Those of you that have more the just a couple of frames [Encore or Contender]Do you put the same frame and barrel combo together each time you shoot? Or do switch them around? I just wondered if this will change your point of impact if you shot a paticular barrel on on a paticular frame then used a different frame???
The only frame and barrel combo I have that will never separate is my 308Bellm and a frame that I had to polish out the hinge pin hole in the frame to install a super oversized hinge pin to match the hole in the barrel lug. It works great but I can never use this frame with a regular oversized hinge pin again.

Good question J. I have a 24" Bullberry tube that was extremely loose( you could hold the rifle by the buttstock and as you moved the rifle side to side, see and feel the barrel move from one side of the frame to the other)on my stainless encore frame until I installed an o.s. pin. It locks up great now but I'm afraid that I have dedicated that frame to that barrel...
I am considering ordering another frame for my 15" .308 that I trully love to hunt with. I know this defeats the purpose of a swap system but whats a TC freak to do?
Hurry up with shooting that VH barrel I want to order a heavy 6.5-284 or maybe a 25-284! Since I gave my FN 257 roby to my little bro Ive been jonzing for another 1/4 bore.
DLJ

I use a Choate pistol grip shoulder stock on a Contender ....Have many barrels, each with its own Choate forend.....relieved the square opening in the bottom with a endmill....relieved the left side of the foreend where the pin goes....made a new pin that is longer and hace a large knurled knob on the end....I am able to switch from one barrel to another in just seconds...never change impact...one is a Bullberry with their own hanger and it shoots great...Hal

Well Jules I am leaving in the morning to go to my place in Kernville. I am bringing 3 contender frames with.....
221
22Max
357MAx
30-30
223
And I hate having to change Barrels
I think I need a frame for every Barrel???
Is that nuts or what?
Fireball

Fireball -
Downside is, that for every extra frame, you could have got another barrel... :-)

steve

I'm thinkin the same Fireball. I don't mind changing barrels but I just wasn't sure about the mating of frame to barrel. I have 6, or is it 7 frames? I'm not sure,i'll have to check. I mean I love my Contenders, but there are a couple of custom shop S&Ws out there that I need also.
I think i'll switch a couple frames and barrels around and see what happens. If they do well then I have enough frames. I have one more Contender barrel in mind after the 250imp. before I take a brake from buying them for a while. At least a month

[ 07-20-2002, 06:17: Message edited by: Jules ]

I have 3 Contender frames now circa 1991, 1996, and 2000. I've found that some of my barrels tend to fit on a certain frame best so that's the way I use them. Also eliminates one variable when load testing. I record what frame was used in my load notes also.

My newest frame has a Pachmayr finger groove grip and the 2 others have the stock Rynites which fit my hand perfectly. I pretty much use the stubby 44 bbl on the frame with the finger groove grip.

The interesting part of having the 3 frames that were manufactured 5 years apart is you can see the deteriation in the trigger pulls from the factory over the years. The 1991 (Blue) and '96 (S/S) frames have the best trigger pulls and the 2000 (S/S) frame having the worst.

I also have a "Rifle" frame which is a Contender Carbine purchased back in 1988. This frame possessing the best quality and trigger pull of all. It originally came brand new with a 35 Rem bbl with the single screw forend.

Say, as a point of interest, who has a Contender frame with what appears as a seperate "block" of steel under the breech face where the barrel bolt slips under. My 1996 S/S frame is made like this. Others are all one piece.

Regards

[ 07-20-2002, 06:36: Message edited by: Headstamp ]

REF:
Say, as a point of interest, who has a Contender frame with what appears as a seperate "block" of steel under the breech face where the barrel bolt slips under. My 1996 S/S frame is made like this. Others are all one piece.

I have heard rumors of this, but have yet to see one.

Barrels that do not fully engage the locking bolts under the "locking table" as it is called, tend to round the surface in the frame and unlock when fired when the rounding is pronounced enough.

Such an added block would be a fix for a worn locking table or one that is out of spec. height wise. But as I said, I have never seen one to date.

Is there any visible indication how the block is held in place?

If a block could be installed in a manner whereby it could be readily removed, then one could shim it up or down to optimize the engagement of the locking bolts under the locking table surface.

I just got a brain flash.... or was it brain flatulence? Watch out.

Hate it when that happens. Too many ideas, too little time. I'll leave that one to someone else, I guess, at least for now.

Mike