Contender barrel sources?

[brotherdarrell]

Well, the bug to get another barrel for the Contender is biting me, but my search is coming up pretty thin as to availability from various places. What I would like to know is where you guys are getting barrels recently. My frame is from the late '80's.

I have a 7tcu and 35 rem. What I am leaning towards is a 22 hornet in 14".

Can you guys point me in some likely directions?

thanks to all

brotherdarrell

[leadman]

Check Speciality Pistols website for info on barrels. They also have a for sale section there. MGM, SSK, Bullberry are a few of the custom makers. Graf & Sons and Natchez, along with MidwayUSA have barrels and sometimes deals on barrels.
Did you check Selling & Swapping here?
Also Ed's Contenders is a very good source.

[wallenba]

I now own three Match Grade Machine barrels. All are outstanding!

[Spruce]

E.Arthur Brown, eabco.com, might be a choice also. Has any one tried there Accuracy Barrels?

They also make a nice looking single shot rifle.

[wcp4570]

Darrell
Have you tried Ed's Contenders yet?

http://www.edstc.com/

wcp

[brotherdarrell]

Thanks for the replies. I have checked about half of the noted sites and will check the rest later.

I did check Ed's Contenders but noticed it has not been up-dated for quite a while so was un-sure how current the listings were.

Thanks to all

brotherdarrell

[Buckeye509]

Yep, Ed has not updated the Hot List for awhile now. It is best to try to call him and see what is available. I have bought and traded several barrels from him. He is a straight shooter and a stand up guy. I don't believe I've ever heard anything negative mentioned about him and I frequent Specialty Pistols and GBO for what seems like a long time.

I've also scored a few goodies on Eb*y, but it's hit or miss. Best luck has come from going to gun shows and looking for the orphaned barrel or someone who wants to get out of TC's, or the SP and GBO sites.

[stubshaft]

I used to be a great proponent of MGM and have had excellent success with the barrels I have purchased in the past. I talked a couple of my friends into having them buy a couple of barrels from them recently and was sorely disappointed with their workmanship. One of the barrels in 308 had a groove in the chamber just behind the shoulder. Another one in 7.62 X 39 was clearly marked ".308 Bore" and it clearly has a .311" bore! The third owner of the third barrel had asked them to etch his name on the barrel which they neglected to do.

Hopefully they upgrade their quality because I really did like their barrels.

[Nobade]

Well, the bug to get another barrel for the Contender is biting me, but my search is coming up pretty thin as to availability from various places. What I would like to know is where you guys are getting barrels recently. My frame is from the late '80's.

I have a 7tcu and 35 rem. What I am leaning towards is a 22 hornet in 14".

Can you guys point me in some likely directions?

thanks to all

brotherdarrell

I see you are in southern NM.

If you make your way up here to Albuquerque, check out Ron Peterson's gun shop. He has about 50 Contender barrels on the shelf right now. The rest of the cases are empty, but he's sitting good on Contender barrels!

[oldred]

I got my 21" 204 Ruger barrel at WalMart, they had the best price I found and although they had to order it from the warehouse it arrived in two days.

www.walmart.com/ip/Thompson-Center-Arms-Encore-Rifle-Barrel-SST-26-HB-204-Ruger/3869062

[uscra112]

Check yer P/M box, Darrell

[Hamish]

If you make your way up here to Albuquerque, check out Ron Peterson's gun shop.

http://ronpetersonfirearms.com/

Look like nice fella's.

[Nobade]

Wow, I didn't know he had a web site.

Right now there aren't many guns left in his shop but normally there are hundreds to look at. I try to stop by there at least once a week to see what is new.

[MaineJim]

Ebay has a great selection of barrels as well,just dont get in a bidding war.On average they sell just under two hundred bucks.
A lot of TCA custom barrels and hard to find calibers as well,im not too crazy about ebay but i mention it as an option because there are usualy a lot of TC barrels on there and i like to browse.

[brotherdarrell]

Nobade - I got to go to Alb. several times last year due to shoulder surgery at UNM and saw all the Contender barrels on the shelf. I called them the other day but they did'nt have anything that turned my crank, though the 218 Bee barrel was tempting.

As of today the Contender barrel is on the back burner. My gunsmith just got all his recently decease fathers guns and one of them is a Savage 219 in 30-30. He knows I have been lusting after one of these for several years and gave me a call soon after he got back into town. If that falls through there is a member here who has offered me a good deal on a K-hornet barrel. Hopefully he won't mind me following up on the Savage.

Thanks to all

brotherdarrell

[Nobade]

Great deal! The 219 should be good fun. I wish I had one of those myself.

[Leadmelter]

Try SSK in Ohio. I have two from them and they are very nice.
Leadmelter
GErry

[marshall623]

RJ's Guns in PA I bought a 30 Herrett barrel from him 10 yrs ago , I looked recently he has a updated site and still has plenty of barrels. He was a good guy to deal with

[wonderwolf]

bullberry barrels...I just picked up my first contender and looking at getting one from them, they have a deal going on now with barrel stubs...I'm just looking at getting a stainless match .44 mag barrel to replace my well shot S&W 29 silhoutte modle.

[Hamish]

RJ's Guns in PA I bought a 30 Herrett barrel from him 10 yrs ago , I looked recently he has a updated site and still has plenty of barrels. He was a good guy to deal with

Hmmmm,,,,

http://rjsguns.com/Thompson_Center_Products.html

[kavemankel]

Thanks for the link to rjs, i have been looking for it for a while, lost it after past computer crash.

[lovedogs]

Another vote for Ed's. I've only traded with him once but he was good to me. It's good to see all these others listed. I didn't know there were so many others. My wife will have to lock up the credit card now.