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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 3,576
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 3,576 |
⬆️⬆️⬆️ Nice looking carbine. If I personally were looking to hunting whitetails around here with a Contender I would look at a 6.5 something. I like the Grendel and the 6.5/30-30, would most likely be one of those or even the 6.5 TCU. Tom...this spring i had MGM build a pair of carbine barrels in 25-45sharps, and 6.5TCU, both medium contour stainless tubes. The TCU is a 1-8" twist, and i sent them a dummy round to have it throated for 120's seated out a bit. Turns out it also does just as well with 100's, and it shot the Nolser 100 BT & the 100 Partition great......back when shooters pro shop had Nosler 100 gr partitions on sale i stashed some back for deer hunting with the grendel & the TCU.
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Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 296
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Campfire Member
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 296 |
Well several years ago MGM made a 30/40 K. that shoots 1" at 100 yards with me. Thats as well as I am up to. As to 200 yards, I don't hunt where I am able to see 200 yards.
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Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 4,230
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 4,230 |
McKnight77, have you ordered or picked up something yet? Shooting it? Just wondered what you settled on. My 308 barrels are fine Encore stuff. But I think back to an old idea of 30-30 or some improved version before the Encore came about. I might have decided on the 308JD. Good luck with your decision but please let us know how it went. Rusty Z.
Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy. Its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery. Winston Churchill.
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 5,505
Campfire Tracker
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Joined: Dec 2007
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65BR What did you use to get 2400 fps out of the 7mm TCU with 120s?
Some spelling errors can be corrected by a vowel movement. ~ MOLON LABE ~
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Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 17,821
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 17,821 |
Well, I picked up another Contender. Just for the frame. Wondering is I should get a new 12" .357 mag bbl.......run it in Pachy grip and front.
or go with an old TCA 12" octagon 6mm TCU (w sights- yank the rear and slap on a Leupold 4x). Walnut, w fingergroove grip. I do like the old school look.
Bumped into pops..........he has custom 14" bbls in .256 win and .22 mag. Be fun chuck/fox killer if I had a 14" .22 mag bbl.
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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 6,237
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 6,237 |
I like Mike Bellms work. I use a 358 Bellm and a 308 Bellm. In factory rounds I shoot a 35 Remington, and a 45-70. I really like the Super 16 45-70 but I spend as much time hunting elk as I do deer.
Ignorance is not confined to uneducated people.
WHO IS JOHN GALT? LIBERTY!
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,226
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,226 |
7-30 Waters with 120 SPH and 120 NBTs. 14" MGM
Murphy was a grunt.
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Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 17,821
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 17,821 |
Found a TCA 12" octagon bbl for sale (couple of them). Wonder how a full setup w scope would look. 10" octagon looks a little short to my eyes.
Anybody got such a setup/pics?
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Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 218
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 218 |
65BR What did you use to get 2400 fps out of the 7mm TCU with 120s? Likely H322 or H335
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 20,901 Likes: 1
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 20,901 Likes: 1 |
6.5mm JDJ 120 NBT 2400fps Aye.
"I never thought I'd live to see the day that a U.S. president would raise an army to invade his own country." Robert E. Lee
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Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 4,230
Campfire Tracker
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Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 4,230 |
Mckknight77 have you done something with this idea yet?
Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy. Its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery. Winston Churchill.
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,434
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OP
Campfire Regular
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,434 |
Mckknight77 have you done something with this idea yet? Actually, I just acquired a frame and a barrel yesterday. It's an early frame and I got a 10" .44mag barrel with it. I also got an old Bushnell 1.3X and T/C mount with the scope. I mounted the scope this morning. It's not exactly what I wanted, but the price was right. It will work for the 'short-range weapons' elk season here in Idaho. I'll shoot 325 gr. hard cast in it for elk. I will still be looking for a 7-30 Waters barrel and a .223 barrel for it. That should cover the range I need. I do have a question about that scope. It's sharp and clear, but it actually reduces the image rather than magnify the image. I had two to choose from, the 1.3X and a 2.5X. Both scopes did the same thing. Wierd.
Jim
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 2,132
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 2,132 |
I'll let you know this year!! I'm using my Contender Carbine in 7x30 Waters.
I've got 140 grain Ballistic Tips loaded over AA2230 that should be getting me about 2350'fps out of the factory 21" barrel. I need to run them over the chrony. It was a hastily thrown together load, but it's pretty consistently putting three shots into about 1.25-1.5" at 100 yards, with a fixed 4x Leupold. Not too shabby. I'm sure I could do better with more magnification and more time, but not this close to the season.
The nice thing about the Waters is the brass. I had a bunch of once fired Federal 30-30 brass that I tumbled, sized, and fire formed with Red Dot, CoW, and TP. Easy Peezy. Neck sizing only after that. I should get a few firings from each case before they split. I was thinking of trying my hand at annealing.
"Ignorance is acceptable, because you can remedy it with knowledge and research. Stupidity is when you guard your ignorance." Ted Nugent
"Idolizing a politician is like believing the stripper really likes you."
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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 4,397 Likes: 1
Campfire Tracker
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I haven't shot Contenders for quite a few years, but did shoot the 7x30 Waters quite a bit back in the day in the one I had. As I recall, the 6.5 JDJ was pretty popular for deer size game as well - always wanted to try that one but never did.
Last edited by JGray; 11/15/18.
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,222
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,222 |
I think the .7-30 Waters would get my vote with the powders and mono metal bullets we have to work with today. A .30-30 would not be bad either if you had access to an AI reamer.
"That God could and would, if He were sought."
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Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 351
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
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I'd go 7-30 waters or the boring old 30-30. Both will get the job done.
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Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 99
Campfire Greenhorn
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Campfire Greenhorn
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 99 |
6mm TCU pushing 85g Sierra BTHP. I'm shooting it in a TC Custom Shop carbine barrel and it's a joy to shoot and great deer medicine.
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Joined: Sep 2002
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Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 2,960 |
You just cannot go wrong with the 7-30 waters. Easy to load, easy to shoot and drops them. Plus 120 BTips are know deer slaying bullets.
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