I have narrowed it down to the Encore in 30-06 or .280 Remington, thank you every one for sharing your input and experience with various calibers.

Johnny

Thanks for your offer, i may take you up on it sometime later this summer when the over time at work slows down.

Johnny

JG I too am new handgun hunter. I bought an old model Contender with a 10 inch 30-30 barrel. I load for all my guns, rifle and pistols. Ive managed 1 shot kills on nearly all my game second shots are for insurance. I find shooting the contender in this cartridge about equivalent recoil wise to my 44mag Blackhawk hunter with heavy loads. I have to say that the scoped 44 takes more skill than I have to shoot the small groups that I have obtained with the contender. I shoot 110 grain Barnes TTSX over 34 grains of Reloader 7 powder and achieve 2250fps. That should kill a deer or varmint.

Handgun hunting has some judgement calls to make. One of which would be not shooting a deer at 250 yards. I shoot a 30 Herrett and have shot everything else. I still love the Herrett. It does take some work to reload but that is half the fun of shooting. I like and use 10" barrels,because i believe anything longer should be a rifle.

All hunting has judgement calls, not just handgun hunting... but that fact that we care is an important part!


We have a wide verity of skill on this sight. There are a couple of users with rigs that are very much so capable of shooting deer sized game at 1000 yards +. The shooter is the biggest limitation more times than not... LOL I get laughed/poked for this mentality, but I really consider the Contender a "Max" 200 yard tool. There are custom cartridges that will push it, even out to 350, "I" just chose not to...


I agree on the 30 Herrett. I love mine and you are right it does have its limitations. HOWEVER, it fits a VERY nice nitch in my collection!! It is amazing that I have had all sorts of custom barrels in wiz bang cartridges and came back to the classic chamberings and the Herretts… ironic actually… What are you loading in yours?


Barrels, well, that is just personal preference... kind of like putting rifle scopes on pistol barrels... but YOU have to shoot what makes YOU happy!!!! I can't handle rifle scopes on short guns and I have tried. Humorously, I have just started enjoying 10in barrels. I have been sheltered...

Sorry, just lots of good comments on the post and wanted to comment.

Good photos and great effort there, Tex; I know how much work you probably went to for that post

The T/C Contender/.30 Herret combo is probably the reason for my entrance into handgun hunting those oh so many years ago. I treasured reading the articles by Bob Milek on his handgun hunting excursions, all the way from varmints to big game. As y'all know, he and Steve Herret developed the .30 Herret, and really it is Bob Milek who got me into the great world of handgun hunting. I still remember talking to him on the phone several times; he was great.

I used my Herret to take quite a few animals; varmints and antelope and deer; and I remember at that time it was a bit difficult to find a bullet that would work ok for big game in the Herret; about that time I believe it was Sierra that came out with the SSP Bullet? Single Shot Pistol bullet?

Help me out here, guys; my memory is not what it used to be.

Bullet technology has come a long long ways since then and nowadays we are blessed with so many good bullets that work well for our pistols (and revolvers for that matter.)

Thanks Gregg!

When I original took those pictures, your assessment is right on... LOL

I now have them saved in a private album in my pictures on the Bragging Board

Gregg, that is the reason I didn't even hesitate and started loading cast bullets for my Herrett. It is shooting a 120gr HCGC at 2200 fps into one ragged hole at 50 yards.

Ps, those heat treated bullets mushroom very well...

I can't disagree more. My self imposed limit is in the neighborhood as your's, but there are many hunters here and elsewhere that routinely take game as much longer distances than that. I prefer to get closer, but that is the joy of the hunt for me. I am in awe of the marksmanship of some of these pistoleros.

I bought a 30/06 Encore Pro-Hunter Five years ago, and it has become my go to gun. Amazingly accurate with a wide range of bullet weights. This caliber has been proved around the globe in a wide range of uses. Bacause of that, there are very few places in this world where you cannot find a box of 30/06 ammo. If you travel to hunt, that is an increasingly important factor. More than one hunter has arrived at his destination to find his/her ammo had disappeared from his luggage for whatever reason. Try borrowing some .30 Herrett or .309 JDJ cartridges from someone in camp! (No disrespect to either cartridge)

I should have been reading these posts sooner. I love all the comments about the 30 Herrett. I too, loved reading Bob' s articles, etc. He really had an impact on handgun shooting. I load a 130 grain spitzer usually a Hornaday with H4227.

What in Gods name is a "cammie" ?

Jeff

camo clothes are "cammies"

OH, I was picturing some of you guys out in the woods in a camisole.
I just don't get why seemingly intelligent people find it necessary to bastardize the English language. If it's pure laziness, isn't camo easier to say then cammie ?
No I'm not an English major and I know this isn't the place for this and I apologize for that but I just couldn't let it go any more.
I do wear "camo" but not "hoodies". I have a .44 "magnum", not a "maggie".............and the list goes on.
Sorry for the rant. If I've offended anyone, oh well

Blessed Be,
Jeff

LOL I understand… The abbreviations while texting drive me up the walls.


I was wondering if the cammie reference was actually a military application. It would be like saying BDU’s or NWU’s today…


Just a thought.



Duane

Whats not to like about a 30-06 encore? Recoil even unported is manageable. Ammo anywhere. My handloads send 150gr Ballistic tips down range 2750fps and retain 1560ftlbs at 300 yards. Here you go........

I love my 7/08

I like the 7/08

Could be, my Marine buddy calls digital camo, "Digis" which means the Marine Corps calls them that.

Ya... LOL... I was stationed on a joint base, that isn't all they called them... Muwahahahah...


As for the topic, "what can you handle???????????????"


I think that is a quote from a PH to his client on an African hunt.

309 JDJ. 165-grain Nosler BT @ 2400fps.

T /C Contender Super 14 in 7-30 Waters.

This post has been ressurected from earlier this summer. If someone asked me and they were set on the contender I would reccomend a custom 14 inch 30-30 barrel. You can buy factory loads and practice while building up your brass collection cheaper than fireforming other brass. If you ever get comfortable shooting 200 yds (which the 30-30 will do well with 125 nbt's)send the barrel to get rechambered in 309jdj. I am currently enjoying a 7mm-08 with a break that shoots about like heavy 44 special loads. Even with the break removed it isn't terrible just a little sharp.