Excessive head space in a Contender

[leftysixgun]

Thats actually a question.  How would you handle/deal with/adapt to a Contender barrel having to much head space?
Contact the barrel maker and expect good customer service?
”Fireform” some cases that take out the excessive head space, per say. And then keep a dedicated sizing die and brass for that gun/cartridge?
Send it down the road and let someone else deal with the problem?

Give me your opinion.

[potatojudge]

Depends on the situation. Is the breech face one that can be shimmed? What's the chambering? Do you have other guns in that round?

[boolitdesigner]

Various good solutions exist....... but you have little to no criteria for your question.

[leftysixgun]

Jun 14, 2023 17:56:29 GMT -5 boolitdesigner said:

Various good solutions exist....... but you have little to no criteria for your question.

What criteria do you need?

[boolitdesigner]

Cartridge configuration..................

[Encore64]

223 Remington. Back of barrel against frame appears fine. So, that leaves the barrel bring chambered too deep.

I recommended necking a case up, then back down until the gun would just close. Then fireforming the brass.

The shoulder moved forward approximately .017-.018".

[boolitdesigner]

leftysixgun.... is the 223 the correct configuration? There are other options that are easier if that is so.

[contender]

I'd contact the maker first.. as we discussed. As the saying goes; "You don't know until you ask."

[leftysixgun]

Jun 14, 2023 20:45:34 GMT -5 contender said:

I'd contact the maker first.. as we discussed. As the saying goes; "You don't know until you ask."

The maker hasnt returned my calls.

[leftysixgun]

Jun 14, 2023 20:33:46 GMT -5 boolitdesigner said:

leftysixgun.... is the 223 the correct configuration? There are other options that are easier if that is so.

Encore64 described the situation to a T.
My next step is long seat some bullets in a few cases and let the jam push the head to the back of the frame and fire form so the shoulder moves forward. Then barely bump back the should when resizing. Load them again and see if the barrel will shoot a group.
With a virgin case I can close the breach with a .012” feeler gage between the case head and the frame/firing pin bushing.

[boolitdesigner]

You have a PM...................

[Encore64]

J.D. Jones has long since been the Contender Guru.

He developed almost countless proprietary rounds for both the Contender and Encore.

Many times he recommended crush fitting a bullet against the rifling lands to securely hold the round. This allows the case to fireform without stretching at the web.

Interestingly enough, he wisely recommended this even with rimmed cartridges such as his famed 6.5 JDJ. This method was preferred because the shoulder was actually blown forward.

It's a bit different when moving the shoulder forward as opposed to Ackley's Method of simply "Improving." In that case, the should angle is changed as is body taper. Generally, the neck length remains the same.

[contender]

Since the maker of the barrel hasn't returned calls,, I'd try an email,, to add "verification" to my inquiry.
That said,,,,,,,

Encore64 has a good thought process. Something I hadn't thought of myself.
If loading the ammo a bit "warmer" than many loads,, then it's highly possible that the case is stretching enough to cause separation, or near separation. A chamber cast,, as we discussed,, could also give you a good idea as to how the chamber is cut. This might solve the issue.

Good call Encore64.

[Encore64]

Jun 15, 2023 9:08:54 GMT -5 contender said:

Since the maker of the barrel hasn't returned calls,, I'd try an email,, to add "verification" to my inquiry.
That said,,,,,,,

Encore64 has a good thought process. Something I hadn't thought of myself.
If loading the ammo a bit "warmer" than many loads,, then it's highly possible that the case is stretching enough to cause separation, or near separation. A chamber cast,, as we discussed,, could also give you a good idea as to how the chamber is cut. This might solve the issue.

Good call Encore64.

Thanks. I feel like a properly fireformed case compared to a virgin case will determine exactly how much excessive headspace is present...

[contender]

That works too. But the chamber casting is something you can record the data to use as a reference.
I'd do both,, but hey,, I have plenty of Cerrosafe!