Best Walk About Shot Caliber To Build- WHat Should I Build?

[cumminsnut76]

So I have a Contender frame just itching to be built and I am thinking a small light weight walk about rifle would be just the ticket. What I dont know is what to chamber the little bugger in? I want to know what you would do. My only parameters are
Contender based (obviously)
-lightweight 4-6 lbs
-used mainly for small critters inside of 150-200 yards but could be used much closer
-must be centerfire
- the more obscure cartridge the better as i do reload as long as brass and bullets are available or can be cast for
-light recoil and light report if possible
- I all ready have a barrels in 357 max, 9mm, and 22 hornet so those are out

what do you guys think? use your imagination lol

[marlinman93]

I'd choose the .250 Savage myself. Not as obscure as some, but different enough, yet easy to make brass for, or still find brass. A great cartridge for 200 yds. and under in a light rifle. Good for varmints, yet still could be used to take deer if you chose to also. Probably one of the most versatile, but overlooked cartridges around these days.

[Fast Asleep]

My favorite for this application is a 300 BO chamber with a rim cut so cases can be made from annealed and necked down 357 maximum brass. I used a 10” twist barrel to be more cast friendly.

[FredBuddy]

I have a 30-30 carbine barrel on my Contender
frame right now. Meets the OP's criteria
depending on what handload I put in it. Lots of
versatility here.

But I'd sure like to add a 25-20 carbine barrel
to my kit!

[cumminsnut76]

I have thought of a 25-20 or 32-20. I’ve also thought about something along the lines of a 30 Luger. All great ideas. Keep them coming

[Outpost75]

.32 S&W Long in a rifle is dandy. Common brass. Economical to shoot.
Performance equals .32-20 black powder loads. Lyman 116-grain #3118 gets 960 fps With 2.5 grains of Bullseye. Full charge load with 7 grains of Alliant #2400 gets 1260 fps. Factory 98-grain Remington .32 S&W Long ammo gets 931 fps. With the 18-inch barrel gun weighs 4 pounds. It is NOT a "stub" job, so I still have use of the .410 barrel. John Taylor built it for me.

[stubshaft]

30 Herrett gives you all the efficiency and ballistics of a 30/30 in a smaller case.

[Jack Stanley]

Don't forget the .30 Badger .

Jack

[Don McDowell]

25-35 winchester

[Texas by God]

30-30 can be loaded for Mice to Moose easily.
Although the 25-35 is interesting…..


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[Don McDowell]

30-30 probably the most versatile cartridge around, but as the OP asked about "obscure" cartridges...
I do know an old guy that owned a single rifle and it was in 25-35 don't know as he ever at mice but he ate a lot of elk ,deer and antelope, and moose whenever he or his brother could draw a tag..

[jonp]

What do you mean by "small critters"?
A 22 Hornet immediately came to mind

[uscra112]

O.P. said small critters, so anything above .25-20 is overkill. And I'd go for .25-20 Single Shot myself. In its' day it was the small game cartridge, but was also considered a viable number for target competition when the wind was light. Brass is hard to get, but once you've got it it lasts forever. Another obscure possibility is .25-21. Or for really obscure, go for the .25 Harwood, which is a centerfire version of the .25 Stevens rimfire. Making brass from .22 Hornet is easy. Since you will use a strong action it can be loaded to 1800 fps using a 65 grain gas checked bullet.

Not knocking Outpost75's suggestion of .32 S&W either, but it doesn't meet the "obscure" criterion.

[racepres]

Obscure?? No
But...My 410/45LC is pretty darn Versatile...and a Natural in Contenders.. Get a good Fitting grip tho...as a 45LC can be a Handful in a Contender...410???? Great fun..especially if ya reload in brass shells!!!

[Outpost75]

The .38 S&W also works nicely as a mild shooting small game rifle. Factory 146-grain lead roundhouse gets 800 fps from a 20-inch barrel with mild report like standard velocity .22LR. Using a 10-inch twist 9mm gunsmith special blank from Green Mountain a 240-grain bullet is accurate and quiet at 720 fps, penetrating EIGHT gallon water jugs!




Another 4-pound woods loafing gun.

[John Taylor]

The 22-15-60 Stevens might be a fun one to play with. I have the chamber reamer but don't know where you would find brass. I have had many calls for a 32 S&W or 32 H&R. There are a lot of choices out there like 17 or 25 Hornet, 6X45, 6mm-30-30. The last two may be a bit hotter than your looking for. Maybe design your own like a 25 Luger. Outpost 75 came up with a 10X25 several years back. Shortened 44 mag brass necked down to 10mm.

[swamp]

My favorite is the 310 Cadet. But then I have a Cadet.
swamp

[Mk42gunner]

A nice little pistol caliber or equivalent sounds good, until you get to this part:

-used mainly for small critters inside of 150-200 yards but could be used much closer

There is a truck load of small and obscure cartridges that will work within 50 yards, not so many that will still work at 200.

What about a .25 Hornet?

Robert

[HWooldridge]

Obscure is cool but finding brass may be an exercise in frustration. With that in mind, I’d suggest a stalking rifle in 7x57 Mauser. Easy-peasy to make cat sneeze or elephant loads, accurate and low recoil…basically build a light Rem roller from that action.

[Larry Gibson]

Given the OPs desire for use on small game with a 150-200 yards range using cast bullets I'd opt for a 24" 30-30 barrel with a 14" twist for the Contender frame. As mentioned, the 30-30 can be loaded "from mice to moose". The 14" twist will allow cast bullets from 90 gr to 180 gr loaded from 600 to 2600 fps with excellent accuracy potential across the 200 yard max range.

I have a 21" 30-30 factory Contender barrel for my Contender but the 10" twist is limiting with cast bullets above 2000 fps. Still, it is a very versatile cartridge for the Contender Carbine.