Fun Contender Varmint/Benchrest Caliber

N

Nathan

New member
Anybody have a fun easy shooting Contender barrel? I'm looking at something 17, 22 or possibly 6mm cal to shoot flat base bullets out of out to about 300 yards max. I would prefer rimfire or commonly available dies and cases.

Right now, I'm thinking 22 K Hornet, 17 HMR or possibly 222 Rem. Your thoughts?
 
Out to 300 I'd go with a 6tcu. Dies are fairly easy to come by and 223 brass is plentiful. .243 bullet will buck the wind pretty well. I like the 22K-hornet but it peters out at about 200 for me. My current favorite is a 223 AI with a 1:9" twist. it throws those 69gr bullets just dandy out to 300 and a bit beyond.
 
My Contender 223 doesn't have that fast a barrel (1:9), although it is 16 inches long. I can shoot well at 200 to 250 yards with the scope and a rest. After that it gets a little dicey.

If you are really shooting at 300 yards or more, one of the heavier bullet cartridges would be better.

I love my 7mm TCU - but that is old school now days. It was THE ram round back in the day...

I'm sure one of the young wildcatters will show up here in a minute with a 6mm eargenspliteen loudenboomer du jour. Boy are they fun to shoot!

My 223 is hell on prairie dogs though...
 
I've always like the .22 Hornets. Its a little old school nowadays but still effective to shoot. I'm interested in building a single shot in 6tcu myself. Something to be just a little different.
 
Any of the TCU rounds will do the job.

Check out the 6.5 TCU. I don't have one(I want one) but on paper they look real good. I have a 6 and 7mm TCU both are great but for what you want I would lean toward the 6mm.
 
Hmmm....now I'm really liking the 6mm TCU in a 1:12 twist for ~62 gr FB match bullets! That is a nice round with relatively normal die prices!

22 K Hornet seem to be similarly cool, but I could use a Lapua brass in the 6mm TCU!

17 HMR would be easiest, but do I do this for ease????
 
Now if you want to expand your range a bit, with the trade off in increased recoil of course, the 6 jdj will put you way out there. Dies are a bit expensive, the barrel is custom, but the way T/C barrels have gone up in price this becomes less and less noticeable.
 
even in my Volguartsen target rifle the 17HMR would never be a good one for 300 yards. If no wind at all you could do 200 but if a gopher farts out there your gonna miss your target :-)
 
The simplest way to go would be 223 if your only wanting 300 yards. But a 222 or any thing close would work. If you looking for the best groups get one with a fast twist and shoot heavy bullets. A barrel with a 9 twist, which is pretty common and will handle 60 gr bullets and still let you use 50 and 55 gr bullets for garments.
 
My most accurate center fire contender barrel is a 22 Hornet. I have a 222 and 223 but the Hornet will shoot tighter groups. The only TCU I have is a 7 from the silhouette days and it does well but my old 30 Herrett is still a favorite at distance.
 
If you looking for the best groups get one with a fast twist and shoot heavy bullets. A barrel with a 9 twist, which is pretty common.....
Click to expand...

Interesting....everything I've experienced and read tells me flat base bullets are more accurate until wind and trajectory are the main accuracy factors. Basically, regular 100/300 benchrest vs 1000 yd benchrest competition. Unless those worlds have changed, which they do, 100/300 is dominated by 6mm PPC shooting FB bullets with a ~1:14 twist.
 
I thought we were talking Contenders? You won't find many shooting a 6PPC in a contender. In my 223 AI the best groups come from Sierra 69gr match BTHP's from 100-300.
 
"I thought we were talking Contenders? You won't find any shooting a 6PPC in a contender."

Fix it for you....
 
Oh there are a few. All it takes is a 6tcu barrel and a reamer. Well that and a disregard for one's safety. Can't tell you how many garage reamed barrels I've run into.

Opps, I lied. The PPC cartridge I got from a fellow Contender shooter was a 22PPC. The 6mm I saw was a 243.
 
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6 or 7 br or 7mm ihmsa will reach out there well. The 7 mm ihmsa is based on 30-30 case, so easy to get. Also the 22 br is a very accurate load.
 
I just this last year put together a 10" Octagon barrel 25-35 with the old style checkered for arm and grip. Put a 4x Weaver on it with a Redfeild rings and base. Haven't shot it a whole lot but what I have seems to be fine, a little bit loud though.;)
 
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