7mm-TCU gets my Thumb's Up!! Kinda Long with Pics:

Grunter

Grunter

New member
In a recent trade deal with a new member I aquired a 7mm-TCU barrel and die set. I posted issues with forming the brass on another thread. After trial and error I managed to size some brass with out flaws.

My next battle was the gun itself. The barrel had issues with locking up and it was darn near impossible to open the action once closed. I stripped the lock-up lug and spring assembly from another barrel that worked good, and now it was breaking open and locking up correctly. I guess between older and newer frames there is a slight allignment difference.

Now that I had some bullets made;
For fire-forming the brass I went with 20 grains or IMR-4198 pushing a 120 grain Nosler ballistic tip and CCi BR-4 primers. The load is approx.85-90%. Here is a pic of the bullet in comparison to the original 223.rem with a 55 grain V-max:



7mm%20pic2.jpg





Next I mounted a Bushnell Trophy Illuminated red/green 1x28. I figured 1" was 1" so I bought some Burris rings to use. No Good!! the actual diameter of the scope is more like 1 1/8" so I ended up using the rings supplied by Bushnell. (Kinda Cheep) I mounted it on a Weaver base and it worked out pretty good. I installed the Georgia Jim blanks I finished a while back and it looked perty sweet! Here is a couple of pics;


7mm%20pic3.jpg


7mm%20pic1.jpg



I just got back from shooting the F-F loads and I was pleased to say the least. The snow was knee-deep and a constant wind. I sat at the 50 yard bench and rolled up a shirt to rest on and pushed a few thru. The first couple were not on the target so I made a couple adjustments and fired this down:


7mm%20pic5.jpg



Im happy!

I know I have a lot of work ahead trying to dial it in but considering none of my loads split after the size-up I feel like I did something right!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif


Thanks for all the info you guys gave me!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowingsmilie.gif Im looking forward to seeing what this thing can really do after I start serious load developement.


7MM-TCU And my old Contender........... Think this is gonna work out! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif



Dave
 
Very Nice!
The only problem you have now is which gun to take to the woods! A problem many wouldn't mind having...

and b.t.w...
I replaced the crappy Bushnell rings on my Red Dot with Warne 30mms. Much better!
 
Very nice looking rig. Sorry for using your post but I was wondering how many handgun hunters are on this forum. I'm planning on taking my Moose and next buck with a handgun. I plan on using my .44 mag ruger super blackhawk hunter on the moose and my smith and wesson 6 inch 686 plus (.357 mag), on my next Buck. Please don't tell me that the .357 isn't enough gun for a big buck, I watch my Uncle kill a very healthy 10 pt. 224 lbs field dressed buck with his colt python and it was DRT at about 40 yards!!. Enough of my rambling I just love handgun hunting for small game and just want to move on to big game.
 
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You are 2 for 2 this past month aren't you with your new guns!!!




You mean.......ah.......two...ya two, thats right. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif


This ones a lot of fun I must say. Next to no recoil but snappy enough to get r done. Best part was that it was an even trade /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif
 

Grunter, Nice lookin rig.
Took my first deer with the 7 tcu in 1988. This round really works in the 10" contender.
I have good luck with RL# 7 in mine. 100yd groups were just under 2" with a 120 hornady hp. 4198 was closer to 3" and mostly vertical. Havn't tried the nosler.
Another good one is the 256 Win mag. Not quite a deer round but works well on coyotes.
 
The 7MM-TCU came about in the early 1980's as a result of the metallic handgun silhouette shooting game that was extremely popular back then.

TCU = Thompson Center Ugalde.....

Ugalde = Wes Ugalde from Utah.... who developed the 7MM, the 25, and several other cartridges for the silhouette game that proved very useful for other purposes in handgun hunting...

-BCB
 
You are going to like that cartridge/gun combination. I had a 10" Contender back in the 80s. The thing loved 120 gr bullets. Speer I believe. The load escapes me and my notes are packed away, but it would shoot better than a #1 Ruger 6mm I had at the time. I found one of my old loaded rounds in the night stand drawer the other day. Set me to thinking about a custom calling rifle built on a XP100 action. Or maybe a mini Mauser. I bet a 20" barrel would milk all the good out of that little guy. Good luck and good shooting,R.J.
 
I still have one in a AA Contender that I used for silhouettes and will probably shoot this year, along with some 150g LeadHead bollits. No leading and very accurate.
 
I took my 7tcu hunting last week. It is only sighted in at 75 yard, and ther only shot I had was at 150. Needless to say I missed. Sure would have been a chip shot with a rifle though.
 
the 7-tcu is one of my faverite calibers
shot deer and coyotes with it
i use 4895 27.5gr with 120 to 130gr bullets
hard to over load the cartrage
 
Bayou City Boy said:
The 7MM-TCU came about in the early 1980's as a result of the metallic handgun silhouette shooting game that was extremely popular back then.

TCU = Thompson Center Ugalde.....

Ugalde = Wes Ugalde from Utah.... who developed the 7MM, the 25, and several other cartridges for the silhouette game that proved very useful for other purposes in handgun hunting...

-BCB
Click to expand...
Excellent information, Wes Ugalde was actually from Fallon Nevada.
 


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