30.30 Thompson Center Contender

[redriverhunter]

hello I would like some opinions about a thompson cent contender in the 30.30 and 357 mag. I believe the barrel are 12 inch. My concern is would these cal. be enough to take hunting pigs thanks for your time
rrh

[Doc Highwall]

30-30 Win no problem, 357mag 180grain bullet min.

[canyon-ghost]

30-30 is a great cartridge in Contender, it's the parent case for the 7-30 Waters of hunting fame. I'd recommend it over 357 mag just based on it's target performance.
Ron

[dale2242]

I bought a 14" 30-30 barrel for my Contender for shooting lead. I am not a bit disappointed. I have only shot light to medium loads in, so can`t say how well they will work on hogs. With 10 gr Unique or 20 gr 4198 I can hit a 24" saw blade at over 300 yds consistently. ....dale

[Uncle R.]

.357 Mag in a contender is a little more than you'd expect if you're used to shooting it in a revolver. Relatively long barrel, fixed breach, strength enough to easily contain max .357 pressures - all add up to more like rifle performance. I'd use one for hogs without concern but I'd stick to heavy bullets - probably 180 grs.

[sargenv]

I would not be concerned using a 30-30 in a contender for hogs.. As long as you use the flat point bullets made for the relatively low velocity that the 30-30 produces.. I wouldn't use pointed bullets made for the faster shooting cartridges (ie 308 Win, 300 Magnum).

[leadman]

I have a 30-30 and 30-30 AI (Ackley Improved). Both shoot jacketed or lead equally well.
For deer sized animals the 125gr. Ballistic Tip is fantastic.
For hogs I would go heavier, at least 150 gr. if jacketed. My choice would be 311041, 170gr. flat nosed boolit designed for the 30-30.
I use the Saeco 180gr. RFN in my 357 revolver and it shoots great. Have not hunted hogs with it but it would be my first choice.
If you wanted more power have it rechambered to 357 Max.

[dragonrider]

I have a 30-30 14 inch with muzzle tamer, even hot loads in this barrel are a joy to shoot. Also have a 12 inch 7-30 Waters, no tamer, but still very comfy to shoot.

[JSH]

The TC platform is no SW. It will handle any load that you wanted to run through a BH or an FA with no problem. You should see some benefit of added velocity from the TC when using published revolter loads.
I myself would take the 357 with a 180+ over the 30-30, more frontal nose area. I have never shot any hogs, but from what I gather than can be tough to anchor at times. So I would suggest a different caliber at anything over 150ish. Up close and personal, I would still take the 357.
Take a look at the LASC web site and look at some of the CB loads worked up in an FA using the RCBS 180 Sil bullet. I ran these through my TC and am over and above what he got from the FA by a good little bit.
jeff

[Rickk]

20" 30-30 barrel on my TC Encore has become one of my favorites. Shot a 3/8" 3-shot group at 100 yards last week with the Ranch Dog boolits--big, flat metplat and comfortable to shoot at about 1900fps.

[Kraschenbirn]

In my IHMSA days, I shot both 10"-barreled .30-30 and .357 Mag at various times. Don't recall the exact loads off the top of my head but I was using milsurp 150 gr FMJs over IMR3031 in the 30-30 (Production Class) and gas-checked 175 RNFPs over a compressed charge of IMR4227 in the .357 for Standing. Shot my first "40" with the .30-30 and don't recall ever losing a ram with either. IMO, probably two of the three most all-around "useful" T/C barrels out there...with the .22 LR being the third.

Bill

[pietro]

A .30-30 Contender was the very first Contender I ever bought, in the late 70's IIRC - from some dude with a brand-new half-bloody gash in his forehead from it's hammer, and who was walking it around a NH gunshow with a "for sale" sign.

I bought the Contender, complete with an also like-new leather T/C shoulder holster for it @ $100 for everything. [smilie=w:

It was "OK", but I soon tired of it, only to later prefer Super 14's in .35 Remington & .375 Winchester.

.

[kennisondan]

I have had the 303o you described in ten and twelve inch IIRC; I like the 35 remington much better with a 200 gr bullet round nose soft points kill deer like flies and there is no hog that woud stand up to it.. in fact it can take anything out there with decent marksmanship... I would still use it all the time but switched to an encore with 308 and 358 wicnhester rounds for the same uses, so I leave the contender rigged with my 22 scoped barrel on it or a .410/44 choked barrel ... they are too much fun to not have one at least ready to roll.. lol..
if you are interested in a 14" super contender with pristine iron sights and / or without the scope on it let me know... I do not use the 35 anymore... I have some shooting supplies too..
the 35 is the big brother to the 3030 and more suitable for a little larger species with 150 and 200 grainers being the most common .. it was a black bear and deer load in the same configuration as the 3030 in both gun and cartridge..
the 30 30 is fine though, it is light to carry in the short barrel, a little louder and a little more recoil than the super 14, which I prefer because I no longer relish recoil like I used to.. lol
dan kennison

[45r]

A 30-30 load that doesn't kick much is the 311041 BRP boolit over 18 grains 4759.My Marlin shoots them into half inch groups at 60 yards.I think that load is good for shots 100 yards and in.

[pls1911]

Have both, .357 10", and 30/30 14" both open and scoped. Used to go through a few hundred rounds a month.
Shot IHMSA and hunted deer and pigs... never had any problems with normal loads.. 18-1900 fps in the 30-30, and (oof) 1800 fps in the .357 with 180 grain RCBS boolit (no, I don't do that anymore... 1200-1400 is plenty... (and the 200 grain RCBS for the .35 win is very good in a .357 TC too, at 1300-ish fps)
In the .30-30 TCs, the 160 or 180 grain RCBS silhouette bullets work fine, but for hunting, the RCBS flat nosed 180, Lyman 173 gr 311041, or the Ranchdog 165 or similar SEACO 165 are preferred due to the meplat and the resultant "slap factor".
My alloy is 100 pound batches of 50-50 WW and whatchagot in the shop, ranging from plumbers lead, babbit material, Linotype, Monotype and salvaged roofing lead. Heat treated 450 degrees and cold water quenched, just about any sloppy alloy with WW will harden up well over 20 bhn.
That's hard enough to shoot normal 30-30 loads and malleable enough to not shatter on the target, but hold together and penetrate into next week.
If you do your part and place bullets correctly these loads will cleanly take a one shot stop on about anything in the lower 48 states. Do Your Part is the operative here.
Let the flaming begin.