Calling all TC know it alls!

OK, I have been looking for a barrel to hunt with for my TC contender. I wanted something in either a big pistol cartridge or a WSM or something manageable. I found a 14in bull barrel in 454 Casull yesterday at the gun shop. Used but nicely blued, big bull barrel and the rifleing looks brand new as I'm sure no one shot a 454 THAT much, God knows I wont! But, I also heard from some great guys here and remember hearing it'll shoot .45LC as well. Now, question is, what kind of price should a used TC BBL in 454 casull go for?


Thanks!

SX

Last barrel I bought was probably 6 or 8 years ago, 90 bucks for a 10" .22LR barrel. I'd think $100-$150 would be a fair price range for a barrel, but let others who've priced recently speak up. I haven't been lookin' in a while. There's lots of barrels on ebay. You can follow the auctions and get an idea of what they're going for.

Consider a 12" "hunter" barrel, comes with a built/machined in compensator that is very effective. I have one, hunt with one in .30-30 and it recoils like a .38 wadcutter in a K frame, this with full power loads. The TC can be quite violent in recoil due to the grip shape. My .45 Colt hot loads sting in the Contender and are a pleasure to shoot in my Blackhawk. I scope any barrel I'm hunting with, so shooting squib loads, though I worked one up with a cast bullet from a Lee mold, gas check 200 grain, isn't really practical since the POI is so different. I keep my Contender sighted in for a 175 yard zero and don't like to mess with it, especially during hunting season. I like the rifle calibers, stuff like .30-30 or .35 Remington, really reach out there. I suppose the .454 would work fine, I'm just into the flatter trajectories of the rifle calibers. I've often thought owning a .45-70 would be fun and lord knows it's a sledge hammer caliber.

Ed's Contenders (http://www.edstc.com/edstc/encore.html) from $195 - $205.

Thanks, I think I'll offor them $200.00 for the combo. I feel that would be a good price.

OK, I have been looking for a barrel to hunt with for my TC contender.
Do you have a Contender or an Encore? Is the barrel you found a Contender barrel? The T/C factory .454 Casull barrels are only for the Encore, and Encore barrels do not fit the Contender.

I have a contender, the ticket says it is for a contender meaning to me it isn't a factory barrel. It does hae a TC mount and scope on it. Ill have to ask or just take my TC down there and have them look at it.

Wondered about that. I've never seen a .454 TC Contender barrel and it's pretty high pressure for a Contender frame.

I wouldn't shoot full power 454 loads in a contender unless you get a G2 frame but I you handload you could tailor a round to be more powerful than a 44 Mag and still keep the pressure in the 44 Mag range. I have a Super 14 in 45 Win Mag and one thing I will say is that generally the 14" barrels are too muzzle heavy for offhand shooting however the 45 calber hole really removes the extra muzzle weight and I find the 14" 45 Win Mag balances very well.;)

I would double check that bbl. The Contender cannot handle the pressure of the Casull round. If you want that kind of performance, look for a used 45-70 bbl. Will do everything the Casull will, but at a pressure level the Contender can withstand.

The .45-70 Contender is no fun at all.:uhoh:


.30-30 is great!

Wrong form for this but I highly reccomend the .35 Rem in a contender for hunting. Other good ones are 30-30 and 7mm Waters. I don't think I would want a .454 Contender! The 45-70 is a handfull , but would be better than a .454 in my opinion!:)

Wrong form for this but I highly reccomend the .35 Rem in a contender for hunting. Other good ones are 30-30 and 7mm Waters. I don't think I would want a .454 Contender! The 45-70 is a handfull , but would be better than a .454 in my opinion

Also, 7mmTCU is sweet shootin', low recoil, high on performance. But, it's a reloader's proposition since you have to size and fire form .223 brass. I used to use mine in IHMSA, sits idle now days, but it's fun at the range and would be a good deer sized game caliber. I'm into my .30-30, though, no slouch on deer sized game.

I'm not a good enough shot with a handgun to be hunting with one. (eyes, weight and age) But, if I ever improve I've got the .221 Fireball and .223 for varmints and the .45/.410 for hogs. I feel the .45/.410 barrel would work for me for what type of game I'm likely to encounter at close-in ranges. .410 slugs are cheap to practice with too and proved plenty potent on several goats I have shot. (I raise goats. My wife has several Asian friends and one Kenyan friend who ask that I kill the goat for them before they take it home to butcher.)