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Contender in 30-30

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dmanwarren
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Contender in 30-30

Post by dmanwarren » Sun Apr 10, 2022 7:53 am

Hey all, I recently picked up a 10" octogon 30-30 barrel for my TC contender. I'm not really shy when it comes to recoil but this combo with factory loads I am ready to take a break after about 10 rounds. Any of ya'll have some suggestions for a more tame round for plinking? Maybe a lighter bullit say 125's or maybe reduced loads? I have IMR3031,IMR4198,Reloader7,H322,H335 and 2200 available for powders. Most everything I load I usually find a sweet spot a little under max. Any suggestions you may have would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Dave
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North Country Gal
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Re: Contender in 30-30

Post by North Country Gal » Sun Apr 10, 2022 10:35 am

We used to shoot the now discontinued 30 cal Hornady single shot bullet in our Contenders, but, to be honest, your best bet is to move on and retire the octagon barrel for the sake of shooting and get a 10" round barrel if you want to stay 10" barrel. That will help with the recoil. Better yet, go 14" in the 30-30 and you'l get ballistics comparable to a rifle carbine and much more manageable recoil.

If you can find some old low recoil 30-30 loads, those will help. The 30-30 used to be loaded way down for varmints back in the Depression days when a lot of folks could only afford one rifle.

An interesting bit of history on the octagon 44 mag and 30-30 barrels. The brutal recoil on these two barrels was one of several reasons that prompted TC to change grip design and go more round barrels and longer barrels for their weight. In the early days of the Contender, though, TC actually labeled the octagon barrels as "standard" barrels. The round barrels were actually offered more as an option. One reason was that in those first years of the Contender in the mid-60s, TC was promoting the Contender as something light enough and compact enough to carry and that would complete with conventional revolvers.

That didn't last long, though, once the handgun hunting crowd discovered the Contender and, especially, the folks getting involved in the new sport of silhouette. TC followed suit with more round barrels and the longer Super 14s and even the Super 16s. Buy the 80s, sales of the octagon barrels were all but dead and TC eventually discontinued them.

Those early octagon barrels, though were some of the finest finished and beautiful barrels ever made for the Contender. Some are now quite collectible in the Contender world. Those 30-30 and 44 octagon barrels, though, made better looking barrels than shooting barrels. You did well to last 10 shots. I only made it to three. :)
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BrokenolMarine
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Re: Contender in 30-30

Post by BrokenolMarine » Sun Apr 10, 2022 2:56 pm

Would magna porting help, or having a muzzle brake installed?
I have never owned/shot a Contender, though I always wanted one, so it's a serious question. :)
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dmanwarren
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Re: Contender in 30-30

Post by dmanwarren » Sun Apr 10, 2022 7:19 pm

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BrokenolMarine, I don't think it's possible with the thin walls of the octagon barrel but I may be mistaken. None of my other barrels bother me at all but this one has a lot of muzzle flip. The 30-30 is middle in pistol form. Dave
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North Country Gal
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Re: Contender in 30-30

Post by North Country Gal » Sun Apr 10, 2022 7:49 pm

Actually, I did have a 44 mag octagon barrel at one time that a previous owner had magna-ported and it did help. Might be worth a check.

Nice collection of Contenders!
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dmanwarren
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Re: Contender in 30-30

Post by dmanwarren » Sun Apr 10, 2022 8:06 pm

North Country Gal, thanks. I might pursue porting with my local gunsmith and see what he thinks. The 20" and super 14" in .223 are amazingly accurate barrels with the hand loads I developed for them but my favorite is the 10" .41 mag. That one is going deer hunting this fall! I will have to alternate days with the .41 Henry.
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North Country Gal
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Re: Contender in 30-30

Post by North Country Gal » Sun Apr 10, 2022 8:17 pm

That's a rather uncommon barrel, the 41 mag. Not a lot of them made, so that's a good find. Congrats. Should be great for deer hunting in a Contender.
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Re: Contender in 30-30

Post by PJM » Mon Apr 11, 2022 5:51 am

Have had a 10 " round barrel contender since the 80's. Always loaded Hornady 150 grain psp (#3031) with 31-32 grains of IMR4064. Unlike factory rounds the contender in 30-30 head spaces on the shoulder vs. the rim. Fire formed cases , neck sized only, really are more accurate in these guns. This gun is a booter and I hear you, Brother -in- law had one in .35 Rem. and was worse. My suggestion is get a .223 barrel and save the 30-30 for hunting.
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