Contender question... your thoughts ???

M

Magnum Wheel Man

New member
I collect Contenders, & currently have 5 actions, & a pretty good selections of factory barrels in most available calibers...

often the 45-70 Contenders come up, when talking major recoil, & I usually respond how much I like shooting my 45-70, & my most violent Contender is hands down the factory 14" 375 Winchester barrel with no compensator...

... well, I was flipping through some load books while sitting on the "reading throne" the other day, & noticed that a good share of the hotter 375 Winchester loads fell into the same CUP ratings, as the "modern rifle only" 45-70 loads at around 50,000 CUP...

my concern, is that even though that is an older factory 375 barrel, is the Contender really safe for long term use with the 375 Winchester ??? my understanding is that hotter 45-70 loads can stretch the frames of the Contenders, I'd think 50,000 CUP loads in 375 inchester would easily be in the same boat ??? I've probably only put 100 or so rounds down rthe 375 pipe since I got it, but was planning on loading 35 Winchester next year... curious on your thoughts as to how hot is safe in that cartridge for long term use ????
 
I don't know, Mag, but I will tell you this: The only barrel to ever crack the web of my hand open came from shooting a compressed 500 gr.fmc load in your beloved .45-70! There is just no weight left out front to hold that nose down. I started shooting pretty stiff 405 gr. loads, then a "buddy" called me a "wuss" if I didn't try his 500 gr. rifle loads in there--big mistake. It literally flipped out of my left hand, which had a death grip on the forearm (so I thought) and proceeded to crack open my shooting hand web to the point of a bloody Pachmayr. Only once, my friend.

This guy and I did share measuring the action pins on our two frames. Mine had shot mainly .44 mag, .222 & .223 Rem., .22 Hornet, and 7-30 Waters at the time--but plenty of them. I don't remember if his frame was any older or younger than mine, but I do remember that both pins measured around .002-.003" under what the new pin in the gun shop measured. I can only guess that the frame holes would also take a pounding, as for how long before loosening??? I wouldn't shoot enough of those moose pickles off the bench to ever find out. The mild li'l .35 Rem. is honestly enough for me in a standard 14" bull barrel. -7-
 
35 Remington is one of my favorites, it's on my list to load for this summer or fall... I'm actually looking for a lever action in that cartridge to load for at the same time
 
375 WIN seems a little stiff in a Contender. I know they made them but I would be careful loading it to max.

The 45-70 is not too bad in a contender if you load it with lighter bullets. I like to keep them between 300-350gr.

I had a 35 Rem barrel but I like the 30-30 better. I just think a rimed cartridge is the way to go in the T/C. I remember I had some Failure to fires with Factory ammo in 35 Rem in my T/C. I think it was due to hard primers.

There is a 35-30 wildcat out there that might be a good alternative if you wanted a 35 cal T/C.

Right now I am messing around with a 32-20. I just got one of those Husky Single shots and it is going to be my rook rifle. I have a T/C barrel(10") that I messing around with too.
 
I think the most important thing is hot you load a round compared to case head size. the 375 winchester has a smaller case head size so the case thrust will be less than if you loaded the 45-70 to the same pressure. the 223 is loaded to 50,000 psi and the contender can shoot them all day long. I don't think TC would have chambered it in 375 winchester if it wasn't safe.
 
I should add that I have seen a couple of TC frames where the hinge pin hole was deformed and along with the hinge pin itself. the loads used were far in excess of any loading manual. this person believed that the max load was just a guide for a starting load. if you stay within the levels given in loading manuals a TC should last forever.
 
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