T/C Encore Bench Gun

The Block

Howdy ...
"The Block", totally, weighs 16 pounds ... its made from 3 pieces of 1"x 3 1/2" x12 " stock and is milled out inside . Lots of time went into this .. it has a 3/4" x4" mercury shot gun recoil reducer embeded between the 2 lower blocks .
As far as a heat sink ,so far its not been a problem .. the barrel is fluted . Which might help some,but the barrel was made first and "The Block" came later . The new barrel that will be going into this , will be a 22 or a 6mm based on the 204 Ruger case , just necked up, and be a full bull barrel 1" in diameter . so we'll see how that reacts to heat , it will be used for the Baby Bench game ..Again this is set up for a Contender /G2 . The Encore is a 6mm Rem Imp and the Striker is a 7mm x 375 Ruger both fast twist barrels and set up for Extreme Long Range shooting .These will have a proto - type adjustable scope bases .
thanks
 
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Necking a 204 ruger up to a 22 is called a 222 Remington Magnum...up to a 6mm and it's called a 6 x 47 (not to be confused with the new wildcat 6 x 47 lapua). They have been around for decades.

Hovis
 
Correct

You ...
Are absolutely correct , with the exception , using the 204 Ruger case , which is everywhere now , The 204 case has the shoulder moved forward already by the factory , adding to the case capacity ,, factory improved... and keeping me from having to fire form .
In my case ,using the Contender ,as my shooting platform , I am limited in case size ,diameter .. because of the strength of the action ,By using this case size , I can push it hard and stay within design limits . A small bonus but every little bit helps .LOL
thanks

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f7/22-204imp/Bullets7.jpg

223 , 223AI , 222Mag , 22-204Imp , 5.6x50R , 22-250AI, 220Swift
 
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Vince said:
You ...
Are absolutely correct , with the exception , using the 204 Ruger case , which is everywhere now , The 204 case has the shoulder moved forward already by the factory , adding to the case capacity ,, factory improved... and keeping me from having to fire form .
In my case ,using the Contender ,as my shooting platform , I am limited in case size ,diameter .. because of the strength of the action ,By using this case size , I can push it hard and stay within design limits . A small bonus but every little bit helps .LOL
thanks

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f7/22-204imp/Bullets7.jpg

223 , 223AI , 222Mag , 22-204Imp , 5.6x50R , 22-250AI, 220Swift
Click to expand...


I don't really understand. Are you saying you don't use fireformed brass? The first firing...whether it's a little or a little more really makes no difference. I don't know who makes 204 ruger brass and 222 remington brass but it would be a lot easier and cheaper to go with a standard round. With the TC frame and lockup, you can't really run the pressures high so I think just very little more capacity won't really show up as enough velocity gain to make it worth while. Just my opinion....but....most of the fun for a lot of people is tinkering and there's nothing wrong with that.

Good luck with your projects....if you do go through....let us know the velocity differencs...never know...could be interesting. I have a couple of XPs and a Fully custom BR Pistol I've been thinking about shooting more. My XP's are 223's. I was actually thinking about having one redone as a standard 222 remington or maybe a fireball.

Hovis
 
Hovis ..
You are correct again , the first firing will fireform to the chamber ..but by keeping the new chamber to the standard shoulder of the 204 case and just necking up , its a small change indeed ...The chamber will be cut by the EDM process , "On Target Technologies" . Mike Sirois , chamber casts my dies and measures the dummy rounds provided and can match these very precisely . It's Just a Fun thing for me , I won't ever be competitive against the true BR shooters , But... I love it when people tell me .."It won't work" , or "You can't do that .." LOL
On the 204 brass , I've heard rumors about Lapua starting /tooling up for this , that would be nice ..
XP's .. I have a couple myself , I'd love to see a couple pics , esp that Full Custom Bench Gun... Calfee?

Thanks
 
TC's Can Shoot

My shooting partner and I compete in IHMSA Silhouette (among other disciplines), we shoot International Class in Unlimited any sight division. He shoots a TC with a Bullberry Barrel and this thing is just plain unreal. It likes Wolf Match Target best but will shoot anything better than most rifles.
I have seen him shoot sub .75 inch 100yd groups by shooting off my bunny ear rear bag as a front rest and just a brick bag under the grip time after time. I have asked him why he doesn't use my front rest and see just how good it really will shoot and he just smiles shakes his head and asked why. Our class is always won by a shoot off and our match director has a real mean streak, he isn't satisfied by having us just shoot at the chickens at a 100yds he makes us shoot at the two of the air pistol rams and three smallbore chickens. If you think that is easy take a look at the size of those air pistol rams. A good barrel properly fitted and a good trigger and I think you will be amazed at how good a TC can shoot. He consistently beats Anschutz, custom XP's, BFR's and all comers. I have seen him beat true rimfire bench rifles at a game we call Extreme Rimfire which uses the small bore Silhouette targets at 75M, 112M, 144M and 189M.
 
Thankyou All

This has been an intresting thread for me. Good information and gives me much to consider. Thanks for the pics Vince! Wheelguner, I have seen that there are many guy shooting TC's in the IHMSA, impressive that your friend does so well. Keep the post coming, and I will continue to search for more information. Thankyou All!:D
 
Vince you deserve an "A" for effort.... :) .....you've forced me to eat some words. I've stated in the past that "A Contender CANNOT be made to shoot accurately". Your barrel blocked rig proves that I simply hadn't thought of all the options!

Nicely done.

Now....... I STILL can't really condone the Encore because of action flex problems when running to BR pressures BUT you've shown a way to make one shoot. Now I'm all excited about barrel blocking a Ruger #1, how silly is that??

LOL



Wheelgunner,

Thank you for posting a realistic group size.

"I have seen him shoot sub .75 inch 100yd groups by shooting off my bunny ear rear bag as a front rest."

I can get with that. 3/4" groups are achievable with the Encore platform. And as you state, this level of accuracy is "just unreal" in most circumstances.

al
 
Thanks

This thead is / has been fun ...
LouisianaRookie ,
I apologize for stealing your thread , But thought you might enjoy my experiments with TC's .
I have shot these little guns for years , actually got stated shooting Long Range because of a set of brothers here in Colorado , The Bower Boys , John and Don ... they did some fantastic things with Contender pistols ,years ago ...ranges out to / past 500 meters .
I started down this path a couple years ago , basically because people told me It won't work , It can't be done ...I set a goal to shoot PD's past 1000 yds , with a Contender.
With the help of 2 really good friends this experiment has been a success .. Mike Sirois of "On Target Technologies" and Cayle Davis of " C&J Machine" .
And as mentioned earlier , we have other "Blocked" projects in the works . I plan to shoot PD's well over 1500 yds with a Encore and a Striker Pistol .

Thanks
 
Well, I guess I’m hijacking this thread too.

I’ve been reluctant to post the accuracy data from my latest T/C custom pistol build because, frankly, I didn’t relish the idea of the skepticism I would probably receive.

This, however, seems like the perfect opportunity to do so because of the interest in this thread and the innovative ways shown by others to wring the most accuracy out of this action platform.

I’ve worked with a lot of gunsmiths over the years and some of my earlier projects were built by Seeley Masker, George Fullmer, etc.
This old style Contender is one of four that Vern Juenke built for me over 20 years ago. This picture shows its approximate original configuration. Vern mated the barrel lug hole, frame holes, and the pin in an attempt to tighten the lock up. He also used the stubbed barrel system and threaded Shilen barrels into the stub. I’m not certain, but I also believe he did a lot of hand lapping on the oversized locking bolts which fit under the shelf in the frame. Most of my accuracy data was stolen in a robbery several years ago, but I remember this VJ shooting in the 1” to 11/4” range at 100 meters with various lots of Eley black and red.
22VJ_010.jpg


Over the last 20 years….there’s probably not an original piece left on it as it came from the factory that hasn’t been re-machined, modified, or replaced by me or others. I could fill a couple of pages with the list of changes.

In its latest reincarnation, Kim Monthony at “Chase Mountain Custom” pillar bedded the forend and installed a Benchmark 16.5” twist 6 groove choked barrel chambered with an Eley SA reamer made by Dave Kiff.

VJ_CMC_023.jpg

VJ_CMC_019.jpg


Here’s one of five groups I shot at 100 meters a few days ago while chronographing a lot # of Eley Biathlon the pistol seems to like. BTW this is a “Wallet Group” (A statistical anomaly that’s never indicative of a firearm’s true accuracy)….sure is fun to show-off though. The other 4 groups were: .612”, .432”, .682”, and .537”.
This pistol also won 3 state championships last weekend including 8 consecutive 1/5 scale chickens (1.2” target size) at 100 meters from the Creedmore position in one of the shoot-offs. I missed the first two trying to dope the wind.

WalletGroup2.jpg
 
All Post Welcome

Dont worry none Vince, its all been good reading! Great Post

Good post as well Husker! Its great to have a post that you can brag a bit on your accomplishments...Well Done! T/C Folks get a lot of of that Skepticism from the Bolt guys:D but here are two such instances where someone did not let it detour their efforts. Yea maybe its not a .1 or .2 group but to accomplish these task speaks true for the new innovations that are availabe and yet to come. Another such remarkable accomplishment in the TC world is with a man named Kim Monthony with (Chase Mountain Customs)..Kim has taken his Encore to the highest level as well, along with competing right along side the Bolt Guys. He even made the top ten list and got himself listed on the Equipment Page in Precission Shooting Mag:D. Yep right there in the equipment list along with all the custom action makers was listed and ENCORE:D Just proves it can be done! How many eyes you think rolled that day, hehe:rolleyes:

Keep em' Comin!!!!!!
 
Most Excellent

Husker...
Love it , Beautiful rig ... and for one , I would love to hear or see every modification its under gone ...Although I have not been playing with the rim fires , yet ... its is interesting to me .
Skepticisim...lol , I'm been called a lot of things , over the past years .. more than once , A Liar .
I don't care what others think .. I do what I want with my time and money ... I am always interested in what someone else is doing ...and am always willing to talk about ideas . The TC platform is not perfect ,Esp , in a Bench Rest Program , and it does take more work , effort to get them to shoot extremely well... but it is Fun .

Thanks
 
I had a lot of fun messing with my Savages but the last range session is an example of why I will always have a custom BR rifle for shooting matches. I was messing with my homebuilt 40x BR project. I loaded up 5 rounds for my 6PPC Viper with the bullets seated out an extra .005" to try to eliminate some 'flyers'. The first shot through the clean bore ended up about 1/4" high and left of the next 4. The next 4 were in a group measuring a mid .1. This was not a calm day and I had to wait for conditions for a bit. The last 2 I just held about 1/3 of the mothball high and left and shot fast.

I can NEVER do this sort of group with anything else I have. I would think I had reached a brick wall skill wise if not for this rifle.

Here is my question for you. Do you want to learn how to make a TC do IT'S BEST or do you want to learn how to do YOUR BEST ?

I am not putting you down for messing with a factory rifle. I worked on one of my Rem BR projects all afternoon. But Saturday week at our next group match I will be shooting my Viper.
 
Crb

“Here is my question for you. Do you want to learn how to make a TC do IT'S BEST or do you want to learn how to do YOUR BEST ?”

Vince has already answered your question, but I will to.

I know how to do my best. I’ve owned more custom BR guns than most and spent nearly 15 years testing and experimenting by shooting them in the middle of the night at lighted targets out to 200 yds from a cement bench located next to my smithing and reloading room. Both centerfire & rimfire.

The T/C is and has always been “only” a pet project to explore ultimate accuracy with a break-open action. I know it will never have a chance to compete against dedicated bench guns, but I do believe I’ve reached a level of accuracy with the T/C where a superior marksman/wind doper could beat another competitor with better equipment. Besides, it’s not a bench pistol, it’s a silhouette pistol primarily….and for that purpose I’d match it against anything I’ve ever seen or heard of.

Hope that answers your question. I don’t think anybody on this thread has stated a T/C could compete at the highest levels….just that achievable accuracy can be quite surprising and a very enjoyable endeavor.
 
HuskerP7M8 said:
VJ_CMC_023.jpg

VJ_CMC_019.jpg


Here’s one of five groups I shot at 100 meters a few days ago while chronographing a lot # of Eley Biathlon the pistol seems to like. BTW this is a “Wallet Group” (A statistical anomaly that’s never indicative of a firearm’s true accuracy)….sure is fun to show-off though. The other 4 groups were: .612”, .432”, .682”, and .537”.


WalletGroup2.jpg
Click to expand...



Husker, again kudo's for honesty!

"The other groups were .612”, .432”, .682”, and .537”." These are very good answers to the OP's question. You guys have redefined "accuracy" on the Contender platform.


I think that with honest posts like these everybody wins.

al
 
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