The .45/.410

[MCgunner]

Been taking my .45/.410 10" contender with me when checking my hog trap lately. It's snake season, but beyond that, I figure if I hear some hogs, I can whip the choke off and put a .45 in it hopefully quick enough to maybe get a shot.

So, anyway, I'm walking out there in my waterproof snake boots (about a half mile hike in from the road) to check my trap yesterday when a cotton tail jumps and runs down a clear path long enough for me to get on him. At between 15 and 20 yards I rolled him. Now, I'm thinkin', what other handgun on earth could I get on and actually HIT a running rabbit with? ROFL! Keep your Taurus Judge. I know this is only a single shot, but for outdoor use, hey, it's far more useful. And, the handloads I fire in .45 Colt in this thing, pretty accurate out to 50 yards, would not be kind to a lesser gun. I only own this barrel and a Ruger Blackhawk in .45 Colt and they're both strong guns for hot loads.

 

[rcmodel]

Well, that sounds like fun!
I have always wanted a Contender .45/.410, but so far still haven't got one.

I killed a flying Mallard duck once with a .357 S&W & CCI shot-shells.

Anyway, I had just set up decoys one morning and had the S&W loaded with shot to fight off the water-snakes that were still out late that year.

I just got in the blind when a lone Mallard came over, and I winged it with my shotgun. It glided into a landing in some cat-tails on the other side of the big pond I was hunting.

I walked around to get it, and as I approached, it took off again!

I instinctively drew the S&W & squeezed off a CCI shot-shell, and the Mallard folded like I had hit it with a 3 1/2" Magnum load!

Believe me, I was probably as surprised as the duck was!

rcmodel

 

[MCgunner]

ROFL! Well, there's no accounting for the lucky BB. I think you probably put one on his head for him to fold like that.

I had a teal fly in once and turn about 10 yards out from me. I was using a 20 gauge full choked 870 Remington Wingmaster with No 5 lead (was a long time ago) and swung on him and fired. He was barely off my gun barrel. I walked over and picked him up and I had literally blown his head off. I think a .30-06 would have done the same, LOL! The shot hadn't even started to spread, yet.

I've shot a few squirrel with the Contender/.410, gotta get inside 25 yards. But, this is the first rabbit I've taken with it and the first RUNNING rabbit I've ever tagged with a handgun. Lots of 'em sitting with a .22 or .38, but never a running rabbit with a handgun. Only the .410 would make that possible. I haven't really used this .410/.45 Colt much, but going out this time of year when snakes abound, it does sorta make sense to tote. I normally don't need to shoot a snake, but I have when he was between me and my feeder or such things. If he was inside my trap, I'd get him out, well, if he was a rattler or cotton mouth which abound down there.

 

[mavracer]

once while dove hunting had shotgun leaning against fence relieving myself when THE SHOT presents itself about 20 yards coming right at me, I drew my contender 410 and dang near dropped that dove in my p puddle. Dad had witnessed this and said it was unfair to use bait ROTFLMAO

 

[Brian Williams]

45/410, Contender yep, the way to go.
The jury is out and back on the Judge for me, guilty of answering the wrong question.

 

[MCgunner]

Well, I took a pic of the gun. It's the old style octagonal barrel. I prefer it to the newer one for several reasons. First, while not optimum for speed with the shotgun, the real sights make working with the .45 Colt viable. While not typical Contender accurate, it will still put 5 rounds into under 4" at 50 yards, plenty accurate enough with the irons for short range hunting. It fires a 300 grain Hornady XTP out with 1000 ft lbs and ain't all THAT overly hot. I could get a little more out of it, but don't see the need.

The choke on the old style barrel is external and is easily screwed on hand tight and can be removed without tools so long as nothing has been fired through it (which will tighten it). So, when you're boppin' along in the woods and hear that hog, you can whip the choke off quick and switch ammo. Also, with the choke off, it's only 7" of barrel. It makes for a compact and amazingly light contender. Too, it is ported and .410 is mild when shot from the gun, though I cannot say as much with the choke off and a hot .45 in place. It will beat ya up after a few rounds off the bench, but you know you're firing a REAL handgun. LOL

 

[sheephearder]

I used my 410 contender to rid the place of skunks a couple of years back. With 45 colt I have not been able to get it to shoot under 3" at 25 yards so consider it as just so so there. The ruger in 45 shoots a lot better but the contender gives me a strong gun to test new loads with. Does any one have a load that has shoot really good in the 45/410?

Bill

 

[MCgunner]

Lead strips a bit in the rifling, my thinking anyway. I think, too much freebore for lead bullets. They get to moving well before they hit the rifling. I developed the XTP 300 Grain hornady in the gun using 2400 for powder. The bullet is about as accurate as it gets in the Contender and shots 1" little 25 yard clusters in the Ruger. Of course, the Ruger is pretty awesome with lead loads, too. But, steer clear of lead bullets in the .410 barrel for the Contender.

With the 300 grain JHP load, I had a scope on this barrel for testing before and was able to get 6-7 inch groups, all on a pie plate at 100 yards. That's a far cry from the 1.5" groups I get with the .30-30, but it ain't THAT bad. It's useful to 50 and not accurate enough to justify a scope, which is good cause that'd ruin the usefulness with shot shells.