MCgunner
Member
Wouldn't the freebore be the same as on the Contender barrel?
I have a .45 colt/.410 contender and had a scope on it at one time. It would group about 8-10" at 100 yards, which is pathetic for a contender, but with the irons on it, at 50, you could keep 'em on minute of deer shoulder, probably around 5". The shotgun part of it involves screwing a choke on the end of the barrel which chokes it full choke AND stops the rotation of the shot load. I've hunted squirrel with it. At 20 yards and in, you can hit, but I've fired on a squirrel about about 25-30 yards before and he just scampered off laughing at me as leaves fell off the tree all around where he was sitting. The combination, even in a contender, is less than impressive.
The judge, at across the room ranges, especially if you have a small two bedroom like my house, it fine, but it ain't no huntin' or outdoor survival tool, no way, no how. I'll keep my DA .357s or my Blackhawks for outdoor use or my .30-30 barrel on the contender for serious whitetail and hog hunting. And, I have taken squirrel at 50+ yards with the .22 barrel on that Contender. The .22 is far more effective than the .410 barrel.
BTW, I haven't tried it yet, but contender types have loaded 9.3x74R brass with bulky powder and a .45 bullet to take up the freebore in the contender. I don't even know where to start on powder and powder charge, but some day when I've got nothing better to do, I'm going to ebay some brass and work on this project. Could wind up with a poor man's .45-70.