Contender Deer hunting revolations... sight suggestions...

[Magnum Wheel Man]

So... I'm back to work for 1 day ( mid week ) then off to hunt again...

this year I'm using a 10" barreled 30-30, with a 2 - 7X Burris... ( I normally use a 14" barreled 45-70 with a 2 - 7X posi lock Burris )

this is the 1st year ( of many in the future, I hope ) of hunting on my wifes cousin's property in the bluffs along the Mississippi river in southern MN... normally in northern MN ( where I used to hunt ), I used the 14" - 45-70, but I was setting up the 30-30 for my wife to use ( if she wanted ), & it was so accurate, that I thought I'd give it a try this year...

a couple things I've learned... one gun isn't going to do it all... ( BTW... this is shotgun zone, but I can use Handguns in the shotgun zone )... none of us had doe permits this year, but I was hearing shots, at the click of the clock to legal hunting on opening morning... it was so dark, I couldn't have told a buck from a doe at that point... but to look through my scope, it was much too dark to even see any deer...

... I'm thinking a set of fiber optic sights for my "hunting" Contenders... hmm maybe even Tritium to try to make use of maximum shooting hours... also, the maximum shooting distance from any of the stands I was in was between 75 - 100 yards ( maximum ) I made a make shift ground blind in a fallen tree, in an area that funnels all the deer into a 60ft wide strip of land ( because of an errosion ravine ), & had nice deer walking 10ft away from me, in fact, most of the deer were "too close", where movement could be seen, couple that with the fact that the deer I saw on opening morning were all running at full sprint... a short barreled gun with fast sights seems to be the ticket

I could carry a revolver, ( probably would be smarter ) but I would like to continue to use the Contenders, so I may start carrying 2 of them( as it is, I used my 3" air lite 44 special with a fiber ptic front sight for any "too close" encounters )... I have a 10" - 45 Win Mag barrel... if I set it up with 3 dot Tritium or fiber optic sights, & developed a load using the 250 grain Hornady XTP's, for up close work... that might be the ticket... I'm thinking I'll switch out the 2-7X scope on the 30-30 barrel for a 1-4X... that would be plenty of scope for a maximum of 100 yards, with 1X probably being better on moving deer, & lower light conditions...

I want to use the handgun, rather than slug hunting, & while the revolver is likely smarter, I want to give the single shot Contenders a shot 1st... BTW... I've been wanting to put a coating on my "hunting" Contenders, since mine are all currently blued, & that engraving on the side is very prone to rust( it has been sleeting almost all of the days of huntin season this year )... Diamond Kote offers "good corrosion resistance" & they can camo color the coating... might offer a bit more close enconter conceilability ???

so any recommendations on adjustable fiber optic or tritium type sights that could be modified to fit on a Contender... anyone do a 45 Win Mag in the Contender ??? ( also thinking about rechambering to a Wildcat... maybe a shortened 45-70 case or similar, that could efficiently use the faster pistol powders for the 10" barrel, & still use the .451 bullet diameter ) any thoughts ???

 

[Locoweed]

For the .45 Win Mag try Bullberry or the Contender Custom Shop or E. Arthur Brown (EAB). I would stick with a low power scope on the .30-30. The .30-30 is my favorite Contender barrel... the recoil is okay and, as you said, is highly accurate. The .45-70 was way too much for me and I sold it off.

 

[Magnum Wheel Man]

sorry... I already have a 10" 45 Win Mag barrel ( no sights or scope ), & a local builder that could rechamber that barrel to the wildcat, if there were something better to build on that 45 barrel ( I currently only have less that 100 45 Win Mag brass / cartridges, so I'm not married to that cartridge )

 

[Sam06]

I have a Super 14 in 30-30 and you are right they are accurate. You might want to think about one of the scopes that have low mag(like you said) and a lighted reticule. There are some spendy ones out there but I believe T/C and Burris make one that is not too bad. As far as Iron sights on the T/C I would think they make a Fiber Optic sight for them(they make them for their ML's). I will look around and post if I see anything that might work.

Update: Think about a red dot scope with 0 power, like a EO tech or a AimPoint. I used have used both while deployed and they work real good except at long range, but under 150yds they are fine. You can dim down the dot when its dark out. The only Lighted scopes I could find were either too powerful(min 2.5X) or cheap.

 

[Magnum Wheel Man]

thanks... I'm heading out of town for meetings this afternoon, then back over to "the river" to hunt again for Thursday & Friday...

 

[Magnum Wheel Man]

back from hunting...

1st... make sure I put in for a doe permit next year... ( I saw about 40 of them, & only one small fork buck, that I couldn't see the antlers until too late... I tried to rush one shot, & missed )

2nd... I am going to look for a lower powered handgun scope, maybe with a lighted reticle for the 30-30 barrel...

3rd... if I have to custom fit them on, I'm going to need to find at least some fiber optic sights that can be added to a Contender barrel... right now I'm leaning towards breaking out my 45 Win Mag barrel, but a 45 Colt, or 454 Casull could be even better options ( unless the Casull is too high a pressure round for the older Contenders ??? )... I have a 10" 45 Colt /.410 barrel, but expect the excessive free bore of the .410 chamber will not give me the accuracy I'm looking for

4th... definately looking at coatings... got some rust starting on one day that I didn't spray the gun down after I got sleeted on all day..

any suggstions for sights ( I haven't found any thats a direct fits yet )

 

[Sam06]

I looked around and did not find any that say they fit a T/C Contender. You might want to call Williams ans see if the ones for an Encore will fit the super 14. I have a S&W 686 with a Aimpoint on it for low light 0 Mag shooting and it works good on Pigs. It would be close to a set of fire sights. Good Luck.

I shot a nice Doe this weekend with my T/C 30-30. I used H335 and a NOS 135gr BT. The Doe was DRT. That 30-30 is a killer out to 150 yds. I have a Leupold M8 2xEER on mine. I had back straps last night for dinner

 

[Magnum Wheel Man]

I had back straps last night for dinner

sure rub it in... you are so cruel...

I'm finding pro hunter muzzle loader barrels with fiber optic sights... not finding the sights yet, just barrels with the sights... not sure how much different the mounts are ???

just found these... don't know if they are direct bolt on, or require another hole spacing or ???

http://www.gunaccessories.com/ThompsonCenter/MuzzleloaderSights.asp

 

[kraigwy]

I have several contender barrels, my two favorit are the 30 Her. and 30-30. Both 10 Barrels. I use cast bullets in both and they are shooters.

On the 30 Her, I have a Williams Peep sight on the rear and the original TC front sight.

On the 30-30 I have a 2.5 X scope that works pretty dern good. I like both sight set ups but I can shoot the Peep Sight every bit as well as I can shoot the scope. I think that has a lot to to with me being a HP shooter for over 30 years using the service rifle. Also I did most of my hunting as a kiid using a Win M-94 in 25-35 using peep sights.

I guess it depends on what you like and are use too. Its still fun to play with the scope on the 30-30 barrel.

 

[Sam06]

I don't think so..........They say they are for a ML with an octagon bbl so they would be flat on the bottom. You need a rounded one for T/C 14". I'd call Williams or T/C. My guess is the Encore sight sets would fit. I just looked at my contender and the Front sight is held on with 2 screws(I think) and the rear with 4. There have got to be some replacement sight but I can't find it either.

That Doe was tasty but small. I carried it out about 1/2 mile un-gutted. It was maybe 80# live weight. If you handload try out that 135 from NOS. They are made for Single Shot Pistols and they do expand at low Vel. My load pushes it to 2200fps(Measured) and is very accurate. You can seat it way out too so you can use bulky powder like H4198 to fill the case.

 

[Magnum Wheel Man]

found these from Williams... I'm going to speak to my local smithy buddy, as to, if these could be mounted on a Contender barrel... ghost ring with fiber optic dots, & a fiber optic front sight...

they are listed to fit pre 2003 Remington rifles, Muzzleloaders, & shotguns ???

 

[critter44]

I LOVE hunting with my contender and have taken many deer with it. I have a super 14" in 30-30 with a fixed 4X scope on it and find it quite usable. I DO have problems with deer that are moving and deer that are REALLY close. Otherwise, it is just fine.

I also use a revolver some of the time-a Ruger (new issue) blackhawk bisley in .44 mag. I also have a 4X fixed scope on it. I see no advantage to the revolver over the Contender, but use it sometimes for variety.

Good luck and keep enjoying handgunning.

 

[Sam06]

Wheelman, Those might work. You can always drill holes in the sight to fit the bbl. That rear peep looks like it would be fast for moving deer, close up in low light. Went out yesterday afternoon but it was a little windy. Driving out of the woods I saw one of the biggest bucks I have seen here in NC. It was dark and well past shooting time so he got a free pass. I am going down to GA this weekend to hunt in the mountains and the T/C is coming with me. Good luck with the sights and let me know how they came out. Sam

 

[Magnum Wheel Man]

I talked with my buddy this morning, & he can probably make the Remington style fiber optic ghost ring fit... but thats not the easiest, so I may go this other route...

... for anyone wanting to go the easy ( easiest route I've found so far anyway )... Williams makes a base that fits the Contender ( according to the Brownells cataloge ), then the fiber optic top can be added to the standard base... that gives you a standard 2 dot fiber optic adjustable rear sight...

the front is likely a bit tougher, especially if your front sight is silver soldered on, like the front sight is on my 10" 45 Win Mag barrel ( BTW... I think we've decided to rechamber the 45 Win Mag barrel to 45 Colt, since I have several guns that could shoot a hot 45 Colt, & only about 100 factory loads of 45 Win Mag ammo / brass ), but think we are going to mill off ( to the thicker base part ) of the front sight, & add a standard dove tail for a dove tailed front sight... there are likely easier routes to go, if the front sight had not been silver soldered onto the barrel, but the dove tail eye deer should be pretty easy to do, & then use a standard fiber optic front sight...

Update...

if you look at the bottom of this sheet... Items 9671, & 70919 aught to get a good rear fiber optic ghost ring sight, without having to custom anything...

http://www.williamsgunsight.com/gunsights/wgrs.htm#GHOSTRINGLINK

I have call into thier tech department right now for recommendations on a front sight, to see if there is an easier way ??? but the height must be correct for the 10" barrel...

 

[Sam06]

Thats a good idea about milling off the Front sight and replacing it with a fire sight. The 10" BBL's must be a little diff from the Super 14 ones.

I was out back today checking the zero on my 308 and 45-70. The 45-70 is a 1895GG and I loaded up some 420g WFN's over H4198. I am hurting. My wife was out sick and I shoot behind the house, she said she could see the flames from the gun all the way to the house and that she tought I had blown myself up. I told her no such luck. I think I am going to take the Marlin to GA hunting. I have not killed anything with it except a few pigs and would like to shoot a nice Buck with it. It is such a nice handy gun and it shoots good. I got a nice 1.5", 5 shot group at about 85 yds but it took some concentration to do it(I have the happy trigger kit and a 2.5x burris scout scope on it). I shot out of my climbing stand about 30' up and it was making the tree shake all over.

Have you thought about doing a re-chamber to 454 Cas? That is a cool cartridge, but I guess you can almost get as much out of a 45 Colt with the right powder. I hate to get another cartridge to load for and get all the stuff you need to make it work.


Good luck and keep us informed.

 

[Magnum Wheel Man]

I don't think all the 10's are that way... I have many other 10's with screw on sights...

good luck with the Marlin... I had an older Marlin 45-70 "rifle"... that I traded in on a new stainless ported guide gun ( I didn't want the ports, but the stainless guide guns were tougher to get, & I was looking for a while, & finally found a used one, that looked unfired )... haven't got the chance to shoot it much yet...

I thought about 454 Casull... but insane loads are too hot for the Contender... ( not that I'd shoot insane loads, but generations to come... you never know )... atleast with 45 Colt, I could shoot hot loads in the Contender, & those loads could go in my Ruger Alaskan as well...

... I heard back from Williams, they recommend the shorty front ramps, which come in 4 heights... I had to measure the barrel length between sights, & the breech & muzzle diameters, & thier R&D guy will calculate in the morning which height sight to use... even though they don't make anything "specific"... it's looking like it won't be that tough to get the fiber optic ghost ring on the 'lil Contender... rear sight & base are ordered, & I'll find out which front sight to order tomorrow ???

 

[Magnum Wheel Man]

I hope my rear sights arrive today from Williams... thier R&D guy suggested a 9/32's shorty ramp, & a .250N front bead, for use with the WGRS - TC base ( for the G-2's ), & the 70919 Fire Sight ghost ring apiture, on a 10" bull barrel...

It's looking like I have everything I need to install the fiber optic sights on my 10" ( soon to be ) 45 Colt barrel... BTW... the William's guy said they quit making stuff "specifically" for the Contenders, because of the amount of changes made over the years ( like my silver soldered front sight on the 10" 45 Win Mag barrel, & a screwed front sight on my 10" 30-30 barrel ) but appearently the G-2 stuff fits "most" of the Contender stuff...

as far as scopes for the 30-30 barrel... I'm not happy with the Burris 2-7 for low light, walking deer use... still trying to decide if a 1.5-4X is different enough to justify the change, or if one of the straight 2 X scopes are ???

... right now I'm leaning towards the Burris straight 1X ( which is not very common ), but does have a much better field of view over the 1.5 or 2X scopes, & likely better light transmission using the lower magnification ( or lack there of )...

 

[Sevens]

Here's a question: What do you guys think of piling some more Contender discussion in this thread? I've said it before, but given the large amount of threads and compelling conversation on TFL, Contender chatter seems to be absolutely scarce here, IMO. I sit here and read all this and I get the energy to talk Contender, but there just isn't much discussion on the topic!

I have two barrels for my (non G2) Contender circa '94. The original is the Super 14 bull barrel in .223, it wears a Bushnell Trophy 2-6x adjustable. My other barrel is a 10-inch .44 Mag with iron sights. I'd like to put a scope on the .44 but I'm concerned about how much I'd need to spend-- the recoil on this 10-inch .44 barrel is extreme. Not .45-70 extreme, but this SOB kicks and much harder than any decent .44 mag revolver I've wrapped my hands around, no doubt. A cheap scope would be money wasted, I think it'd get the glass rattled right out of it in 10 rounds.

Does anyone use a 7-30 Waters barrel, and how does that compare to a .30-30? I'd imagine a little flatter, eh? I've though about one or the other. Purpose of which... nothing really, I'm not much of a hunter. Just for fun.

 

[Magnum Wheel Man]

7's... no problem discussng Contenders here...

if you'd like to stay "retro" on the 44 Mag... I have a couple old Thompson Center Lobo's ( scopes ) you could try... I planned on selling a few at this winters gun shows... unless I find out they are worth big bucks, I was planning on selling them pretty cheap... I have both 1 X models, & 3X models... they are smaller in diameter than a normal 1" tube scope ( more like a 3/4" tube rim fire scope ), but they have octogon tubes, & mount with an integral rail system, rather than conventonal rings... & they'll handle the recoil no problem

I guess I don't like them compared to a larger bell 1" scope, only because they are smaller, otherwise they are clear & of diecent quality

I use almost exclusively Burris scopes on my Contender barrels, but also have a couple Luepolds, & one of most good quality brands... so far I haven't had problems with any $200.00 & up scope... the lower priced scopes ( I tried 1-2 of them ), sorry, don't remember the brands, did not last...

I have a 7-30 Water barrel, it is a 14", while my 30-30 is only a 10"... I used to shoot the 7-30 alot, before I got back into reloading, but it is at least as accurate as my 30-30 barrel... I think it's wearing a 3 - 9X Burris, so it's not set up for hunting, but I did take it P.Dogging one time, & shot the varmints out to 300 yards off a field bench with factory loads in the 14" 7-30 Waters... that was a long time ago, & I've reciently moved the barrel back out of the vault & into the stuff I'm shooting, in hopes I can find the time to do some reloading for it over the winter...

I just traded in a 16" - .223 barrel, with the thoughts that I'd build another ( better ) one... my local building buddy has been machining bases, that can have barrels screwed into them, & my thoughts on Thompson Center's Contender barrels in .223 are that they are accurate, but all that I've seen & shot are too slow a twist rate... mine would shoot 50 grain bullets well, 55 grainers only so-so, & anything heavier than that, the groups went all to heck... I plan on having my buddy build one for me with a 1 in 8 or 1 in 9 twist ( the one I traded had a 1 in 12 twist rate )... plus, I see no need for an assult weapon length ( 16" ) barrel in the single shot varmint barrel... so I plan on at least a 21" length 223 barrel when it's built

 

[Hemicuda]

I've got a 7-30 Watters... and you could call the recoil "stiff"... it also seems to have a "reverse twist" to the rifling, and the bottom of the grip likes to twist itself out of my grip (I'm right handed) but it IS fun to shoot!

that said, I still hunt with my 30-30... it is just too sweet to give up!