Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Most underrated Rifle and caliber

The 30-30 in a Contender gets my vote. Considering the current bullets available, it is undeniably a viable 300-yard deer/hog cartridge, features a miserly appetite for powder and has minimal recoil.

The projectiles designed for the Blackout, when launched at 30-30 speeds, are what breathes new life into this ancient round when used in a single shot. The 110 and 120 grain Barnes TAC-TX and the 110 grain Hornady CX (formerly GMX) along with the Speer 150 grain Gold Dot Bonded/Blackout-AAC have served me extremely well.

The 120 grain Barnes runs at 2625 fps from a 24" Van Horn barrel, still retains over 1000 ft./lbs of energy at 300 yards and will expand to nearly .60 caliber at that distance. With a 200 yard zero, it's only about 9.5" low at 300. Old standbys still do the job, too. The 125 grain Ballistic and Accubond and even the 150 grain BT perform well at 30-30 speeds. If someone prefers a heavyweight, the 168 grain Nosler LRAB can be driven to 2300 fps with ease and -- since it was designed to expand down to 1300 fps -- opens quickly and rather wide at pedestrian 30-30 velocities. I haven't used that one on game, but it will turn a steel gong every which way but loose and leaves no doubt as to the impact.

yes, it was a clip fed 7x57. but the 30 Army was hand fed, until it got to the Gatling gun. we learned about suppressing fire on San Jaun and Kettle Hill.

i like the 30-40 Krag. i have a sporterized 1898 Springfield Armory in 30-40 Krag that was handed down by my grandpap. he got it from his father. my dad (RIP) and my late uncle had it until they got new rifles. it is one of my go-to rifles. i use a 165gr Ranch Dog with H4198 that goes 1926fps. i have killed 7 or 8 deer and my oldest son has killed 5 or 6 deer with it. i have another sporterized Krag and two Krag actions sans bolt.

1st Krag


2nd Krag


Krag actions



i owned a 308 Winchester (Remington m760) and it was a good rifle. i like the '91 Argentine Mauser in 7.65x53, what i consider the Grandfather of the 308. i had 3 of them, but i gave two of them to my sons'.

it's a shame that the Europeans do that to the 7 Mauser. it is a great old cartridge that every handloader has to have. i haven't bought factory for about 25ish years. the only thing that was made by the factory ammo is or was my dad's '06 cartridges, 180gr Remington RN.

7 x 57

25-35 WCF…

.260 REM, 7mm-08 REM, and .17 Fireball…all cartridges that Remington introduced and then failed miserably to market and support.

Ruger #1 in a 22 Hornet

Tagging Bobby Tomek's post. Good stuff. Thanks!

222

25-35 WCF

Amen. Plus the 25-20. Two of the coolest rounds ever made.

.280 Rem , 6mm Rem

Well said!

old pine: The 7mm TCU is even better. More case capacity and easier cheaper case availability. 120 grain bullet at 2600 fps.

Bobby: I wish I had known about your success with the 30/30 in the Contender. I would not have had Bellm rechamber a 30/30 Contender barrel to 308 Bellm. Yes I get a 150 grain Ballistic Tip to 2608 fps in a carbine barrel but it is not worth the effort.

The G series pushfeeds are used by us a lot. They are available for very attractive prices and are as well made as any Model 70. My favorites are the Rangers.

Oddly, while I agree the .270 is underrated I have never owned one I kept long enough to shoot. Lots of .30-06's and .243's though.

I've had three 30-30 AI barrels and even rechambered one to the .309 JDJ before realizing the good ol' 30-30 did all I could ever need -- and with ease and simplicity.

Particularly with some of the newer powders like LeverEvolution and CFE223, the 30-30 can impress. From a 24" barrel, 2500 fps with 150s is within the realm of possibility and puts you insignificantly behind that .308 Bellm. I used a book load of CFE223 with the 150 grain Speer GD Bonded-Blackout bullet and got 2469 fps -- and it was very mild. That same charge with a 150 grain BT churned up a tad over 2500 fps.

Another overlooked Contender round is the .300 Savage. No forming/fireforming is needed, and as long as you keep loads around book minimums, it's perfectly safe for the little TC frame. And a 125 grain bullet at 2700+ fps is nothing to sneeze at. Some have asked about the "taper" of the .300 Savage and if it was a good choice for the Contender, but the case has minimal taper and features a geometry much like the highly-heralded AI chamberings.

Below, from left, are the 7mm Bullberry, the .300 Savage and the 30-30 Winchester.

Yup. In 30-06. Half the cost of rem, win, etc. The '06 will do anything. But neither was sexy at the time.

I'm inclined to agree. I've sold off all my pre-64 Winchesters a log time ago but kept every one of my push feed rifles. In all my years of playing with rifles, I've only seen one pre-64 Winchester that I've totally lusted for. A pre-WW2 M70 factory chambered to the .35 Whelen accompanied by a factory letter. I saw it around 1981 at a gun show but didn't have the $10K the guy was asking for the rifle. If I want a control feed rifle, I'll buy or build one on a Mauser action.
PJ

1885 Highwall chambered I 35 Whelen

32-40 and 348 win