enjoying 23" Contender rifle barrels.....

[alan in ga]

I like the 17HM2 23" barrel I purchased. I've still not gotten it out for a range check, but the walnut stock and forearm feel great.
I intended to get a .35 caliber bull barrel, too. Either .357 mag or max. However when I had  (can I even say it's name here? ) Handi Rifles in .357 Mag and .357 Maximum, I always shot .38 Special ammo in them. Of course I intended to deer hunt with the full rounds but the .38 Spl was so enjoyable that I thought about getting the barrel suppressed. Most .38 Spl ammo is subsonic even out of 22" barrels. The expense of another suppressor setup [I already have one for rimfire] kept me from completing the project. Selling the last of my Handi Rifles in order to go 'full T/C Contender' was my desire.
Now I'm wanting to get a .35 barrel...and am even considering getting it in .38 Spl.
I'll probably go the 'practical' route and go Mag or Max...but the .38 Spl chambered rifle barrel keeps coming back.
It would be my 'CB' of centerfire rifles.

What are you .35 caliber fans doing with your Contenders?

[woodchukhntr]

I have a .17 HRM 23" barrel that shoots very well and is deadly on woodchucks.

I have a 16-1/4" .35 Rem. barrel that I used deer hunting last year.  I can't report on it's effect on deer, since I didn't get one.  It is, however very easy to carry.  Recoil can be a little fierce, but managable!  I was thinking about getting a .357 mag. or max. barrel but I can load down the .35 for the little that I would use it.

Other Contender Carbine barrels:

.204 Ruger 23",  a good shooter, but I haven't gotten out with it yet;
.22 Hornet 23", another good shooter and great woodchuck getter;
.223 16-1/4", shoots good, haven't tried it on chucks yet.  I plan on using it for a walking around rifle with reduced loads in the .22 Hornet range;
.45-70 23',  I haven't gotten around to shooting yet.

[alan in ga]

The .35 Remington, in my opinion, is a great .35 cartridge. It has gotten it's credentials from all the Marlin 336s it's been chambered in. Although a great deer round, it IS a GREAT round when put into a correctly chambered [non sloppy] chamber such as the Contenders, at least the Super 14 I had mine in. With the Leupold 2X on mine I could hide 158 gr pistol bullets launched much faster than intended by the factory, well into groups that could be hidden by the Leupold's crosshairs! Only in the short 10" barrels does the .357 Herrett possibly get more efficient but the difference is probably in small hair splitting details. I enjoyed hunting and reloading for a .358 Winchester in a Ruger 77 bolt rifle. It is a great 35 also, but not one to get used in any Contender barrel.
I'd guess the .357 Maximum is about the most efficient round for most Contender carbines but I'd never sell a .35 Remington to get one.
As I said, when properly chambered the .35 Remington is one great round in the Contender. I always thought THE best 'tree stand' rifle for deer would be the .35 Rem in a carbine length barrel of well, maybe 22" although my reasoning is mostly for lessening muzzle blast in the deer woods. For 16" and shorter barrels I would always wear ear protection. For 22" and longer barrels with medium intensity rounds I can deer hunt with a shot or two without hearing protection....maybe for the larger calibers anyway. The .35s I've owned never seemed to deliver the crack of smaller bores or the more high intensity rounds.
Just some rambling. Yup, a T/C Contender with a 22/23" barrel in any .35 would be a nice 'tree rifle'.

[alan in ga]

as far as wearing 'ear protection' in the woods I would recommend them for any round. All the pistol barrels seem to deliver a blast that will destroy some measure of hearing with only one shot. It seems much more bearable with 22" and longer barrels and medium rounds.
However, I have to 'disclaim' by saying this: Always wear hear protection...if you want to be able to HEAR later in life!

[woodchukhntr]

Alan,

I cannot agree more about the ear protection.  I have to wear a plug in at least my left ear when hunting except when usig a .22 rifle.  Any loud noise, even hammering, seems like someone is sticking an awl in my eardrum.  And of course there is the constnt tinnitus, now in both ears.

[alan in ga]

I used to deer hunt with Ruger Super Blackhawks and the one Redhawk I owned {all 44 mags} and loaded for. The "dog ear" blast/flame that came out of the cylinder gap would hit and ricochete off the tree that usually would be used for steadying my arms. It would then direct blast, bits of bark, and ear destroying shock to my face and ears.
I don't deer hunt with revolvers anymore. The Contender is much more forgiving but I think I would still wear ear plugs, in fact I KNOW I would if pistol hunting deer and coyotes.
I have deer hunted with my bow only for several years now. Might take a rifle again one day for coyotes.

[leadman]

I use the Sonic brand ear plugs when hunting. They allow normal sounds to come thru but have a valve that closes to limit really loud noises. Not as quiet as normal plugs but do take the crack out of the gun shots.

[jbwell]

I received my 24" Custom Shop 357 Max barrel from Ed's a couple of weeks ago.
Worked up a load, hope to get around 2200 fps with AA1680 and Hornady
180 gr SSP, and put a Nikon scope on it. Waiting to get to the range to see what it will do.
Anyone wanting info on the 357 Max rifle check out  http://357maximum.com

[dpe.ahoy]

I put 54 rounds thru my 21" barrel this weekend, lays them right in there.  It put both the LE's and the Rem 200's at less than 1" at 100 yd.  Different POI unfortunately.   I put a slip on Limbsaver recoil pad on it and that took the sting out of the recoil, but my middle knuckle got some skin peeled off from the screw that is to set the over travel for the trigger.  This was a used gun and with the 223 barrel, I never noticed the screw was sticking out just a bit.  Then I bought the 35 Rem barrel and this was the first time I had fired it.  This is one of 3 Rem 35's I own, really like the cartridge, but not for over 200 yd.  I ran out of the LE's, but at 208 yd the drop on the 200gr Rem was to the tune of about 9".  DP