Most Useful Contender Barrel

[Llew Taranau]

Is a box of factory .45/70s really $60?

I’m seeing prices ranging from $44 - $64... And almost without exception Out Of Stock / Backordered.

ETA: I take it back — there are listings at less than $2 per round. But they’re all backordered.

 

[Trashyshoots]

My "most useful" and anyone that hunts is going to have a different opinion.

My most useful is a 22lr. Cheap, plentiful ammo, great paper puncher, and fantastic for learning drops and windage holds.

However, overall, I gotta vote for 45lc.
(Dont qoute me) but iirc they can be loaded up quite hot (44 mag levels) for the contenders, they can be loaded down to mousefart wadcutter loads that put easy to see holes in paper at distance, and you can cast your own wadcutters, making loading extremely economical.

 

[gemihur]

The best chamber is the one that you've got the most bullets for.
They are all fun to shoot.
The 7-30 Waters is the most impressive from the traditional lineup.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

I'd have to choose the Super 14 in .35 Remington.

I have to second that with a caveat: hand-loads are what make the .35Remington in a 14" barrel the most useful configuration. The ability to make anything from a 110gr. ultra-fast GDHP load to a 300gr. ultra-slow pin-n-plate load is what makes the .35Rem the ideal single-shot pistol cartridge, in my opinion. The 10" .30-30 barrel is probably second, also with the caveat of the owner being a hand-loader, which is also probably why in T/C circles it is ubiquitous.

 

[sean m]

10 inch 22 LR or a 357 mag would be my choices for most useful.

 

[Hick Industries]

My favorite is my 14" in 445 Super Mag, with the 4x Leupold scope. It tames 44 mag loads, and full power super mag loads, push a 300g Sierra to 1800 f/s.

Btw, I am not recoil sensitive.

 

[25-20 WCF]

I’ve had many Contender barrels over the past 45 years, some were a lot of fun but not so “useful”. Others were “useful” but not as much fun. I reloaded for all but the .22LR, I rarely used factory ammo. Since the OP already answered his own question months ago I can comment on the posts of others in common chamberings

My .25-35 is exactly 40 years old. It’s a10” octagon which I used to shoot my first 40x40 IHMSA score. The silhouette load was a 120 BT at 1800 fps. A lot of fun to load and shoot, I haven’t taken it to the range in 5 years.

I’ve had three .30 Herretts, still have the original 10” from 1976. It still shoots well and has taken a number of Kodiak Island blacktails with Nosler 125 BTip and Hornady 110 V-Max bullets.

Still have two .35 Remingtons, a Super 14 and an 18.5” SSK. Took an Alaskan moose with the Super years ago, just some small Texas hogs and deer with the SSK. The latter is very accurate, and fast - about 100 fps faster than most published data from longer barrels. My favorite load is the 150 CoreLokt and AA2015 powder for 2550 fps and good accuracy.

My Super 16 in .45-70 (laminated carbine wood) probably gets the most use now but with reduced loads between 1050 and 1400 fps. I found one load which aggs under 1.5 moa and is mild enough to be lots of fun. The hunting load is a 300 HP at 1784 fps. That one hurts to shoot…




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[Trashyshoots]

My favorite is my 14" in 445 Super Mag, with the 4x Leupold scope. It tames 44 mag loads, and full power super mag loads, push a 300g Sierra to 1800 f/s.

Btw, I am not recoil sensitive.

That makes me shudder. I tap out at around hot 357s out of a full size revolver.

 

[cfullgraf]

..r a 357 mag would be my choices for most useful.

I’ll agree on a 357 Magnum barrel.

My first Contender included a 10” 357 Magnum barrel to shoot production class at IHMSA silhouette competition.

The 357 Magnum Contender is quite versatile.

 

[Ranger99]

. . . until such time as I get a tax stamp for SBR

JMHO- I'd look around for one of the
barrel " legalizer" extensions that Choate
used to sell. Makes it legal everywhere,
and you don't have to worry about any
misinformed law enforcement personnel
or gun shop/ gun range people having a
hemorrhoid

 

[black mamba]

A 12-14" barrel in 460 S&W would be very useful, whether handloading or just shooting factory loads in 45 Colt, 454 Casull or the full 460 Smith. Choose your power and recoil level from mild to wild, with bullets from 160 to 360 grains.

 

[gemihur]

I like the add-on brakes that make it legal for carbine use but I dig the Choate furniture and extension

 

[25-20 WCF]

A 12-14" barrel in 460 S&W would be very useful, whether handloading or just shooting factory loads in 45 Colt, 454 Casull or the full 460 Smith. Choose your power and recoil level from mild to wild, with bullets from 160 to 360 grains.

Might the half-inch-plus of freebore be an accuracy issue firing the .45 LC? That’s quite a jump…




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[black mamba]

Might the half-inch-plus of freebore be an accuracy issue firing the .45 LC?

From what I've read, they're still plenty accurate. I shoot deep seated bullets (1.495" OAL) in 45 Colt brass in my 454 Casull revolvers, and they are very accurate.

 

[gunnerh]

My 22lr gets used the most, followed by a 357 mag. The 25-35 sounds like something need to try. Oh bother

 

[Trashyshoots]

My 22lr gets used the most, followed by a 357 mag. The 25-35 sounds lake something need to try. Oh bother

I would love a 357 mag barrel, maybe when ammo comes back I'll grab one.

 

[25-20 WCF]

From what I've read, they're still plenty accurate. I shoot deep seated bullets (1.495" OAL) in 45 Colt brass in my 454 Casull revolvers, and they are very accurate.

Apples and oranges. The base of the bullet is still in the .45 LC case when the front enters the tight throat of your .454 revolver, stabilizing it. A single shot .460 is much different and leaves the base of most bullets in the wide chamber (.478” in diameter) when the front hits the rifling, allowing the bullet to tip. But the proof is in the shooting, not in theory.




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