Fun with a Contender

[timkelley]

OhioRusty has been talking about Contenders and got me to thinking about mine. I took mine with the 30 Herrett barrel out in the yard the other day. I tried some rounds made with H110 and 100 grain 30 carbine bullets, and the fireball is impressive, I had forgotten how much fun that thing is.:smile::smile:

[stephen perry]

Tim
Is your Contender a 10" barrel or a 14". Do you have other barrels for your's.

Stephen Perry
Angeles BR

[Just1Mor]

i have a contender and have always wanted to get the rifle stock and the 45-70 14in ported barrel for a little brush gun. illegal or not

[82nd airborne]

IMHO, Id ad the two inches to make the gun swing better for moving targets, not much more unweildy, and to avoid 10 years in the federal pen.

[jsizemore]

When 22 Hornets were approved for NRA hunter's pistol silhouette, there was a run on barrels and reloading components. I stuck with my 32-20 and my buddy went with the Hornet. He was having trouble finding brass but he ran up on a deal for 100 rounds of factory loaded ammo that used IMR 4227. I asked if he was going to pull the bullets since we shot taco hold with a riflescope. He said no. I didn't signup for the relay he was on so I could spot for him. My spotting position was 15 feet to his right. Do you remember the cartoon fireballs in the comics? They were even bigger then that. The first shot knocked his glasses, hat and ear muffs off. We had a group of us that were fallen out from laughing. It took him about a year and a half to get rid of the flinch he developed that day. I still laugh to this day.

[timkelley]

Stephen, My 30 Herrett barrel is a 10 incher and as I say the fireball is impressive with a large dollop of H110. My gun is from about 76 to 78 so it has the good trigger and is, of course, hard to open. I also have an Octogon 10 inch barrel from that time frame with the screw-in choke and a Super 14 barrel (223) a couple years newer.
I bought the gun thinking about steel rams and then never found a range any where near the place I went when I left the Army.

[TCLouis]

10" 30 Herrett, WW 296 and 115 RNFP GC boolits is the only thing I have ever shot that hurt my ears even though I was wearing plugs and muffs.

1680 will also keep folks from setting up too close on the firing line too.

[Bloodman14]

Fireballs?! Did someone say 'fireballs'? NEED PICS!

[a.squibload]

Well, I guess I'm a little wimpy, only got a 10" 44 so I could avoid loud noises...

[Larry Gibson]

I've had numerous Contender barrels over the years simply because they trade/sell easily and it is a lot of fun shooting them in different cartridges. Currently I have 3 rifle barrels of 21"; a .22 Hornet, a .223 and a 30-30. I have 2 handgun barrels of 10"; .22 Hornet and 32 H&R. I also have 2 hanggun barrels that have been shortened to 8.4"; a .357 magnumand a .44 Magnum. I do enjoy them for testing cartridges (psi w/M43 Oehler) and just for fun shooting and hunting.

Larry Gibson

[timkelley]

Squibload, my Contender had a light profile, 10 inch, 44 Mag barrel along when I got the gun. That barrel, the wood grip, and a strong load would just make a grown man cry. I quickly found a feller who wanted it and traded it off.

[a.squibload]

Mine has Pachmayr rubber, I only got that 'cause it looked like a space raygun!
Guess it helps with recoil somewhat.
Used to shoot a little IHMSA long ago. 10" Contender saves your pants from cylinder gap gas!

Hadn't thought about trimming barrels, never really thought 10" was necessary for 44 but it does shoot good.
Will keep an eye out for extras.