I have already read the article in the tech section. Anybody else got one? and how does it stack up? What about recoil?

Well it was designed by Winchester! I have one in a 12" Hunter that really equates to a 10" because of teh brake. Recoil in a 10" un-braked is stout but managable. Mine with the brake has little recoil and is very accurate and I think it is enough for N.A. biggame given some range restrictions. I've never chronoed mine, but scoped it is easily a 150yd gun. I keep to the lighter side of bullet wt with mine because I do have a 15" 375JDJ and a 16" 375H&H for the really big stuff. Let me know if you're looking to buy one and then PM me; I can make a decent deal for you if you don't have one alreay. I don't use mine much anymore.

My first contender was a ss 375 win. hunter package with a 14 inch barrel, break and a TC scope. With 220 gr hornadys Ive killed hogs to 250 lbs no problem, bullet goes through, hardly slows down. I reloaded some hornady 225 spire points and at 200 yds they fly 4 or 5 inches flatter if memory serves me. Have not killed any thing with the pointed bullets so I cant comment on their expandtoin. Its easy to reload and case life is good. Its a great gun to carry in pig country during quail season

I had a 375 winny 14" no brake.It was a great shooter but I messed up.Two of the holes for scope mount stripped out.I called T/C a guy in shop said ship it and it would be fixed no charge ( just move holes forward ).I shipped it and a few days later a woman called me said barrel had been scraped.I said please just return my barrel.No,it had been cut up and I could have a new barrel of my choice.I picked a winny,no that barrel is a custom shop option only.I ended up with a 375 JDJ which is a good shooter but I miss my 375 winny.

Bullelk do you still have that 375 barrel?

i have one on a encore and love it recoil is fine, it will handle most things out to 150 yards.i have taken some big minnasota deer with mine and it shur slams them to the ground..

How do you guys think it would handle a moose? Much velocity loss between a 12" and 14" barrel?

john, I've read a couple ofarticles wherepeople used them on moose in Maine with great success.
For Alaskan moose I'd probably try & keep the range pretty short, but wouldn't back away there either.
I'm going to guess you'll loose60-100 fps with the shorter barrel. Personaly, I like a long barrel my self, just feels better & I've never felt that other 2" was in the way.
If you weren't getting the performance you desired you could always have it rechambered to 375 JDJ for a reasonable price.

So should I even waste my time ursuing a 375 Win or just get a JDJ and load it down. Then I have the option of stoking it if I ever need it or even a 338 JDJ#2 looks pretty appealing...... I am confusing myself...lol

Giuven those three choices I'd probably go with the 375 JDJ (I like big bullets for moose) if I found one at the right price, with the .338 JDJ #2 being right behind it & then the 375 Win. That is all assuming your primary animal of interest is the moose. If the moose is a maybe or it would be mostly whitetails in wood lots & occassionaly moose, that might change it.
I have been packing a .444 Marlin barrel for my Contender for moose with great confidence out to 200 yds (no chance to prove it yet). 270Speer Gold Dots @ 2100 fps.
If I get the .450 Marlin Encore barrel the .444 Contender barrel may go on the market.

You can't go wrong with the .375 JDJ IMO. I've shot deer at 245 yards and elk at 160 yards. Top that off with prairie dog accuracy, what more could one ask for.

Brass is easy to form, case life is great. I haven't thrown away any brass as of yet. SWEET cartridge!

With all this said are the factory 375 JDJ barrels as good as the more expensive SSK ones?

I have a half dozen barrels for my 'Tender, all are factory, and all shoot quite fine. Fit and finish, excellent. Would not hesitate to buy a factory .375 JDJ, if I needed one.

My 375 JDJ is a factory barrel and is one of the most accurate barrels I own. 1.2" groups at 100yds. is not to bad for a thumper gun. The only thing I have used mine on is whitetails so far, but it does an awsome job.