Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots contender sheep rifle

Some of the builders (like SSK) chamber Contenders in .250 and .300 Savage. The cartridges are lower pressure and lower recoil than the .375 Winchester, which was a T/C factory round.

I think I would go with a .270 encore with a Butler Creek folding stock if it were me. Add an 8-ounce scope like the VXIII 1.5-5x and go hunting.

Yep, I have been shooting a Contender barrel (SSK) in 250 Savage for 15+ years and nary a problem after hundreds and hundreds of rounds. To be fair, I don't try to wring every last FPS out of my loads, more interested in accuracy than speed. I am shooting a 90 grain Sierra Gameking HPBT at about 2600 FPS and it is quite accurate and pleasant to shoot. No pressure signs at all and the guns still locks up tight as a drum after all these rounds.

max

I'm afraid you can build/buy a bolt gun that will weigh the same as a contender, but the T/C can take down easy enough. It's hard to break 6 lbs. I've done a couple of threads on the topic in the backpacking section. If price were no object I'd run a 6.5 or. 309 JDJ. I'm running a 30-30 AI now and think it'll work find within the confines of a 4x scope and less then spectacular T/C trigger. End of the day a Kimber Montana will be real close to the same weight, just depends on what turns you on.

I have a Contender carbine with an 18" barrel in 357 maximum. All up with a Leupold 1.25x5 scope it weighs 4lbs 15oz. With an overall length of 31.75" vs 41.25" with the Kimber. Not saying it's any better or worse than a Kimber. Kimber makes a great rifle of course. Just saying that the Contender carbines I have are pretty darn light and compact.

Of course being primarily a handgun hunter I'd really shave some weight and throw a pistol in the pack and forget lugging around a long gun all together

Well, I was also thinking that with a contender, a really long barrel could be used. Say 26" in order to get the most speed out of the cartridge while keeping the rifle light as one of the ultra light bolt actions. This way slower powders can be used that operate at a lower pressure and get the most out of them.

6.5 Bullberry/6.5x30-30. Better than the 7-30 Waters. I have both.

What stock you running to get to 4 lbs. 15 oz.??

Had an Contender and wish I still had one in 30-30 or maybe 6.8 spc II. Here's an little article about the T/C carbine set up for light weight practical use.

http://furfishgame.com/featured_articles/Archived/2012-03/gun_rack_03-2012.php

Thanks for the article. If what he states is true, and a 16" barrel will produce 2600 fps with a 150 gr bullet, I bet a 26" barrel would be scratching 3000 fps. While it is not a 300 win mag, it would be fairly close. I would bet it is on par with a 30-06 Ackley.

I think the general idea is interesting, which is why i replied to the OP.

I mentioned a 307 necked down to make a sort of "250 AI rimmed"

It was actually Mike bellm that suggested this. I have a .257 barrel that i was thinking of rechambering, hence the 1/4 bore idea.

I like the OP's plan to use a T/C Carbine as a pack rifle, and the poster above that has a 250 Savage barrel would certainly suffice as a sheep round, as would the 7-30 Waters pictured below:




DMc

The stock for light work is the hollow Chote stock:

http://www.riflestock.com/store/do/product/09-01-04

7-30 Waters ought to do well for the application.