Contender, what cartridge do people like for 30 cal?

[quilbilly]

Nothing like the 32/20. I acquired my 10" barrel in a trade not knowing for sure what the caliber was. It very quickly became the favorite of all my T/C Contender barrels and the one I take on all my travels for targets of opportunity. My barrel doesn't particularly like hot loads but it loves the Lee 113 gr RFGC at about 1350 fps. It is death on coyotes out to 150 yards if the animal stops long enough for my old eyes to focus.

[GARD72977]

Well the .30 br. is the most accurate .30 out there, so ends the search.

I doubt this ends the search! First off the BR case is usually not chambered in a contender. If the OP is looking for less recoil th 30br may not be the best choice.

When did the 30br take the short barrel accurracy award?

[LIMPINGJ]

30-20, TC’s 32-20 with a .308 bore. Used mine for small game up to turkeys.

[tward]

I just got a 32-20 bbl for my Contender, accurate and fun. Loaded some Hornady Plinkers with 9.0 gr of 2400 mild load but a great boom and fireball! I use Starline brass which I believe has a slightly more robust construction than WW brass. The Speer manual has data developed in a 10” Contender bbl. Have fun. Tim

[Geezer in NH]

30/30 with no having to play with brass to make a less desirable Herret.

30/30 and hand loads covers all the other cartridges IMHO. Just load what bullet and speed you want with readily available brass.

[JSH]

Look for 30-20 data and not 32-20. In my findings of the last close to thirty years(darn that was hard to type) the 30-20 in a MODERN platform will rival the highly touted 30x221. Actually there is not enough to argue over. Stay with slow powders, 4227 and AA9 have given me my best results.

Also I saw no mention of the 357 magnum. What it can do on the TC platforms no slouch.

Look for IHMSA loads for both of these. Most are not what I consider hot. Folks will holler about loads may be shot in older firearms. Well yes they could be in the 30-20, if they were loaded one at a time, darn sure won't feed from a magazine, most will be longer than 32-20 cylinders also.

Same goes for the 357 TC loads. Most OAL's will be long enough they will not function in wheel guns or lever guns,more so if your a real true accuracy nut.
Jeff

[Mr_Sheesh]

I'm still debating what I want to do with it, might talk myself into a 357 instead, if I do .30 I may just throw heavy Boolits downrange slowly and get good at range guesstimation and holdover SWAGing again. Sort of what I'm thinking of a 45-70 for, too. It's quite fun to be able to watch the boolit spin downrange till it hits the target! Death on paper bullseyes

[MT Chambers]

I doubt this ends the search! First off the BR case is usually not chambered in a contender. If the OP is looking for less recoil th 30br may not be the best choice.

When did the 30br take the short barrel accurracy award?

The .30 br. is tops in both cast and jacketed benchrest shooting, period, end of search.

[35isit]

I see two cartridges were left out. The .30 Reece and the .30tcu. Both should fit the op's wishes.

[M-Tecs]

The 30 BR is a great chambering, however, its top end pressures are over anything safe in a Contender. It would be a great choice in an Encore.

[MT Chambers]

It's (30br.) accuracy with reduced load cast boolits wins CBA events continually, even in my own cast boolit tournaments featuring only me, it's an easy winner.

[JSH]

As mentioned above the Contender platform does not support the BR case very well. I have seen and held in my hands a couple of factory 7BR barrels for the contender. Warning stamped n the barrel to only use factory ammo, just run down to your local shop and get a box........

I don't think the OP wanted a project, like a wildcat. Thus all the factory suggestions.

[M-Tecs]

As mentioned above the Contender platform does not support the BR case very well. I have seen and held in my hands a couple of factory 7BR barrels for the contender. Warning stamped n the barrel to only use factory ammo, just run down to your local shop and get a box........

I don't think the OP wanted a project, like a wildcat. Thus all the factory suggestions.

That surprises me since the SAAMI spec for the 7mm BR is 52,000 CUP. That is the same as the 243 Winchester. 52,000 CUP correlates to 60,000 PSI http://www.lasc.us/BellmMaxPressureContender.htm

Closest I have seen is a 7 BRM in a eabco https://eabco.com/Reports/7mmBRM.htm


https://www.bullberry.com/custom-contender-barrels

30 BR in Encore only from MGM https://matchgrademachine.com/chambers-list/#30cal

[Mr_Sheesh]

A project is OK, but not seen ANYTHING data wise on a 30 TC/U anywhere really. Could work for me. Used to 7TC/U and 7-30 waters so it's just another TC/U round But I'm not in urgent need of more to do right now - More like way overloaded and trying to catch up.