Contender Carbine

[tipiguy]

I'm thinking I need to add a carbine to my contender addiction.  I have been using my dad's 21" 35 rem and really like it.  But I know there are many other choices.  

I want a caliber that will be good up to 150 yards but most shots will only be 40-80 yards.  I want it for mostly deer hunting but also for black bear hunting.  Here in PA we grow some black bears in excess of 600 lbs. so I am thinking I want more than a 30-30.

Some choices I thought of are:
35 remington
41 Mag
44 Mag
45 Colt
375 winchester
375 JDJ
309 JDJ

Others?

The 21" tapered barrel is nice but I am also thinking about the 16 1/4" carbine option.  That may influence barrel choices...

All input is greatly appreciated.

tipiguy

[palgeno]

A choice for deer and black bear up to, say, 250 lbs would be easy to make, but throw in the 150yds and the 600lb bear and you are in another category. The .309 JDJ might be a little light. The .375 JDJ might be a little heavy, but would do both ---- with 220gr and 270gr bullets. The .338 JDJ might be a better all around choice----flat shooting like the .309 and nearly as much punch as the .375.  :wink: pg

[New Hampshire]

Id go with the .35 first pick, the 375JDJ second.  Keep your shots VERY short on the BIG bears (same distance as if you were hunting a bait site, say no more than 30 to 40 yards.)  Other rhan that these two will do anyhting you want at the distance you want.
Brian M.

[Whodaheck99]

I would go with a 7- 30 Waters, or a 30-30, 35, or the 375 Win. Any of these calibers will do the job at hand. I live in PA and I use a 7-30 Waters. It will do it all. So will all of the other calibers. Just my 2 cents.

[Camp Cook]

Check out a fellow named M i k e   Be l l m for his line of T/C Contender wildcats. Just type his name into your search engine and you should find him. He rechambered my 30-30 to one of his wildcats which uses 308 Win dies, 444 Marlin brass and basically gives 300 Savage velocities. I believe most if not all of his wildcats use standard dies for reloading. He's also very knowledgeable on the T/C's guns as well. Now that I have dealt with him and if I have a problem with my Contender I just give him a call and he helps me out.
Cam

[coopershooter]

i shoot a 22in. .45long colt barrel. though i,ve never shot a bear, i have shot many big hog,s. it knocks them down like a truck hit them! and a few deer. the .45 shoots flat enough to 150yds. but it recoiles pretty hard in the heavy weight bullets.  (lbt lfn. 325 and 350gr.) the 45-70 would be more of a good thing on the killing end, but also more recoil! at one time i thought of the .45 barrel as a holdover choice until i could afford a 45-70 barrel. remember, it was one of the all time great buffelo cartriges, but after 10 years of use, the .45lc is my heavy!
 good luck