joeb33050
07-04-2008, 08:21 AM
THE COMPETITOR PISTOL
I never got the Contender to shoot cast bullets to my satisfaction, so after 15 years and some 5 or more barrels I let it go.
The Competitor "cannon breech" single shot pistol has been in the Gun Digest for quite a while now; it always intrigued me although I'd never seen one; so at the end of July, 2007 I went to Competitor Corp and ordered a pistol and reloading dies in 30BR.
The pistol arrived in May, 2008, the dies in June 2008.
The instructions include these:
"NOTE: For best results chamber should be left lightly oiled."
"Full length resizing is recommended in handloading."
A case fired in the/my Competitor will not go back in the chamber unless it is oriented/fiddled with, FL sizing is mandatory.
The Competitor folks sent me 200 cast bullets, gratis, with the dies. These are similar to 31141.
I worked with the instruction manual and the gun until I was able to remove and replace the "cap" = rearmost thing you turn clockwise/counterclockwise to operate and load the gun, and the barrel. Having an advanced degree in "non-mechanical", I figure if I can do it, anybody can.
I measured OAL with several cast bullets including the gift bullets, and found that all would fit in the gun with just the gas check in the case mouth.
To get an idea of how to load the 30 BR, I filled a cartridge case - expanded 6MM BR Rem. Case-with powder, struck it off with a card, and weighed the powder. Then did the same thing with a 30/30 case. I was surprised to find that the 30/30 case averaged 40.16 grains of powder and the 30BR case averaged 37.74 grains of powder. The 30BR case holds 94% as much as the 30/30. Pretty close.
I've had great luck with AA#9 in 30/30; using 12.5 grains with bullets from under 170 to over 208 grains; so since the 30 BR is close to the 30/30, that was the charge.
I had some various small pistol and rifle primers and used these for the first, trial, outing.
The "gift" bullets and 314299's were loaded.
An old Simmons 4X handgun scope in Burris Signature Zee rings fit fine, so off to the range I went, Wednesday, 7/2/08.
After getting the gun sighted in, there were left 15 cartridges loaded with "gift" bullets and 19 cartridges loaded with 311299. I fired the two sets at two targets at 50 yards. Each target had one called flyer. Less the flyers, 14 of the "gift" bullets made a 2.05" group, and 18 of the 311299s made a 1.35" group.
(My Ruger MK II 22 RF pistol, from a very good rest and after a lot of practice, will average under 2" at 50 yards and under 4" at 100 yards for 5 ten shot groups.)
So, while it's ugly enough to make small children cry, the Competitor seems to shoot.
joe b.
I never got the Contender to shoot cast bullets to my satisfaction, so after 15 years and some 5 or more barrels I let it go.
The Competitor "cannon breech" single shot pistol has been in the Gun Digest for quite a while now; it always intrigued me although I'd never seen one; so at the end of July, 2007 I went to Competitor Corp and ordered a pistol and reloading dies in 30BR.
The pistol arrived in May, 2008, the dies in June 2008.
The instructions include these:
"NOTE: For best results chamber should be left lightly oiled."
"Full length resizing is recommended in handloading."
A case fired in the/my Competitor will not go back in the chamber unless it is oriented/fiddled with, FL sizing is mandatory.
The Competitor folks sent me 200 cast bullets, gratis, with the dies. These are similar to 31141.
I worked with the instruction manual and the gun until I was able to remove and replace the "cap" = rearmost thing you turn clockwise/counterclockwise to operate and load the gun, and the barrel. Having an advanced degree in "non-mechanical", I figure if I can do it, anybody can.
I measured OAL with several cast bullets including the gift bullets, and found that all would fit in the gun with just the gas check in the case mouth.
To get an idea of how to load the 30 BR, I filled a cartridge case - expanded 6MM BR Rem. Case-with powder, struck it off with a card, and weighed the powder. Then did the same thing with a 30/30 case. I was surprised to find that the 30/30 case averaged 40.16 grains of powder and the 30BR case averaged 37.74 grains of powder. The 30BR case holds 94% as much as the 30/30. Pretty close.
I've had great luck with AA#9 in 30/30; using 12.5 grains with bullets from under 170 to over 208 grains; so since the 30 BR is close to the 30/30, that was the charge.
I had some various small pistol and rifle primers and used these for the first, trial, outing.
The "gift" bullets and 314299's were loaded.
An old Simmons 4X handgun scope in Burris Signature Zee rings fit fine, so off to the range I went, Wednesday, 7/2/08.
After getting the gun sighted in, there were left 15 cartridges loaded with "gift" bullets and 19 cartridges loaded with 311299. I fired the two sets at two targets at 50 yards. Each target had one called flyer. Less the flyers, 14 of the "gift" bullets made a 2.05" group, and 18 of the 311299s made a 1.35" group.
(My Ruger MK II 22 RF pistol, from a very good rest and after a lot of practice, will average under 2" at 50 yards and under 4" at 100 yards for 5 ten shot groups.)
So, while it's ugly enough to make small children cry, the Competitor seems to shoot.
joe b.