SSK reboots the Contender

[HeavyDuty]

I’ve really been trying to ignore this thread.

Back in the late 70s and very early 80s I used to drive up to Gander Mountain’s original retail store in Wilmot, WI. For a few years at least they had a glass faced end cap with a large assortment of Contender components, and if it was slow they were always happy to play Legos with them so you could handle different configurations. I’ve wanted a light, handy Contender carbine ever since.

One of these new SSK-50 frames with tapered stainless 16” barrels in a few calibers would be a blast. I don’t hunt, so I’m thinking .17 HMR, .22 WMR and .223 would be a great set. I have no idea what I’d do with it, but...

Maybe if I sell off some stuff I’ll do this.

[olstyn]

One of these new SSK-50 frames with tapered stainless 16” barrels in a few calibers would be a blast. I don’t hunt, so I’m thinking .17 HMR, .22 WMR and .223 would be a great set. I have no idea what I’d do with it, but...

Maybe if I sell off some stuff I’ll do this.

Don't forget the .357 Maximum barrel. My FIL has a Contender pistol in that caliber, and pardon the pun, but it's a blast.

[Lester Polfus]

Don't forget the .357 Maximum barrel. My FIL has a Contender pistol in that caliber, and pardon the pun, but it's a blast.

.357 Maximum out of a 16" Contender carbine look super useful.

[olstyn]

.357 Maximum out of a 16" Contender carbine look super useful.

I suppose it is, but I don't think "useful" figures into my father in law's pistol version. IIRC it's something like an 8" barrel or so, and exists primarily for the purpose of being obnoxious.

[Wheeler]

.357 Maximum out of a 16" Contender carbine look super useful.

MGM has some testing and load data where they are pushing a 140 grain Hornady FTX at just under 2400fps out of a 16.25” barrel. That’s pretty impressive.

The more I look into Contenders the more I want to tinker with a .357 Herrett.

[Lester Polfus]

I suppose it is, but I don't think "useful" figures into my father in law's pistol version. IIRC it's something like an 8" barrel or so, and exists primarily for the purpose of being obnoxious.

Is the muzzle blast like that much like getting punched in the face?

[olstyn]

Is the muzzle blast like that much like getting punched in the face?

It's probably been a solid 9 or 10 years since I last shot it, but I remember it being pretty substantial, yeah.

[oregon45]

I've shot .357 Maximum from my 7.5" Ruger Super Blackhawk and did not find the blast to be objectionable--although I've only used 180-200gr bullets over H4227 powder, and the use of lighter bullets and heavier ball powders might result in greater muzzle blast in a similar barrel length. That said, I prefer my 10.5" Super Blackhawk for the .357 Maximum as higher velocity with heavier bullet weights are the reason I use that cartridge.

[olstyn]

I've shot .357 Maximum from my 7.5" Ruger Super Blackhawk and did not find the blast to be objectionable--although I've only used 180-200gr bullets over H4227 powder, and the use of lighter bullets and heavier ball powders might result in greater muzzle blast in a similar barrel length. That said, I prefer my 10.5" Super Blackhawk for the .357 Maximum as higher velocity with heavier bullet weights are the reason I use that cartridge.

My *guess* would be that my FIL loads his with lighter bullets and Unique, simply because he'd have the lighter bullets around because he uses 125 grain .358 diameter bullets for SASS and he seems to use Unique for everything it's possible to use it for.

[oregon45]

Using Unique would account for the obnoxious blast. Although the blast from my 7.5" .357 Max is not annoying, I own that revolver primarily because I love Ruger single actions and any true Ruger fan will have a 7.5" Super Blackhawk .357 Maximum The cartridge really does best in 10" and longer barrels. .357 Herrett is similar, but I have found that it really does best in 14" and longer barrels. My 10" TC .357 Herrett barrel shot well, but I found the loads I tried left behind quite a bit of unburned powder.