| Contender .44 Mag Barrels [message #37383] |
Tue, 03 March 2015 10:54  |
gunslinger
Messages: 7
Registered: March 2015
Location: North Carolina
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Forum Newbie |
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I am trying to identify all the types of 44 Mag barrels TC produced for the contender.
I have contender 44 Mag Barrels as follows.
6" Oct
8 3/4" oct
10" oct
44 hot shot 10"Vent Rib Internal Choke
44 Hot shot 10" bull Internal Choke
44 Hot Shot 10" Oct External Choke
14" bull
I have heard of longer VR Hot Shot barrels but have never seen one
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| Re: Contender .44 Mag Barrels [message #37395 is a reply to message #37392] |
Tue, 03 March 2015 14:52  |
jamesgammel
Messages: 1708
Registered: August 2012
Location: Lovell, Wyoming
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Top Contributor |
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"44 Hot shot 10" bull Internal Choke" I gotta see a pix of this one. First one's were Pinned to a stud welded into the top of the barrel. Later ones were screwed on. I have seen where some bozo removed the rib, screwed on a front sight with just one screw, left an empty hole near the middle, and put a scope mount or jerry-rigged rear site in the back threaded holes. Yes the barrel is factory made and released, but it didn't leave the factory that way.
Longer (than 10's) did leave the factory, but not in 44, they'd be 45's. HOT SHOTS were either 44 or 357, not 45's. Someone with a drill press and bits and taps can modify a barrel to put a VR on anything, but that doesn't mean it was the factory that did it, especially the screw-on ribs. more in a bit
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| Re: Contender .44 Mag Barrels [message #37435 is a reply to message #37395] |
Wed, 04 March 2015 14:18 |
jamesgammel
Messages: 1708
Registered: August 2012
Location: Lovell, Wyoming
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Top Contributor |
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There's three barrels shown here, and a weaver base. The bottom barrel is a first 44VR version with the rib removed. The rear on it is retained by 2 screws, the hole spacing matches the front and rearmost screws of the base, so only 2 screws will hold the base down. Just a little beyond the forward screw the barrel tapers off to the muzzle. Muzzle diameter (how I measured it) is .696. Barrel wall is quite thin for holding the choke in. (forgot to take a photo from the front, sorry).
Looking at the middle barrel, a slightly later made barrel the rib is the same and you can see the attachment screws. The front screw on the rib is front sight adjustment, it doesn't penetrate into the barrel. The rear sight is flip-up and windage adjustable, front sight is vertical adjustable for elevation adjustment when using solid (not shot) ammo. Behind the front sight and further down the barrel the rib is pinned to the pegs set and welded into the top of the barrel. The middle barrel also has less taper, the Muzzle measuring .718. The top is an SS 45-410. Narrower rib, all screw retained. The front screw on it does penetrate through the barrel material including the choke's retaining threads (not on the choke itself). Front bead and rear is non-adjustable and doesn't fold down for shot use.
I didn't remove the middle or top barrel's ribs to see if they added the missing 2 scope mount holes. I doubt they did. Muzzle diameter was again .718, so the later ones did retain the taper of the second versions, which was less "severe" as the first.
Because if the taper almost the whole front half isn't even sitting on the barrel, thus unsupported from recoil effects. They'll bend downward throwing off sight-ins and stress scopes. Thus it's not a good idea to use these with the ribs removed and scopes mounted. 2 screws and almost half the mount and scope suspended in "air" isn't going to work out well.
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Attachment: Ribs_1.JPG
(Size: 42.65KB, Downloaded 1013 times)
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Attachment: Ribs_2.JPG
(Size: 52.81KB, Downloaded 984 times)
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| Re: Contender .44 Mag Barrels [message #37444 is a reply to message #37442] |
Wed, 04 March 2015 18:03 |
jamesgammel
Messages: 1708
Registered: August 2012
Location: Lovell, Wyoming
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Top Contributor |
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10" Bull 44 mag, no choke. isn't on your "have" list. also 21 carbine, super 16. Do you count the Armour aloy II's? if so, lack 10 and 14 inchers. they did make a 12" hunter with the M/T.
I did notice that the 1991 catalog had a column heading of 16 " with V-R in a good number of chamerings, including the 44, but 22lr, 22 wmr, 7-30, etc? Nah, that was a misprint. The next column was headed the same, but just had the 45-410.
There's also the 14" 44 hunter with M/T as well.
Are you wanting the variations of 44 in SS as well? If so, the "don't have yet" list is going to get a bit longer. We're only to 1992 now.
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