I have been pondering the best Contender barrel selection for years. What does one really need to own, and why. What I have came up with so far based on Cost of Shooting. Reloading, in this catagort I would look at reloading die availability and cost, brass availability and cost, case forming, and bullet selection. Factory Ammo availability is a big consideration to weigh in. Barrel Availability and cost.

What I came up with:

22 Rimfire 10" Bull or Super 14: This makes a great economy practice round, and is good for small game hunting. Barrels are very accurate, and it is just plain fun to shoot. My preference would be a Super 14 Barrel to be the same as my Big Game hunting rig. This is the one barrel I shoot the most.

223 Remington Super 14: This round is a good choice for Varmints and General Plinking. It is a standard TC Barrel. It is cheap to buy loaded ammo for. Amunition is normally available for it over the counter about anywhere. Brass is plentiful, and it is cheap to reload for. Any shop selling reloading dies should have a set for this one. Great bullet selection for the reloader from 40 to a maximum of around 60 grains.

30-30 Ackley Improved Super 14: I have pondered the best Deer Hunting Round for years for the Contender, and this is the one I have came up with. Factory 30-30 ammo is available anywhere that sells ammo. The Ackley Improved will shoot factory 30-30 just fine, and makes fire formed cases at the same time. Reloading Dies while not setting on the shelf at most shops are a phone call away from Midway or other online stores. The reloader of the 30-30 AI has a wide selection of bullets to work with. The top 2 probably being the 125 Nosler, and 135 SSP from Sierra. Brass is no problem to come up with. Barrels are available from the TC Custom Shop in Tapered and Bull at a reasonable cost.
Performance in a 14 Inch barrel for the 30-30AI is about halfway in between the 30-30 and the 308 Winchester when shot from the same length barrels, with the same bullets. So we have plenty of power available. It should be manageable without a Muzzle Brake for most folks.

For those who like a little less recoil in a Deer Round we have another choice.

7X30 Waters Super 14: Standard TC barrel. Loaded ammo in not common, however it is no problem to reload. While I prefer factory 7X30 brass, forming it from 30-30 is no big deal at all. For bullets we have many choices, among lots of others we have the 130 SSP from Sierra. This round should cover the Deer Hunting needs of the recoil shy.

Lets hear what you think are the best chamberings for the Contender, and why.

Well, I can't argue about any of those. I might add the 309 JDJ or 375 JDJ. I had everything on your list and they are all great performers on their intended victims.

Bill in OR

Oh what asad day it will be when we are limited to what we really need to own.

I think I would opt for the 22 Mag over the 22LR

.223 and 30-30 AI are a slam dunk

I would go 35 rem or 357 max over the 7-30 the Waters is just to close to the 30-30

You might fit a 6TCU or a 6.8SPC in between the .223 and the 30-30

I had a bunch at one time. I've narrowed it down to 22LR, 22 Hornet or K (or 218 Bee), Waters, Max, 375 Win, and 45/410. I don't like rimless in the T/C or 223 would be there, how about 5.56x50R.

Just for information on the 30-30 AI.
Midway has the 30-30 AI Super 14 Contender/G2 barrels in the catalog.
Blue 866-299 $254.99
Stainless Steel 674-764 $282.99

Hornady 2-Die Set: 926-305 $69.99
Lee 2-Die Set: 816-901 $30.49
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Redding 2-Die Set: Redding # 80431
I thought we got our Die Set from Midway, however I did not find a listing for Redding 30-30 AI Dies at this time.
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Super 16 Barrels:
E Arthur Brown TC Custom Shop Super 16 Tapered Std Blue: $284
E Arthur Brown TC Custom Shop Super 16 Bull Std Blue: $304

I have read several posts mentioning getting a 30-30 barrel then sending it off to get it rechambered. Looks to me like buying a new barrel already chambered and correctly marked is the best plan.

Good deal & thanks for that info!!

I pretty much agree you and H2OBUG. I would say either .22 or .22 Mag, .223, .30-30 Imp. or .35 Rem., and then a .45-70 for the big stuff. All of these are very easy to find just about anywhere, will easily handle any critter you are ever likely to hunt, they are all std. production barrels and ammo that don't cost an arm and a leg, and if you ever go to sell any of the barrels you'll have a much easier time than with something that's not very common.(I recently had a really tough time selling a 6PPC without taking a hit $$$)

That has been a BIG factor in my current collection. I have a 221 Fireball, 30 GNR and 257 GNR in my Contenders and a 257 Rob AI, 7mm08, 270 Win, 8mm GNR and 375 H&H AI in my Encores. The only thing I can't buy factory ammo for is the 257 and 8mm GNR's... All of the AI's can still shoot their parents ammo very effectively!

My brother who is more practical than I am has everything on my original list, plus a 204 Ruger.

I have the hard to unload Custom stuff.

6 Bullberry Imp.
This one starts out life as a 30-30 case. I believe the sequence was 6.5 X 30 Resizer, then a 25-35 Winchester Resizer, then into the 6 Bullberry Improved resizer. Then some trimming and some neck turning. Fire Form the case, and probably check the length again. You then have a good looking rimed 6mm case that you would never believe started out as a 30-30. Quite a bit of trouble to form.

6.5 X 30 JDJ
30-30 case into the 6.5 X 30 Resizing Die, Trim, Fire Form and trim. Good looking case that again you would never believe was a 30-30 at one time. This is the 6.5 version of a 30-30AI.

35 Bullberry
This one is no longer on Bullberry's chambering list. Resize a 375 Winchester case in a 35 Remington Resizing Die with probably 1/2" of the case not resized in the die. Keep sizing it down untill the barrel will close on the resized case. Load and fire form. Bullberry said to load it with 35 Remington dies in this manner. It really needs a dedicated Full Length sizing die. I have noticed a couple rounds that do not want to shut in the gun after reloading a couple times. So far I have been running it at 35 Remington speed. If I get a full length resizer die for it, I might start turning it up a little.

On the 22 Magnum Barrel. It should really shine with the new V-Max bullets.

The 309 and 375 JDJ are also real performers in a Contender. But strictly a reloaders chambering. For White Tail using light bullets I would skip an Arrestor and keep the noise down.

I have the 30-30AI & 223 & they are great. I get 2400 with the 150BT & it does very good.

My .22 Magnum (14") shoots the 40gr Winchester Super X HP just as excellent as the Hornady V-Max loads. The 40's impact POA at 50yds and 1.5" low at 100yds. The VM is +1" at 50yds and POA at 100yds.

I usually carry the 40gr HPs if the chance at a fox or similar critter presents itself. I like the heavier bullet for penetration.

Thats why I said 22 Mag ove the 22LR-- you could shoot the 22 Mag to 150 if you can shoot about 6" over the POA

I can't remember the exact holdover but mine shoots well enough to take the tops off of 20oz pop bottles at 200yds.

Because I live in the People's Republik of Illinois, my "deer" hunting handgun must be a straight walled case. So, I opted for the .375 Winchester in my TC G2 Contender. Oddly, the rules say I can use any cartridge for coyotes and varmints! So, a .223 is a must as well.

Dan

ever consider a 45/410 barrel for those up close shots that a shot shell shine on like squirrel, grouse and rabbit.

The "Republik" Dee-In-Are can be a hypocritical group--and I live in Alabama! (but my "ground" is Illi...)

Try the Hornady 120-VMAX in that 7x30 Waters. I switched to this bullet in my 7x30 and found it expands better at distance than the Sierra 130 SSP. Mine are loaded to around 2400 fps with AA2520.

The 110-AMAX is a real winner in the 6.8SPC too.