difference between 10" and 14" .223 contender barrel (balistically)

J

JBinSD

New member
Wanted a super 14 .223 barrel, local dealer has a 10" that was a .222 made into a .223 (blued) for $125. Is that a good deal? Anything to be concerned with reeming it to .223? What do I lose balistically on 4"s of barrel compared to the compactness of a 10" ??
 
I would pass on it and get what you really want the first time around. Something like that might be hard for you to sell if you don't like it.
 
Quote:
I would pass on it and get what you really want the first time around. Something like that might be hard for you to sell if you don't like it.



I'm with Dan on this one... just hold off, you should be able to find one in .223 /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
 
It may seem like a good deal but that barrel probably got the same velocity as a .222, and with less muzzle blast. I'd pass on it.
 
I guess it depends on what the gun is to be used for. I had a Contender with a 14" 223 barrel. It was highly accurate, and very loud. It was not the most packable, kinda cumbersome, compared to the other 10" barrels I had......
 
I had a 10 inch 222 barrel...... and it was a 1 in 14 twist.... and would not stabilize anything except .... short bullets like 40 gr..... 50 gr bullets were on the edge of sometimes shooting and sometimes tumbling and keyholing.... I had a hard time finding a load that would shoot..... ended up with 4198 powder and sierra semi point 40 and 50 gr bullets..... and it shot kinda ok most of the time....with those short bullets..... I did not find any factory ammo that shot as well as a contender is supposed to for me.....

you said this was 222 reamed to 223 barrel..... that is different than a 223 barrel....

I later got a 14 inch 223 barrel and it shot great....with my reloads and with a little factory stuff i tried...

If you want my advice buy the 14 inch 223 barrel..... I think they are 1 in 12 twist...
 
You can actually get a .221 Fireball that will give you the same ballistics with considerably less flash and noise in a 10".
 
If you read much of Bob Milek's Guns + Ammo stuff, he loved the 221 fireball and 22 Hornet or K-Hornet in 10 inch barrels. He disliked the 222 in the Contender in any handgun length, but liked the 223 in the 14inch barrel only. For all of the reasons stated above.

You've been given good advice. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
 
Quote:
If you read much of Bob Milek's Guns + Ammo stuff, he loved the 221 fireball and 22 Hornet or K-Hornet in 10 inch barrels. He disliked the 222 in the Contender in any handgun length, but liked the 223 in the 14inch barrel only. For all of the reasons stated above.

You've been given good advice. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif



I've read everything I believe the man ever wrote...even met him once in Thermopolis, WY. To this day I am a Contender nut in every fashion they have ever been made.
 
I'm a Bob Milek fan as well. I know he died. Have to say that before someone corrects me. I bought a super 14 on his reccomendation as well. That was over 15 years ago & have never regretted it. It will shoot very accurate to 250 yds & have taken many groundhogs with it. Mine is topped with a 7X Burris IER, they don't make 'em anymore, & Harris short benchrest bipod. Easy to carry but have to shoot prone, but that OK as long as grass aint wet. Very nice piece of equipment. Oh, by the way, it is a .223.
 
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