Contender caliber selection

[Okiecruffler]

I'm not sure about the Encore. I haven't heard of many chamber mishaps with the Encore. There are a couple of chamberings in the Contender that are interesting. 357 mag barrels sometimes have deep enough chambers to use 357 max brass in. My last wouldn't use max brass, but would chamber 360 DW without difficultly. That amounts to a pretty good jump to the lands for the bullet. I could seat out 140gr bullets as far as I could in my 7tcu and never hit the rifling.
I should add that neither of those barrels seemed to show any lack of accuracy because of it.
For all questions in the specialty pistol field you should look into this board. http://specialtypistols.infopop.cc/eve
Not just alot of info, but also just a nice group of guys to sit and chat with.

 

[cyclist]

Thanks. Looks like I'll be getting a Groupee registration later today.

 

[KI.W.]

Is there 7,62(.308)x39 barrel for Contender/G2. How much $$$ 30-30 and 7,62x39 barrels new/used?

 

[Joe Demko]

I also have an older Contender with a .30-30 barrel. I've taken several deer with it. I don't see how they could have been any deader.

 

[theNoid]

A 15" Encore in .243, 7mm-08 or .308 should do the trick.

Ditto

Noidster

 

[Okiecruffler]

7.62X39 is just a bit too much pressure for the contender frame according to most gurus. I've seen some custom barrels, but they are for reloading only to keep the pressures down. I tihnk alot of the worry is someone trying to push a .311 bullet down a .308 bore in an already borderline cartridge. 30-30 barrels are pretty common on the used market, think I paid $125 for my last one.

 

[jlynch34]

In New York you can use any you want just as long as the barrel on you pistol in less than 16". Here's a quote from NYDEC website:

Handgun-is any pistol or revolver intended to be aimed and fired with one hand, and having a barrel length not exceeding 16 inches.


If you travel South or East just a little you can use a rifle. Good luck hunting.

 

[MCgunner]

So a brief scan shows me that yes, we are talking Contender/G2 and not Encore. I have an old Contender frame and I have to say I'm very happy with the .30-30 for ranges out to 200 yards. So far, though, my longest shot has been 90, but it kills very quickly. I shoot 3031 behind a 150 Nosler BT. I also have tested the 140 Barnes, but all the deer I've shot so far has been with the Nosler. It's a boat tail bullet with a decent ballistic coefficient and carries 1000 ft lbs at 200 yards, so it makes enough snuff for 200 yards on whitetail.

The barrel I have is a 12" hunter barrel, involves a built in compensator which is very effective and eliminating most recoil. This thing recoils about like a .38 special standard load in a K frame, honest to God. Oh, it's loud. Don't shoot it out of a box blind without hearing protection. I found THAT one out the hard way. But, in an open stand, it's not bad at all. I generally wear my muffs on top of my head and pull 'em down when I'm hunting out of enclosed blinds, though. I really like it and ain't looking to change for my hunting pistol.

 

[Okiecruffler]

I just had a brake put on my 357 max barrel. Greatly reduced recoil, but man can you hear it work.

 

[Seafarer12]

I am building an encore pistol in 7mm BR. Not a round you want to get into unless you reload. The 357 max is also a good round but not unless you reload. I personally wouldn't want a full 308 cased round in a pistol. I an building mine with and MGM 14" barrel, Leupold 4x scope. I did a trigger job on the frame. It should be a good shooter if I do my part.

 

[peabody]

factory loads ?

i'ed go with the contender super 14'' in 7-30 waters

 

[usmccpl]

Over the last decade Ive taken a dozen deer out to 100 yards with a 10" 357 Max and 180gr FPJ bullets.

 

[mbopp]

My opinion only - 35 Remington for a factory chambering. I'm shooting a 14" 357 Herrett.
I took the 2X Leupold off and put a Bushnell Holosight on, I like the holosight a lot better.

 

[kludge]

My vote is for .35 Remington. My buddy has a Contender in .35 Rem, who let me shoot it. It shoots very well, recoil is manageable, and noise is not so bad.

I have a 20" .308, and I can't imagine what the muzzle blast would be like from a .308 or 7mm-08 from a 14" barrel.

 

[jsg]

If it has to be a common round for the Contender, 30-30. If it can be any Whitetail Contender round, 7-30 Waters. I have both and the 7-30 shoots flatter. If it has to be straight walled, 44 mag. Both the 44 mag and 7-30 barrels are 11 inch with a muzzle tamer. They are both very capable on deer. The 44 mag has the most recoil of the 3.

My favorite is my 223 in Super 14. You can shoot it all day long, it will explode a groundhog at 200 yards, and it is very accurate.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

I'd look at

.260 Rem
7mm-08
.30-30 win
.35 Rem
7-30 Waters
6.8 SPC
6.5 Grendel

Out of a 14" or longer bbl, I'd probably run with 7mm-08 or .260 Rem. Out of a 12" bbl, probably 7-30 Waters. Take that back, I'd run with 7-30 Waters regardless. Great round out of a Contender pistol.