Just bought my first Contender!

[waco]

I just bought a used Contender off Gunbroker. It came with two 10" barrels. .45 Colt and .30-30
I'm excited to get this and try it out. I've never shot one before. Both barrels wear open sights. I have an RCBS SAA 270 mold and a Lyman 311041. Feel free to share any loads you have had good luck with.
Im already looking at other barrels and not earning any points with the wife.
i remember my dad and uncle both having Contenders when I was a kid back in the late 70's early 80's. They are both gone now but this will be great for bringing back childhood memories.
I'm up for any tips or advice from you guys who own Contenders, especially ones in these calibers.
How hot can I run the .45 Colt loads? What is the recoil like with full power .30-30 loads?
thanks for the input.
Waco.

[Jupiter7]

As top published loads in the 45colt are only around 30k PSI, they are safe, recoil can be brisk at the top end. 30-30 will do better in a 10" barrel with faster powders like 2400. Recoil is negligible, kinda like warm 357's.

here's a good link to loading the 45-270SAA boolit:

http://www.riflemagazine.com/magazin...246partial.pdf

[waco]

Thanks for the link!

[LUCKYDAWG13]

See if your 45 will also take a 410 a lot of them did and don't shoot
that good lot of bullet jump

[jeepyj]

See if your 45 will also take a 410 a lot of them did and don't shoot
that good lot of bullet jump

Plus might want to make sure here isn't a choke in it. My 223 barrel is the most fun followed by 357mag. I use the 357 most because I cast a 358156GC and it groups extremely well. I was lucky and obtained 5 different barrels on a deal with mine. I still have yet to develop loads for two of the barrels. One is a 44mag the other is 45 / 410 with two different chokes. Best of luck there very addictive.
jeepyj

[waco]

The 45 barrel is just labeled 45. Not 45/410 according to the seller.

[7br]

Iffn you get a chance, a .22 hornet barrel is a hoot.

[waco]

Iffn you get a chance, a .22 hornet barrel is a hoot.

I was thinking K hornet.

[RickinTN]

Not in a contender but in a rifle I've been having good luck with 15.4 grains of 2400 with a 178 grain cast bullet. Probably be worth a try with your 311041.
Good Luck and enjoy it,
Rick

[Moonie]

I had a 'tender in 7-30 Waters, was the first firearm I purchased for myself at age 21, 25 years ago. It has been gone for many years now but I did add a 357max barrel to it. A few weeks ago at a gun show I had that nostalgic feeling and ended up bringing home an Encore in 270 Winchester, 15"... Yea, been looking at barrels too lol

[shoot-n-lead]

Killed my first handgun deer about 30yrs ago, with a 44mag Contender. I have a couple of frames and a pile of barrels and eventually sold them all off except for the original frame, the original 44 barrel and a 22 barrel. Don't shoot it much any more as I have long since taken the challenge of open sighted single actions to heart and mostly concentrate on them. But, the Contender is a good platform...'cept that 10" 44mag with stout loads eats me up...much easier on me in the Bisley.

[Garyshome]

Congrads!

[ratboy]

I was thinking K hornet.

and so it begins.
it starts with "that looks like a fun one"
then it will be "well, i already have the dies....."
next you will wonder where all these barrels came from and why your lead supply is running low.
proceed with caution.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

The 45 barrel is just labeled 45. Not 45/410 according to the seller.

the one that i had was too. the seller also told me it was just a 45 but after i got the barrel and looked down the barrel
you could see that it was reamed out for a 410. that was a deal beaker for me and sent barrel back.
the 45 only barrels are hard to find i hope you lucked out and got one

[44man]

The most accurate boolit in my 30-30 Tender was the RCBS 308-165 SIL. I used 4759 but forget the load. It was accurate enough to hit pennies at 100 with a scope from bags.
Starting with paper on a 13" diameter piece of firewood log, the boolits all went through the wood at 100. I though I was going to catch my lead---NOT.
Some boolits went halfway, turned and came out the top. Amazing thing to see.

[white eagle]

I have had a few over the years a 7mm tcu,7-30 Waters and a 300 Savage
you will find the fun seems to be as limitless as the barrel selection
have a good one

[44man]

Friend has a 7 TCU and it is pop can accurate at 200, open sights, Creedmore.
The only thing I did not like was the trigger guard with my fingers so I never went to a larger caliber then the 30-30.
7-30 Waters is almost the same as the 7R, 30-30 case necked. I have the 7R Wichita and it is good for 1" at 200 meters, both are great calibers. I killed deer with the 7R, 10" barrel.
I believe the 7R was first before the Waters.
Too bad the lever gun in Waters has gone away. Old "NEED MORE POWER" thing.
300 Savage sounds interesting but I would stay away from something like the 45-70.

[waco]

.45-70 sounds brutal in a contender. 44Mag and 22 K Hornet sound fun though. I'm sure I'll be shopping soon. I'll cross my fingers about the 45 Colt barrel......

[44man]

The Tender is a great gun and only my big hands and knuckles limit the recoil I can handle. I get too close to steel!
.44 would be fine too. You will enjoy the gun.
I can't shoot a Bisley either, trashes my knuckle. Need a filler behind the guard.

[waco]

I'm looking forward to getting it. I'll try to load up some of the 311041's this weekend. I'll try 2400 and 4759.