# 30-30 contender



## hunter 85 (Mar 31, 2019)

I just picked up an older easy open contender in 30-30 with a 12” comp hunter barrel and a 10 22 lr barrel. I paired the 30-30 with a 2-7 Burris and a 2 luey on the 22. I got to say my elbow is feeling today’s range day after about 50 rounds of 150grain power points I’m holding around a 5” group at 100 yards ( I need to work on that) and a 2” group of 25 rounds of the 22 at 50 yards. My question is with standard production ammo will the 30-30 have enough to cleanly harvest deer at a 100 yards if I do my part as a plan to get that group down to atleast 3” groups of all shots? But I’m really liking this thing!


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## Lilly001 (Apr 1, 2019)

I use the Hornady gummies tips in mine. They just happen to shoot the best.
And yes, the 150's have sufficient energy at that range, and beyond.
IMHO.


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## hunter 85 (Apr 1, 2019)

Thank you for your reply!! I know this firearm is more accurate than what I’m shooting and I need more seat time before I’m comfortable with using it at that distance at game


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## frankwright (Apr 1, 2019)

It sure is capable and better ammo will help you with accuracy too.
I find a pair of tight fitting gloves like mechanix help with range sessions and of course a good solid rest.
Good Luck and enjoy your Contender, I have taken a good many deer with my 10" 7-30 Waters.


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## Silver Mallard (Aug 28, 2019)

I shoot a 35 rem super 14 barrel & gloves do help quite a bit.


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## JMN1976 (Aug 28, 2019)

frankwright said:


> It sure is capable and better ammo will help you with accuracy too.
> I find a pair of tight fitting gloves like mechanix help with range sessions and of course a good solid rest.
> Good Luck and enjoy your Contender, I have taken a good many deer with my 10" 7-30 Waters.


In addition to the gloves a good set of hearing protection which for me is foam plugs and 32decibel muffs.  The muzzleblast after that much shooting would have me twitching with an awful headache, but that is just me.  I also recommend hunting with some kind of ear protection even if muffs that you put on right before the shot.  
Good luck to you


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## Tom W. (Aug 28, 2019)

It shouldn't be _too _bad on you. I had an encore once in 30-06. And I'd rather shoot that than any .454.....
However, if you handload you may want to turn that barrel into a 30/30 A.I.  Then you wouldn't have to wonder if it's enough gun


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## pacecars (Aug 29, 2019)

Try reloading some 125 gr Hornady  SSTs


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## Old Coach (Sep 2, 2019)

I load 125 NBTs on my 30-30AI
Works well on deer out to 100yds.
Burris 2X scope 14" bbl.


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## Davexx1 (Sep 4, 2019)

If you are shooting the handgun with both arms locked straight out in front of you, the recoil is somewhat solid and can be harsh after repeated firings.  Your wrist and elbows take the recoil jolt and it can be uncomfortable after a while. Try shooting the gun with your arms bent slightly so the recoil does not drive straight back into your elbow.  Put the gun on a good solid rest, arms bent slightly, concentrate on your target, squeeze the trigger. The gun is not going to jump out of your hands and the felt recoil is much less.

Yes, always use hearing protection! That is to protect your hearing but also to help prevent the terrible bad habit of flinching when pulling the trigger.

Dave


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## Tom W. (Sep 4, 2019)

Yup, tinnitus is NOT pleasant. Nor does it go away.


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## hunter 85 (Sep 4, 2019)

Yes was shooting with unlocked elbows but the tennis elbow let’s me know recoil is stought after about 100 rounds of 45 I’ve got to start paying attention to my grip cause my elbow starts talking to me


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## Tom W. (Sep 5, 2019)

I had tendonitis  (tennis elbow)  from years of repetitive motion when I was the Q.C. guy at the sawmill. I found some bands in the drugstore that I had to wrap around my forearm. They worked wonders. 
When I went shooting my Encore pistol in 30-06 or my SRH in .480 Ruger, or any handgun that I owned I always wore one. I could shoot for quite a while. Without the band I could get maybe three shots off and that was it for a week or something like that.


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## steveus (Sep 6, 2019)

My  14" Contender .30-30 barrel shoots Win. factory 150 power points 3/4" groups @ 100yds, and easily kills deer at that distance. Not a concern with good shot placement.


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## LittleDrummerBoy (Sep 7, 2019)

I've got a bunch of 125 grain ballistic tips loaded hot for 30-30 deer loads.  I've killed plenty of deer with this bullet loaded mild from .308 and 30-06 out to longer ranges, so I'm confident in the 30-30 loads to 100 yards.  Of course it's a pointed bullet, so it's only for Contenders or using a lever gun as a two shot (one in the chamber and one in the magazine.)


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## rosewood (Sep 11, 2019)

hunter 85 said:


> I just picked up an older easy open contender in 30-30 with a 12” comp hunter barrel and a 10 22 lr barrel. I paired the 30-30 with a 2-7 Burris and a 2 luey on the 22. I got to say my elbow is feeling today’s range day after about 50 rounds of 150grain power points I’m holding around a 5” group at 100 yards ( I need to work on that) and a 2” group of 25 rounds of the 22 at 50 yards. My question is with standard production ammo will the 30-30 have enough to cleanly harvest deer at a 100 yards if I do my part as a plan to get that group down to atleast 3” groups of all shots? But I’m really liking this thing!



Welcome to the addictions.  I started with an Encore 44 mag and then proceeded to buy several contender barrel and frames.  Like the contenders much more.

My 14" 7-30 waters will shoot <1" if I do my part.  So will the .223 barrel.  That one is really fun to shoot.  You need to get yourself some sand bag type of rest and figure out how to set it on there to be most stable.  It does take some time to get the trigger pull down and not jerk the thing.  Your gun should shoot way better than 5", if not, there is something wrong with it.

2" at 50 yards with the 22 is pretty good with a 2x scope.  You stick that 7x one on there, you may tighten it up quite a bit.  You may be flinching with the 30-30 since you are shooting so well with the 22.

Rosewood


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## hunter 85 (Sep 11, 2019)

rosewood said:


> Welcome to the addictions.  I started with an Encore 44 mag and then proceeded to buy several contender barrel and frames.  Like the contenders much more.
> 
> My 14" 7-30 waters will shoot <1" if I do my part.  So will the .223 barrel.  That one is really fun to shoot.  You need to get yourself some sand bag type of rest and figure out how to set it on there to be most stable.  It does take some time to get the trigger pull down and not jerk the thing.  Your gun should shoot way better than 5", if not, there is something wrong with it.
> 
> ...


 the 5” groups are me not the gun! That I am sure of. I have been working with it and getting better every range trip it’s getting the  consistency down with lining up on the scope every time proper grip and trigger squeeze. I can ding a 4” plate not every time at a hundred so I’m comfortable enough to use it for game. I shoot a lot of handgun stuff this one was just a little different at those kind of ranges and scoped but I’m getting it down.


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## rosewood (Sep 11, 2019)

One key to the contender, you need to grip the thing the exact same every time.  Keep both hands in the same position consistently.  Any variation affects the recoil/muzzle flip which has a significant effect on the POI.  At 100 yards, you may experience slower bullets impacting higher than fast ones.  The fast bullets get out the barrel faster than the slower ones and therefore leave the barrel at a lower angle.  This may occurs some in rifles, but is very pronounced in high recoiling pistols with these shorter barrels.

Rosewood


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