Hi,
I bought a older contender with a 222 barrel and scope. I now bought a 30/30 barrel for it. 10 inch octegon. Was it a good idea ? Pa hunting under 75 yards ?. I'm reading good and bad. How accurate,kick, problems ? Any help would be helpfull thanks

I have no personal experience with this particular combination. (My most strenuous Contender load is a 44 magnum handload using a 325 grain LBT WFN @ 1375 fps from a 10 inch tube.) A buddy of mine who happens to be an accomplished magnum revolver shot and skilled rifleman told me the one shot he fired from a 10 inch octagon 30/30 Contender was the most unpleasant moment of his entire shooting career. Maybe you could start with PMC cowboy ammo and work your way up to full power factory ammo when you are ready. Good hunting!

I have a regular 10" 30-30 bbl and don't find it to kick too bad at all. Recoil is a very subjective thing. If you reload, you can alway tone things down abit. I'd say get a box of ammo and shoot it. I noticed in the classified section that someone has a 357 Herret bbl with scope for sale.

I have a 10" 30-30 and the recoil is not that bad.Recoil is something I don't really think about when I buy a handgun of any kind.If a person is concerned with how much a pistol is going to kick stay with smaller calibers.I have 45-70 14" barrel,454 casull Ruger,375win, some 45's 44's they all recoil but not painful to me.Just shoot the barrel and see,you might like it.
This is just my .02 everyone is different.

I have one in a 10" and shoot 170 gr spitzers into Pa whitetails all the time,or at least when the opportunity presents itself each year.
It is extremely accurate at 100yds leathal as well.

Kicks a whole lot less than a 10 inch 44 mag! I find the blast and flash of the 10 inch 30-30 more significant than the recoil, none of them are severe though.

regards,
graycg

I don't have the 10" contender, but I do have the 14" one. Recoil is a bit stout, but I reload the 110 gr bullets from hornady for target and plinking. Feels like shooting a light loaded 357mag. As mentioned above the blast and flash are what makes this gun bite, not the recoil. I shoot mine a few times a year when I want to do some 100 yrd handgunning other than that, it mostly sits in the safe.