Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots Contender Carbine for deer-what caliber?

I'm going to be putting together a Contender Carbine for deer this year.Here's the chamberings I'm pondering-

7x30 Waters
35 Remington
375 Winchester
45/70

I've heard there are a lot of problems with the 35 Remington in the T/C due to headspace problems.I'm kind of going back and forth between the 7x30 and 375.I already have several 45/70 single shot rifles,so not sure if I really need one.

Any thoughts would be greatly apprechiated.

WB.

That headspace probem with the 35 Remington is a wives tale. I don't know why people keep up with that one. I had my 35 Remington turned into a 358 JDJ, but it was fine when it was a straight 35 Remington. Knowing what I know now, I would avoid almost all wildcats.

I would go for the 7x30 Waters. It will do everything the 6.5 JDJ will do. The 6.5 JDJ has been used by the Globe trotting pistol guys to take literally everything in the non dangerous game category. The 7x30 with a good 120 grain spitzer like the ballistic tip or Speer spitzer, kills deer like poison.

It will do 2,400 fps plus out of a 14" Contender barrel, don't know about rifles, obviously more though.

If you have a 30-30 barrel already, and want something new, you could re-chamber to a 300 Savage, 30-40 Krag, or 309 JDJ (wildcat).

You have lots of great options. As for what you mentioned, it would be the 7 x 30 easy choice.

If the 35 Remington problems are a wives tale,then that's what I buying.It's one of my favorite cartridges of all time,and I've always wanted a Contender Carbine so chambered.

I was looking on Midway,and they have Carbine barrels available in 30/30 AI.That should be a good one.

I'll pick up a 7x30 Waters next year.This was all the excuse I need to get a 35.

WB.

I've got a 14" Hunter barrel in 35 Rem and it shoots lights out with both factory and handloads, if there is a headspace issue it doesn't show in mine. I've only shot one deer with it though, a nice blacktail buck at about 120 yds, Rem 200 gr RN, he went about 30 yds and piled up. The gun really likes the 180gr. Hornady Single Shot Pistol bullets with 41 grs. of H4895 (I think thats the powder). If I do my part that load shoots and inch or less for 3 shots at 100 yds. Have fun with whatever you end up with!

Good choice.

I have a 35 Remington I bought as a G2 Carbine. It goes bang every time. It is my only open sighted T/C and I carry it during downpours.

The headspace problems are not totally old wives tales though, T/C 's are not perfect. I had a 35 Remington barrel that was problematic on three different frames.

One of the issues is the extractor spring cushioning the blow to the primer, but it isn't the only issue.

Read up on headspace on Mike Bellms site http://www.bellmtcs.com/store/index.php

I had my 30/30 rechambered by Mike to 30Bellm with his awesome integrated muzzle brake and love it, but my favorite T/C caliber is the 358 Alpo, a 444Marlin necked down into a 35 Brown Whelen configuration, it is substantually more powerful than the 35 Remington.

The .35 Remington is a fantastic deer cartridge. Load it up to max, or down as low as you want (.38 special capability), great accuracy, and plenty of bullet selections. Very reasonable recoil, and very good terminal performance.

The .30-30 gives nearly the same positives, but lacks the punch, though the better trajectory and slightly lower recoil might be a positive for some. The 7-30 is fantastic, but bullet selection is very limited.

The .45-70, is an absolute HAMMER, but it is a bit brutal on recoil, esp. in the light carbine. Ditto the .375JDJ and to a slightly less degree the .375 Winchester.

Of all the options on the Contender Carbine platform, the .35 Rem. might be the best all-around deer caliber available. The .30-30, 7-30, 6.8 SPC and .25-35 give better deer/varmint flexibility, but with trade-offs on "punch". The .45-70, .375JDJ, and .375 Win., thump everything harder, but too much so for most.

For what you're looking for, you'd have to try very, very hard to trump the .35 Remington.

I have owned 21" Contender Carbine Barrels in 223 Rem, 7 TCU, 7-30 Waters, 357 Maximum, 35 Remington, 16 1/2" Ported in 45-70, and 24" in .45 Black Powder. (Gonic). Was succesful deer hunting with the 7 TCU (120 Hornady), and 357 Maximum (180 gr Hornady). and the .45 Black Powder. Carried the 45-70 often, very handy with peep site in thick stuff, as close to handgun hunting as we can go in Canada. The 45-70 was actually quite pleasant to shoot with the ported barrel, weighing only slightly more then 3 lbs. Never had any misfires with the .35 Remington, accuarcy was good with all calibers. typical of the TC.

Was using both factory Rynite,Walnut, and Gonic Thumbhole Laminate buttstocks. The Thumbhole really seemed to reduce the felt recoil.

Tim

Always liked the .357 max.............great deer slayer!

Tom,

Only ever shot 1 deer,large doe about 130 lbs live weight, thru the lungsat about 80 yards, 2 steps and it was all over.

Have fired a few thousand a steel chickens, pigs, turkeys and rams though.

10" and 14" Contender as well as a 10 1/2" Ruger Super Blackhawk.

Tim,

I have a 357 Max in a 14" pistol barrel. I haven't taken a deer with it yet, but I do love 35 caliber performance on deer.

I've got a 14 inch 357 Max as well.I shoot Remington .358 150 grain PSP Core-Locts out of it,which are made for the 35 Remington.It is super accurate and shoots pretty flat out to 200 yards.I've never hunted with it.Thinking about trading it for a 10 inch Max barrel that is here locally.

I'm going to order a Carbine barrel in 35 Remington in the next month or so.Will most likely use Remington 200 grain round nose Core-Locts out of it,as I have always been partial to that bullet and have several hundred of them around here somewhere.

Am also planning on outfitting the Carbine with a Bell&Carlson synthetic thumbhole stock.

WB.

If you trade that 14" Max barrel for a 10", you're losing just about all the "max" except for muzzle blast.

If you already have the set-up for the .357 Maximum, just order the 16.25" barrel chambered in the Max. You'll get very, very close to .35 Remington performance with far greater efficiency, and you're already set-up for the Max.

Here: http://specialtypistols.ottllc.com/sp10.html

VA,
I will read that article,thanks.I just browsed through it briefly,looks pretty interesting.

A fellow forum member has a Contender Carbine so chambered for sale that I'm thinking about.

WB.

Not trying to start an argument here but I'd have to go with the 7-30 Waters. No chance of a headspace glitch with rim to barrel contact. Quite a few 7mm bullets out there for the handloader. I have both for my carbine. The 35 Rem is a 16"... keeps the old heart pumping

GeoW

My brother has a 14" 30-30 barrel that ROCKS!

I'm going to be buying a 20 inch custom shop barrel in 357 Maximum from a fellow forum member in a couple weeks.Should make a good little deer rifle for when I'm wandering the oaks.

7x30 Waters in a 24 inch barrel will be next winters project.

WB.

The 7-30 W makes an excellent carbine on a Contender platform. This one is my sons 23" full bull factory barrel........