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Post by contender on Jun 8, 2018 9:13:08 GMT -5
Gee Jack,, you think?  ? |
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Post by onegoodshot on Jun 8, 2018 9:13:22 GMT -5
I always appreciated this forum for all the knowledge its members have. I REALLY REALLY love all the posts from Bradshaw. Not only is he contributing huge amounts of knowledge, his ability to articulate that knowledge and combine it with first hand history is nothing short of fantastic. He needs to write a book "Hell, I was there TOO"  And a special thanks to Sixshot for saving my marriage. My wife would surely divorce me if I start casting......  |
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Post by ezekiel38 on Jun 8, 2018 11:39:00 GMT -5
Thank you Mr. Bradshaw, The Pachmayr Gripper looks to be the answer, along with a wide no mar forend made by the same folks. I've got a lead on an older Contender frame but the owner says it suffers from light hammer strikes. Without seeing this, assuming it is stock is this an easy fix? Are there any Contender mechanics around. My quest starts for a 357 Max or Mag 10inch bull barrel.
A new quest!
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Post by bradshaw on Jun 8, 2018 12:30:45 GMT -5
ezekiel38.... LIGHT INDENT----aka light primer strike----may, in the Contender, be caused by hammer block timing issues or a fatigued mainspring.
The Contender locking lug is spring-loaded to wedge under the STANDING BREECH as the barrel is snapped into battery. If your Contender has the original single piece bolt (locking lug), it should be upgraded to the split, 2-piece bolt incorporated by T/C in the late 1970’s. The improved bolt is a straight retrofit and helps prevent the pistol unlocking on recoil.
Oversize or insufficiently sized brass prevents the the barrel from snapping shut. The lug or bolt then fails to move the hammer block out of the way, preventing the hammer from striking the firing pin. There may be a light indent or no indent. When an oversize case prevents full lockup, the misfire often leaves no firing pin signature on the primer. This problem is common to bottleneck cases, although it can happen with any brass which prevents the barrel from fully snapping shut.
No other action type has the camming leverage of a bolt action to chamber a tight round. (There is one specific exception: the Heckler & Koch 91 and 93 roller locked, delayed blowback semi-automatic rifles.) Falling block, tip-open, lever, pump, and gas operated semi-autos all lack strong camming leverage.
Size some cases and chamber. The Contender should snap shut. It should feel----or snap shut----the same whether pistol is unloaded or loaded. Only after you familiarize yourself with the COORDINATIONS of loading & unloading may you resize bottleneck brass to ever-so-slightly feel the difference. Otherwise, you may anticipate a misfire in the field.
David Bradshaw
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Post by sixshot on Jun 8, 2018 12:49:58 GMT -5
Coogs, I noticed you left the 0 off of the 2!!! I've had 2 people contact me this week looking for a 357 Maximum. Lee & David's excellent write up's are starting to take a toll on several people & again, this caliber needs to be back on the table, we need a low recoiling, long range six gun for hunting. Set up for scope use on the Bisley or Blackhawk platform. You've got 2 of the top six gunners showing the capabilities of the caliber & with good 180-200 gr bullets it needs to be available. We just need to keep asking & hoping.
Dick
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coogs
.401 Bobcat
Posts: 2,684
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Post by coogs on Jun 9, 2018 5:59:21 GMT -5
It's actually one or 55......................
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Post by ezekiel38 on Jun 9, 2018 10:50:18 GMT -5
Thank you for your reply Mr. Bradshaw, I will use your info when checking out this action.
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Post by bradshaw on Jun 9, 2018 12:28:47 GMT -5
Thank you for your reply Mr. Bradshaw, I will use your info when checking out this action. ***** I set up my Contender triggers for a light clean break. Often, I’d loan a gun to a new competitor or a friend----or, in the case of championships, a shooter whose guns didn’t arrive with the luggage or due to foreign restrictions----in which case I might adjust trigger tension a pinch stiffer. The Contender SEAR is cocked by squeezing back on the TRIGGER GUARD SPUR. This allows DRY FIRE without HAMMER FALL. Except by this method, the Contender should not be dry fired on an empty chamber. Trigger pull is exactly the same with or without hammer fall. I always loaded Contender ammo to chamber easily. Some shooters like to crowd the chamber, which is wrong for the Contender. And while we’re at it, the practice is wrong for revolvers as well. David Bradshaw |
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Post by sixshot on Jun 10, 2018 1:38:31 GMT -5
Well it's midnight here in Idaho & I'm still not ready to leave for New Mexico! But, I'm close so I thought I'd post a couple of photo's of my new Lee/Bradshaw bullets for the 357 Maximum. I cast these from some old alloy that I had labeled Lyman #2. I didn't even remember that I had it. Anyway, after casting, painting, gas checking & sizing to .3576" they weighed 190 grs so that's what I'll be testing at Raton in a few days along with a few other loads in several different six guns. I'm hoping I hit the target a few times so there's enough holes to make a group. See everyone in a week!   Dick |
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Post by kings6 on Jun 10, 2018 1:48:44 GMT -5
Say hi to all the folks for me Dick. Hopefully next year will be the one that works out on this end. Safe travels!
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Post by bushog on Jun 10, 2018 18:44:46 GMT -5
Say hi to all the folks for me Dick. Hopefully next year will be the one that works out on this end. Safe travels! Ditto on this end! |
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Post by onegoodshot on Jun 11, 2018 19:01:11 GMT -5
Midway has the starline brass on sale $30 and change with free shipping on a $99 order. I should be gtg. Need to get a scope base now.
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Post by Lee Martin on Jun 12, 2018 19:41:30 GMT -5
Cast a few more batches of our 194 gr Bradshaw-Martin this evening. These'll turn green tomorrow, get sized and gas-checked Thursday, and shipped to David Friday. I'll also be shooting them this weekend and may even try IMR 4198.  -Lee www.singleactions.com"Chasing perfection five shots at a time" |
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Post by ezekiel38 on Jun 13, 2018 10:08:06 GMT -5
Continue to watch with great interest.
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Post by sixshot on Jun 16, 2018 15:29:11 GMT -5
I only got to fire 2 groups at Raton on the last day & I had a bad set up for a rest. I was on the sighting in range & they only had picnic tables & they are terrible because the table is way too low even with sand bags. I couldn't get my head low enough to see through the scope, my neck was almost broke trying to get down & this also changed my grip on the gun, almost a waste of time. Anyway, I set up my steel clanger at 50 yds & my first 2 shots went over the top with a center hold, that surprised me! I held 6 o'clock & the next 3 shots were on target but scattered, something wasn't right. I checked the scope & the mounts were loose, the 2 side screws were tightened with a quarter & I tried again. The first shot went center but about 2" right so I held left & fired the other 4 shots & walked down range. This load, 18.5 grs of 4227, 190 gr Lee/Bradshaw GC bullet deep seated in new Starline brass & lit with a Remington 7 1/2 primer looked really good. No pressure signs in the 94 degree New Mexico heat, the cases almost fell out of the gun so now it was time to move my portable clanger back to 100 yds. I had 2 problems, the first was the picnic table, it was just too low to get a correct grip on the gun & I could hardly see through the scope, I couldn't get my head down in the normal position. The second problem was I should have taken some paper targets. Shooting at a 10X10 steel target is ok but not real precise, at least when you are trying to shoot groups. The 100 yd group showed the improper grip & view through the scope, just no way to get it done. This gun is very accurate & Lee & David have proven the load is also. I'll shoot more groups now that I'm home & can shoot from a correct bench. I could barely get my left hand on the gun from this picnic table.   Ruger 10.5" 357 Maximum, 4X Leupold with Lee/Bradshaw 190 gr. cast GC bullet deep seated over 18.5 grs 4227.  Dick |
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