Just wanted to say hello to everyone. I am new to the site, and new to handgun hunting. At the end of last deer season I decided I wanted to try a new challenge, and hunting with a handgun sounds good to me. I recently picked up a T/C Contender, chambered in 7mm TCU. It already had the bases, rings, and a scope. I got it for a really good buy, so I figured what the heck.
My question to you guys is this. Is my best bet for ammo for this thing going to be to hand load them myself? I've looked all over, and only found one place on the net that sells it. I've never reloaded myself, but will learn if need-be.
That's the only question I have for you guys right now, but feel free to shoot me any tips/info that you think may help me get started with this new venture.

welcome,i think i would start loading my own for this caliber.(if you only found one place to buy ammo,they can charge what they want)plus with loading your own you can tailor the load for a speciffic purpose.plus it is so cool to work a load up,then take a animal with it.that is satisfaction!good luck with your new addiction ...jim257

hey.....a fellow kentuckian! you may have to help me now. we'll gang up on em, hehehe
welcome to a great site!
reloading is a very fun thing to do. might wanna look into it.
if not, reeds ammo has a link on top of the page here somewhere. maybe they could help ya with 7tcu ammo. wouldn't hurt to ask em anyway.

Hello davidj5491, welcome to the group! I can't help you much with the contender as I don't own one yet but, there are alot of guys here that do. Lots of knowledge and people willing to help around here.

Congratulations on making the switch ! I've hunted almost exclussivley with handguns for 30 years now , and have enjoyed every minute of it. This past year was my 30'th Whitetail Buck , along with 4 Mule Deer ,4 Antelope , 3 Pigs , and African Plains Game . Welcome To The Club !

Welcome! I have not yet taken a deer with a handgun, but hope to correct that situation this year. I just got into contenders 2 years ago and started with a 7/30 Waters. I contacted the disease and now have 7 tcu, 6tcu, 44 mag and 375 JDJ. I like my 7 tcu very much since it is very accurate. If you start handloading I will be glad to help you if I can.

Holy cow! After reading your post and sending an answer I saw that you are from Cox's Creek Kentucky. When I was a boy growing up in Louisville I hunted ground hogs and squirrels on several farms there in the area and used to fish in Cox's creek for panfish. Used to hunt a farm that boarded on the creek owned by some folks named Wolf. Also hunted another farm up the road from there owned by a Joseph Wolf. Course that was nearly 50 years ago. I was just talking to my brother about hunting those farms and what a trip it would be to go back and just see them again. Drop me a line if you would. My email is harbarb31@earthlink.net. I retired from the navy in 1981 and am living here in the Hurricane capital of the world, Pensacola, Florida

davidj5491

Welcome, sounds like you got a good deal with the 7TCU. It is a good cartridge. It's easy to form cases and load for.

Good Luck,

A17Shooter

Welcome David!
I too just returned to handgun hunting this year(after about a 15 yr layoff), & just got back into Contenders.
I started off just a year ago with just a S&W mod 29 revolver, & now have that & two Contenders & 3 barrels(22 Hornet, 30-30 Ackley Improved, & a 444 Marlin). Once the bug bites you're in trouble. So far two custom muzzleloaders, a Rugger mod 77 in .35 Whelen, a SKS, & a .303 Enfield have all gone down the road to pay for the guns, reloading equipment, ammo, & Mag-na-porting & a red dot sight for the mod. 29. It's worth it.
I would recomend you start reloading soon. The 7mm TCU is a good one to start with since .223 brass is easy & cheap to come by. Some here may disagree, but I think Lee makes very cost effective equipment to start off with. Their "Anniversary Kit" can usually be had for around $65.00, & you'll need dies & a powder trickeler & a reloading manual to go with it(Natchez Shooters Supply has it all for about these prices, including the last edition Speer reloading manual for $4.95). All told, probably around $100.00 plus the consumable components. It won't take long to pay for it if you shoot much. And you WILL shoot much!
Sounds like you got a good rig to start with so have fun!

David
You found a good bunch of guys here.I have been lurking and posting here for a little while.I caught the TC sickness about 9 years ago have not hunted with any of my long guns since.Reloading is just as much fun as shooting. I have a 40 yard range at my house just outside my loading room.This is my little retreat from everything else,I love it.You will like the 7 tcu I bought a 6.5 tcu couple of years ago its a good shooter.Plenty of info on this site just jump in.

Welcome aboard David. I would suggest not only that you get started reloading for it but you may want to look into a .22 LR barrel also. It will let you practice for a lot less money than shooting the 7mm and hunting squirrels is a great way to practice for deer season. The 7mm's are great for deer and most of the 7 TCU's shoot very well.

Welcome David to one of the friendliest and best sites on the Web.

Welcome to the site! I did about the same as you, wanted to hunt w/a handgun. Talked with a guy that has many Contenders and had stated a year earlier that he was thinking about thinning the herd to get another barrel. I went to him, we talked and I walked away with a 7-30 Waters 14" brl, frame, 4x Redfield, brass, dies and loaded ammo. Was I a happy camper. With the 400 odd 30-30 cases I had and the cases I got with the pistol, I was in business. Been buying and trading for barrels since that day 3 years ago. It gets into your blood. Have fun with the 7TCU. That is one that I would like to have but just haven't found the right bargain.
All I can say is reload,reload,reload.
I spent several hours last night loading for my 7BR and 309JDJ for this upcoming deer season.
Take care and keep us informed.

Wow, you guys are great! I never expected this amount of replies. I haven't been able to get on here as much the past few days, so the amount of replies kinda shocks me. Thank you all for the replies, I appreciate it. Between the posts on here, and going to a gun show over the weekend, I definitely realize I'm going to need to load my own ammo for the 7TCU. Speaking of the gun show though, it fueled this new fire even more. I picked up a 22 barrel while I was there, along with bases and rings, and have already been shooting it like crazy. I am highly impressed with this gun so far. The 22 is a tack driver. Can't wait to go squirrel hunting with it. And as soon as I can get to loading my own ammo, I'll be ready to deer hunt with the 7TCU.

excellent choice! the 22lr is tons of fun......cheap to shoot...gives much needed practice............n great to hunt small game.....speaking of which....."I NEED TO GO SQUACK HUNTIN!"

Welcome,welcome.
I do believe your choosing to pick up the 22 barrel was nearly as wise as buying that Contender in the first place.
I have been shootin' a Contender for 20 years now and firmly believe it is one of the best values in the shooting world and now with the Encore we have an ever greater range of cartridges available to us.
I enjoy the ownership of four Contenders and one Encore (so far) and the range of the wonderful 22 up to and past the 375 H&H in the Encore is matched by no other firearm in pruduction to my knowledge.
I am kinda new here myself and this is a fine group to hang out with indeed.

Welcome aboard David. Yes indeed there is a great bunch of guys here (just watch out for KYODE, as he has a habit of getting some of us in trouble from time to time).I've been shooting-n-huntin with Contender Handguns since 1982, and I for one can tell you the diease called Contenderits is incurable. However buying lots of barrels-n-frames-n-scopes can send it into remission for small periods of time, but it always comes back.

In the .22 LR & 7mm T/CU cartridges you have made a couple really good choices to start with. There really is not much that can be said about the .22 LR that hasn't been written hundreds of time. It is knows for it's accuracy (and the Contender Handguns I have had chambered for this cartridge on re-afirm this), low cost shooting, as well as an excellent training aid. Besides it is just super fun to get out and shoot some little crit'rs with a .22 from time to time.

As per the 7mm T/CU, I have not done a lot of work with this cartridge, but have done enough to have a respect for it's mild shooting and accuracy. Just about a year ago I helped a buddy work up a load for a 10" 7mmT/CU Contender. We used 120gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip Bullets and H-322 Powder. I was a little disappointed in the velocity, but the accuracy was just great, and the load will suffice for the distances my buddy will encounter.

Good luck with your Contenders, and most of all ENJOY. Again welcome to one of the best Handgun Hunting sites on the net.

Larry

PS, memory escapes me at the moment if there is one there, but you might want to check out the articles section of this site you might find an article on the 7mm T/CU.