Question for Contender

[CW4USARET]

In the past you mentioned that you use the 7-30 Waters for hunting deer. Do you resize 30-30 brass down to 7-30? What bullet weight seems to be most effective? I found a couple of extra bucks and I narrowed my choice for may G1 Contender to 7-30 or 30-30 (I have read that 30-30 recoil and muzzle blast can be noticeable but I might have a muzzle brake installed). What are your thoughts on this the two calibers?

jrf

 

[wwb]

That barefoot guy will probably be along shortly to tell you about the 7-30 Waters... but I can tell you about the .30-30.

I originally had an iron-sighted 10" barrel. To say that it was unpleasant to shoot would be an understatement. Now, with a scoped 14" barrel, it's not bad at all, thanks to the extra weight.

Shooting the 165 grain poly-tipped bullets with 33 grains of Reloder 15, I can shoot a 2" group off sandbags.

 

[eveled]

FWIW. My favorite Contender barrels by far are my 30/30 barrels. I have a light tapered barrel, which is a handful, and a 14inch bull barrel that is easier to shoot.

 

[BearBio]

I've used the 7-30 Waters for wild pig exactly once. A 150+ pound boar=one shot about 100 yards. Nothing good and nothing bad to report. Bullet was a 120 gr Nosler (non partition)

 

[cas6969]

As for muzzle bast.... the 7-30 Waters is the most obnoxious Contender I've ever shot. :shock: Something about the pitch I think.

(and I've got plenty of barrels that burn a whole lot more powder, with and without breaks)

 

[contender]

Ok, I'm here.

I have taken over 100 whitetails, an elk, and many other critters with my 7x30 waters. I fired my first one MANY years ago at a gunsmiths place, and promptly ordered one for myself. I have the 14" bbl. My load is using the 150 grn Nosler Ballistic tip bullets. My load is not "hot" but it is accurate. I use the Hornady reloading manual as my guide to building my reloads. My accuracy is excellent, to where when I do my part, I can get them into 3/4" at 100 yds off the bench. (Sometimes, even less.) The recoil is mild, compared to many other bbls I have. I have shot a few 30-30 bbls, (both 10" & 14") and find MY reloads in my 7x30 Waters MUCH nicer. I fireform my brass from 30-30 cases, and trim to fit. About 4-5 years ago, I found a second bbl in 7x30, with the factory muzzle ports. I have taken it out & tried my reloads in it, only to find it just as accurate, a little louder, but muzzle rise a bit less. Felt recoil is also a bit less. I use Pachmyer grips, that I ground a bit to fit my hands. I use their forearm as well. Those grips help the fell & felt recoil in my opinion.
I have not tried that gun or caliber on a hog,, but if I did, I'd switch bullet types to give me better penetration. The Ballistic-Tip is better suited to other game.
The 30-30 is ok to many, but I've found the 7x30 to be much more enjoyable all around. And the accuracy I've gotten out of my 2 bbls, as well as the 1/2 dozen others I've shot,, all point to a great combination. My Contender in 7x30 is why there are a few others around this area who enjoy theirs as much as I do mine.

 

[Jimbo357mag]

I did a little research on factory loads for the 7-30 Waters and the 30-30 with a similar weight bullet (120gr vs 125gr) and found the 7-30 Waters to be faster, to carry more energy and shoot farther and flatter. Interesting. ...of course performance can be improved by loading pointy bullets.
http://www.federalpremium.com/ammunition/rifle/



Click on the picture for a larger view.

 

[CW4USARET]

Contender, et al

Thanks for the info. I have been reloading for over 40 years and have never fire formed a case. I have resized 30-06 to 25-06 by just using plenty of lube and trimming the length. So what is the magic to fire forming 30/30 to 7x30?

jrf

 

[contender]

Actually, it's very simple. I buy "cheap" 7mm bullets, load them with a mild charge, and chamber them. Once fired, then just trim to length. The 7x30 is an EASY one to work with. When you start with 30-30 cases, and run them into the 7x30 sizer, you will get a second shoulder on the case. Fire them & it will form to fit your chamber. Easy-peasy.

 

[loaded round]

Sounds like you fire form 7-30 waters cases the same way you fire form the 22 K-Hornet. Been doing the K-Hornet for many years.

 

[Colonel Daddy]

Contender was influential in building my own 7-30 Waters Contender. In fact I refer to it as my Ruger Contender because many parts came from Ruger Forum members from 'want ads' I placed in the Ruger Forum Classifieds!
Loaded Round.....I too load for .22 K-Hornet using mostly 2400. My rifle, a Winchester Model 43 (poor mans Model 70) will go to my youngest son as he is the one that learned to use receiver sights while fire-forming K-hornet cases for me before he was even a teenager!

 

[loaded round]

Colonel: Love that Model 43. It's one of the three 22 Hornets that I own and it was gift from the wife of an old time shooting buddy that passed on. I too started out using 2400 until I discovered Hodgdon Li'gun several years ago. Found it to be much cleaner, more accurate, and higher FPS with lower pressure. Give it a try! Loadedround


.

Contender was influential in building my own 7-30 Waters Contender. In fact I refer to it as my Ruger Contender because many parts came from Ruger Forum members from 'want ads' I placed in the Ruger Forum Classifieds!
Loaded Round.....I too load for .22 K-Hornet using mostly 2400. My rifle, a Winchester Model 43 (poor mans Model 70) will go to my youngest son as he is the one that learned to use receiver sights while fire-forming K-hornet cases for me before he was even a teenager!

 

[contender]

I'll accept my enablers fees in gunpowder, primers or bullets!

 

[CW4USARET]

Had a discussion with our local gunsmith about fire forming cases and he said that he used beeswax instead of actual bullets which reduced wear on customers guns.

jrf

 

[contender]

I've never tried that.
A light load, with odd bullets, won't hurt a gun, even if you fireform a few hundred cases. I've shot probably 3000-4000 rounds through my 1st Waters bbl, and the accuracy is still just fine.