TC Contender experts,
I have a few older (G1) frames and wanted to add a .357 Max. carbine barrel to the collection.
MGM had what I was looking for available for immediate purchase and so took the plunge.
The barrel arrived in two days. Prompt and friendly service.
I guess I should have done a bit of research first. The barrel popped right on to a frame that I did not already have barrel mounted on. You probably anticipate what happened next. I can’t open the action. It’s stuck fast.
It happens to be a 5 digit serial numbered frame that previously had a .223 carbine barrel mounted.
I looked online and saw several posts regarding new barrels and old frames. Some posts were not all that helpful. What I should have done etc. Or instructions about what I should do, that for me, were a bit lacking in detail. Such as: Pull out the ####, and with a &^&%$, push back on the #$*&. That didn’t help because I couldn’t pull out the ####, nor did I know what or where the #$*& is. None of these posts were on AR.
An email to MGM went unanswered. An older gent at the gun club who I knew has, or had, a number of Contenders wasn’t able to offer much advice because he had not been in a similar situation. Online disassembly videos I have seen already have the barrels off of the frame.
I tried taking the stock off, pushing out the two pins that hold the barrel on and keep the trigger assembly in place. Neither of those helped. I can’t the trigger guard to lower more than ¼” and that didn’t seem to help. The barrel is wobbly on the frame then, but still I can’t open the action or getting anything to come apart.
Suggestions? What to try myself. Who should I send the barreled frame to?
Thanks in advance if you can help.
Lou M

Going from memory here: I think if you remove the pivot pin for the trigger guard and the screw/spring at the rear, the guard should come out the bottom so you can see the locking lugs from below. These should have a cross bar or bumps that the fork part of the trigger guard pushes on to unlock the barrel. Perhaps this bar is missing, or the fork is not hitting it properly? Either way, if you can get the trigger guard out the bottom, then you can manually push the lugs back with something like a flat screwdriver.

The issue is a solid barrel bolt verse the newer split bolt. The amount of engagement is different and some work better on newer verse older frames. I've wedged a couple of barrels myself on first and second gen frames.

You should be able to pull off the forearm and drive out the barrel pin (hinge pin) with a brass drift. May be able to do it with a wood dowel as well. After that, a sharp hit on the bottom of the barrel with a rubber mallet should pop the barrel out of the frame.

Or. With the grip and forearm off, remove the pin for the trigger guard at the front of the frame. The trigger and guard should drop straight down out of the frame. Then use a large flat screwdriver to disengage the barrel bolt.

Once you have it off, you will need to stone the bolt top face that contacts the frame to slightly more of an angle. Start at the end and work toward the barrel. Or call Mike Belm and have him fit it for you. SSK or Bullberry would also be good resources.

Jeremy

Thank you to all who responded. Following the suggestions and instructions to remove the trigger group, I got the new MGM .357 Max barrel off and mounted it on a different (G1) frame. I have not shot the rifle yet but it opens and closes like my other combinations that have proved successful. I tried another older barrel on that vintage 5 digit serial number frame and the same thing happened. I guess if I if use that old frame it will have to be with the original .223 barrel only.
Lou M

I have the old frame that uses the one piece bolt. If I get newer barrels I just switch to the solid bolt and go on. Packy