Thread: This IS an accurate 22

I've been a 22 accuracy nut for a long time. My favorites are sporter weight, modestly priced jobbies i.e making accuacy not buying it!

Here is a target from the newest addition to the flock. Its a TC Contender but not your usual . . . I've had a few Contender barrelsets but long wanted a really accurate 22 one. So a long time ago @Scout sold me a used unknown brand "euro" barrel that had come off a target rifle. Its so long ago I forgot the price but it wasn't expensive - thanks Scout! It sat in the safe a long time waiting for the right project.

Recently @akaroa1 has been doing some very fine 'smithing with Contenders and allowed that he had a barrel that was available to "stub" - thats where a new barrel is fitted to an existing barrelset by drilling out the old barrel and fitting the new one. Sounds easy but is an exacting job.

Once offered the 'stub' it was a no brainer to try the "Scout" barrel. A bit of liason with one of NZ pre-eminent Bench rest guys saw Akaroa lent a match chamber reamer. Some magic later I recieved a beautifully built and deeply blued barrel.

I've been busy with family for a couple of weeks, my son shot it a bit and it went pretty well, despite the less than ideal ergonomics of the Contender and more wind than ideal.

Tonight was perfect for shooting here, just a wee occasional shower but who cares if ya have a covered firing point! Time to see what it would do!

Warmed it up with some S&B that shoots pretty good in another rifle . .. but not the Contender. Onto a decent batch off Norma Tac - hey whats wrong with a 0.486 group at 50 yards. Try another RWS eh R50 smoked into 0.281. Onto the Poms, Eley Club 0.499, Match 0.505 and holy smoke, Edge into 0.197!

Thanks Scout and Akaroa!