What kind of accuracy are you guys getting from these rifles and pistols in stock form? I hand load and will work up loads for it. I want a gun I can carry in the saddle bags of my Harley that is still accurate enough for 3-500 yard marmots and PD's. I am considering a SSK or D&T custom but wonder what stock accuracy is before putting out the $.

Given a good barrel, a tuned trigger and a reloader who understands the intricacies of the single shots, you can expect accuracy to rival that of the best bolt actions.

I recently fired a number of 300 yard groups with a 6.5x30-30 IMP (aka 6.5 Bullberry IMP) Contender barrel made by Match Grade Machine (www.matchgrademachine.com), and the worst 3-shot, 300 yard group measured 1.187".

This is a 26" barrel with a 1:8 twist shooting both the 140 grain A-Max and 140 grain Sierra GameKing. THe scope is a Nikon 3.3-10x44AO.

Granted, not all barrels will shoot this well, but the good ones will at least afford you the potential for consistent eye-popping groups.

As to true factory barrels, Encore tubes from Bergara that I've shot have all been sub-MOA, even with factory ammo (these were all in bottleneck calibers such as the 7mm-08). From TC, many barrels will do MOA or better -- some a good bit better. But it's occasionally a hit-or-miss proposition (pardon the pun!) as TC has released some stinky ones over the years as well. The primary culprits with TC are generally oversized and off-axis chambers, non-concentric crowns and the typical lack of a proper leade.

quote:

What kind of accuracy are you guys getting from these rifles and pistols in stock form?

In stock form, .224 caliber scoped T/C Encores/Contenders in both rifle and pistol configurations will do 0.5 to 0.75 inch groups at 100 yards off the bench for me. Scoped rifles like the 30/06 and 7mm Rem. Mag. do less than an inch at 100 yards for me. I presume custom barrels will do better but I have no custom Encore or Contender rifle barrels.

cobrad

Stock contenders are capable of decent accuracy in stock form. Hand loading is usually in order.

I have two TC barrels and one custom barrel. My 7x30 waters barel is a solid 3/4" barrel.
My 223 barrel will shoot many loads under 3/4" and the better loads will drop below .5".
My custom barrel is a 6mm tcu bullberry and it will group down into the .3's. My 223 and 6mm tcu both wear 4x16 rifle scopes. The more is use the rifle scpes and the tc's the better I like them. TC's are one of my favorite varmint guns and are very capable of the shooting that you describe. I have shot may PD's and chucks past 300 yds with mine.

bluedot,
Good to see another guy using rifle scopes with SP's.

My G2 contender is shooting great for me!
Only thing I've done is work on the trigger. I haven't gotten a dog way out there yet but I've made them run faster @ 300yds. Mines in pistol config with a pistol scope (2x7). I shoot laying on the ground with a bipod.
I haven't put a rifle scope on it yet because it shoots too good the way it is now, maybe I'll do it this winter.
You shouldn't have any worries about the factory barrels.
If you go custom, they can only get better I guess.

quote:

Originally posted by bluedot:
cobrad

Stock contenders are capable of decent accuracy in stock form. Hand loading is usually in order.

I have two TC barrels and one custom barrel. My 7x30 waters barel is a solid 3/4" barrel.
My 223 barrel will shoot many loads under 3/4" and the better loads will drop below .5".
My custom barrel is a 6mm tcu bullberry and it will group down into the .3's. My 223 and 6mm tcu both wear 4x16 rifle scopes. The more is use the rifle scpes and the tc's the better I like them. TC's are one of my favorite varmint guns and are very capable of the shooting that you describe. I have shot may PD's and chucks past 300 yds with mine.

So are you using Rifle scopes on a Pistol????How do you not get ringed????

one secret is that I use a good brake like Defensive Edge or Holland's QD.
Cartridges are 6-284, 6.5-284, 284 win 7 Rem Mag Imp and the 7mm Dakota.
Second I don't see quite a full field of view.

quote:

Originally posted by xphunter:
one secret is that I use a good brake like Defensive Edge or Holland's QD.
Cartridges are 6-284, 6.5-284, 284 win 7 Rem Mag Imp and the 7mm Dakota.
Second I don't see quite a full field of view.

Ok,are you useing a Bi-pod and shooting prone??????I am very interested because pistol scopes suck.I have been shooting of a homemade tripod in the field.I can shoot off it prone or sitting,but the scope is still moving around.I have no problems off the bench with a Pistol rest ,but am having a hard time in the field and have blown some shoots on excellant animals.I am talking in the 200 yd. area. Thanks,OB

TC stock barrels are a 50/50 proposition.
Sometimes you get lucky and the chamber is in alignment with the bore and sometimes not.

I would go custom.
The best custom right now is probably OTT (On Target Technologies) but the wait is close to 10 months.
Other great custom barrels are Match Grade Machine, and SSK.

With proper handloads and headspace any of the above barrels will shoot very well. Small calibers .5 in or less and many times the larger calibers will do .5-.75 consistantly.
It isn't just the barrel though that dictates the accuracy. How the fore end is mounted can and does have a lot to do with it. In addition if you interfere with the grip during recoil that can give verticle stringing to the groups. You have to learn to shoot them is the ultimate in accuracy is your aim. there are several members of Specialty Pistols that have taken PD's out past 800 yards with a Contender and custom barrel. These guns will shoot!

Check out Specialty Pistol forum for a wealth of information on Contender and Encore barrels both custom and stock.

I have been hunting with and shooting T/C Contenders since 1982. What Doug alluded to is absolutely correct, shooting form has a lot to do with it.

The tricky part about this is what may work for me (or anyone else for that matter) may or may not work for you. It takes a lot of trigger time, but eventually you'll develope a shooting form that is just right for you.

For me I have shot more rounds than I care to admit to at Prairie Dogs, Gophers, other varmints and various types of reactive metal targets. More recently (4 or 5 years ago) I finally bought my first Rimfire Contender Barrel a Super 14 .22 LR Match Barrel. I equipped it with a 3x12x Burris LER Handgun Scope and started shooting Rimfire Bench Rest Competitions at our local Indoor Shooting Range each winter with the .22 LR Rifle Shooters.

Each and every winter I shoot several bricks of Rimfire ammo through my .22 LR Match Rimfire Contender Handgun, and I for one can say in this game you refine you shooting form or else. The bullseye we are shooting at is at 18 yards and measures .100", and there is not a lot of room for error even at this short range.

As far as the Factory vs Custom Barrels, I have had more different factory barrels than I care to admit to. Some have been down right great, others have been good, and a few have been junk. I have had custom barrels from SSK Industries, Bullberry Barrel Works, Virgin Valley Custom Guns (now Match Grade Machine), and On Target Technologies. Again some have been great, others quite good and only one junk (which the customer maker replaced).

In the long run there are no guarentees, you spend you $$$ and take your chances. However the quest and adiction continues.

Larry

All good bits of information

I have two .204 Ruger carbine length barrels, one factory and one from MGM. Both are amazingly accurate but one cost twice what theother did. The last four factory barrels I bought would make a believer out of anyone who doubted their quality.
As I rarely shoot groups I judge accuracy on how well a barrel performs in the field, particularly shooting prairie dogs. My .221 has shot a perfect 20 for 20 at 300 plus yards on more than one occasion. My .204s will do the same. The 6mm is even more accurate and will shoot .3s if the operator can handle it.

quote:

Originally posted by OLBIKER:
Ok,are you useing a Bi-pod and shooting prone??????I am very interested because pistol scopes suck. Thanks,OB

OB,
My view of LER scopes is not that dim, but they do take some time to get used and they do have limitations. Most of my shots in the field are prone or sitting. Many times off of a bi-pod. Sometimes sitting back with the SP between my knees. I do well with LER's or rifle scopes out 400+.
But I believe I am faster getting on the animals with a rifle scope versus a LER.