Well, I know this isn't a pistol barrel, but this is the forum I most post in, so here it goes:

A while back, I ordered a 26 inch Contender barrel from Match Grade Machine. First of all, I want to say that the workmanship is absolutely superb and that the baked-on teflon coating is something I have really grown to like. It's both durable and attractive and brings richness and depth to the finish of the barrel.

The chamber is basically a 6.5x30-30 IMP or 6.5 Bullberry Improved -- whatever you want to call it. I had it chambered with the emphasis of matching the Bullberry's shoulder position so I could use their dies (6.5x30-30 IMP were going to be a long, long wait from CH-4D). It's a 1:8 as I intended to focus on 140 grain bullets.

This barrel took a little patience early on as it did not begin to set the house afire until after it had digested around 120 or so rounds. But now, it just never ceases to amaze me. I have a number of loads that group extremely well, but I have pretty much settled on just 2 for the moment: 39 grains of N160 with the Sierra 140 grain GameKing and 38.2 grains of N160 under the Hornady 140 grain A-Max.

The Sierra load produces app. 2475 fps while the A-Max load is right at 2450 fps. I've already recorded a number of 5-shot, 200 yard groups of an inch or less.

The Sierra bullet is a little stout for thin-skinned game such as deer, but I plan to use it primarily for hogs. The A-Max, on the other hand, is quite soft, opens easily but retains weight well and penetrates superbly.

And while I did not clock it, I have a load that I might try and pop a coyote or two with: Sierra 85 grain HP, 35 grains Re-15 and the Fed 210 LRP. This is a very mild load but groups just as well as the aforementioned 140s. I'm guessing it's in the 2950/3000 fps range.

Forgot to add: I used eabco.com brass in 6.5 BRM to begin with. I simply ran it through the FL die, pushed back the shoulder, loaded and foreformed.

This was much simpler than starting with new 30-30 brass.

Sounds like another excellent shooter you've got there Bobby....I've got a 14" 6.5 Bullberry Contender barrel that is also extremely accurate.

By the way, I finally got around to working with that new 14" 6mm TCU Fox Ridge Contender barrel over the holiday and it also is a keeper....no H335 locally so I went with Varget under the Sierra 80gr SSP's, Rem. 7 1/2 BR primers and Winch. brass.

Using IMR4064 Speer shows a min of 27.0grs at 2440fps with a max of 29.0grs for 2645fps with their 14" test barrel.....I substituted Varget for the IMR4064.

When it was all said and done I had five rounds touching and coverable with a dime at 100yds with my pet load of 28.6grs.

I was also able to locate some more of the 80gr SSP's at a good price and now have ten full boxes on the shelf plus the 45 rounds I have loaded up.....that should hold me for quite awhile.

Thanks again for your help.

Ike

Ike-Sounds like Varget turned out to be a winner in your barrel. Do you plan on hunting with it this year?

Bobby,

Glad to hear that MGM is making it. I wondered if they would be able to...

Sounds like you have a hummer there..

$bob$

Bob-I think they are doing well. While this was a standard order item, I have been watching their "existing inventory" and noticed that it turns over pretty quickly. They're the only custom maker that keeps ready-to-go barrels in stock. Bullberry claims to, but they have kept some barrels listed for over a year after they had been sold. Eben Brown stocks a few of his "standard accuracy Encore barrels," but I don't consider TC Custom Shop work to be "custom." Van Horn has a few, but some are so old that he doesn't remember the twist rate, contour, chamber specs or anything like that. And his record-keeping doesn't make it easy for him to find out! (His barrels do shoot superbly, though.)

Anyway, I've been pleased with my MGM products. Of course, they sent me a coupon since my barrel took longer than anticipated, so you know what that means...

Dang, how did they know I'd fall for that old trick???

Is Jeff Stratton still running the shop?

I miss those guys... They really made some nice barrels for me.

$bob$

Bobby our gun season runs Nov. 18 - Dec. 3rd, so far I've made it out three times carrying 15" Encores in 6.5x55 and .284 Winch.

I've passed on two real small deer so far (a button buck and a little doe) and not because I was holding out for horns but simply because I want a bigger bodied deer.

Do to a death in the family and the property changing hands I lost the land I've been hunting on for many years and have been hunting fairly close to home on a invite basis from a fella I know at the gun club I belong to....I'm greatful to just have a place to hunt this season.

Now that I've got it pet loaded if I do get to go out again this season I do plan on taking the 6mm TCU.

How's your hunting season going ?

Ike

Bob-

Yes, he is. Check out their website at www.matchgrademachine.com and then go to their existing inventory. I'll bet you'll find something you just can't live without!

These barrels are generally sold at a reduced price -- a rather attractive price, I might add, and not much more than (sometimes about the same as) a factory TC tube.

Ike-

I am not hunting a lease anymore, just the farm here where we live. But there was a really nice 8-pt with good mass and nice tine length that I planned on taking this season. He was an older deer (6 1/2) and was on his way downhill.

I saw him chasing does at the beginning of the rut and decided to let him spread his genes a bit before trying to harvest him. Big mistake. That same afternoon, I heard a shot just across the fenceline and haven't seen him since.

It will turn cold here later in the week and plan to hunt a bit more. Maybe he's still out there.

Hope you get to fill a tag or two with that 6mm TCU...

bobby - I am curious how your barrel compares to a 6.5JDJ all else being the same. I know you had a 25 30-30 from MGM before and I have a 6mm 30-30AI from VVCG that I really like but I want something a little bigger for deer.
I have been very happy with my MGM purchases and will probably have them build my next one.

There's not much real-world difference in the ballistic performance of the two. But given equal barrels & equal pressures, the 6.5x30-30 IMP will beat the JDJ by maybe 100-125 fps simply due to its slightly greater capacity.

I am running the Sierra 140 at 2475 fps with room to spare. The brass simply falls out of the chamber, and I have yet to trim any of it (other than to square it up after the initial fireforming). Some of the brass has already seen 9 loadings.

Forgot to add: This one is a little unique with the fireforming loads. They don't give up much, power-wise, to full-house loads. I am getting a little over 2300 fps with 140 grain FF loads, and that's plenty for hunting applications given the proper projectile.

But it's not a full fireforming process as one would encounter when using reformed 30-30 brass. I used 6.5 BRM brass from eabco.com, and it's pretty close to my chamber specs to begin with.

Bobby, have you been able to get out and take any game with this barrel yet? I'd love to hear of the results, as this sounds like a fun project :-)

Bobby,
I always enjoy reading your shooting/loading posts.
MGM is a good comapny in my opinion also.