Suppressors Caliber for a Contender?

[pepperbelly]

I have a Thompson Center Contender that I inherited. I have a .44mag, a .22mag and a .22lr barrel for it. I have been thinking of a rifle caliber capable of longer range for small game up to coyote size. I don't know which caliber would work best through the shorter barrels these use. I think a .223 would work but is there a better choice? 6mm BR?
I would welcome caliber and barrel length suggestions.

Jim

 

[JJones75]

Re: Caliber for a Conteder?

6mmx223 , makes an awsome round in shorter barrels , you can run the 55gr bullet out a bit faster than you can out of a 223 and the BC on the 55gr ballistic tips in 6mm are higher

I thing the 6mm BR is gonna be a bit to fat of a case for the contender , like the WSM's in the Encroe , it can do it so long as the pressures are kept low.

also a 30-30 Ackley improved is a good round

 

[pepperbelly]

Re: Caliber for a Conteder?

I had not heard of the 6mmx223 and looked it up. It is very similar to the 6mmTCU. The 6mmx223 looks to be very easy to load- no fireforming.
I will see if I can find a barrel for it. If not is the TCU as easy to load for?

Jim

 

[AK10mm]

Re: Caliber for a Conteder?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: pepperbelly</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I had not heard of the 6mmx223 and looked it up. It is very similar to the 6mmTCU. The 6mmx223 looks to be very easy to load- no fireforming.
I will see if I can find a barrel for it. If not is the TCU as easy to load for?

Jim </div></div>

The 6mm/223 aka the 6X45 is very easy to load for,the 6mmTCU requires fireforming and is just a wee bit hotter,up to you if the extra effort is worth it.Did you have a rifle or pistol barrel in mind ? The Contender or Encore set up as a Carbine is a very compact little package.

Your choice of cartridges in the Contender is limited by Pressure and not diameter.Most custom bbl builders for the Contender/Encore offer a huge choice of Cartridges.They will have a list of what is suitable for the Contender and will not build anything considered too high pressure for it.

 

[bronzepig]

Re: Caliber for a Conteder?

Depending on the punch you need and what you hunt for. I have 6 bower and 7 bower barrels that use the 307 case and slow burning powder like H870 to give 243 and 7-08 power. The 6.5 TCU gives you the great 6.5 bullet and 223 case. This is a great choice for hunting 100-200yrds. Pick a 338jdj or 375 jdj if you need real punch. In between is the 357 herret which is an easy recoil cartridge with power. The 6.5 tcu is really ideal for coyote, fire forming in no big deal. Load the bullet long enough to engage the rifling and shoot, case is fireformed! you can use unformed cases to hunt with and have formed cases when done. I curently reoad and shoot 22 different calibers for the t/c from 17 mach4 to45/70. That 17mach4 (now 17 fireball comercial) is a great varment gun with a muzzle vel of 4000fps out of a 14 in barrel

 

[noahmercy]

Re: Caliber for a Contender?

375 JDJ...kills prairie poodles, 'yotes, deer, pigs, elk, bulldozers...

 

[The Mechanic]

Re: Caliber for a Contender?

.223 or .204

 

[pepperbelly]

Re: Caliber for a Contender?

This will mostly be a range shooter. I will be going after varmints this spring if my friends and I can ever get time to go.
I have a .22mag that will do a lot. I wanted something with a little more for 'yotes and longer range but I won't be shooting over 200 yards- probably.
I am thinking a .223 would probably be plenty- especially in a 14" barrel. In case I get lazy and don't load enough ammo it is cheap and easy to find.

Jim

 

[JJones75]

Re: Caliber for a Contender?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: pepperbelly</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> I am thinking a .223 would probably be plenty- especially in a 14" barrel. In case I get lazy and don't load enough ammo it is cheap and easy to find.
</div></div>

you can shoot 223 ammo out of a 6x45 (6x223) , may not be very accurate though.

I have an AR in this round and personaly think it would be hard to beat in the AR platfor (no matter for you) its very effeceint making it better suited for shorter barrels also.

its hard to go wronf with the good old 223 though

 

[pepperbelly]

Re: Caliber for a Contender?

I have a Les Baer AR15 in .223. I may get a .223 barrel also but will look around for another caliber. The .204 sounds interesting. Until then my AR and the .22 mag barrel I have for my Contender will work. In a way I don't want to duplicate a caliber but I also do have dies brass and ammo for the .223. I may just be getting bored and want something different too.

Jim

 

[DAVETOOLEY]

Re: Caliber for a Conteder?

I've got a 14" 6 TCU barrel for sale if you're interested. Call me.

 

[bronzepig]

Re: Caliber for a Conteder?

your 6 tcu and 6.5 tcu jump up the abillity on a t/c considerably, if your interested look for these calibers, MGM often has calibers for sale also look at eds contenders online www.edstc.com/ he will have barrels used for good prices. Midway and on line or with t/c direct or ed brown www.eabco.com , and of course above post for sale. So many choice you will need a contender intervention

 

[cmh2007]

Re: Caliber for a Conteder?

I have a .357 remington Maximum. love it...pretty much does everything a .35remington will do but out of a 10 or 12 inch barrel

 

[TV66]

Re: Caliber for a Conteder?

6.8 SPC works well out of a Contender. 90 gr hollow points run good for me out of a factory 21in barrel, you can go to the 110 vmax if you need heavier, or even 85gr TSX work good for deer.

 

[pepperbelly]

Re: Caliber for a Conteder?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: TV66</div><div class="ubbcode-body">6.8 SPC works well out of a Contender. 90 gr hollow points run good for me out of a factory 21in barrel, you can go to the 110 vmax if you need heavier, or even 85gr TSX work good for deer. </div></div>

You have a Contender with a 21" barrel?

Jim

 

[sandwarrior]

Re: Caliber for a Conteder?

As noted all the TCU's are a good choice. The son of the guy who came up with the TCU line likes the .25 TCU best for weight vs. velocity.

For a li'l bump in power, the 7-30 waters is about the best ballistically. It can push a 140 gr. 7mm bullet at 2400 from a 14" barrel. where as the 6.5mm can only get a 120 gr. up to that speed (smaller diameter = more pressure) But still, pushing a 123 high BC bullet at very close to 2400 is no slouch. You're not far behind a full length rifle barreled 6.5 Grendel.

For all intents and purposes, you can sort of categorize cases that work in the Contender. Some cases run too high of pressure and are better suited to the Encore frame. The 6.5 JDJ's lineage and the 7-30 Waters lineage comes from the 30-30.
The TCU lineage comes from the .223
A 30-30 based or sized case (improved) is about as big as you want to go in a Contender frame. This includes the 6.5 Grendel and 6.8 SPC.
If you want to get one of the cases based on the BR line I recommend going to the Encore frame, but they have been chambered on the Contender. One thing I have noted is how much recoil I can take. I have moderately tough hands. However, I find about 20 of the 30-30 based cases is all I want to shoot. More like around 50 with the TCU's.

So, for range, just get something that shoots a high BC. 6mm, 6.5mm or 7mm. For hunting weight bullets any of the three work just as well. Although again, the .25 TCU is excellent at both as well.

You'll be amazed at the accuracy of the Contenders. I've shot 2" groups from a bench @ 300 with mine.

 

[TV66]

Re: Caliber for a Conteder?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: pepperbelly</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: TV66</div><div class="ubbcode-body">6.8 SPC works well out of a Contender. 90 gr hollow points run good for me out of a factory 21in barrel, you can go to the 110 vmax if you need heavier, or even 85gr TSX work good for deer. </div></div>

You have a Contender with a 21" barrel?

Jim </div></div>

Yep not a pistol of course, it's a carbine, got one in 375 Win. too.

 

[pepperbelly]

Re: Caliber for a Conteder?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: TV66</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: pepperbelly</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: TV66</div><div class="ubbcode-body">6.8 SPC works well out of a Contender. 90 gr hollow points run good for me out of a factory 21in barrel, you can go to the 110 vmax if you need heavier, or even 85gr TSX work good for deer. </div></div>

You have a Contender with a 21" barrel?

Jim </div></div>

Yep not a pistol of course, it's a carbine, got one in 375 Win. too. </div></div>

I am thinking about something a little handier. I will probably go with either a .223 since I have dies, brass, bullets and powder for it, or something based on the .223 like the 6mmX223 or a TCU in a 12" or 14" barrel.
I won't be doing anything serious with it, and I have other choices better suited for pigs- if my friend ever gets his sh** together and we go. The asshole has bobcats and other varmints at his place, but I can't get him in gear.

Jim

 

[gemihur]

7-30 Waters is a hands down favorite!
Federal Ammunition Available

 

[gemihur]