I had a 7-30 Waters in a 14" TC Contender and was very happy with it. I finally sold it to my brother, because to appreciate it's full potential, you need to handload it with good spitzer bullets, and I don't handload anymore. Shot a number of deer, coyotes, and even a ram with it. It would be a good honest 300 yard deer gun in a handi (if the accuracy is there). Don't know about the rifle, but recoil in my TC was very manageable.