Thompson Contender Caliber
I am thinking about buying a Thompson Contender this year to deer hunt with. I was thinking that the .30-30 would be a good caliber to use. Probably more deer killed with it than any other caliber. My question is what do you think? Is there another caliber that would be better suited in the short Contender barrel? Thanks for your help.
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There are many I would chose over the 30-30. Yet the 30-30 is a Good DEER round. 44 mag would be one. .223, have friends that own many different calibers in the TC. The 7 Waters is STRONG. The .357 would not be a good choice for me (but I don't feel like arguing with anyone rite now). 30 Carbine is not good for too much of anything cept busting eardrums. One of the most Deadly on Deer is the 22-250. Just being reasonably close to the Heart will turn it to mush and does little or no distruction of meat on the other side. [;)]
Ronnie G. Perkins0 -
i would go with the 7-30 waters or the 30-30. if you are willing to buy a wildcat you might consider the 6mm tcu, 6.5 mm tcu and 7mm tcu all are great hunting rounds 0 -
Having been throurghly dipped in T/C Contenders, your choice of 30-30 for deer is an excellent choice. Being single shot, you can seat spire point bullets and gain great accuracy and velocity over the round/flat point bullets.
You didn't state what barrel length you had in mind. A 14" bbl will work, but a 21" carbine bbl would be my choice.
If a handloader, the 7-30 Waters, a 7mm necked 30-30 case, is also a good choice for the Contender.
Keep off the Ridgeline0 -
Another choice for you would be the .357 Maximum. Quite a great shooting cartridge. With that said I don't think you can go wrong with the 30-30. Especially if you do as kdub suggests and handload some spire point bullets.
"Practice is the best of all instructors."
Publilius Syrus0 -
How about the 35 Remington? I have used the 7X30 on coyotes and it has seemed to do everything you could ask. The 30-30 is a good choice but I tend to agree with most that the 7X30 might be better. I know this off topic a little but have you thought about the Contenders brother the Encore? I know for a fact that the 7MM-08 has a profound impact on deer. Just a thought. 257
You're a statistic whether you want to be or not.0 -
The 30-30 and the 223 have always worked well for me and I agree with some of the others that the 44 mag is good to. Hope this helps.[:)]
Roger2fan0 -
I have 2 favorites in the Contender, the 22 Hornet (not for deer) and the 250 Savage (custom barrel from SSK). Of all the barrels I have, if I could only have one, it would be the 250 Savage. Very accurate.
max
load the old ones with the old tools.....0 -
If you are a reloader I would look seriously at the JDJ line of wildcat cartridges. The 358 JDJ, 375 JDJ, 411 JDJ or the 430 JDJ would be my choice. All are made from the plentiful 444 Marlin brass. Well actually you could do without the 430 since they now chamber the 444 Marlin for the T/C Contender. I have used the 411 and 430 JDJ for moose and caribou hunting. Loaned my 430 JDJ barrel to my cousin in Michigan to use for whitetail. Very good wildcat cartridges , especially if loaded with good cast bullets like the Bear Tooth bullets. I have run these bullets compltely through Musk Ox broadside at 80 yards and lengthwise of moose at 65 yards from the 41 magnum and the 430 JDJ.
AlleninAlaska
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aglore@gci.net0 -
Last year I harvested a deer with a contender in .44 mag. It was my first firearm kill (I have bowhunted all my life). I shot it at about 35 yards and it was pretty messy. I'm considering toning it down for next pistol season. Maybe try .357 maximum like the other gentleman recommended. Good luck. 0 -
I like the 223 on my contender. I have shot an estimated 15 deer with that caliber and have never wounded one(I have missed plenty of times, but never wounded one). Hit them in the right shot and they will not go far. 0
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