New Think-I just got a .35 Rem Contender!

[Adam Helmer]

I never had a Contender before last Sunday. My step-son handed me a 14-inch barrel .35 Remington Contender with a 2.5 to 7X T/C Scope. The pistol has black synthetic forend and grip and satin stainless barrel, frame and scope and looks great.

I also got a box of 200 grain jacketed factory loads. After two rounds of that stuff, I realized I HAD to go with cast bullets. I worked up 4 test loads using Unique Powder and cast SWCs of 152 and 172 bullets. Cast bullets gave fine accuracy at 25 and 50 yards and now I need to tweek the Unique charge for the 172 grain bullets. Apparently this Contender likes heavier cast bullets and a bit less powder than I put into the test loads.

It seems the Contender can accomodate many barrels of many calibers on the same frame. I need to tweek this .35 Remington for the time being. Life is good. Who else is tweeking some firearm or other?

Adam

[jmarriott]

Take a good look at that scope mount. Does the mount adjust for windage and elevation? T/C used to make them so you can move the same scope from barrel to barrel and it would be about on sight.

Try a 10 inch .222, A rimfire round at about 16 inches and a 45-70 barrrel.

that combo is a deer handcannon. My exact setup shoots those SSP bullets real well if you are handloading. I can hit a gallon milk jug at 160 yards no problem.

[skeet]

Just got another 35 Rem bbl for my Contender. Paid a 100 bucks for it. They do recoil a bit in factory loads I found some of the 180 gr pointy bullets and they shot great. I sold the first 35 Rem bbl and got a 357 Rem Max and it shoots as well or better than the 35 Rem....and the pistol bullets are easier to load for. I found in my 35 that Unique could be a bit variable..don't know if it was powder position or what. Hard cast 158-170 gr lead bullits do real well from the Max..and pretty good from the Rem. I also got a couple other bbls for the Contender well 3 actually..all 14 inchers. one was a 22 with Match chamber for 100 bucks a VR 44 mag hotshot bbl(100 bucks also) and a 7mm TCU with dies brass and a couple boxes of bullets for 140 bucks. The TCU is based on 223 brass necked up. Gotta get some loaded really soon. Looks like fun. Now as to the 45-70 Recommended..If you LIKE pain..by all means get a 14 inch one..if you don't..get something smaller...35 Rem is fine in the place of the 45-70. Now I also have to report on shooting the 500 S&W..in another post. Soon!

Have fun with that Contender Adam

[bigbrother]

I've got a 10" rimfire, a 10" 30-30 and 14" that I had SSK re-chamber to a 309JDJ. That caliber is awesome to shoot. It will run 150 SST's to almost 2500fps. Recoil is stout though. My next barrel will probably be a 222 or 223 to shoot some varmints. I've always wanted a 35 rem but with the 309 probably wouldn't gain too much. I've often thought about the 375JDJ as well but really don't know what I would hunt with it that I couldn't kill with the 309. Either way, the Contender is a really fun gun to shoot and hunt with. Keeps me entertained at least!

[jmarriott]

I keep forgeting that most people consider the contender a pistol only configuration.

I like the 45-70 in the 16 inch rifled barrel with stock and the rimfire round in rifle configurations also.. The difference in a 35 rem round and a 45-70 in the pistol rounds are not that Drastic.

7-30 waters is a fine round for deer also. Basically any rimmed round should do real well.


The 357 max in a rifled barrel is a real hoot also.

[Rapier]

I am an old TC shooter and steel moover with the TC. On the TCs you have, try a few loads,

Adam, try the 200gr RCBS Silhouette Flat Point GC bullet and 4227 You can load 4227 up and way down.
Skeet, with the 7TCU try speer FB spire point 130gr and 29 gr of 748 or if cast, the RCBS 145 with 17 gr 4227.
with the match 22 barrel try CCI Mini Mags or Federal Classic, both
are fairly cheap and shoot sub MOA. The TC match 22 will shoot with most match 22 rifles.
with the 357 Max try 180gr Hornady SP with 23 gr of H-110 starting RIFLE ONLY going to 24.5 max load.
with the 30-30 try 165 gr Hornady and 31gr of 3031, if cast try the 165gr RCBS or 180 gr RCBS, either one, with 10 gr of Unique.

Best,
Ed

[GOLD-PAN]

last fall i bought my first T/C ENCORE pistol in .308 cal. 15''barrel.... i havent put it down since great for deer..... and this fall with some luck a Moose . she just vaporizes coyote's at 150 yard''s....after i got er'' i havent picked up my rifles since.....very accurate pistol 2.5x7power scope on top of er'' sweet gun !

[skeet]

I happen to have 3 or 4 Contenders so when I had a chance to get an Encore pistol in 308 I bought it. Price was right too..but I really don't like the darn thng all that much. Much prefer the Contender..I also have an encore rifle with 3 bbls and it is an ok single shot rifle. But that 15 inch 308 I don't care for.

[GOLD-PAN]

Originally Posted by skeet

I happen to have 3 or 4 Contenders so when I had a chance to get an Encore pistol in 308 I bought it. Price was right too..but I really don't like the darn thng all that much. Much prefer the Contender..I also have an encore rifle with 3 bbls and it is an ok single shot rifle. But that 15 inch 308 I don't care for.

May i ask why you dont like the .308 Encore ?

[skeet]

Originally Posted by GOLD-PAN

May i ask why you dont like the .308 Encore ?

Sorry for the slow reply...been to a gun show this weekend. The main reason I don't like the Encore is the darn thing doesn't have the feel that the Contender has. It's heavy and cumbersome compared to a Contender. Also I feel if I need to use a 308 30-06 or whatever hunting I'll use a rifle. The Encore rifle is really an acceptable alternative to Bolt guns and is actually easier to carry than an encore pistol..I have a couple in 25-06 and a 30-06 as well as a 7mm bbl.. Well doesn't matter now as I sold it at the gun show on Saturday.. Had 5 or 6 people interested in it and 3 came back after looking only to find it gone. This gun show was absolutely crowded with people...which is fodder for another thread..

[jmarriott]

IN my opionion the trigger on the encore is not as crisp as the First gen contenders.

A bigger gun also for bigger cartridges.