.45/410 Barrels for Contender or Encore.

Does anyone have this barrel for their TC single shooter ?

If so, I am wanting your thoughts on it.

In the Contender I've have 3; 45/410 10" Oct, 45/410 Bull and a 44 mag / 410 that someone had run a 410 3" reamer. The first two had removable chokes. I tried them on rabbits, grouse and targets. I guess if your shots run about 15 yards or so they are just OK. They are great for snakes up close. Patterns were pretty bad past 10 yards but I managed to take some small game with mine. I sold them all and just used the old Hot Shots loaded up in my 357 Mag T/C, they seemed to work fine for my needs.

Bill in OR

I have a 10" bull barrel with sights for my 'Tender. When I first bought it I thought it would be the cat's meow for quick change between a boolit and a shotshell when cruising the woods but that is not the case. For shooting 45LC you need the choke out, but for shotshells it must be in or the pattern spreads like swine flu. The accuracy with 45LC leaves much to be desired, about 4" @ 25 yards if lucky. As a shotgun however it is deadly on grouse and bunnies to 20 yards and a little, with a fairly full pattern about a foot or so in diameter.

Bottom line, if you want to shoot 45LC buy a 45LC barrel, but if you want a small game shotpistol it gets the job done nicely.

very good out to 20 yards on squirrel and rabbit.some where there are some video clips posted on this sight of a guy hunting with one.If you can find them check them out.user who posted the was called 410.

My perception is its would be my Bullwinkle and Rockie gun, moose and squirrel (kidding). You can shoot the hot 45 Colt loads and 410 shells.

I have a 10" 45/410 vent rib. It is about worthless as a 45 barrel. On the other hand I use 410 to squirrel hunt and it is about as fun as it gets. I have also shot some clays in the fields, just dont expect to do great, but it sure is fun. As mentioned above the barrel is only good to about 20 yards.

my $0.02=
the 14"is the one i have.buddies have the 10's and the 12's.shot pattern does not chande with any of the barrel lenhgts,just the muzzle blast of the 10 can be annoying.
i prefer a 4 shot load.seems the 6 and even the 7.5's have no balls to get threw even the slightest peice of brush.
will kill/hit rabbits out to 20 yards/after that you may need a dog to get the game run down,it will be hit but sometimes not dead.
here are some clips of me/us.you can veiw all our pics at
http://s200.photobucket.com/albums/aa95/madcatter69/

these are some i threw together to show ya how i use my 410

thats all i can find/might have lost a few lol
can't wait till this year.everyone of us has the 410 thompson this year.look out bunnies

I have a 10" contender barrel with the normal open sights and I have a 12" vent rib for the encore.

I love the 10" contender barrel, With 45 colt I can get shots about 4" at 50 yards. not great but will be good enough to bring down a deer if needed (would not my first choice)the 410 with 71/2 shot is good out to 25-30 at max for squirrel. I reload for the 410 and I made some special loads using 36 caliber lead round balls, this is deadly out to about the same range on opossums and raccoons. I have take several opossums with it and a few raccoons.

I have not used the encore much to really commit on it.

IT is a fun barrel and well worth having.

i have vent rib barrel and cant get it to hit worth anything is the rest of you guys rifled or smooth. two pellets in a soda can at 10 yards. ??????????

My perception has been that 4 inch groups at 50 yards are doable, and the .410 is good for about 20 yards for game. Its good to get others perception though.

both of mine are rifled with the special "choke" They will not shoot 410 shells worth a hoot with out the "choke" but you need to be sure to remove it before shooting 45 colt or slugs. My 36 caliber lead balls are just small enough to squeeze trough the "choke"

It sounds like when I shot mine without the choke. Had a 3 foot "pattern" at 10'.