Contender worked swell.

[Captcurt]

I finally got to try out my Contender on a bambi. I found a Super 14 barrel chambered for 7mm TCU and worked up a load with a 120gr Nosler Ballistic Tip. I was a little concerned that 2000 fps might not be enough for good expansion. Not worried anymore. I took a small doe at about 35 yards. Hit on the point of the shoulder as the deer quartered towards me, the bullet traveled through the shoulder, ribs, one lung, stomach, and liver to exit at the flank. It was a mess. The ribs had a golfball sized hole on the entrance side and a quarter sized on the exit. The insides was mush. Had to throw one shoulder away. I'll wait for a broadside next time.

 

[BP Hunter]

Nice! Is the Contender the handgun of short version of the Encore?

 

[steveno]

the contender is a smaller frame than the encore

 

[MCgunner]

I have a 10" barrel in 7mm TCU that I don't use for IHMSA any more. I'd thought about working up a hunting load and putting a scope on it, but I have a .30-30 barrel with five deer under its hammer that works fine. I've taken deer out to 90 yards with it. I shoot a 150 BT to around 2050 fps. This bullet works fantastic, the BT is a good design. Funny thing, I push the very same bullet to 2750 in my 20" .308 rifle and it has plenty of expansion AND penetration, enough that I no longer switch to Barnes bullets for pigs. It does NOT "blow up" as some say. I've yet to recover a bullet. Glad for your success. I've had people tell me the 7mm TCU isn't enough for deer, but now I'm thinkin' about it again. I mean, i could probably just sell the barrel and dies, but I like accurate guns.

The Contender, btw, is now known as a G2. It pre-dates the Encore and can't fire the high pressure rounds that the Encore can. Mine was made sometime in the 70s.

 

[Steve in PA]

Congrats on scoring with the T/C. Our firearm deer season starts here in a few weeks and I'll be using a T/C Contender in 7-30 Waters. Can't wait!!

 

[Captcurt]

MC,

This is an older gun too. I bought it with a spare 10" barrel in 222 but haven't played with it yet. I put a 2X6 Simmons on the TCU but I will probably switch it to the 222 and put my 2X Leupold on the 7MM. It shoots 2" groups at 100 yards.

 

[Carolina Kalash]

TC's T/C... I crack me up

 

[Patocazador]

Use a game bullet, not a ballistic tip. Regardless of what Nosler says, Ballistic Tip "Big Game" bullets perform pretty much like any other ballistic tip meant for varmints.
I shot a 200 gr. .338 Ballistic Tip into the lungs of a 185 lb buck at 45 yards and it looked like your deer ... a mess. I have not used one since.

Before they discontinued them, the Nosler 120 7mm "Solid Base" bullet was a good choice. Fortunately, I still have a few. I'll use those in my 7mm handguns.

 

[Captcurt]

Use a game bullet, not a ballistic tip. Regardless of what Nosler says, Ballistic Tip "Big Game" bullets perform pretty much like any other ballistic tip meant for varmints.
I shot a 200 gr. .338 Ballistic Tip into the lungs of a 185 lb buck at 45 yards and it looked like your deer ... a mess. I have not used one since.

Before they discontinued them, the Nosler 120 7mm "Solid Base" bullet was a good choice. Fortunately, I still have a few. I'll use those in my 7mm handguns.

I liked the old solid base too. I used it in a 270 for several years. The Accubond has worked well in my 300 WSM and 257 Weatherby. I may try the 140gr in the TCU.

 

[brainwake]

Now you are talking my language. I love the Contender!!!

It's like Legos with firearms!

I have a rifle setup in 30-30 with a 16" barrel. It is so light and compact. My kids can shoot it.

You can get used barrels on ebay....mix and match barrels and grips/stocks...it is all an obsessive gun guy could ever ask for!

 

[MCgunner]

Use a game bullet, not a ballistic tip. Regardless of what Nosler says, Ballistic Tip "Big Game" bullets perform pretty much like any other ballistic tip meant for varmints.
I shot a 200 gr. .338 Ballistic Tip into the lungs of a 185 lb buck at 45 yards and it looked like your deer ... a mess. I have not used one since.

Has not been my experience with the .308" 150 ballistic tip. I shot one deer end to end, full penetration, very little meat loss, with my .308 and that bullet. A "Texas heart shot" as some have called it. He dropped DRT. All shots with the bullet, whether .30-30 contender or .308, have given full penetration with little meat loss. I've shot one 200 lb hog in the shoulder with it out of the .308, no problem, bullet exited. I've never had one not fully penetrate on a hog or a deer, and exit.

Shot out of a .300 Win Mag, that might not be the case, but at .308 velocities, let alone .30-30 pistol velocities, the bullet has done all I've asked of it. You don't give the gun you fired that .338" BT out of, but a 200 grain bullet is light, anyway, for a .338 Win Mag or .325 WSM and you're pushing it pretty fast, no doubt, if out of a magnum caliber rifle. Slow it down to 2000 fps, probably work a might better I'm thinkin', but a 200 grain .338 is probably pretty thin jacketed, meant for lighter game anyway, I'm guessing. All I really know is the .308 150 BT is an awesome deer and hog bullet out of a .308 or .30-30 pistol.

 

[Steve in PA]

When I was looking into info for reloading the 7-30 Waters, I found a lot of people posting very positive results from the Nosler 120gr BT.

 

[Captcurt]

When I was looking into info for reloading the 7-30 Waters, I found a lot of people posting very positive results from the Nosler 120gr BT.

Steve,

I think that the bullet would work fine on a longer shot and if I had waited for a broadside. Expansion was immediate when it hit the scapula.

 

[Geno]

Congrats! Love the T/Cs, Contender and Encore. Be sure to post a picture for us.

Geno

 

[witchhunter]

You will love the 222 too. It will have some muzzle blast, so be ready for that. You will want more scope as they shoot as well as most rifles. It is addictive.

 

[Captcurt]

You will love the 222 too. It will have some muzzle blast, so be ready for that. You will want more scope as they shoot as well as most rifles. It is addictive.

I kept the 2X Leupold when I sold my XP100 221 Fireball. That is a fun gun too. I smoked crows out to 150-175 yards with it.

 

[MCgunner]

I've often thought the .22 Hornet would be fun in the Contender. You could load it down to rimfire ballistics or up full throttle which exceeds .22 magnum. .223 would be the easiest to get brass for, I guess.

I have the .30-30 (2x optic), 7mm TCU with IHMSA click adjustable irons for stock gun class, an old .410/.45 Colt, and a very accurate .22LR 10" barrel with a 2x on it. I've thought of getting a .45-70, but for what, I don't know. Sounds painful.

 

[bluetopper]

I have a newer G2 Contender handgun with 223, 7mm T/CU, and 357 Maximum barrels. All of them are a hoot to shoot and very enjoyable to reload and experiment with. Any harsher recoiling caliber and I wouldn't find it near as entertaining. Rifle shooting can't compete for pure fun.

 

[frankmako]

i got a old 10 inch 1970 model 7tcu that has many matches under it belt. they are great shooters.

 

[hoghunting]

When I was looking into info for reloading the 7-30 Waters, I found a lot of people posting very positive results from the Nosler 120gr BT.

I have been using the 120 gr BT in a 14" Contender 7-30 Waters pistol for years and it has performed perfectly on deer, hogs and coyotes. Haven't seen any reason to change bullets.

 

[critter]

I have a contender super 14" in 30-30. I use Nosler BT's (125 gr) for deer. It will shoot under 1" at 100 yds (3-shots) and kills deer (smallish whitetails) like a thunderbolt.

 

[eastbank]

i shot this small doe at about 80yds with a 120gr nosler BT out of a 7mm08 at 2900fps thru the lungs. it was a complete pass thru left to right with no meat loss and a very dead deer, i find no use for the front shoulder shot and wait for a broadside shot to present its self. i have shot a few in the head,if they are very close, laying down and i have a solid rest. eastbank.

 

[PapaG]

Contenders are habit forming. I have had a bunch, starting with one of the first, a .22, .357, .45/.410 with the hand busting 2X4 grips on through each variation until I stopped with the last version before the G2.
Have accumulated barrels in 22lr (match, sometimes 1 moa at 100 yards on a really calm day with 10X), .222 (still in development), .357 (never had a .357 barrel from TC that would lead with any kind of decent load), .30-30 (double ear protection required), .44 mag (hotshot barrel, kind of worthless without the choke), .45 Colt (great shooter for ILL deer..straigt 10" oct), 45/410 bull (more fun with shot than ball).
Later on picked up a G2 rifle, {trigger not quite as good as the basic Contender}, in 45-70 and 50 X209, another one in .223 (first model frame, hard to open), another one in .22lr with the Recoil proof 4X TC scope {easy one-holers at 50meters with any good ammo). Last three are rifles. Have a .30-30 barrel for the rifles that will do an honest inch for 5 shots.
Bellm says a lot of T/Cs need work for accuracy but all of mine seem to do just fine.
Wish the 30-30 was legal here in IL. Someday I'll run across a .300 whisper barrel and go for it. Now I kind of alternate between the .357 and the .45 Colt, the latter of which seems to do a better job (big hole lets lots of air in and blood out). Might try a 32-40 if one crops up.

 

[loose noose]

I've got a full slew of Contenders from .22LR Match all the way up to .44 Mag, and .223 up to 30-30, also the .410 shotgun barrel. Both in pistol as well as carbine. All other than my .44 Mag are pretty darn accurate.

In fact I got the vast majority of my barrels from "Ed's Contenders" I believe he is in Oklahoma, or at least he was up to a couple of years ago. He had the best deals on all Contender barrels.

 

[41 Mag]

Yep the TC's are a hot for sure. I have the older one as well. My barrels are mostly in 14" Hunter's, calibers .223 AI, 7x30 Waters, 30-30 AI, a couple of different 10" 357's, and a SS super 14 in 44mag.

I got the 7x30 first and worked up an accurate load using the 140gr BT for a handgun hunt in Wisconsin. I used it on several hogs since but have never shot a deer with it. The .223 AI is the accuracy nut of the group. It shoots the 45gr Winchester Varmint load into 10 shot dime sized groups at 100yds. The 30-30 AI isn't far behind and I really feel it is simply the added recoil that spreads the group rather than the barrel. Of course I found the base screws loose as well so there is another reason too. The others are fun to play with and are probably as accurate as can be. I just haven't piddled with them enough to find out HOW well they will do.