Modify T/C's Armour Alloy barrel to standard Contender?

Kernel · November 23, 1999, 06:55 PM

T/C wants $25 to convert my Armour Alloy II barrel to work with a standard Contender action. Anyone know a simple do-it-yourself method? -- Kernel

George Stringer · November 24, 1999, 09:44 AM

Kernel, forgive my ignorance here but what is different in the barrel installation? I don't do very much on Contenders but I thought all their bbls interchanged. George

Kernel · November 24, 1999, 12:12 PM

Hi George,

"Armour Alloy II" was Thompson/Centers proprietary hardchrome finish. They offered it back in the late 70s thru mid 80s before they started making stainless Contenders. All they did was coat existing blue frames and barrels. Since the finish has a certain thickness (maybe a few thousandths) it's impossible to fit the Base Pin from a standard Contender. All the conversion consist of is reaming out the hole in the barrel lug.

When T/C came out with real stainless Contenders it made AA obsolete. They got stuck with a bunch of AA barrels in inventory and they're still selling them on their internet site at bargain basement prices (I'd say "fire sale prices", but that's a sensitive subject with T/C). My NIB 14" .44 Mag barrel cost $123.85 delivered.

Unless someone has a better idea I'll probably use some extra fine silica/carbide sandpaper wrapped around a wooden dowel to open up the hole. Someone posted a few months back that that was all he did and it worked fine. AAII is harder than Chinese arithmetic, way harder than stainless steel and more corrosion resistant as well. -- Kernel

George Stringer · November 27, 1999, 08:55 AM

Kernel, I thought it was only a finish but you never know. The only "bad" possibility of enlarging the hole the way you're planning is the chance of getting it out of round or too big. If you don't have a smith near you take the barrel only down to your local machine shop. They should be able to ream the hole to the specific size you need. George

Kernel · November 28, 1999, 02:51 AM

The easiest $25 I ever saved......

Turned out to be even easier than I hoped. The standard Contender hinge pin is just barely larger than the hole in an Armour Alloy barrel, it almost wants to go. You only need to remove around 1 thousandths, maybe 5 ten thousandths, or so. I wrapped some 400 grit 3M silica/carbide sandpaper around the shank of an old Philips screw driver. Rotated it a few times in the hole, then checked the fit of the hinge pin (rinse paper, repeat). The pin fit snuggly after about 30 turns. Polished it more than reamed it. All-in-all, it took about 3 minutes. -- Kernel

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November 23, 1999, 06:55 PM	#1
Kernel Senior Member Join Date: November 21, 1999 Location: Madison, WI.... "78 Square Miles Surrounded by Reality" Posts: 923	T/C wants $25 to convert my Armour Alloy II barrel to work with a standard Contender action. Anyone know a simple do-it-yourself method? -- Kernel

November 24, 1999, 09:44 AM	#2
George Stringer Staff Alumnus Join Date: October 12, 1998 Location: Earlington KY Posts: 2,299	Kernel, forgive my ignorance here but what is different in the barrel installation? I don't do very much on Contenders but I thought all their bbls interchanged. George

November 24, 1999, 12:12 PM	#3
Kernel Senior Member Join Date: November 21, 1999 Location: Madison, WI.... "78 Square Miles Surrounded by Reality" Posts: 923	Hi George, "Armour Alloy II" was Thompson/Centers proprietary hardchrome finish. They offered it back in the late 70s thru mid 80s before they started making stainless Contenders. All they did was coat existing blue frames and barrels. Since the finish has a certain thickness (maybe a few thousandths) it's impossible to fit the Base Pin from a standard Contender. All the conversion consist of is reaming out the hole in the barrel lug. When T/C came out with real stainless Contenders it made AA obsolete. They got stuck with a bunch of AA barrels in inventory and they're still selling them on their internet site at bargain basement prices (I'd say "fire sale prices", but that's a sensitive subject with T/C). My NIB 14" .44 Mag barrel cost $123.85 delivered. Unless someone has a better idea I'll probably use some extra fine silica/carbide sandpaper wrapped around a wooden dowel to open up the hole. Someone posted a few months back that that was all he did and it worked fine. AAII is harder than Chinese arithmetic, way harder than stainless steel and more corrosion resistant as well. -- Kernel

November 27, 1999, 08:55 AM	#4
George Stringer Staff Alumnus Join Date: October 12, 1998 Location: Earlington KY Posts: 2,299	Kernel, I thought it was only a finish but you never know. The only "bad" possibility of enlarging the hole the way you're planning is the chance of getting it out of round or too big. If you don't have a smith near you take the barrel only down to your local machine shop. They should be able to ream the hole to the specific size you need. George

November 28, 1999, 02:51 AM	#5
Kernel Senior Member Join Date: November 21, 1999 Location: Madison, WI.... "78 Square Miles Surrounded by Reality" Posts: 923	The easiest $25 I ever saved...... Turned out to be even easier than I hoped. The standard Contender hinge pin is just barely larger than the hole in an Armour Alloy barrel, it almost wants to go. You only need to remove around 1 thousandths, maybe 5 ten thousandths, or so. I wrapped some 400 grit 3M silica/carbide sandpaper around the shank of an old Philips screw driver. Rotated it a few times in the hole, then checked the fit of the hinge pin (rinse paper, repeat). The pin fit snuggly after about 30 turns. Polished it more than reamed it. All-in-all, it took about 3 minutes. -- Kernel