Thompson Contender Fire Forming

Reloader2 · August 31, 2019, 01:11 PM

Recently acquired a 7mm TCU Barrel and made up some loads using 223 brass necked up to 7mm.
First try at 50 yards showed some promise, especially since the shooter is an old fart with poor eyesight and shaky hands.
Results at 100 yards weren’t nearly as good.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

hounddawg · August 31, 2019, 01:25 PM

Nice, what's the velocity on those appx

hounddawg · August 31, 2019, 01:46 PM

dupe

Reloader2 · August 31, 2019, 03:31 PM

Book shows around 1800 out of the 14” barrel. Just a starting dose.
I think I get a little more case capacity after fireforming the brass. The 4895 load was a nearly full case.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

NoSecondBest · August 31, 2019, 04:42 PM

Way back when I was shooting IHMSA Silhouette, I was shooting a TC Contender with a 10" bbl and using the 120g Sierra Spitzer and 26.0g of H332 powder. I fireformed my cases by shooting .223 rounds out of the gun at a dirt bank and then reloading the fired cases. My old notes show that I trimmed the cases to 1.720 and I was using Fed match primers. I shot a monotonous string of 39's and 40's with that gun and load. It shot well right out to the rams....200 yards. I won about every match I entered with it and did so for several years until I moved on to other shooting games.

hounddawg · August 31, 2019, 05:12 PM

got me wanting to try one now

Reloader2 · August 31, 2019, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NoSecondBest

Way back when I was shooting IHMSA Silhouette, I was shooting a TC Contender with a 10" bbl and using the 120g Sierra Spitzer and 26.0g of H332 powder. I fireformed my cases by shooting .223 rounds out of the gun at a dirt bank and then reloading the fired cases. My old notes show that I trimmed the cases to 1.720 and I was using Fed match primers. I shot a monotonous string of 39's and 40's with that gun and load. It shot well right out to the rams....200 yards. I won about every match I entered with it and did so for several years until I moved on to other shooting games.

I have shot some decent groups at times but don’t have the skills to shoot these things as good as they are capable of. Just starting out with this barrel.
Did you shoot 120s at the Rams also?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

NoSecondBest · August 31, 2019, 07:40 PM

Yes, I shot the 120's at the rams also. It wasn't very often you hit one without toppling it. It did happen on a rare occasion, but not often enough to make me give up shooting a terrific load. It maybe happened a couple of times over several years. Most times a 39 would win anyway. Unless rams are "hard set" they go down with any hit. I had a 14" bbl for unlimited before I got a higher quality unlimited gun and it shot 139 grain bullets better in that gun than it shot the 120's.

Steve in PA · August 31, 2019, 11:22 PM

Love shooting my T/C Contenders. I have two frames; stainless and blued. While I don’t have a barrel in 7mm TCU, I do have them in .22 Hornet, .223, .44 Magnum and my favorite 7-30 Waters.

The 7-30 Waters loves the 120gr Nosler BT and the 139gr Hornady SST. Slowly running out of factory 7-30 Waters brass, so eventually I’ll be fire forming .30/30 brass.

Reloader2 · September 1, 2019, 12:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve in PA

Love shooting my T/C Contenders. I have two frames; stainless and blued. While I don’t have a barrel in 7mm TCU, I do have them in .22 Hornet, .223, .44 Magnum and my favorite 7-30 Waters.

The 7-30 Waters loves the 120gr Nosler BT and the 139gr Hornady SST. Slowly running out of factory 7-30 Waters brass, so eventually I’ll be fire forming .30/30 brass.

I was pleasantly surprised with fireforming 30-30 for the 7-30 Waters. First ever experience trying that and couldn’t believe they would group as well as the factory ammo with a fireforming load.
The 35 Remington is another one that deserves a look also. Fun one to shoot as well.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Reloader2 · September 1, 2019, 01:05 AM

I inherited a couple of frames and several barrels from my father.
I probably didn’t touch them for a 10 years.
One day I took the 14” 223 up and my first 3 shot group at 100 yards was 3/4 inch center to center. Not my norm for sure but this sure got me interested.
I’ve since added another frame and several barrels to the collection.
So far I’ve got 17 Remington, 22 LR, 22 Hornet, 223, 7mm TCU, 7-30 Waters, 35 Remington, 30-30, 45 Colt/410, 45-70, 357 Mag, 44 Mag, 357 Maximum.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

August 31, 2019, 01:11 PM	#1
Reloader2 Senior Member Join Date: June 18, 2013 Posts: 263	Thompson Contender Fire Forming Recently acquired a 7mm TCU Barrel and made up some loads using 223 brass necked up to 7mm. First try at 50 yards showed some promise, especially since the shooter is an old fart with poor eyesight and shaky hands. Results at 100 yards weren’t nearly as good. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

August 31, 2019, 01:25 PM	#2
hounddawg Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2009 Posts: 4,232	Nice, what's the velocity on those appx __________________ “How do I get to the next level?” Well, you get to the next level by being the first one on the range and the last one to leave.” – Jerry Miculek

August 31, 2019, 01:46 PM	#3
hounddawg Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2009 Posts: 4,232	dupe __________________ “How do I get to the next level?” Well, you get to the next level by being the first one on the range and the last one to leave.” – Jerry Miculek

August 31, 2019, 03:31 PM	#4
Reloader2 Senior Member Join Date: June 18, 2013 Posts: 263	Thompson Contender Fire Forming Book shows around 1800 out of the 14” barrel. Just a starting dose. I think I get a little more case capacity after fireforming the brass. The 4895 load was a nearly full case. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

August 31, 2019, 05:12 PM	#6
hounddawg Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2009 Posts: 4,232	got me wanting to try one now __________________ “How do I get to the next level?” Well, you get to the next level by being the first one on the range and the last one to leave.” – Jerry Miculek

August 31, 2019, 04:42 PM	#5
NoSecondBest Senior Member Join Date: December 7, 2009 Location: Western New York Posts: 2,736	Way back when I was shooting IHMSA Silhouette, I was shooting a TC Contender with a 10" bbl and using the 120g Sierra Spitzer and 26.0g of H332 powder. I fireformed my cases by shooting .223 rounds out of the gun at a dirt bank and then reloading the fired cases. My old notes show that I trimmed the cases to 1.720 and I was using Fed match primers. I shot a monotonous string of 39's and 40's with that gun and load. It shot well right out to the rams....200 yards. I won about every match I entered with it and did so for several years until I moved on to other shooting games.

August 31, 2019, 07:40 PM	#8
NoSecondBest Senior Member Join Date: December 7, 2009 Location: Western New York Posts: 2,736	Yes, I shot the 120's at the rams also. It wasn't very often you hit one without toppling it. It did happen on a rare occasion, but not often enough to make me give up shooting a terrific load. It maybe happened a couple of times over several years. Most times a 39 would win anyway. Unless rams are "hard set" they go down with any hit. I had a 14" bbl for unlimited before I got a higher quality unlimited gun and it shot 139 grain bullets better in that gun than it shot the 120's.

August 31, 2019, 11:22 PM	#9
Steve in PA Senior Member Join Date: October 14, 1999 Location: Northeastern PA Posts: 756	Love shooting my T/C Contenders. I have two frames; stainless and blued. While I don’t have a barrel in 7mm TCU, I do have them in .22 Hornet, .223, .44 Magnum and my favorite 7-30 Waters. The 7-30 Waters loves the 120gr Nosler BT and the 139gr Hornady SST. Slowly running out of factory 7-30 Waters brass, so eventually I’ll be fire forming .30/30 brass. __________________ Steve

September 1, 2019, 01:05 AM	#11
Reloader2 Senior Member Join Date: June 18, 2013 Posts: 263	Thompson Contender Fire Forming I inherited a couple of frames and several barrels from my father. I probably didn’t touch them for a 10 years. One day I took the 14” 223 up and my first 3 shot group at 100 yards was 3/4 inch center to center. Not my norm for sure but this sure got me interested. I’ve since added another frame and several barrels to the collection. So far I’ve got 17 Remington, 22 LR, 22 Hornet, 223, 7mm TCU, 7-30 Waters, 35 Remington, 30-30, 45 Colt/410, 45-70, 357 Mag, 44 Mag, 357 Maximum. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk