# 14" 7-30 Waters Contender Handgun SCORES TWICE



## SDHandgunner (Jun 22, 2004)

Yep 2 shots and 2 dead Whitetails.

I had bought this barrel new with our tax stimulus check last fall. I promptly fireformed 100 new Remington .30-30 Winchester Brass into 7-30 Waters Brass and set out to work up a good hunting handload. I settled on using 120gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips loaded with H-4895 Powder. Average Muzzle Velocity was running 2436 FPS, with 3 shot 100 yard groups averaging slightly under and inch from the bench.

The first was Monday afternoon (3rd day of the season) right at sunset. The medium sized Whitetail Doe emerged from a patch of willows out onto the meadow I was sitting in. At 200 yards the 120gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip entered behind the near side shoulder between two ribs, destroyed the lungs, broke a rib and exited leaving a quarter size exit hole. At the shot the Doe swapped ends and started back from where she had come from. She covered about 20 yards and tipped over. When I got to her she was done. This load leaves my 14" 7-30 Waters at 2436 FPS, and was traveling 2023 FPS with 1091 FtLbs of Energy when it stuck the Doe.

The 3 days later on Thursday afternoon about 15 minutes before sunset I spotted a Whitetail standing on the edge of a cedar tree grove on some Game, Fish & Parks Game Production Area. The Buck was quartering towards me at a pretty good angle, and considering where the buck was standing I decided to try to place the bullet right on the near side front shoulder (which I did) At the shot the Buck came away from the Cedar Trees out onto the meadow and headed straight away from me. I was despirately trying to get the buck in the scope for a second shot, but before I managed to do that he collapsed. The buck covered about 50 yards from the point of impact to where it collapsed.

The shot was dead center on the near side shoulder. After passing through the shoulder the 120gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip broke a rib entering the chest cavity, destroyed the lungs, broke another rib exiting the chest cavity leaving an exit wound 1" top to bottom and 1 1/2" front to back. Upon skinning the buck my wife found the bullet jacket between the hide and the rib cage. There was an exit hole in the hide I am assuming was made from the bullet core exiting the buck. The 120gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip was traveling 2172 FPS with 1257 FtLbs of Energy when it stuck the Buck.

I am very pleased with the results of the first season with the 14" 7-30 Waters Contender Handgun.

This year has been my first experience with the 7-30 Waters in a 14" Handgun. Several years ago I used a 10" Contender chambered for the 7-30 Waters Cartridge to take 3 Whitetails and my Cousin's Husband used my Contender and Ammo to take a 4th Whitetail. In the 10" Contender I was using the same 120gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip but loaded to an average muzzle velocity of 2258 FPS pushed by Winchester W-748 Powder.

Thanks for reading.

Larry


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