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Post by x101airborne on Aug 13, 2021 16:54:16 GMT -5
A buddy & I were shooting silhouette match at the old Goliad, Texas range. He was shooting a .357 Herrett in a TC Contender. "Rocks & Dynamite" were the type of loads he had. He suddenly had the "auto eject" feature appear in his Contender. The match director happened by, and told him to take that gun off the line. I believe the match director was J.B. White, who ran the matches there with his wife. I loved shooting at that range, too. I believe David Bradshaw had taken in some of the matches there. Or maybe not. ***** JB White was present at Goliad when I showed up with the first Dan Wesson Arms M-44 .44 Mag to see daylight in a match. When I offered the gun to anyone to try on the steel, JB White threw to the head of the line. I had a Redhawk for folks to try also, but the shooters flocked to the Big Dan. I loved the Goliad matches, made a rattlesnake omelette for my daughter the morning after one of ‘em. Daughter brought the snake’s head to grade school for show & tell, it’s mouth propped open with fangs extended. Sensation of the day, the kids passing around the snake’s head. After school she brought it home. School’s out, daughter hands me the rattlesnake head. Grasping rattler’s head between thumb and forefinger, big drops of semen-looking poison drip from its fangs. Thought I’d milked all the venom.... David Bradshaw Mr. Bradshaw, if you ever make it down close enough for comfort to the Goliad area, I am only in Victoria (or Gonzales, depending on the day) and would love to buy you or better yet, cook you a good steak and talk a while. It sure would be an honor. Mr. Lockhart is also invited for the same treatment. He isn't that far out of the way.
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Post by parallaxbill on Oct 9, 2021 15:48:07 GMT -5
I found out that my 41 Magnum Contender will not chamber Underwood 265 gr wide flat point cartridges. The bullet contacts the rifling just before the action should close. I guess I'll stick with the 210 gr versions instead. Anyone else find this out?
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Post by lockhart on Oct 21, 2021 13:15:25 GMT -5
Why don't you have the chamber reamed a little, to take advantage of that bullet? It shouldn't be that big of a deal.
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Post by parallaxbill on Oct 21, 2021 14:21:35 GMT -5
Why don't you have the chamber reamed a little, to take advantage of that bullet? It shouldn't be that big of a deal. I just hadn't thought of it since it shot the 210s so well. Can anyone recommend a gunsmith that can do this?
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Post by Ken O'Neill on Oct 21, 2021 21:03:43 GMT -5
The Contender is just hard for some folks to figure out. It's a combination of case head area, pressure and combustion area...[/quote]
In other words, THRUST on the breech face
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Post by Encore64 on Oct 21, 2021 21:18:40 GMT -5
The Contender is just hard for some folks to figure out. It's a combination of case head area, pressure and combustion area... In other words, THRUST on the breech face[/quote] That's definitely the culprit. But, I've about given up on it. Either people get it or not with no explanation being explicit enough to bridge the gap between the two...
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jeffh
.375 Atomic
Posts: 1,606
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Post by jeffh on Oct 22, 2021 18:46:24 GMT -5
The Contender is just hard for some folks to figure out. It's a combination of case head area, pressure and combustion area... In other words, THRUST on the breech face That's definitely the culprit. But, I've about given up on it. Either people get it or not with no explanation being explicit enough to bridge the gap between the two... [/quote][/div]
QUANTIFY it.
THAT would "bridge the gap." THAT would be explicit enough.
Subjective words, like "sane" and "mild," etc. do not explain this to the extent that any reasonable person could "get it," so it's not on the people catching, but the ones pitching.
Mind you, I am not criticizing ANYONE for chambering Contenders however they wish, but you can't blame the people you're explaining it to for not "getting it" if you're really not explaining it.
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Post by dougader on Oct 23, 2021 11:41:03 GMT -5
When I started out handloading, I assumed only safe loads would be included in loading manuals. My old Speer 10 is Exhibit A supporting the contrary position.
Using Accurate Arms data for AA2460 in my Super 14 30-30, I could see peening starting early on with my loads.... time to back off.
Pushing the envelope might be fun in the beginning, but it wears badly on gun and shooter. That falls within my definition of sane, and it often shows up long before flattened primers and sticky cases arrive on the scene.
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Post by Encore64 on Oct 23, 2021 12:16:11 GMT -5
There has quite literally been books written on The TC Contender. No shortage of articles published for decades.
Learning is one of those things we have to do for ourselves. It's right there with taking medicine, exercise, etc. No matter which spin is put on it, there is simply no way to pass the buck.
As you say, even the best loading manuals don't apply in every application.
I've got a few barrels with really tight chambers. Maximum pressure usually shows itself in these guns before guns with more generous chambers. Try poor handloading techniques in a Freedom Arms Revolver and you'll get a speed course in measuring chambers and throats.
My personal accumulation of Contender Barrels range from 17 Ackley Hornet to 50-70 Govt. All the factors mentioned in this thread applies in the spectrum.
The only Contender I've ever seen blown up was a 38 Special. A massive overload of Red Dot was the owner's explanation. I've seen a few frames stretched to the point you couldn't cock them when closed.
As much information as is out there, a lot of it is incorrect. I read an article years ago that recoil caused the frames to stretch. But, most understand it's pressure and not recoil.
The G2 Contender helps with this problem. The sides are beefed up with a web above the channels cut for the barrel lugs. With an action job, the G2 is my favorite frame to use...
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