7.62 x 39 Barrel for Thompson Contender?

[Sheridan]

Contenders are really fun and versatile firearms, but it seems that almost all of the barrels made for them are either varmint sized or medium/big game sized (i.e.- .223 or smaller or 7mm or bigger).

I'd like something in the middle, like a 7.62 x 39. Do you know if anyone makes this barrel for the Contender? Or would the increased pressure require that it be reserved for the Encore frame?

A 6.5 TCU, 6.5 JDJ, or 6.5 Dreadnought would be just about perfect, but the brass to reload for them or the factory ammo (if you can find it) would be too expensive. 7.62 x 39, on the other hand, are dirt cheap.

Daydreaming minds want to know.

 

[9x19]

www.bullberry.com/TCbarrels.html

Have fun...

 

[Sheridan]

Thanks for the link 9 x 19.

I didn't realize a carbine-legal length barrel would set me back three bills!

That's quite a bit just in order to shoot cheap plinking ammo. I'd be better off to go look for an SKS or AK for that money.

Any other suggestions for something in this class that won't cost an arm and half a leg?

 

[Jeeper]

It is pretty mch the same as a 30-30 if you reload.

 

[Okiecruffler]

There's one on Ebay right now that's a rechamber from a .30carbine. Problem with that is the bore is .308, the 7.62X39 is, for the most part, .311 That causes a pressure problem. You could always reload with .308 bullets, but then you might as well be loading .30-30 anyway. A few custom shops do .311 barrels (bullberry and virgin valley, possibly a few others.) but you pay out the nose for them even if they are superior barrels to anything that TC produces.

 

[ira41magfan]

I checked into this same senario last year and had the same concerns of using a .311 bullets in a .308 bore. Yes you will have an increase in pressure, that's a given but it's not a concern because the T/C Custom shop still makes them in .308 and they make no warnings. The 7.62 factory round is a 40,000 psi item, you're not going to have a problem because the single shot barrel can handle that pressure. You'll be ok with the T/C Custom barrels.

My 2 cents.

 

[C.R.Sam]

My impression has been that since Contenders are not rapid fire weapons;
The cost of brass would be rather moot.

Just an opinion.

Sam