building contender barrel?

03 March 2003, 12:13

I am thinking about changing the barrel in my 6PPC rifle and and it still has a lot of life left in it.
Could I use the old rifle barrel, cut down, whatever other modifications are required, to build a barrel that fits a contender?

It doesn't look like it would be very hard to do, I mean if you're a gunsmith...

Another Contender question, what can be done to the trigger to lighten/smooth it up?

03 March 2003, 12:38

Sean VHA #60013

quote:
Originally posted by EXPRESS:
I am thinking about changing the barrel in my 6PPC rifle and and it still has a lot of life left in it.
Could I use the old rifle barrel, cut down, whatever other modifications are required, to build a barrel that fits a contender?

It doesn't look like it would be very hard to do, I mean if you're a gunsmith...

Another Contender question, what can be done to the trigger to lighten/smooth it up?

Express,

Greetings! Yes, you can use that barrel to make a Contender barrel, either by cutting off the chamber, having it turned to the proper diameter and then having the lug welded, chamber cut etc,

OR you can have the chamber cut off, turn down and thread the outside of the breach end, take a lug and chamber end [or stub] from another barrel otherwise trashed, machine out and thread the inside of this, mate the two, and have a "stubbed" Contender barrel where you keep the outside diameter of the barrel [past the end of the action] to it's largest size. Requires a custom forend, but this is not too hard to come by.

The above is a rough explanation: Mike Bellm, MBMCO, VVCG and others know how to perform this and can help you out with the actual details [Big Grin]

05 March 2003, 09:33

Mike Bellm

Express,
I don't take custom barrel orders, but Virgin Valley will make a completed Contender or Encore barrel from your barrel for you. The price is a bit high and diminishes the advantages of doing this, but it definitely will give the barrel an incarnation. Chambered right, used barrels usually shoot better than new ones once the old chamber and throat are cut off.

In regard to the trigger, I do trigger jobs on the Contenders (and Encores). Refer to the Trigger Jobs page on my website, www.bellmtcs.com .

While I normally don't go below about 12 oz. on Contenders, I did do one at 10 oz. yesterday, but will do any weight one wants.

Note that light trigger pulls will bump off easily when closing the barrel abruptly. If this situation exists, simply push the trigger forward with your trigger finger while snapping the barrel shut. There is no danger or risk doing this since at this stage of the shooting cycle the hammer is not yet cocked.

Also, bump off is not a risk either, for the same reason. The hammer is not yet cocked.

Bump off is simply the release of the striker. Opening and closing the barrel resets the striker.

Mike