C
crappie
Guest
Does anyone make TC barrels using lilja tight bore rimfire barrels? Or what about chambers tighter than normal 22lr match chambers, like a lilja or one of the calfee chambers?
There are several custom TC barrel makers, as to what particular type of barrel each uses, that is unknown to me. Now that is not to say that by supplying the base barrel of your preference that they can not make what you are inquiring about. The tricky part is welding the lug to the bottom of the barrel with out distorting the bore. Contact Mike Bellm as he is one of the masters of the Contender and Encore systems. He can supply you with any information you seek.
HuskerP7M8
Member
In my opinion, the very best solution for producing a Contender that will very nearly run with the bolt action BR rifles is to use the “stub barrel” system.
Vern Juenke was probably the originator of the stub barrel system back in the late 1970’s. He would cut the factory barrel forward of the lug and thread Shilen Match barrels into that stub and then rechamber it. He also switched out the locking bolts, mated them to the shelf they locked into in the frame, and machined a custom hinge pin with a matching reamed hole.
At one time I had several of these VJ pistols in both centerfire and rimfire and still have a rimfire that I’ve been tweak’n on for nearly 30 years. In its latest reincarnation, I had Kim Monthony of “Chase Mountain Customs” do the latest rebuild and we installed a 16.5” twist Benchmark barrel incorporating an Eley EPS chamber. This was about 2 or 3 years ago and he has since closed shop, but he still does a little work....I think? He goes by “Fixinit” on this forum and you may be able to PM him for more info or a suggestion as to who might still be using this system.
Your other best options are to post the same question on the “Specialty Pistols” forum http://specialtypistols.infopop.cc/6/ubb.x or to contact “Match Grade Machine” http://www.matchgrademachine.com/
Here’s a pic as set up for testing with a scope I mounted above the open sights and you can also see the original chrome moly stub of the factory barrel.
Landy
Vern Juenke was probably the originator of the stub barrel system back in the late 1970’s. He would cut the factory barrel forward of the lug and thread Shilen Match barrels into that stub and then rechamber it. He also switched out the locking bolts, mated them to the shelf they locked into in the frame, and machined a custom hinge pin with a matching reamed hole.
At one time I had several of these VJ pistols in both centerfire and rimfire and still have a rimfire that I’ve been tweak’n on for nearly 30 years. In its latest reincarnation, I had Kim Monthony of “Chase Mountain Customs” do the latest rebuild and we installed a 16.5” twist Benchmark barrel incorporating an Eley EPS chamber. This was about 2 or 3 years ago and he has since closed shop, but he still does a little work....I think? He goes by “Fixinit” on this forum and you may be able to PM him for more info or a suggestion as to who might still be using this system.
Your other best options are to post the same question on the “Specialty Pistols” forum http://specialtypistols.infopop.cc/6/ubb.x or to contact “Match Grade Machine” http://www.matchgrademachine.com/
Here’s a pic as set up for testing with a scope I mounted above the open sights and you can also see the original chrome moly stub of the factory barrel.
Landy
David White, Dennis (aka Mike) Bellm, and a couple others are doing the stub barrel process. It can turn out to be a better assembly due to not having the deformity from welding the lug, proper sized and centered chamber and head space for the particular frame. Generally about 4 c-notes gets it done.
HuskerP7M8
Member
The last time I visited with Vern was several years ago and at that time he hadn't done any commercial gunsmithing for quite some time.
He did have a couple of older "new" VJ's that were available for sale at that time, but they were very very expensive. Even the used ones that only rarely come up for resale fetch a pretty penney.
Landy