Hi
I will soon be the owner of a 30-30 10” Contender barrel. It is something for me to play with.
The barrel is a T/C product.
I will shoot it on a very early frame (#26XX). I want to try the following things;
1) Cast bullet loads ---your advice on what bullets, powder, brass, primer to use.
2) Max velocity loads jacketed bullets ---your advice bullet, powder, brass, primer.
3) Mount a scope, good Idea or forget it? If good idea, what scope and mount would you recommend?
4) If not scope, then what sights have worked for you?
5) Might go for a 30-30 Imp.

Most likely I will settle out on trying to shoot the smallest groups with cast bullets.

Good shooting
Paul

Lyman reloaders guide has good data for the Contenders (both 10" & 14" barrels). I use this data for reloading cast bullets for my Glenfield 30/30. I have a Lee 180gnRN mold that shoots about 1" groups with factory open sights at 50 yds. That's good enough for the pigs and deer here in the East Texas brush. Lotsaluck with your endeavors.

Lyman reloaders guide has good data for the Contenders (both 10" & 14" barrels). I use this data for reloading cast bullets for my Glenfield 30/30. I have a Lee 180gnRN mold that shoots about 1" groups with factory open sights at 50 yds. That's good enough for the pigs and deer here in the East Texas brush. Lotsaluck with your endeavors.

Good advice from phatdad...Lyman is still the leader in cast bullet data.

Doubt very much if there is anything to gain ballistically from a 30-30 IMP, but there might be some case life gains...which may not be improtant as once-fired 30-30's are pretty easy to come by.

Had a "thing" for the old 10" octogon Contender barrels, including a 30-30 barrel. Certainly lets you know when you touch one off...accurate enough, but recoil can be a bit troublesome. OCtogon 44mag. barrel would often toss its forend with each shot (the old-old fore ends were held on with a spring latch rahter than a screw).

The hunting i did with the 30-30 octogon barrel didn't call for a scope, so i never tried to scope that barrel.

Paul ... Let me start with #5, forget it , it's not woorth the trouble. The 30-30 is actually over bore capacity in a 10 inch barrel, so increasing case size will only burn more powder to achieve the same results.
..... I presume your barrel is a bull/round, I hope so, as they are a little heavier, and absorb some of the recoil. The 30-30 in a T/C can be vicious. Now I know someone will say I'm a woosie,and can't take it, thats ok, it might be true, and as my barrel is a lighter octagon, I shoot it a little lighter so I can hit what I am aiming at, instead of scourching it with the muzzle flash.
....My normal cast loads are 30gr. 748 for bullets in the 125-150 gr. range, using winchester LR primers.
.... The Lyman book says I can go to 36.5 gr. of 748 with those bullets, but thats not a pleasant load.
....My jacketed load is 30gr IMR 3031 witha 130gr spire point. Winchester LR primers and what ever brass I have on hand. The same book says I can go to 31.5 but my group seems to open up a little.
....I have records of what I have tried, so if you decide on a powder or bullet you want to start with, let me know and I'll look to see what I have already tried.
...Oh yeah. and as for a scope, a low magnification long eye relief, recoil proof, as you will shooting this with arms extended. No taco holds, or rifle scopes to bust your eyebrows. But as for me I just use iron sights. DM

Those are great pistols, a buddy has 3 barrels for his, the similar one would be his 7-30 Waters. He has a scope on his .223 barrel, I find this very hard to use and prefer open sights way above the scoped option. The 44mag and the 7-30 both bite into your hand pretty good, even more than a 577 Snider-Howdah.

Hi all

Well I sure got some quick response and I thank you all for that.

Phatdad
Thanks for the response, I don’t have anything like a current Lyman’s manual the latest I have is #44, been using it for thirty years more or less. Nothing in there about Contenders, guess I’ll have to break down and get a new one no telling what that’ll cost (he said tong in cheek) the last one was $3.50

Ribbonstone
Thanks for the advice on the 30-30 IMP. You are confirming what I suspected. You mentioned the recoil factor, I have a 410/45 colt barrel and have taken it out for Mr. Bushytailed tree rat on several occasions. The recoil on that thing is brutal! Like catching a 2X4 one handed that has been dropped from forty thousand feet. Yes my old gun has the snap on forend and the 410 can be counted on to shuck it each shot. Duct tape is not too stylish but very effective. My gun came with the 410/45 barrel and a 357 Mag.

D. Mack
Thanks for the response, and another no for the IMP. Version. Well, no the barrel is not round it is octagon. Woosie, I don’t think so, a woosie don’t shoot at all, and a woosie thinks the recoil from a 45ACP is too much.
You know what you said about 3031 is so true I used it in a ’06 and the max. load always opened up the group. As a matter of fact the only thing that I have that operates “top drawer” on max loads is a 22-250.
The only 30cal mold that I have is a # 31141(thats a 173g flat nose) , all dressed up in lube and copper tux ready to dance at the prom it weighs in at 180.5g. I also have some Speer #211 150g spire point, and some Sierra 180g boat tail jacketed bullets on hand. I don’t think the Sierra 180g is a good bet but the 150g Speer night be, I am not familiar with 748 but may give a try. What is your feeling concerning the cast bullet?
The scope will come later if at all, have done some reading and it seams that scopes and handgun recoil don’t play together well.

Carignan577
Time out, I gotta look up the 577 Snider-Howdah…… Well I found it, a British military round I’ll read more later. **** I collect cartridges and never ran across that one before. It’s a poor day that goes by without a gain in Knowledge. Thanks for me dose of humble pie for the day. I don’t mind a brisk recoil but I hope it isn’t worse than my 410. Thanks for your input!

All
I hope I am able to have some fun with this combo and want to thank each of you for helping me along the way. Ill keep in touch.

Thanks again
Paul

Have to mention a couple of things.

(1) That octogon 30-30 barrel saw reloads with 150gr. cast leat at 1200fps a lot more than jacketed bullets...in jackeeted ammo, ffactory WW 150's seem potent enough

(2) The octogon 44mag. barrel using the early Norma steel jacketed rounds (old guys will rember the 20 round boxes marked "Carbine loads") hurt.

(3) Sweetest for a rifle sized case was the octogon 25/35barrel. Will be load-picky and absolutely resents being pushed too close to the max, but if you find the 'sweet spot" it's a lot of fun (nearly all the noise and flame of the 30-30 without the hunrt).

(4) Reguardless of what others have written, the .256WCF and the .221Fireball still rank as the most accurate stock barrels I've played with.

Lets see, back in 1978 I had one with a ten inch 223 barrel. Was in the military at the time and somehow came across a lot of 223 ammo and cases. Boy that thing had some dandy recoil. Had a 22 lr. bbl and a 357 Herritt barrell.

I just could not keep a scope on the 223. Recoil was sharp and even opening up the screws one size couldn't keep it from shearing scope screws or slipping the scope in the rings.

Gun is long gone now and though a nice looking gun I've never missed it. Can't remember what I traded it off for, darn.

My 30-30 has a super 14 bull barrel. Ported. Loud from the side, but not bad at all from behind the gun. Doesn't hurt at all. My 40S&W is more violent to shoot.

I would put a scope on it if you plan on any long range shooting (100+). The sights on a pistol are close together, and make it harder to get a sight picture with sight blades that are thin, at least for my eyes. Thick blades that are easy to acquire block the target.

I like to shoot 150 grain bullets cast from a Lee 90361 mold. It is a pointed bullet meant for the 7.62x39. I size it to 310. I get no leading with 30 grains of H4895.

Hi all

Just a note to let you all know that my 30-30 barrel arrived, and I have loaded some rounds :
1) 125 Speer H.P. TNT #1986 with 27G, 28G, 29G, of R7
2) 150 Speer spitzer #2023 with 25G, 26G, 27G, of R7.
3) Also will take some Win.170G Power Point factory rounds.
As soon as I get over this cold I will be off to the range.

Also I ran into a new (at least to me) source of info for loading the Contender. The title is “The Complete Reloading Manual for the Thompson/ Center Contender”. This is a two volume manual. The one that I got is “volume two” and it covers “23 calibers 30 Carbine through 45-70 listing 6,068 proven & tested loads”. The 30-30 section lists probably 150 loads for jacketed and perhaps 75 for cast bullets, there are 10 pages including Hornady, Nosler, Sierra. Speer, Lyman, and RCBS, Bullets. Accurate, Alliant, Hodgdon, and IMR powders for the 30-30. If you are interested you can order on line from, http://www.loadbooks.com/ or just type loadbooks in your engine.

I am also looking into a Lee mold probably a C-309-113-F or a C-309-120R. I have other Lee molds and have had good luck with them (also have several Lyman molds and have good luck with them also) Does anyone have a favorite mold for 30-30 10” Contender?

More later
Paul

get good ear plugs. when you get tired of that 30-30, get a 30 herret in 12"!

Ribbonstone... Have you ever tried a TC factory hornet barrel? They shoot very good. On the same note, I wich i had a 256, I bet it would be a good time.

Imolitor
Strange you should mention 22 Hornet as I was thinking about that very thing this past week. Would be a cool thing to have. Do they shoot well/
Paul

Had an early Contender oct 10 in. Recoil wasnt bad with a Pachmeyer Presentation grip. Its necessary to neck size the cases. Factory ammo will work but full length sized cases may be to short in the shoulder to fire. Its probably best to fire new or used cases with a light load and a lead bullet set to touch the rifling. This will allow the case to form to the chamber and then can be neck sized only. This is where the 30-30 Improved shines in the Contender. There is a slight increase in velocity but accuracy will be improved in most cases. It takes some work but once you find the right load the 30-30 is a real tackdriver. There are special bullets made just for the 30 cal single shot pistol and I would start with these. They are designed to expand at the right velocity. The 130 grain Hornady was what I used before the special bullets came out. BTW, someone mentioned the Norma Carbine 44 mag ammo. That bullet was called the Triclad. The jacket was copper with a nickle plating. Then it was coated with laquer. I still have a bunch of those. Its the only bullet that Elmer Keith admitted would penetrate as much as his 250 SWC. Accuracy is superb. It wasnt popular because everyone thought it was steel jacketed.

Try 14 grains of IMR 4227 and 110 grain flatnosed Hornady mine is a real tack driver with this load.

My deer load is IMR4227 with a 135 grain pointed pistol bullet also from Hornady. It works great.

You can use data from the .30 Herret in the .30/30 Contender, even the max loads have less pressure (and less velocity than the Herret) but give more velocity in the shorter barrels than factory .30/30 rounds. Since aHerret is a shortened 30/30 it is safe. you'll find recoil is not as severe as either the 30/30 or the Herret.

Regards,
Gene

Hi
I will soon be the owner of a 30-30 10” Contender barrel. It is something for me to play with.
The barrel is a T/C product.
I will shoot it on a very early frame (#26XX). I want to try the following things;
1) Cast bullet loads ---your advice on what bullets, powder, brass, primer to use.
2) Max velocity loads jacketed bullets ---your advice bullet, powder, brass, primer.
3) Mount a scope, good Idea or forget it? If good idea, what scope and mount would you recommend?
4) If not scope, then what sights have worked for you?
5) Might go for a 30-30 Imp.

Most likely I will settle out on trying to shoot the smallest groups with cast bullets.

Good shooting
Paul

Paul,

My T/C 10" stainless 30/30 barrel is incredible. I shoot Hornady SSP 130gr. bullets with Win. 748 powder and Win. or CCI primers and the accuracy is as good as I can hold. With an inexpensive Redfield variable scope, it can shoot sub-1" groups at 100 yards with the right loads (neck-sized only cases fireformed in that chamber, 38gr. 748)!

I've killed a couple of whitetails with it, but at woods ranges. I wouldn't hesitate to use it out to 100-150.

Good shooting,
desmobob

Good morning all. I have worked with a few different .30-30 Winchester Contender Barrels and a .30-30 Ackley Improved Contender Barrel. Most of these were 14" Barrels, with the exception of one of the .30-30 Winchester Barrels that was a 10" Bull Barrel.

I have absolutely ZERO experience shooting Cast Bullets in the .30-30 Winchester Cartridge so can not comment on that portion of this.

In regards to the .30-30 Ackley Improved,

YES I would indeed like to try one in a 10" Bull Barrel.

My reasons are simple.

First of all in the 14" .30-30 Ackley Improved Barrel I had the best combination I came up with for Ballistics and Accuracy used 125gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips loaded with either IMR-4198 or H-4198. Either of these powders would push the 125gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips to 2600 + FPS in the 14" Barrel. Accuracy was excellent with most 5 shot groups with this bullet and either of these two powders would run 3/4" to 1" at 100 yards from the bench. I just so happened to use the same powder and bullets to load my fireform loads and they would run about 2400 F"S (from the 14" Barrel) and would generally shoot 1" 5 shot 100 yard groups.

Lastly the .30-30 Ackley Improved Cartridge gives the powder column a different shape. I am of the opinion that this improved powder column shape is a bennefit in how this powder burns inside the case. 4198 is quite fast burning and as such from experience with other cartridges provides a good balance of Velocity, Accuracy and Shootability (ie less muzzle blast) than a lot of other powders in 10" Barreled Contenders.

So in my opinion for a Hunting Cartridge / Barrel yes I think the .30-30 Ackley Improved will have some bennefits over the standard .30-30 Winchester in a 10" Barrel. Each and every shooter has to decide what they want / excpet in the way of accuracy and or performance out of their choosen Cartridge / Barrel.

On the other hand for shooting Cast Bullets in which maximum velocity is not needed or wanted then I am not sure how much bennefit there would be to rechambering to the .30-30 Ackley Improved Cartridge.

Larry