Topic:

...7TCU...

Discussion: 
 

Robert Morrow ramorrow@vnet.net 

I have been considering buying a 7 TCU barrel but note that Thompson/Center only catalogs one in 10". Does a 10" barrel (as opposed to a 14" barrel) burn the available powder efficiently so that accuracy does not suffer? I know that other makers will furnish barrel lengths of other sizes ( at more cost) but was wondering why T/C doesn't. 


From Rick.Fox.0201913@nt.com 

Robert, the main reason for the 7TCU's existence is handgun silhouette (although I did kill a deer with mine). That's what Elgin Gates designed it for when he stretched the first .223 brass out to 7mm. Since you can't buy 7TCU ammo, only silhouette shooters would bother to handload for it. 

In silhouette shooting, the two major categories are: 

Unlimited - barrels up to 15", with all the custom features you can afford Production barrels up to 10", with no custom work except trigger job, and now, after market sights. 

Most Unlimited shooters go to a bolt action like the XP100, while the = Contender is usually a Production gun. 

Viola! Very little demand for a 7TCU in anything but 10". 


From Owen Squires 

Robert, I have been using A 7mm TCU for a long time as A long range Varmint round for A Super14. It is real accurate at 200 yards. 


From ricpit@mindspring.com Richard A. Pitman, Jr." 

Robert, If you stick to a single base powder with a reasonably fast burn rate, and avoid double based powders, such as ball and flaked powders, the 10" should use the powder efficiently. I don't shoot a 7 TCU, so I can't offer any loads for it, but the above applies to any cartridge in a short barreled firearm. Always keep an eye out for pressure signs, especially with faster burning powders. These tend to go very high quickly with only small increases in charge. I hope that this helps.

   
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