TC Contender in .44 Mag

[johnnysespresso]

I have been thinking of adding a 14 inch .44Mag Bbl. to use with cast boolits. I am looking for comments on accuracy, factory vs. custom, etc. Come on you Contender junkies, help me spend a few bucks.

[Leadmelter]

This subject was covered not too long ago. I have a ten in 44 Mag. Get good grips. Guy a shooting glove.
The 44 Mag heavy load will rock you.
Leadmelter
MI

[shoot-n-lead]

I have been thinking of adding a 14 inch .44Mag Bbl. to use with cast boolits. I am looking for comments on accuracy, factory vs. custom, etc. Come on you Contender junkies, help me spend a few bucks.

The 14" .44mag is great...excellent barrel...accurate and reduces recoil significantly over a 10". I would recommend that you give one a try...you will LIKE it.

Mine is a factory barrel and I have only shot cast in it...I shoot 429421 in it...it shoots them lights out...it will definitely put them where you point it.

And, while your at it...get a 14" 30/30...it is excellent, also.

[68 couper]

Picked one up last week here- https://www.walmart.com/ip/Thompson-Center-Arms-4222-Super-14-34-SS-BBL-44-Mag./23246862
Their giving them away. I measured the throat and it is ok for cast. Crown is crisp. Only 4 left.
Enjoy
Couper

[shoot-n-lead]

Picked one up last week here- https://www.walmart.com/ip/Thompson-Center-Arms-4222-Super-14-34-SS-BBL-44-Mag./23246862
Their giving them away. I measured the throat and it is ok for cast. Crown is crisp. Only 4 left.
Enjoy
Couper

That certainly is a DEAL.

[curator]

Check out Mike Belim and MGM barrels before spring for a T/C factory .44 Mag. barrel. While it is possible to get a good one from Thompson Center, most of the newer ones are made with a very long chamber and a conical "throat." I shoot cast in mine and needed to find .445 Super-Magnum cases to get the boolit close to the rifling. Accuracy with factory-length brass was lackluster. A cerosafe chamber cast showed the dimensions of my chamber and rifling's leade so I could cut the .445 Super-Mag brass to fit. Accuracy improved remarkably doing this. Both Belim and MGM barrels are correctly chambered and throated but will cost a bit more.

[shoot-n-lead]

Check out Mike Belim and MGM barrels before spring for a T/C factory .44 Mag. barrel. While it is possible to get a good one from Thompson Center, most of the newer ones are made with a very long chamber and a conical "throat." I shoot cast in mine and needed to find .445 Super-Magnum cases to get the boolit close to the rifling. Accuracy with factory-length brass was lackluster. A cerosafe chamber cast showed the dimensions of my chamber and rifling's leade so I could cut the .445 Super-Mag brass to fit. Accuracy improved remarkably doing this. Both Belim and MGM barrels are correctly chambered and throated but will cost a bit more.

When you say "markedly"...how much was that?

Are you shooting bullseye with it or hunting with it?

[johnnysespresso]

The 14" .44mag is great...excellent barrel...accurate and reduces recoil significantly over a 10". I would recommend that you give one a try...you will LIKE it.

Mine is a factory barrel and I have only shot cast in it...I shoot 429421 in it...it shoots them lights out...it will definitely put them where you point it.

And, while your at it...get a 14" 30/30...it is excellent, also.
You also mention the 14" 30/30. I was also considering that but I don't have dies or brass for that cartridge. On the factory .44Mag, I have read other sites that the throats on the new bbls. is long and not conducive to good accuracy. That's why I'm asking about it. Haven't read anything good or bad about new 30/30 barrels. That question is next.

[shoot-n-lead]

You also mention the 14" 30/30. I was also considering that but I don't have dies or brass for that cartridge. On the factory .44Mag, I have read other sites that the throats on the new bbls. is long and not conducive to good accuracy. That's why I'm asking about it. Haven't read anything good or bad about new 30/30 barrels. That question is next.

Are you looking for bullseye competition accuracy out of a 44mag?

The only thing that I can say is that with the ones that I have had experience with...if a deer was not dead at 100yds, the shooter had not done his job. Never shot one farther...so, can't comment about that.

Honestly, your accuracy will depend more on YOU than on the barrel...most of these barrels will shoot as well as you can.

[tdoyka]

When you say "markedly"...how much was that?

Are you shooting bullseye with it or hunting with it?

i hunt with my MGM barrels.

these are all encore
20 vartarg goes .2 - .4" at 100 yards( 5 shots) 16 1/4" barrel
6.5 creedmoor goes .3 - .5" at 100 yards( 5 shots) 16 1/4" barrel
444 marlin goes .5 - .6" at 100 yards( 5 shots) 23" barrel

the 444 uses cast boolits and the 20vt and the 6.5cm like noslers. i am just tickled pink that any one of them can do a sub-minute group. the 20vt can do target but i just like to shoot and hunt with it. the 20vt coming off my bench does .2" at 100 yards when i do my part. a .4" at 100 yards is more realistic, i use either the 3 legged bog pod or a primos bipod. i use them because it helps me to stabilize the gun( i have to use it because i had a stroke that left me one hand/leg).

Thompson Center Contender Barrels | Thompson Center Contender (https://matchgrademachine.com/)

[54bore]

I had one of these 14" barrels in .44 Magnum back when the TC Contender first came out, it was accurate with just about anything i tried in it, but i hated the old Contender Frame! A huge gunshop I regularly frequented refused to sell the TC Contenders back then due to them not fitting well, According to the shop owner they were DEFINITELY NOT all a simple swap the barrel and go like TC claimed them to be, you needed to have each barrel properly fitted to your reciever. Again this is back when they first came out. I dont think i shot any cast in mine? It was very accurate with factory jacketed stuff, and it wasn't picky which brand.

[68 couper]

I agree with shoot-n-lead. The 44 has lots of options for cast that are easy to load for. Great cartridge for short range practice and woods hunting. Kills um dead. If you can shoot the 44 well in a contender, you can shoot any of the calabers really.
Couper

[curator]

I have used my Contender .44Mag for hog hunting from tree stands. Shot distance 20-30 yards. The chambering issue came about due to degrading accuracy after 2 or 3 shots. Shooting targets from a bench rest showed the first 2 or 3 shots were in a tight group but subsequent shots were all over the place, even off the paper! The issue was always leading of the "throat." A good bore-scrubbing with bronze wool would restore accuracy for another couple of shots. I am no beginner in the world of cast boolits. Neither hardness nor size fixed the problem. LBT Wide-flat-nose boolit designs are well known for accuracy. I have a Ruger SBH that would shoot one ragged hole groups all day long with the same load. A chamber cast revealed the problem. I had expected an "off-center" chamber which was not unheard of on early Contender barrels. The long-chamber, cone-throat works fine for J-word slugs but not that well for cast lead.

[Leadmelter]

I bought one from Wally World, should be here this weekend. Thanks for the tip!
Leadmelter
MI

[68 couper]

Your welcome. You would like a load of Unique 8gr over any cast in 240ish range. Should be fairly mild.
Check back in
Couper

[shoot-n-lead]

x 2 on what 68 couper said...8grs would be very mild. My hunting load is 10grs of Unique under 250gr 429421 and it is very easy on the shooter...and shoots lights out, too.

This is what the hunting load will do at 40 odd yds... starting with a cold barrel...5 shot group of .860" (1.29" widest diameter minus .430" bore= .860").

I don't shoot at deer beyond 100yds...but out to there, it is good to go.

190572

[fatelvis]

Another option is to buy a 357 mag barrel and have Bellm ream it out to Max. I shoot mine in IHSMA out to 200 yds with 225grn cast boolits, and it's lighter recoiling and shoots much flatter than a 44. (I use a Pride-Fowler scope with a 44 mag calibrated reticle, and I always find myself holding way under the appropriate yardage hash marks).

[Half Dog]

190572

That's your 100 yard target? That is amazing!!! Now I'll be looking for another mold.

What power scope are you using?

[fatelvis]

If you read closely, I believe he said it is "40 odd yards"


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[shoot-n-lead]

That's your 100 yard target? That is amazing!!! Now I'll be looking for another mold.

What power scope are you using?

NOT 100yds...regardless of how the gun would do...the shooter AIN'T capable of shooting that group at 100yds, with a handgun. Heck I can barely shoot a 1" group with a rifle, at 100yds. I really don't know what the gun will do at 100yds...I can hit those 4.5" computer discs every shot at 100yds...never made a bad shot on deer at that range, but that is MY limit.

[shoot-n-lead]

Another option is to buy a 357 mag barrel and have Bellm ream it out to Max. I shoot mine in IHSMA out to 200 yds with 225grn cast boolits, and it's lighter recoiling and shoots much flatter than a 44. (I use a Pride-Fowler scope with a 44 mag calibrated reticle, and I always find myself holding way under the appropriate yardage hash marks).

I agree about the flat shooting and light recoil of the Max. I just sold my Max barrel...mine did very well with j-words...I just couldn't get it do as well with cast.

[ShooterAZ]

I have a T/C Factory barrel, and it shoots very well, no problems with throat etc. It will put these wadcutters http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=43-190W-D.png into the same hole at 50 yards from a rest. A 4X Leupold scope sits on it. 6 grains of Bullseye is the ticket. It pretty much shoots everything very well, including the Lee C430-310 pushed hard. I tend to stay with the target loads lately though...much more enjoyable to shoot.

[jimb16]

I hate to correct someone, but I can shoot groups like that at 100 yards with my Contender with the 7TCU barrel and J-word boolits. Of course I'm using sand bags, but so what.... I have a 10 inch .44 mag barrel that will shoot goups like that off sand bags at 50 yards. I use a 250 gr. semi-wad cutter and 9.0 gr. of unique. No scopes on either barrel! And I can shoot groups of under 1/2 inch with my .222 Rem. bull barreled 700 BDL at the same 100 yards. I'm sure my firearms are capable of better, but I'm not.

[shoot-n-lead]

I hate to correct someone, but I can shoot groups like that at 100 yards with my Contender with the 7TCU barrel and J-word boolits. Of course I'm using sand bags, but so what.... I have a 10 inch .44 mag barrel that will shoot goups like that off sand bags at 50 yards. I use a 250 gr. semi-wad cutter and 9.0 gr. of unique. No scopes on either barrel! And I can shoot groups of under 1/2 inch with my .222 Rem. bull barreled 700 BDL at the same 100 yards. I'm sure my firearms are capable of better, but I'm not.

I hope that you don't think that you are correcting me...cause you are not. My statement about "shooter" was in reference to MY shooting with THAT barrel.

For the record...I can come close to that group with the 30/30 barrel at 100yds...just not with the .44. I have not tried, but I might be able to do it with my 10" 7TCU...at a minimum, it would be better than I can do with the .44.

[iplaywithnoshoes]

I know we are talking Contender but I have been able to squeeze 1" at 100yds out of my .243 and .45-70 pistol barrels in my Encore off a front bag. These were 15" barrels but I certainly don't doubt those kinds of groups from lighter contenders with some practice. Then again though, after extensive shooting in a .45-70 pistol, the .44 is quite a pussycat comparably.

shoe

[shoot-n-lead]

I know we are talking Contender but I have been able to squeeze 1" at 100yds out of my .243 and .45-70 pistol barrels in my Encore off a front bag. These were 15" barrels but I certainly don't doubt those kinds of groups from lighter contenders with some practice. Then again though, after extensive shooting in a .45-70 pistol, the .44 is quite a pussycat comparably.

shoe

I agree...but, I am by no means a good handgun shot...

You put a Contender or Encore in the hand of someone that can shoot...it will turn in some impressive groups...especially, when chambered in a rifle cartridge.

I find that I shoot the rifle cartridges much better than the handgun cartridges, even with recoil being about the same...say with the .44 compared to the 30/30, although the 30/30 has more recoil. That bullet getting out of the barrel quicker, I suppose, greatly reduces the effects of improper grip technique.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

I know we are talking Contender but I have been able to squeeze 1" at 100yds out of my .243 and .45-70 pistol barrels in my Encore off a front bag. These were 15" barrels but I certainly don't doubt those kinds of groups from lighter contenders with some practice. Then again though, after extensive shooting in a .45-70 pistol, the .44 is quite a pussycat comparably.

shoe

yep I have shot some great groups with my 454 encore at a 100 yards190935 some times the stars just line up I wish i could do this all the time

[historicfirearms]

yep I have shot some great groups with my 454 encore at a 100 yards190935 some times the stars just line up I wish i could do this all the time
Great shooting there! I have the same barrel for my encore but haven't messed around with it yet. Do you care to share the load data that you used to shoot that group?

[LUCKYDAWG13]

Great shooting there! I have the same barrel for my encore but haven't messed around with it yet. Do you care to share the load data that you used to shoot that group?
My barrel was made by the T/C custom shop 13" and I had them put the 4 port mag-na ports on it The load was a 300gr boolit
MP 454-294 HP Mold with a mild load of 27.5 gr of H110

[modified5]

So, this Walmart special .44 barrel.
Is the locking block compatible with early frames?
For that price I may need to figure out a way to get one in the stables.
I have been wanting to add a.44 mag barrel for a while, and for under $200 delivered I may just have to. :-)

[shoot-n-lead]

So, this Walmart special .44 barrel.
Is the locking block compatible with early frames?
For that price I may need to figure out a way to get one in the stables.
I have been wanting to add a.44 mag barrel for a while, and for under $200 delivered I may just have to. :-)

I have mixed and matched early and G2 barrels and frames...never had a single issue. I could use later barrels on early frames and early barrels on later frames, with no problem.

[modified5]

Thanks shoot-n-lead. I had read some posts about locking block differences and concerns so I know they are out there.
Most of my barrels are older ones. The newest is my .375JDJ, and that is a factory barrel that is about 5 years old.
I may just have to jump on this one and ask for forgiveness later. :D

[Leadmelter]

picked mine up today. Barrel is in factory wrappings.
Leadmelter
MI

[cheese1566]

I have a plain Jane super 14 barrel in 44mag I bought second hand last year. I finally loaded up some Noe plain base and lubed them with Lar's red carnauba with about 10 grains of Unique. I was plinking with the other barrels at 100yds and decided to swap to the 44. It had a cheap BSA red dot on it that was extra on my bench. Heck, the red dot covered the target at 100 yds.

i was astounded when I looked at the 8x10 sheet and found most the hits were on the upper half of the paper. Nothing special about the loads....

it it now sports a Leupold handgun scope and awaits further testing and decent rest.

[68 couper]

Cheese- Sounds promising. Work with it a bit and see how it goes.
Good luck
Couper

[modified5]

My "Walmart" special hit Reno at 5 pm tonight. I will have it tomorrow.
I wonder if I can shoot my contender off a rest after my shoulder surgery??
Not sure how the upward motion of the recoil would affect it. May have to wait another month or so before I wring this one out.

[Leadmelter]

modified5
I would talk to your orthopedics surgeon first. I don't think he will want any jarring of the repaired should for six weeks. Besides, the PT will wipe you out anyway. Is it your dominant arm? Be Careful!!!
Leadmelter
Retired MRI Tech

[modified5]

Leadmelter, it is my HEAVILY dominate arm.
I am 8 weeks out right now and it is so weak that I can't raise it above my head without assistance.
I am an auto tech who for years thought nothing about lifting a transfer case above my head to stab it, or bench pressing a transmission into one of my race cars at the track.
Probably the reason for the damage I have now!! :D

[nhmikel]

I have TC 14" blued 44 never fired if your interested?

[Leadmelter]

modified5
Your shoulder is the most complicated joint in your body. If you cannot lift arm without assistance is not a good sign.
Talk to your surgeon or PT person before you undue what was fixed.
Just a FYI
Leadmelter
MI
Retired MRI Tech after almost 30 yrs.