the reason most contender folks have so many barrels is that most of them stink. Occasionally you get a really good one...a keeper. The rest end up on ebay.

That said one can work around the problems and in spite of it all they still usually shoot better than other handguns.

For whatever reason the 22 Hornet barrels and my 32-20 barrel are magical in their accuracy. But one of the 357 Herrett barrels I have has a chamber probably reamed by that bearded cross-eyed dude and you can't even rotate the case in the chamber after firing it is so out off round can canted.

[crackers]

That case looks pushed out on the right. Is the bullet true in the case?

[marlinman93]

Since you're working with reloads, and reformed cases, you need to eliminate them as the problem too. I'd do a chamber cast to see what it looks like. I'd also put a index mark on the rim at 12 o'clock and then insert the cartridge into the chamber. Pull it out and check the bullet for a mark. Then turn it 90 degrees and chamber again. Repeat at 90 degrees, and check the bullet each time. If the mark doesn't continue around the bullet, then it's not the chamber that's bad, it's your case or bullet, or dies.

[68 couper]

Hi Mattd-

I don't think so. I would find it disturbing as well. You can get a rough estimate on the alignment looking into the chamber with a light at the muzzle. The real test is a cerro cast and a bore scope. You can get them both for $30 total. I keep a chamber cast on hand for all my new barrels.
Tha 35 rem barrels were known to be pretty good. Throats are a little short. Mine could use .080 longer for 210 grain boolits. The case is a little thin as I recall. What was the runout of the loaded rounds? BTW, don't crimp um.
Good luck
Couper