Guys, I'm gonna make this shot and sweet. Had a stroke and it changed my life forever in that I can longer use two hands to shoot my rifle so I'm back to handgun hunting with one hand off a rest when available.
I have a 10" 30/30 Contender gathering dust in my safe and might bring it out for deer hunting in my field where the shots are 100 yards or less. Usually less.

All my life I have used a high shoulder shot on deer at moderate distances and have never needed a follow up shot or had to track an animal but I was using my 270 rifle and not a handgun. Would the experts here at HH consider the T/C 30-30 to be capable of this performance given the information posted above ???
I reload and could use a bullet/powder recommendation as well. I the past I've used Win.748 & Hornady 170s out of my M 64 Winchester for hunting and the T/C on paper.

Might want to add that with my handicap tracking in the woods is extremely difficult for me.

Dang West Virginia Hills !!!!! Ain't a flat spot on the property.

Thanks guys, WVS.

I would say that breaking the running gear, and damage to the CNS with that shot is a good formula for DRT. The 30-30 you mentioned should have the ability to do that. As we all know nothing is certain, deer don't watch movies, they don't know that they are supposed to lay down and die when shot, sometimes even a great shot can lead to a long recovery.

Yes, I think it will work fine, good luck!

It should work just fine.

Personally, I cannot recommend a 170 gr. bullet out of a 10" .30-30. I would not use anything heavier than a 150, and would probably select a 125-135.

125 gr ballistic tip at that speed would probably do the trick. I shot a 7x30 waters contender for awhile. The lighter bullets perform well in a handgun with the slower speed.

That will put him in a pile.

I'd say with the criteria you've mention on distance, the 30-30 should be quite capable. I'd personally choose a Nosler 125 BT or 150 BT.

Can you handle a longer barrel?

Sorry 'bout your stroke.

I overlooked the bullet selection part. My brother and I have killed piles of deer shooting a 125gr sierra game king over max charge in my 308 rifle. It rarely exits the deer but 95% have been DRT.

If you're going for the 'high shoulder' stick with the 150 - 170's. You want penetration, not expansion. Lot of deer have been taken with JD Jones' 300 Whisper in its 'original' loading with heavy bullets at sub-sonic velocities.

Thanks for your concern Buttermilk. Wavin' a longer barrel such as a Super 14 around with one hand is iffy at best with the added weight for me.
Woundn't want to wound an animal. Goes against my grain.

Cheers, Denny

In my opinion the best bullet would be a 150 Accubond.

With the compromised velocity of the short barrel I would also suggest the 125 Nosler BT.

I have a contender with a 10" 44 mag barrel. It is very light due to the large caliber hole in the barrel. The deer don't go very far with it, no matter what bullet you use. Have you considered trading for a different caliber that would be better suited for the 10" barrel? A 30/30 in that short of a barrel must have a terrible muzzle blast, does it not? And I'm sure the recoil is as bad or worse than a 44 mag.

I'm with Russell on the heavier bullet . Find something in the 150 to 170 gr. class that shoots in your gun.You get into some heavier bone up there and you want it to punch through.

The .30-30 should be able to work. But, a necked cartridge needs more barrel to pick-up speed for the lighter bullets used. Personally I would lean towards a handgun caliber like the 44, 45, etc. You could have a shorter barrel(10"-8") that would move out pretty good. Heavy for caliber moving at a modest pace would sit them down. A 41 mag, or something similar, would be be manageable with a shorter barrel. I am 50yoa, and if I could only use one arm that is the way I would go.
Also, Are you limited to your less dominant arm or your dominant arm? TO ME a 12" barrel one handed would be kind of unwieldy and awkward. A shorter barrel would be much more manageable, and to me that says heavy for caliber handgun cartridge.

Denny,

That being the case, I'd load up that 10" 30-30 with 125BT's or 150BT's and go hunting.

Should work fine. Muzzle blast will be noticeable in that short barrel but will work fine otherwise.

You might give some consideration to a 30 Herrett or 300 Whisper/Blackout in a 10" barrel as well. Might be easier to handle one handed due to less recoil.

Regards,
Rog

Shiner,
I have taken over fifty whitetails with the 30/30 contender and using the high shoulder shot. All went DRT; no exceptions. I used the 150 NBT and a max charge of W748. I never had an exit wound and all shots were 150 yards and under; most under 75 yards. That said, I have a 14" barrel.
My son has taken three whitetails using the same gun, but shooting 125 NBT's. The three he kill was with high shoulder shots and all DRT. Two exited at fifty yards and one did not.
I have no experience with the 10" barrel. Hope this helps. Good luck.

Cross sticks may be of help depending on how you set up your "blind".

Use the Nosler 150 gr. BT. Have killed several deer with it out of 30-30 Condender.