The essential TC calibers?

[AZRedhawk44]

I'm thinking real hard of getting a Thompson/Center Contender.

The goal is to increase my draw chances in hunt lotteries in AZ by switching from rifle to handgun.  I want to put in for deer, elk, antelope and possibly javelina.

Elk is the biggest critter I'd be going after, javelina the smallest at about 50-75 pounds.  Antelope would probably be the hardest to get near and require the longest shot on the plains where they are typically found here in AZ.  I've been able to stalk to within about 150 yards of a small antelope herd in tall grass while out with an elk tag, couldn't get closer.  Been closer to deer and elk plenty of times (not with a tag...), just not antelope.  So I'd like to have something that I can rely on to shoot to 200 yards.

What would you consider the essential TC calibers for such a rig?

I'm thinking that a spirepoint lightweight .30 bullet somewhere around 120-140 grains, fired from a .30-30 chambered 14" TC barrel would make a great antelope round.  I already reload for .30-30.  Rimmed case for good, positive extraction if I need to get another cartridge in there quickly.  Scoped with a low power pistol scope or even a red dot, and put a bipod on it.  Not sure what kind of velocity I could get out of a 14" barrel and 30gr of typical rifle powders suitable for .30-30, but I bet there's oodles of load data out there for .30-30 TC pistols. 

And then probably a .44 magnum barrel.  I'd like shorter than the 12" they offer as their shortest... 8" would probably be sufficient, maybe 10".  Irons, hi-viz fiber optic front sight.  If not .44, then moving up into the .454 or .475 territory.

Does anyone offer barrels/chamberings for the Contender other than Thompson? 

[K Frame]

You need something for T Rex! 

[Tallpine]

Ear plugs and muffs 

[Jocassee]

8mm...

[Scout26]

.600 Nitro.  Because you might run into a Mammoth or Bigfoot.

[vaskidmark]

Not so much which calibers but how many different lengths for each caliber?

stay safe.

[griz]

The 7mm water might be a little flatter shooting at 200 yards, but the 30-30 would be better for elk if you had that chance.  Sounds like a good choice.

[mtnbkr]

Years ago, I had a Contender handgun.  My two barrels were a 14" 30-30 that would shoot one-hole groups at 50yds scoped and on a rest.  The other was a 10" 7mmTCU that I never got around to wringing out.

Check out SSK, Eabco, MGM, and Gary Reeder for alternative chamberings.

For "big bore", take a gander at the 375JDJ (444 necked down to 375).  It was designed to give dangerous game power to the Contender.

Chris

[mtnbkr]

BTW, do you *want* a Contender or would an Encore work?  Encore opens up the possibility for much more powerful cartridges, but does add weight.  I've heard rumors that TC has killed the Contender.

Also, the older Contenders have some quirks (needing to break the action to recock the hammer), but have fantastic triggers.  The trigger on my Contender would make a 1911 fan weep it was so sweet.   The newer G2 Contenders fixed the "break to recock" feature, but the triggers aren't as nice.

I have an Encore rifle these days (300wm and 209x50 ML).

Chris

[Hutch]

I have had a .30-30 14" Contender, and it would shoot really well with H4895 and Hornady 150gr Spire points.  Since IHMSA is no longer a thing, my Contender battery consists of .22LR, .357M, and .44M, all scoped.  I'm not sure if .44M is stout enough for elk, but maybe a really stout, heavy bullet would work.  Btw, the .30-30 chrono'd almost 2000fps.  Probably do for the prairie goats at 150yds.

[Sergeant Bob]

Ear plugs and muffs 

No doubt about that! I was at a range in California, shooting "The most powerful handgun in the world" (44 mag) being impressed by the degree of Bang Bang I was committing, when some guy a couple booths down touched off a Contender in 30-06. After that my 44 would only go bang bang!

[Tallpine]

No doubt about that! I was at a range in California, shooting "The most powerful handgun in the world" (44 mag) being impressed by the degree of Bang Bang I was committing, when some guy a couple booths down touched off a Contender in 30-06. After that my 44 would only go bang bang!

My neighbor got this weird single shot pistol: it has a knob in the back with a notch to allow loading and then you turn it so the breech is covered.  There is a cocking lever on the side.   

[mtnbkr]

when some guy a couple booths down touched off a Contender in 30-06.

No he didn't. It was either a lower pressure 30cal (30-30, 30Herrett, etc) or an Encore.  :) 

Chris

[Sergeant Bob]

No he didn't. It was either a lower pressure 30cal (30-30, 30Herrett, etc) or an Encore.  :) 

Chris

Must have been an Encore. Hey, they all look alike! (kinda like all snowmobiles are Skidoos )

[never_retreat]

Must have been an Encore. Hey, they all look alike! (kinda like all snowmobiles are Skidoos )

Well there the ones with magnetic bumpers to pick up all the arctic cat parts.
I have the remains of a skidoo and a Polaris currently.

[AZRedhawk44]

I have had a .30-30 14" Contender, and it would shoot really well with H4895 and Hornady 150gr Spire points.  Since IHMSA is no longer a thing, my Contender battery consists of .22LR, .357M, and .44M, all scoped.  I'm not sure if .44M is stout enough for elk, but maybe a really stout, heavy bullet would work.  Btw, the .30-30 chrono'd almost 2000fps.  Probably do for the prairie goats at 150yds.

I think .44 would work fine for elk.  But I wouldn't be opposed to stepping up.  I've shot a .454 and didn't much care for it, though that was in a Freedom Arms and it bashed my knuckles on recoil so it might have something to do with grip design, and I've shot a .480 in a 9.5" Super Redhawk and REALLY liked that.  I wouldn't mind having a .475 or .480 in a TC platform of some sort.

Not familiar with the differences between the Contender and the Encore.  Can anyone enlighten me?

[mtnbkr]

Encore is bigger, heavier, stronger, but better suited to high pressure rifle cartridges.

Chris

[griz]

What he said.  The Contender can be chambered in rounds up to 223, 30-30 and 44 mag levels.  The Encore can be chambered in pretty much anything and is almost two pounds heavier.

[charby]

Elk is 600-800lb animal, just remember that. Pick a caliber with enough mass/energy to break bones when you shoot them at the range you are comfortable with.

You don't want to be under gunned and be chasing a wounded elk for 5-10 miles

or do like the rest of big game hunters do on limited draw, apply every year and wait to be drawn. You can also hunt other states then your resident state and draw every year for Elk, Deer and Pronghorn. In WY in certain zones you can draw or get OTC tags every year. These zone have a lot of pronghorns, lots of public land if you get maps/GPS chip (make sure you do not cross over private property to access public land, WY has some of the most enforced trespass laws), if you hunt after opening weekend the number of hunters drops a lot. There are a lot ranches you can hunt that have low trespass fees and limited hunters.

I've just gotten to the point that I like to hunt and I don't mind traveling or paying more to hunt. Someday I'm not going to be able to hunt as hard as I like and I don't want to have a lot of regrets because I was too cheap or too lazy to travel.

I look at hunting beyond meat for the freezer, I look at my out of state trips as vacations and I actually spend less hunting out of state then I would on a vacation for the same duration.

[mtnbkr]

The Encore can be chambered in pretty much anything and is almost two pounds heavier.

I haven't compared the numbers, but having owned both, I doubt the Encore frame weighs two pounds stripped.  I suspect the weight difference is partially the frame, but mostly in the barrels, stocks, and forends.

Off to the Google oracle...

And I found this: http://www.varminthunters.com/tech/contencore.html

So, the frames alone don't differ all that much weight-wise, but there are other differences to take into account.

Chris

[AZRedhawk44]

So the Encore barrels are heavier since they start at 1.000" thickness and taper as needed, rather than the Contender barrels that start at 0.810" thickness and taper.

And the receiver is 5oz heavier to begin with.

Encore seems to handle some fairly stout rifle cartridges.  Wow.

[mtnbkr]

Yup.

IMO, if you're primarily going the handgun route, with low pressure rifle cartridges or handgun cartridges, get a Contender.  Otherwise, the Encore makes a better rifle.

Chris

[griz]

When I said two pounds I was thinking of the entire gun, but with my bias towards rifles I was thinking of a six pound Contender versus an eight pound Encore. (both scoped)  I'm sure it would be less of a difference with the shorter barrels of the handguns.  Sorry, my mistake.

[charby]

Have you considered doing the muzzleloader thing?

Does AZ have a muzzleloader season? That maybe a way for you to draw a tag more often and get to hunt Elk early, or even later when they are down in the valleys for the winter.

[AZRedhawk44]

Have you considered doing the muzzleloader thing?

Does AZ have a muzzleloader season? That maybe a way for you to draw a tag more often and get to hunt Elk early, or even later when they are down in the valleys for the winter.

I've considered it.  Been attracted to the Hawkens rifles for several years.  And there is some limited muzzle-loader-only seasons.  There's also HAM seasons (handgun/archery/muzzleloader) where you can use anything but a regular rifle.