Contender issues

shooterbob · April 17, 2014, 02:33 AM

Have a contender 256 win barrel and im having an issue that i think is a head space on the case issue. The gun works great on 7 diff calibers but will only lightly dent the primer on the 256 barrel. Making me think the barrel is either to close on tolerance and needs to be run out on a lathe. The only other possibility i can think of is the case being too short, however the case appears to be flush in the chamber. Any ideas? I thought of sending it to bellm or Tc, if i cant figure it out.

Salmoneye · April 17, 2014, 07:06 AM

256 Winchester Magnum headspaces on the rim, so it is either that the rims of the brass you are using are thin, or that the barrel has been cut too deeply where the rim seats...

Does it strike lightly on different brands of brass?

griz · April 17, 2014, 12:10 PM

The Contender can have lock up issues with long cases. Since it's a 256, I would bet that we're talking non-factory brass, which might be too long. Maybe take a 357 case and cut it way back, prime it, and see if pops?

shooterbob · April 17, 2014, 12:33 PM

Well i have checked with formed brass and factory brass. I think the barrel was indeed cut to original specs. A factory case has to be nudged into the barrel, while my formed from 357 and 22 jet brass is loose and sitting flush or below flush just a tiny bit. I have to pull the factory stuff as it was loaded to marlin specs.

Salmoneye · April 18, 2014, 05:11 AM

Did you measure the rim thickness on the loads with the light primer strike?

Are you getting light primer strikes on the 'factory' ammo also?

Why would you 'pull' the factory ammo?

shooterbob · April 18, 2014, 07:55 PM

The factory stuff was loaded for a marlin rifle which looking at the load data, us quite a bit hotter than the Hawkeye pistol loads. I'm going by the Hawkeye loads for contender to be safe. Was gonna pull em and load em where I know they are safe.

hagar · April 18, 2014, 08:21 PM

Weak firing pin spring, I had the same issue with a 223 carbine barrel.

April 17, 2014, 02:33 AM	#1
shooterbob Senior Member Join Date: December 17, 2013 Posts: 109	Contender issues Have a contender 256 win barrel and im having an issue that i think is a head space on the case issue. The gun works great on 7 diff calibers but will only lightly dent the primer on the 256 barrel. Making me think the barrel is either to close on tolerance and needs to be run out on a lathe. The only other possibility i can think of is the case being too short, however the case appears to be flush in the chamber. Any ideas? I thought of sending it to bellm or Tc, if i cant figure it out.

April 18, 2014, 08:21 PM	#7
hagar Senior Member Join Date: February 20, 2000 Location: Colombia, SC Posts: 745	Weak firing pin spring, I had the same issue with a 223 carbine barrel. __________________ I don't have time for busy people

April 17, 2014, 07:06 AM	#2
Salmoneye Senior Member Join Date: December 31, 2011 Location: Vermont Posts: 2,076	256 Winchester Magnum headspaces on the rim, so it is either that the rims of the brass you are using are thin, or that the barrel has been cut too deeply where the rim seats... Does it strike lightly on different brands of brass?

April 17, 2014, 12:10 PM	#3
griz Senior Member Join Date: July 31, 2000 Location: Middle Peninsula, VA Posts: 1,588	The Contender can have lock up issues with long cases. Since it's a 256, I would bet that we're talking non-factory brass, which might be too long. Maybe take a 357 case and cut it way back, prime it, and see if pops?

April 17, 2014, 12:33 PM	#4
shooterbob Senior Member Join Date: December 17, 2013 Posts: 109	Well i have checked with formed brass and factory brass. I think the barrel was indeed cut to original specs. A factory case has to be nudged into the barrel, while my formed from 357 and 22 jet brass is loose and sitting flush or below flush just a tiny bit. I have to pull the factory stuff as it was loaded to marlin specs.

April 18, 2014, 05:11 AM	#5
Salmoneye Senior Member Join Date: December 31, 2011 Location: Vermont Posts: 2,076	Did you measure the rim thickness on the loads with the light primer strike? Are you getting light primer strikes on the 'factory' ammo also? Why would you 'pull' the factory ammo?

April 18, 2014, 07:55 PM	#6
shooterbob Senior Member Join Date: December 17, 2013 Posts: 109	The factory stuff was loaded for a marlin rifle which looking at the load data, us quite a bit hotter than the Hawkeye pistol loads. I'm going by the Hawkeye loads for contender to be safe. Was gonna pull em and load em where I know they are safe.