Thompson center Contender following

[high standard 40]

My favorite barrel is a stainless 10" bull barrel in 7 TCU. It is by far the most accurate T/C barrel I've ever owned. It loves the RCBS 7mm 145 SIL.

[Bloodhound689]

I am really liking my 10" TCU as well but I think the 7-30 Waters is the front runner of my three so far. I think I need to get back to the range just to make sure though.

[Darklin]

Question for the Mind Hive.

Where or What is a good source for load data for the 7-30 JDJ? I am trading the 375 JDJ I have to a guy for a 7-30 JDJ. Not seeing much data for this round any where.

[Bloodhound689]

Question for the Mind Hive.

Where or What is a good source for load data for the 7-30 JDJ? I am trading the 375 JDJ I have to a guy for a 7-30 JDJ. Not seeing much data for this round any where.

I just read on Graybeard that it is also known as the 7-30 Waters Improved. I have never heard of it but then again I am just now getting into wildcats myself. If the above were true I would assume that you would size to 7-30 Waters with Waters data and fireform it as you would Waters.

I have learned that this is the place to ask. I would start it as a new thread though so more see it

[Lonegun1894]

Glad it's not just me. I have a few, with a .17 HMR being the smallest, and the .45/.410 being the biggest, but my .357 Mag and .44 Mag get the most range time.

[scotth]

got to like the t/c 2 frames and waiting on a ssk-50 frame 10 barrels and one on the way

[Shawlerbrook]

Contenders are like Lay’s potato chips....nobody can have just one......

[green mountain boy]

im wanting to mount a pickatiny rail to my 10 in .44mag bull bbl. anyone happen to know what rail is right for the bull bbl ? thanks !!

[hornady308]

When I was a kid I read a lot of Bob Milek's articles on handgun hunting. He thought a lot of the TC Contender, so I got one of the first SS receivers after getting out of school. I've had a lot of barrels, but really love the 6mm and 7mm TCU, 7-30, 30 Herrett, 30-30 AI, 358 JDJ (aka 357x444) and the 44 Mag. I had a 45 Win. Mag. barrel at one time and it was really accurate, which is why I am sorry that I ever got rid of it. I use the 44 Mag. barrel the most and it is boringly accurate with cast. The only cartridge I could never get to work accurately was the 357 Herrett. I tried several used barrels and just could not find an accurate load. Maybe they were worn out.

[hornady308]

I forgot all about my 10" 357 Max barrel. What a great hunting cartridge. I use the Ranch Dog 190gr bullet that he designed for Marlins in 35 Remington. It is a great combo.

[panhed65]

When I was a kid I read a lot of Bob Milek's articles on handgun hunting. He thought a lot of the TC Contender, so I got one of the first SS receivers after getting out of school. I've had a lot of barrels, but really love the 6mm and 7mm TCU, 7-30, 30 Herrett, 30-30 AI, 358 JDJ (aka 357x444) and the 44 Mag. I had a 45 Win. Mag. barrel at one time and it was really accurate, which is why I am sorry that I ever got rid of it. I use the 44 Mag. barrel the most and it is boringly accurate with cast. The only cartridge I could never get to work accurately was the 357 Herrett. I tried several used barrels and just could not find an accurate load. Maybe they were worn out.

I must have gotten lucky, as my 357 herrett shoots very well, out to 100yds, around 1 1/2" from a rest. its a 10" factory tc. it came with dies and brass, a complete pistol, nice blue frame. could not pass up, really wanted a 35 rem, but this whole setup cost less than half a new barrel price.
Barry

[green mountain boy]

i had a 14in 357 herrett i used in IHMSA for a bit. it was the most in accurate TC bbl i ever owned, i hated it. i traded it for a car to demo derby for........laughing

[uscra112]

Contenders are like Lay’s potato chips....nobody can have just one......

I must be immune. I bought a barrel-less Gen 1 about 7-8 years ago. Got a .30 Herrett barrel and a ton of formed brass, then a .22 Hornet barrel, them a .38 Spl. barrel (that I eventually reamed out to .357 Max). Barrels did NOT interchange without fitting! Had to fuss with each one to get headspace right. The Max barrel is much too energetic for the Gen 1 frame, btw. Only one that is accurate is the Hornet, which I had to ream to the "K" chamber so it could headspace on the shoulder. Lost interest, the whole lot is packed away.

[wallacem]

i bought my first Contender in 1984 with a 10 357 max bbl. Shot four deer with it and have not deer hunted since. Before that I shot 40 deer with my 22-250. I now have about a half dozen Contender frames and same number of Encore frames. Favorite Contender is in carbine, 7-30 waters, 7TCU, and 32-20. Also love the 223 carbine. In Encore I have a bunch but my favorite is a MGM 30-30 bbl. I have a 16 lightweight 45-70 blue bbl for Contender that I am thinking about selling. Wallacem in Georgia PS: Been loading since 1967.

[quilbilly]

During my first tour in Vietnam, I wrote home to my Dad about this wonderful pistol I had been reading about. When I came home on leave from Asia, my Dad was at the airport to meet me and had a box in his hand. In it was a Contender and two 10" barrels, a 22 mag and a 357. I still have it and the 22 mag barrel but it has lots of company now with 5 other frames and 11 other barrels from 10" to 21". My favorite pistol is the 10" 32/20, most versatile is the 357 Max carbine, and most accurate is the 7mm TCU carbine. One thing I have noticed over the years is that a lot of pistol 223 and 222 barrels are always for sale. My theory is that shooters are determine to hot rod their loads and never find out how much fun they are with cast boolits, fast burning powder (Red Dot, Bullseye, etc), and lower velocities around 16-1700 fps.

[Goofy]

Only have two frames and four barrels. None of them shoot worth a toot.

.22 CB Shorts


.30 Sneezer


.22 LR


.30-30

[hornady308]

It looks like Goofy has come up with some reasonably accurate loads. That's great if you're interested in accuracy, but some of us specialize in groups of two to three inches at 100 yds.

[tctender]

Wish SSK would hurry up with their SSK50 frames. Bought two custom grip forearm sets and they are waiting for them.

[Bloodhound689]

Wish SSK would hurry up with their SSK50 frames. Bought two custom grip forearm sets and they are waiting for them.

I just sent SSK an email hoping they would send me their updated load data on 309 and 375 JDJ and asked them in a side note if the had a rough idea on when the SSK-50s would become available again. I will post when they respond.

[Lonegun1894]

It looks like Goofy has come up with some reasonably accurate loads. That's great if you're interested in accuracy, but some of us specialize in groups of two to three inches at 100 yds.

At least I’m not the only one who accepts minute-of-deer/hog, although I’m trying to improve and can do it with the lighter recoiling barrels, I’m usually in that range with my .44, which is what I use the most.