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This is a follow up to my question about which barrel to buy for My Contender. Previous responses have made it clear to me that one will clearly not be enough. A couple of responses mentioned the 30-30, which doesn't get much press here; so I'll solicit some. What kind of accuracy would one expect from a 10 inch barrel in this caliber? The availability of factory brass is appealing to me. The 30 Herrett is highly regarded, but if I buy a 7TCU, I won't have as much reload bench time to devote to a 30 caliber offering. I have shot a contender in this caliber and the recoil was not offensive. I wasn't really focused on acuracy, so I didn't pay too much attention to it. Reports from non-reloaders at the range left me with the impression that it wasn't very accurate. However, with my own reloads, I have consistently improved over 223 and pistol cartridges in all of my guns. Thanks in advance. | ||
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IME, properly loaded the .30-30 will do it all. However, I no longer shoot many pistol length and have only a 10" 7mm TCU and a 10" .44 Mag. If your going to use a 10" the .300 Whisper would be better (or7mm TCU) I would again recommend a .22 LR and a 7mm TCU. Believe me, when you start adding barrels, you'll find the time. I have a cruel mistress and her name is "Contender". ![[Big Grin]](images/icons/grin.gif){kind=icon} | |||
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I have a 10" and it is one of my favorites. I use the 135 grain SSP. Accuracy? My best group was with 150 grain Rem. factory loads at 95 yards. It was 1 3/8". Open sights! I decided to scope it and it now has a Leupold 2x on it. Several deer have fallen to it and the most one ever ran was 40 yards. Hit him dead on in the front taking out a lung, liver and then some. | |||
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I don't understand why the 300 Whisper is suggested over the 30 Herrett. The 30 Herrett will beat the performance of the 30-30 and the 300 Wisper hands down. Just look at any of the reloading books and check it out for yourself. | |||
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If I had to guess, I'd say strictly from an ease of reloading (making brass). I don't hear of too many people making the .30 Herrett brass. I've got a .357 Herrett which is not too hard to load for, but then I use making cases as therapy anyway. | |||
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quote:Ferdinand, Let me add this. I've had a couple factory 30-30 barrels in the stainless 14" version. One had a factory brake and one didn't. They were both very accurate before they became 309JDJs they would both do under an inch at 100 with Nosler BTs in 125 and 150gr. and with the Sierra and Hornady SSP bullets 1 1/4" was the norm. Using H4895 and AA2460 I was gettin 2350fps with the lighter bullets and 2250fps with the 150gr. I also had a very good load using a 130gr.Barnes XBT with very good expansion in wet newsprint out to 150yds.and it also shot right at 1 1/4" at 100. I never shot factory loads in either barrel. There are better choises in a 10" barrel but if the 30-30 is what you want, then I say go for it. If your not happy with it after you try it, you can sell or trade it for something else. BTW, After becomming 309JDJs they were still very accurate with all loads, and the volocity was greater by 200 to 300fps. ![[Wink]](images/icons/wink.gif){kind=icon} [ 01-26-2003, 15:15: Message edited by: Jules ] | |||
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To bring up a tired old history, Milek and Herrett created the 30 Herrett (357 also) just because the 10" tube was all that was available at the time and was just too short to wrangle performance out of the 30-30. Don't think the physics of that have changed a great deal. EA Brown or even someone here on the board has 30 Herrett brass available so the hard part of the process is covered. All of that said, get yourself the 7mm TCU and fiddle with it and all the reloading it will take for a year or so and then you can figure where you need to go from there! LouisB Just an opinion of course! | |||
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I bought a 14" barrel in 30-30 in '86 and have loaded quite a bit for it, and have killed three deer with it, the farthest being 70 yds, a big doe. The 135 SSP does a great job in accuracy and killing power. The factory 150 and 170 loads do have a bit more recoil than my loads at 2350fps. In a 10 inch the heavier bullets at max would be interesting, but I can't see the need for a brake on a 14". | |||
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W. Wilson I assume you are getting the 2350 fps with the 135 SSP? What powder? LouisB Nosey folks want to know. Did you chrono any of the 150 loads? | |||
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TCLouis: I have been using AA2460 for years. I am at work and don't have the charge weight, will post tonight. No, I have never loaded anything heavier than 135 grs. nor have I chrono'd any factory loads. [ 01-28-2003, 01:04: Message edited by: W. Wilson ] | |||
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quote:While I haven't had the pleasure of working with a 30 Herret yet, I did have a 357 Herret, and presume that this statement holds true. I'm convinced that the published data for both rounds is too hot! When you look at what can be safely loaded in a 10" contender, there really is no difference between the 300 whisper and 30 Herret. That and 300 Whisper brass doesn't require the trimming of the Herret. One can also get a whisper with a recessed head to use 360 DW brass for a rimmed whisper. The whisper also burns less powder. After replacing my 10" 357 Herret with a 10" 357 maximum, I'm here to sing the praises of the 357 case head in 10" barrels, very efficient, very effective. I would also never get a 10" 30/30, it simply is a waste of powder in a short tube. If you want a 30/30, go 14". If you are looking for 10" contender hunting barrels, the list is somewhat short, but sweet: 6.5 TCU, 7 TCU, 300 Whisper, 30 Herret, 357 max, 357 Herret, 41 mag, 44 mag, 45 colt. | |||
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quote:Hokay, according to my log the velocity was 2250, gotten with 34.5 gr AA2460. That load was NOT max, however. In my pistol I probably could have gotten more, with maybe worse accuracy, maybe better. Something else to work on this year. | |||
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