.30 30 VRS .44 MAG

[barber]

How would the .30 30  in a Contender campare to a .44 SRH  in felt recoil?  Would a Contender in .44 mag. be better than the .3030  for deer bear and elk?  Which would be more accurate at the farthest range?  Can't decide which barrel to get.  Thanks

[Grumulkin]

The recoil of the .44 Magnum is about the same as that of the .30/30.  The .30/30 would probably have a bit more range and both would work fine for deer.  I would probably go with the .44 Magnum for bear and Elk.  Some states require straight wall handgun cartridges only for deer hunting which would mean in that case, the .44 Mag. would be the way to go.

[hunter3040]

.... would be the 3030.  I have a 4 5/8 sbh in 44 mag and a Contender in 30/40 krag.  In the super I shoot 255 hardcast at 1100 fps.  In the krag I shoot 170 grain hornady flat points at about 2300 fps.  Recoil is mild in both.  Accuracy wise, with a 2X Leupod on the Krag it is hands down the winner.  I would feel very comfortable with a 150 yard shot in the Contender.  75 yards would be about tops with the 44.

Shot a cow elk last year with the Krag at 80 yards.  One shot behind the shoulder thru the ribs, down she went with no blown up meat to contend with.

[barber]

Hunter, where did you find one of those krag barrels for a Contender? I don't see them listed anywhere.

[Hunter Mann]

Curious as to what bullet you guys are throwing out of your pistols in 30/30. I've always hunted the swamps in Northern Michigan with a 30/30 rifle, and it's done well by me. Would love to purchase a 30/30 barrel and start my hand loading experience by working up a load for both my pistol and the two 30/30 rilfes I own. I have a son who will be gun hunting deer in a couple years. It would be nice to use something with better expansion than the soft point stuff at the discount store.

What bullet works best on whitetails out of a 30/30 contender or encore, and would it make a good rifle round? Considering the 14" barrel on for my encore.

How would the hollow point factory ammo shoot out of an encore?

Nice to see the round that won the west getting some attention.......

Thanks for the advice  

[PaulS]

I am out of town and away from my load data but I have worked up loads for my 30-30 using Speer 110 and 130 grain HP bullets.

[hunter3040]

I got my 30/40 Krag barrel thru an estate sale.  It started life as a 30 Herrit.  I think JD Jones will do the chamber rebore.  Thus far for big game I have used the Hornady 170 grain flat point that was designed for use in the 30/30.  I figure a 30/40 Krag out of a 14" Contender is about the balistic twin to a 30/30 in 20" carbine.  While the ballistics are similar I have never been able to get a lever action 30/30 to shoot as well as my Contender.

One thing that I really like about the Krag is the long neck of the case.  This makes for a great cast bullet casing.  I have been experimenting with 173 cast gas check bullets pushed by 2400.  Things are looking good.  VERY mild to shoot and very accurate.  Velocity wise I am getting 1650 fps at the muzzle.  Shoots fantastic to 150 yards where it starts to fall off.  Very cheap to shoot, accurate and I think a pretty good thumper for anything deer or smaller.

[Cheesehead]

The beauty of the 3030 option would be for a handloading concept. There is an incredible assortment of 30 cal bullets to choose from since the single shot pistol is not requiring a flat point bullet as most 3030 rifles do. A pointed bullet in a 3030 hand gun could make it a long distance dialer as compared to a 44.

Cheese

[JD338]

What bullet works best on whitetails out of a 30/30 contender or encore, and would it make a good rifle round? Considering the 14" barrel on for my encore.
Thanks for the advice  

Try the Nosler 150 gr Ballistic Tip in the Encore. It will open up very well, even at the lower handgun velocities, and put deer down quick. You won't be able to use in a tube feed rifle unless you use a 2 shot repeater(1 in chamber and 1 in the magazine) due to the pointed poly tip.

Where are you located in Northern MI. My wife is a UPer and we live north of Grand Rapids.

Regards,

JD338

[PaulS]

The rifles do better with 150 and 170 grain bullets but the pistols handle the light bullets better. You might find a 150 grain that will work well in both the rifles and the pistol but when loading for those pesky tube magazines you have to use flat points or the new plastic tip bullets. That single shot can use any bullet you want. If you are using the pistol for hunting you might be way ahead of the game by shooting a 130 grain Hornady spire point. You get some good velocity and a good ballistic coefficient to help keep the velocity a bit longer. The rifles can shoot a heavier bullet and get more velocity with the longer barrel. Being limited to the flat point bullets you might end up with about the same effective range with both the rifle and pistol.

[Hunter Mann]

Where are you located in Northern MI. My wife is a UPer and we live north of Grand Rapids.

Regards,

JD338

Located between Cadillac and Manton......just north of Grand Rapids 

Is the problem with using the pointed bullets in the 30/30 rifle the fact that they won't tube feed well? It sounds like I wouldn't be able to find a good bullet, like a ballistic tip that will work in both the rifle and the handgun. I do realize that the advantage to handloading is to work up a round that matches the gun, so my original question is probably stupid.

Sorry guys, I feel like I've high jacked this thread.

[BruceP]

The problem with pointed bullets in the tube feed rifle is that the point of the bullet sits on the primer of the next round up in the magazine and can act like a firing pin, setting of all the rounds in the magazine. Not a good thing for the rifle of the person holding it.

BruceP

[Zcarp2]

The pointed bullets are only a problem if you load more than 2.  1 in the chamber and 1 in the tube.  Shouldn't need more than 1 shot any way?  That's why this is in the TC forum, right?

I find the 44 Mag recoil to be brutal.  Muzzle breaks help.  The 30-30 is in the same class.

I shoot the 44 Mag in a hot shot barrel (8") with reduced loads.  It is nice.  Working up to full power ones, I didn't find a reason for the pain.  Yes, I reload everything I shoot.

The 30-30 was OK with mid power loads.  I just am a big bullet fan and sent the 30 caliber on the way when the 35 Rem showed up.  Working up loads with it, now.

Zcarp2

[barber]

Zcarp2      How is the recoil of the .35 Rem, factory loads, compared to the .3030, and the .44 mag  in a contender?

[markc]

Barber,  I began shooting  a 35 Rem a couple years ago.  I stored my 7-30 Waters barrell and began shooting factory ammo from the 35.  I shot a few critters with the Rem 200 gr rounds, but recently bought the new Hornady pointed 35Rem rounds.  I can say that between the 2 factory rounds the new Hornady leverevolution 200 gr rounds the Hornady has a very noticable increase in recoil and muzzle jump from the bench.  It does shoot good and it grouped very well at the short range I was sighting it in for, but kicked a good bit more than the factory Remington rounds..

[hunter3040]

From my experience, the 35 remington is in a whole different class as it relates to the 44 mag or the 3030 in a Contender.  My 44 and 3030 have recoil, but the 35 remington gets your attention at a whole nother level.

[Zcarp2]

hunter3040 - my buddy, who has a lot more experience than me, told me the same thing.  This is a 14" barrel without a break and I am not planning on shooting up to factory loads.  I have been warned, but I am also shooting cast Lyman 200 grs. 

barber - Haven't shot factory rounds in this one and don't ever plan to.  Been warned that it is BAD!  This is a range gun and probably won't go hunting.  We shall see.

I was comparing 125 gr Jkt 0.308 rounds to the ballistics on the 35 Rem.  At the ranges that I am shooting this at, I'd rather the larger, slower stuff.  Personal preference.  I am still looking for a .357 or .357 Maxi.  This was just getting me one step closer to that goal. 

[myronman3]

the 35 remington can be a bear to reload, nad dont get me started on recoil.  outright nasty.   

the 3030 is a sweet shooter,  but i would avoid the 10 inch barrels.   
 
and i love the 44.   keep in mind,  you dont need to run them at full power to get the job done.  also,  a nice set of pachmayer decellrator grips goes a long way toward taking recoil.     i would go with either a 10 inch or a 12 inch in this one.   

either get the 3030 or the 44.  best wishes

[markc]

Even with the Pachmayer Decelerators, I still wore a glove while sighting in the 35 Rem with the new Hornady ammo... Looking forward to hunting with the new ammo..