Have become interested in the G2 Contender in .375 JDJ. How well would it work on deer to moose to 200 yards?

I considered the contenders 10 years before I ever actully got into them. My expiriance was that they performed better than I ever would have hoped for and now 20 years later I still think of them being amazed at how well they shoot.

I just put a cheap red dot scope on my new G2 30-30 carbine barrel. About 10 shots later: 3 shots touching at 100 yds. No kidding. Wow. Wonder what it would do with a real scope? And, what a pleasure to carry!
Go for it, and enjoy!
Rick

IIRC, the 375 JDJ is the 444 Marlin necked down and will get ~ 2000 fps with a 270 grain bullet...depending on barrel length. That should do just fine at the ranges you're talking about. Those Contenders always shot better than I can!

Thanks to all that looked or responded. 375JDJ appears that it will be a handfull in such a little gun. However if I am able to shoot a 3" 12 ga in a single shot, the 375JDJ should be do able.

I know I am resurrecting this thread but I have been working with a 21" barreled s/s T/C Contender carbine chambered in 375JDJ and I mounted a Leupold Vari-X 111 2.5-8X Boone & Crockett reticle scope.

I am loading from 220gr Hornady FP - 270gr Hornady SP & RN.

My hunting loads for this hunt are 260gr Nosler Partitions and Accubonds and I am getting appr 2300fps muzzle velocity with both bullets.

The high BC .473 of the Accubonds give me a retained velocity of appr 1800fps @ 300 yards.

With the scope sighted dead on @ 100 yards the bullet hits 1" high with the main reticle cross hair, with the first B&C line down held dead on @ 200 yards the bullets hit 1" high and with the second B&C line down are dead on @ 300 yards.

I'd say that with the 260gr Accubond this is a 300 yard moose/elk/deer/black bear cartridge/rifle/bullet combo.

Here is a picture of the rifle except I just installed a taller front sight.




I am taking it on my grizzly hunt this spring

It would do just fine. I use the original Contenders (not G2s) for much of my hunting.

That second pig down is huge...

Here is another one of mine shot @ 210 yards with a 21" factory 30-30 barrel rechambered to 308Bellm 150gr = 2620fps. I had my factory 223 barrel on when I spotted the deer switched barrels to the 308Bellm and ended up doing a successful stalk.



Coyote that I called into 40 yards load was 40gr V-Max @ 3440fps from my factory 223 barrel.



I was in full snow camo when I did the shooting which is why the gun is wrapped up as well.

I have four contenders and 8 or so barrels. I've pretty much kept four barrels on the guns as follows:

1. 10" .30 Herrett Bullberry barrel with a red dot scope.

2. 16" factory .30/30 barrel with wood factory carbine stock/forend (blued)

3. 20" Bullberry barrel in 7x30 Waters with composite factory stock and Bullberry forend (stainless)

4. 23" .35 Remington factory barrel with factory composite stock/forend. (blued)

The carbines all have 1.5x5x Leupolds which are light, all you need to 200+ yards and don't look out of place on the tiny guns.

I used to handload spire point bullets in the carbines, but with the new LeveRevelolution Hornady loads in .30/30 and .35 Rem, I find deer-sized animals aren't very safe out to 200 yards with my groups well less than m.o.a. Bang/flops are the rule.

With the 7/30 I still have to handload, but at the velocity produced, I find I get great performance with Nosler BT's at 120 grains with no bullet blow ups. As with most Bullberry barrels, it shoots .5" when I concentrate.

Contenders aren't particularly pretty, but they dang sure do their business well. When I sling one over my back and putt a few miles back into my lease, I forget that I even have it there. I find them a joy to hunt with.

I have an 18" carbine and a 16" Pistol barrel in .411JDJ. I have shot countless whitetails over the years with both. Using a 210gr Hornady XTP and 44gr of Reloader #7, you can knock a deer several yards, and make them do all kinds of arial gymnastics, at ranges from 7yds out to 250yds.
Based on this experience, I think the .375JDJ should be a fantastic round. For NA game though, I would strongly consider a pistol bullet for maximum expansion. Hornady's XTP does an exceptional job on animals up to elk size.
Thanks, ND

I didn't know there were .375" pistol bullets available?

You thinking .357" ?

Although not in the caliber of your choice...I'd say this one was real good unless of course you happen to be a coyote.



Yep this one concurs..

Moki,
My bad!!!
I was thinking of the .475 Linebaugh...had it in my head that it was .375??? Sorry about that...old age kicking in.
ND

Moki: Would you like to share your 308 Bellm load details? I could try it out in my 16 1/4" barrel and then we would know what the extra 4 3/4' inches of barrel does for velocity.

Many years ago I had a Contender pistol with 4 barrels.
I shot prairie dogs with my 22 K Hornet, and an antelope with a 30 Herrett.

However I am just not a scoped hand cannon kind of guy and sold all of my Contender stuff.

However I have shot a buddies Encore rifle with a couple of different bbls.

IMHO the Contender and Encore products are EXCELLENT. Their versitility is excellent.

Absolute max load is 44grs IMR4064, Win LR primers with any 150gr jacketed bullet.

disclaimer; This is my data and I take no responsibility in the use of it by others.

Hello Moki
Where can a guy buy a G2 Contender frame here in Canada?...All I have been able to find for sale are the Encores...I am not interested in them...I really like your .375 JDJ set-up...PM sent..
Thanks,
Mic


BTW when I first saw that picture of you and that nice buck in that cut block with those small stumps I thought that looks like the crap I have to cut...Then I see you are from BC...What forest district was that picture taken?

Just north of Montie Lake between Vernon, Kamloops and Chase.

Ellwood Epps has 3 blued G2 Contenders in 45-70 that they have been sitting onfor a while now.

http://www.ellwoodepps.com/new...pson_center_arms.asp

quote:

NG22549
REDUCED
NON-RESTRICTED THOMPSON-CENTER CONTENDER G2 RIFLE BLUED WALNUT HINGE SINGLE BBL .45-70 23" BBL, BLUED FINISH, WALNUT MONTE CARLO STOCK, DRILL & TAPPED FOR SCOPE, INTERCHANGABLE BARREL SYSTEM, EXTERNAL HAMMER, SWIVEL STUDS, RECIEVER WILL ACCEPT EARLIER CONTENDER BARRELS $789.

At that price they will keep sitting too. I have the reciept from the one I bought my son, with a .204 Ruger barrel was $517...out the door.

That was in Canadian dollars + import fees we pay a lot more for firearms up here then you guys have to pay...

I wanted to recycle a photo I took about 6 months ago. G-1 frame.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by moki:
Just north of Montie Lake between Vernon, Kamloops and Chase.

Ellwood Epps has 3 blued G2 Contenders in 45-70 that they have been sitting onfor a while now.
QUOTE]

Thanks Moki for your reply... I log in the Vanerhoof area...I thought we were the only ones that logged that small stuff..

I'll pass on the Contender at that price...

Just came back from prospecting north of Fort St James my son and I both had grizzly tags but didn't connect this year.

As we were setting up our camp we heard a shot about 2 - 3 hours later we headed out to were we hunt grizzly and there was what could have been our bear skinned out nicely and still warm...

Low Wall, just a further note on Elwood Epps in Ontario. I'm a regular customer there and they do carry a good selection of T/C guns, plus they usually have a few assorted barrels in stock as well. They do mail order and are very good people to deal with.

John

Hello ...jwm
You are right about Epps...I have bought used rifles from them in the past..good people!
I just don't think Contenders are worth the asking price up here when compared to other rifles...I used a Contender as my main silhouette hand gun in the mid to late eighties while living in Arizona so I am familiar with them..

Moki
To bad you had to travel all that way to find your grizz was already shot...I have done a bit of black bear hunting on the Leo Creek road up to the Driftwood River...