Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots 300 HAM'R in a Contender

I'm looking for opinions on having a barrel made, chambered in 300 HAM'R. We cannot use ARs in Canada for hunting, but this cartridge would be about perfect at 250 yards or less for whitetails and coyotes from a ss or bolt. MGM can give me a 1 in 12 twist. Not sure about the freebore, put it would be nice to be able to kiss the rifling with 125/130 grain bullets. I am not sure if this will help accuracy or not.



It would be a full bull contour, like the top rifle, only stainless steel.

I fired off an email to Wilson Combat asking the same thing. I know they worked with bolt actions, and offer conversion kits for Ruger bolt actions.

Any thoughts?

I like the HAM'R a lot and am considering having a LH Ruger Hawkeye in 204 or a CZ 527 re-barreled to it. Haven't made a final decision yet. A winter project.

Will an original Contender frame handle the pressure, or is it a G2 only proposition? My Contender carbine deer barrels are 7-30 Waters and .30-30 AI. I am pleased with both, but I am looking for a third deer barrel for future use by the grandkids.

I think the 300 HAM'R is a neat cartridge...the ability to almost duplicate the .30-30 in a small, handy bolt rifle or in an AR is the primary draw for my appeal to the cartridge.

In a Contender, I can't help but think that the .30-30 is the easy button. Performance would duplicate or better the HAM'R, brass and factory ammo is (usually) abundant and plentiful.

Just my $0.02....enjoy the build process, regardless. Let us know how it turns out.

OSU Sig,

Yes, it’s a winter project for sure. If I get MGM to make the barrel, it will be 3 to 4 months before I get it.

Good luck with your decision. It’s easy to suggest getting the one you need the most, but both are appealing! I wonder if you’ll wind up with one of each somewhere down the line? 🙂

LeonHitchcox,

I’m not sure whether it would be okay in the older Contender frame. I would think so, but it’s best to check. You could email MGM and ask them. Bullberry doesn’t have a listing for the HAM’R.

War Eagle,

That’s what got me thinking about the HAM’R too. It’s efficient, and like the 30-30, brass is easier to find. I already have a 30-30 Contender barrel and a lever. I suppose it is a want rather than a need. .

I got a HAM’R die set and brass. Checking the Wilson Combat videos, this cartridge seems to be a natural fit for around here (central Ontario), and is inexpensive to load.

I have wondered similarly, though my thought was for a 30 on the full length 223/5.56 case.

I wondered that if the ham'r came close to 30-30 ballistics, would a 30x45 equal it with a more miserly powder appetite and cheap, available brass?

The 300 HAM'R is made from a 223 case. I have some pictures. The first is a 223 Rem case beside the HAM'R. I got 100 Starline cases from a retailer up here. You also have the option to reform 223 cases at home, should you not want to buy Starline. Being able to make your own is another positive . They are cut to approximately 1.60 inches and reformed in one pass in a 300 HAM'R FL sizing die.



This is a 150 gr. Speer seated to 2.300 inches. The cartridge on the left is actually a 6x45mm, but it's close enough.



The case has been approved by SAAMI and ammunition is available in the US from Wilson Combat. They also sell a Ruger American conversion kit for the HAM'R. Lots of stuff to consider in a search for efficient, modern alternatives to the 30-30. I don't think the 30-30 is in danger of being replaced, but the 300 HAM'R is a good option for AR users.

Or for single shots. The cartridge has been tested extensively. There are a bunch of videos available on the net.

https://shopwilsoncombat.com/CONVER...ICAN-BOLT-RIFLE/productinfo/BR-300HRACK/

https://www.wilsoncombat.com/ar-calibers/300-hamr/

Some good info there, Steve. Thank you.

Steve: Why not a 7mm TCU? 120 grain bullet @ 2600 fps compared to 125 grain .308 bullet @ 2250 fps.

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The original Contender frame can handle it just fine. The pressures are in line with the TCU family of cartridges which, as bobmn pointed out would also be great options. In fact, that is the route that I went with for my "close in" and kids rifle, although I build a bolt gun. Mine is a Rem 700 in 7TCU. With an 18" barrel I am getting 2525 FPS with a 120 grain Nosler BT and an average load of H4198. I have killed two decent bucks and a good sized doe with it so far and none of them have gone more than 20 yards after the shot.

You're welcome. Bill Wilson and his team did a great job with this cartridge, IMO.


That's a great choice too. I considered the HAM'R because I standardized some other cartridges, and the rifles that fire them, using 308 diameter bullets. Call it an inventory thing.

I have a number of rifles - 7.62x39, 303 British (30-303) and the 7.62x54r and had 308 barrels made for them. The stainless rifle in the above post, this one, has a 26 inch, untapered 7.62x54r barrel installed. I figured it was easier to stick with 308 bullets for many of these barrels.

The Ham'r was made to fit in a AR-15 magazine, but in the Contender, you're not length limited. I would just do a 30-223. It will out-run the Ham'r and CH4D has dies in stock at the moment.

Tony

Hi Tony. Not having to worry about magazine length is a real plus for me. The 30-223 is another cartridge that has appeal. Especially with regard to powder amounts.

Your post got me thinking about freebore of the Ham'r, and the case capacity difference between the two cartridges. I should ask both Wilson Combat and MGM about freebore.

Do you know what case volume is for the 30-223? A quick test of five unfired Starline 300 Ham'r cases showed 29.5 gr. water weight. I'd like to compare them.

As well, the published 300 Ham'r load data seems optimistic...and compressed. Perhaps Starline cases hold less than reformed cases.

I contacted the importer up here and now have a barrel ordered from MGM.

24 inch, full bull, 1 in 12 twist, SS Bead Blasted Matte, 300 HAM'R, std rifle forend.

I opted for the Lee dies and Starline brass. I could only get 100 pieces, so I will have to special order more.

Not a Ham'r but I have a Ruger American as well as a Howa Mini Action in 7.62x39. Pretty close performance wise to the 300 Ham'r. I have been using the Speer 130HP (#2005) Varmint Bullets for whitetail deer here in Missouri. For behind the shoulder shots at no more than 125 yards they work well so far. No idea how availability is in Canada.

Bob R

Hi Bob. I'm a glutton for punishment. I have a single shot 7.62x39mm already, but wanted to see what, if any difference there is between the two.

That's a good idea using the Speer 2005s. They are cheaper than the 125 Sierras I have been using! Congratulations on the deer.

13 months later....

This afternoon I received the HAM'R barrel. I gave it a quick wipe down and checked to make sure it locked up correctly. The barrel above it is a 17 Hornet with a 3-10 Nitrex scope. All was good, so I loaded an empty cartridge with a 130 gr. Speer HP to check for max. OAL. The winner is...2.220 inches. The barrel is 24 inches long. I hope to get out with it over the Christmas holidays.

I am shocked, absolutely shocked that Steve Redgwell of all people did not build a .303 HAM'R

Jerry

I have a 30-30 SSK barrel that I use on my contender with a can. It's stopped me from buying other barrels that would fill the same role, and it does really well on deer at the ranges I shoot them.

I guess the biggest reason for not making a 303 HAMR is the availability of bullets. I suppose a person could get by with just 125s and 150s, but try and find them in 311/312! I would have to make them.


30-30 is the easy button, but I cannot help being curious.