Which catridge for my first Contender carbine?

[olywa]

I've had Contender handguns over the years and currently own a G2 with a 10" .44 Magnum barrel. Lately I've been getting the urge to build a G2 carbine and I can't make up my mind on what to chamber it for. I've only shot straight-wall cases in my Contenders to this point (.357, .44 and .22 Mags). I was tempted to try the .357 Max but now I'm leaning towards a lower recoil round with better long-range ballistics. My goal here is to end up woth a handy little deer rifle that will be useful out to 300 yards max.

I'm interested in one of the following 4: 25/35 AI; 6.8 SPC; 7-30 Waters; or 30-30 AI. All of these have relatively low pressure and recoil and attractive sub-300 yard ballistics. I'm also leaning towards a 21-23" barrel and I will be handloading for it. If I had to make a decision today I would lean towards a 21" tapered barrel in 30-30 AI. What do you guys think?

[Doc T]

I was in the same boat.  Thought about the 6.8 but ammo is too hard to get.  Decided that if I was going to reload,  I would get the 7-30 waters.  Load with 120gr Nosler ballistic tips and you can get 300yds out of it.

[olywa]

Doc T - What barrel length did you go with? Tapered or bull? And are you happy with how it points and balances?

[azmike]

Currently having a similar issue.  My wife "needs" a deer rifle for her and the little ones, and wants a .243, but doesn't want a scope.  So I'm torn between making her happy and getting an Encore in .243, or buying a sensible .30-30  or 7-30 Contender carbine, and throwing on a Williams peep sight on it.  At open sight ranges, I think the 7 and .30 have the edge over the .243.  

I am a huge fan of 7mm bores in general, but I am leaning toward a .30-30, just for easy to find ammo, and the availability of heavier bullets.

So, I guess I'd agree with your first inclination, and do the .30-30 AI.

[swampthing]

I had a 20" bull barrel in .309 JDJ from SSKindustries. Nosler's and Hornady's easily grouped under an inch with out any fuss. 165g balistic tips loafing @ 2450fps, it was awesome. Gone mostly handgun and blackpowder hunting so I sold it.
They also make a 6.5 JDJ thats good out to 300yds from a 14" contender, small capacity case and long 140g bullets= low recoil, noise, and cost.

[olywa]

Yup, I have looked into the 257 and 6.5 JDJ and they definitely are appealing. I guess I'm leaning to the 30-30 AI because it's still viable to use standard 30-30 ammo with reasonable performance and accurracy.  So there's good availability of useable ammo and I can boost it to superior performance levels through handloading. The others all have either limited availability or require a fair amount of prep work to put loads together.

I am curious to know what kind of case life I can expect from 30-30 brass after it's been fireformed to AI though.

[Doc T]

My barrel is a 23" tapered barrel and it balances very well.  It is a Custom Shop barrel that I bought on one of the auctions.  I don't like the 23" bull barrels at all.  They are way too nose heavy.  I have two that I have had cut off, a 300 Whisper cut to 20" and a 17 HMR cut to 18".

[coopershooter]

i have a 21inch tapered barrel in 30-30 that i havn't shot yet. it's going to be a back up gun (spare) , while hunting. i.m looking forward to start loading for it. the improved version is also interesting!
 i had a 23inch .357 mag bull barrel that shot real well but didn't balance well for me. i shot several hogs with it and can tell you it does the job! i used 180 gr. flat nose cast bullets. the recoil wasn't bad at all. i'm 5ft. 8in. tall and 160lb. so i'm not into big recoil.

[Gregory]

I If I had to make a decision today I would lean towards a 21" tapered barrel in 30-30 AI. What do you guys think?

That or a 7-30 Waters would do it.  I'd get a 23" barrel, but not a bull.  It may get you another 100fps over a 21" and still be as short as a 21" barreled bolt gun.

[Camp Cook]

I started my son out with a 30-30 in his first T/C Contender carbine and when that wasn't enough for him I had Mike B e l l m rechamber it to his 308 B e l l m which takes 444 Marlin brass necked down with a 308 Win 2 die set and give 300 Savage velocities 2650fps 150gr bullet.

[Camp Cook]

I started my son out with a 30-30 in his first T/C Contender carbine and when that wasn't enough for him I had Mike B  e  l  l  m rechamber it to his 308 B  e  l  l  m which takes 444 Marlin brass necked down with a 308 Win 2 die set and give 300 Savage velocities 2650fps 150gr bullet.