Recoil in the Contender is a unique feel. All the gun’s weight is forward of the grip since it attaches by a screw into the frame stud. So, there’s a lot of torque to the recoil.
If you use Pachmayr grips, they will help a lot!
Bull barrels dampen the recoil compared to the light octagonal barrels.
The 10” barrels recoil much more than the 14” barrels.
I find the recoil with 44 Magnum, particularly with 300 gr bullets to be pretty heavy. But, the 357 Herrett is much worse! (This is a wildcat made from expanded and slightly shortened 30-30 brass.)
I find 30-30 recoil pretty manageable even in the 10” barrel. But, the muzzle blast might trick you into thinking it’s heavier.
Handloading helps with the 30-30 tremendously if you select powders on the faster burning rate. They have much less blast. I like 4198, RL-7 (is that made anymore?), SR 4759 (discontinued), etc. I also really like cast bullets in the 30-30! The RCBS 165-30 SIL bullet is fantastic!
Also, contrary to general opinion, I recommend neck sizing. Full length dies reduce the brass for easy feeding in lever actions. But, it really hurts accuracy and shortens brass life.
If you simply must use a full length sizing die, try adjusting it so it doesn’t set the shoulder back. You can do this by drawing a pencil line on the case neck and shoulder. Adjust the die to just touch the case mouth. Turn the die in bit by bit, watching the pencil line disappear as it approaches the shoulder. Stop before you touch the shoulder and set the lock ring while the case is still in the die.
One of the great things I remember about the Contender is how much Thompson Center supported and encouraged handloading.
