Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots G2 Contender Carbine recommendations

Guys,
I have a nice G2 Contender carbine with a High Plains laminate stock that is just begging to have a new MGM barrel mounted. I am still unsettled on what specific caliber and cartridge to get for it.

Possible winners include, but are not limited to, the following: 17 Fireball, 5.7x28, 22 Hornet, 221 Fireball, 222 Remington, 223 Remington, and some really odd ones, like 25-20, 327 Federal and 45 Colt.

What have I left out and is there a voice of experience out there who can chime in with some pearls of wisdom?

Many thanks.

Sig

What do you want to do with it?

Would help if we knew what you plan to use it for. Do you handload?

I have been thinking about the 327 FM myself for a walking rifle. My last barrel from MGM was a 18" in 218 Bee and it has been great on woodchucks. I also have one in 22K hornet but I like the 218 Bee the best. May want to consider the 357 Maximum if you plan on going after larger critters. MGM has so much to pick from makes it hard to decide, but they are all good.

I knew the question of "what am I going to do with it" would come up. I should have mentioned it. It's a critter gitter. Skunks, Armadillos, and the like, coyotes if in range and a general walk around fun rifle. Yes, I do handload.


I have a 357 Max for my CVA Apex. I want this rifle to be a small, lively and potent on smallish critters.

I've always though Contenders and Hornets were made for each other, but I bet you have that covered already. So why not .25-20? The blank stares from rubes at the range are always enjoyable.

My hornet itch has been scratched by a LH Browning A-Bolt and a LH Kimber 82.

.357 Max. Most versatile barrel they make. A 16 1/2 incher would be extremely portable, too. Sell the CVA to pay for it.

I also love my MGM .410 VR barrel for just walkin around in the boonies during quail/bunny season. I keep some Win 3" 000 buckshot in my vest for contingencies when I carry it, too.

.25-20, case closed. Bullet casting might be your friend.

I have a MGM barrel in .300 BO. Love it! Good for anything from mice to deer. Cheap to shoot. Mines threaded and is super fun to shoot when suppressed.

Would be awfully hard to give up my hornet barrel, but I’m also really digging my new 6.5 Grendel barrel.

.25/20
.25/35

A Blackout might be fun too, or one of the .30 cal Yurrupean pistol rounds.

Looks to me like there is no single good answer. May have to think more than one barrel..

You finally came up with the right answer. 😁😎

You can't go wrong with any of the choices above.

The "magic" of the Contender is simple. One frame, many barrels. They shoot well within their limitations. Damn well actually.

I’ve seen your handiwork before in photos and will agree with your assessment of working well within their limitations. Nice shooting.

Hornet and Max were my recommendations. But you have that covered. Mine are OTT barrels back from when Mike was doing that stuff. Only other thing I would suggest is a 41Mag barrel. Just because I'm warped that way.

I will vote for the 25-35 Winchester. 25-20 brass is so hard to find and you can always download the 25-35. Another vote for the 41 magnum and lastly the 30-30 Winchester necked down to 6mm.

Gun season here ends this evening.
Already took apart my Super 14 in .35 rem.
Thinking a .22 magnum rifle it will be.

Don't care for a break open deer rifle.
Tolerate in handgun, but while cool and fun on the range........a big scoped specialty pistol aint my thing anymore.

Thinking 20" .22 magnum be a dandy little fox gun, or maybe yote up close too.

OSU: It appears to me you are describing an English Rook Rifle. English gentry used them for strolling about the country estate shooting hares, crows and assorted varmints. After reading Ross Seyfried's article about rook rifles he once again convinced me of another firearm I just had to have. Since I do not have a country estate, am not gentry and do not have the deep pockets that Mr. Seyfried has a suitable substitute had to be found. I settled on a Contender carbine barrel in 357 mag. On the advice of C. E. Harris I used a Manson 1 1/2 degree throating reamer for accuracy. Mostly I shoot 148 grain hollow base wad cutters at 38 Special velocities in a 357 mag case for small game but I have available full power 357 mag loads if required. The 24" barrel and cat sneeze loads are quiet without the hassle of a suppressor. A 327 Federal Mag as previously suggested would be even closer to the original Rook Rifle caliber but i was all ready handloading the 38/357 cases.