Contact tip and liner assembly for welding torch

A welding contact tip comprising:

• a first axial end portion having a welding wire outlet of an internal bore of the welding contact tip;
• a threaded middle portion adjacent the first axial end portion, wherein the threaded middle portion comprises external threads configured to mate with internal threads of a gas diffuser of a welding torch;
• a second axial end portion adjacent the threaded middle portion and configured to extend an exterior of the second axial end portion into a shielding gas flow path within the gas diffuser;
• wherein the first axial end portion comprises a tapered outer surface adjacent the threaded middle portion and configured to abut a mating tapered inner surface of the gas diffuser of the welding torch;
• wherein the welding contact tip comprises a shoulder between the tapered outer surface of the first axial portion and the threaded middle portion, and an axial gap between the shoulder and the threaded middle portion, the axial gap having a constant outer diameter;
• wherein the second axial end portion has a uniform outer diameter along at least a portion of the length of the second axial end portion, wherein the uniform outer diameter is less than an outer diameter of the first axial end portion;
• and
• wherein the tapered outer surface increases in diameter from the shoulder to match the outer diameter of the first axial end portion.