Howdy! Just to provide evidence that the party with T/C�s is not over for me, I would like to acquaint you all with my Steel and Walnut Gun Fondler's Pride & Joy, my new 357mag Bellm barrel, for when I must satisfy my closet gun fondling habit



I recently received a batch of Bellm Contender and Encore barrels that I had on order with Mike, on order since before his moratorium on new work. These orders were placed back then with Mike, with the straightforward understanding that the time frame for their completion was indefinite, and could take quite some time due to Mike�s challenging situation and personal obligations, and I was happy to agree to those conditions in the hopes of one day seeing the fruition of several long time barrel desires.



Pictured below is one of my favorites of the bunch, an 11.5" 357mag match rechamber [with a real throat!] of a piece of T/C stainless steel 35Rem barrel, with a Bellm made lug welded on. It is drilled and tapped to take 4 or 6-screw scope bases, and for both the Williams and also the T/C factory from sights.



This setup uses an old non-easy opening blued frame with exceptional trigger, a Williams open sight set, a VVCG Aluminum Pillar bedded walnut for end [super 14" dovetail spacing] and a discontinued T/C finger groove walnut grip.



This barrel will see use as an open sighted deer stand gun, and as an all around fun range and target gun, as I have multiple thousands of rounds of 357mag with no place else to go



This barrel also has quite a history, as it was made utilizing the salvageable blank from the infamous GBO 358Bellm 14� rechamber test barrel that had it�s chamber cut just a tad to aggressively, and was replaced for GBO with another in-spec rechambered barrel. In keeping with his motto of making �treasures from trash,� Mike agreed to make me a barrel from the salvageable portion of the debris from the test barrel.



It shoots like a house afire, and will always have a special place in my heart and collection not only because my good friend Mike Bellm made it for me, but also because of all the memories of that first �great purge� from GBO. All of us who saw the light and went with Mike will recall the 358Bellm project and all the consequent history and conflict stemming from that, and all of those reminiscences are embodied for me in this barrel. Thanks Mike!

Yeah... I remember that barrel... It was the pivotal reason Mike Bellm (and many of his friends) ended up leaving The Pond.

I'm glad you ended up with it Sean... I often wondered what happened to that barrel. It sure has a "HISTORY"...

Of COURSE it shoots well.... It's an original "heretic" barrel.....

$bob$

Hey Sean, that's a real nice piece! It was worth the wait for sure!

I'm sorry I missed out on the beginings of that GBO mess. I was part of round two over there.

I have the infamous "unfired" 7mm SSK #2 that GB sold outright to a friend of mine. It's a good one too.

Have fun with your new pistol!

Jim

Good lookin' rig, Sean.

Groups.... show me the groups!

I have done a lot of .357 Max. barrels, but not a many mags. I'm interested in seeing what this one does, especially as a reincarnation of the infamous GBO debacle.

Mike