Ok this should be amusing. IV been debating how to set up a contender to better suit my hunting and my personal weird taste.

I hunt southeast louisiana, and it is THICK down here. I don't stand hunt, just kinda wander around, find a good spot, hang out for a while then move along.

So I move around a lot and don't shoot far. I also have a deep rooted affection for one shot drops. Tracking a wounded pig through our little jungle isn't my idea of fun.

So. Lots of thump for deer and pig, Fairly light and fast handling, oh and I love wildcats. So what would you do??

I have some ideas & all of them are more than needed for deer & hogs, but will hammer them if you do your part. I love wildcat rounds & I really like ones that kick like mules. I don't hunt with a Contender, but I do with several Competitor pistols chambered for a few off the wall wildcats. I really like the 416 Barnes. It is a 45/70 case necked down to .416 & I have proved this round on deer, boar, and a yak bull. Another big bore wildcat I have is a 475/350 Rem Mag. It is a 350 Rem case blown out straight to accept .475 bullets. I have proved this round on a big feral boar. This round pushes a 400 gr. XTP several hundred fps faster than the Linebaugh round.

In a Contender the 416 JDJ & the 475 JDJ would be comparable. If you had an Encore, that would open up a few higher pressure rounds. The 445 Supermag would probably be perfect in the Contender.

A 12" 45 Colt bull barrel. Will do what a 454 will from a revolver, but with less punishment. I hunt in a similar fashion as you and my main gun is a Ruger Bisley 45 Colt so I may be biased a bit, but unless you envision a lot of shooting well beyond 100 yards it is more than capable.

As much as I love the oddball cartridges, I'm leaning toward a 10 inch 45 colt with either irons or some kind of dot. I just don't think my beloved wildcats can really meet my actual needs any better than the old 45. Plus I can get a barrel and dies faster and cheaper.

But the jdj cartridges from the 375 up have had my attention for a long time now. I suppose I need one of each. We are just deciding which one comes first at this point I believe. (Isn't that always the case with
contender barrels?)

The 45 Colt is a lot more practical for sure, but big bore wildcats are just so cool!

you can't go wrong with the Colt. I can't wait to see some kill pics. Good Luck!

Thanks franchise. Hey while we are on the topic, what are your thoughts on those big boys fired out of 10 or 12 inch tubes? It seems their potential may be wasted without the typical 14 or 15 inch barrels.

How about a 475 Linebaugh barrel. Somewhat less common than a 45 Colt but hardly a wildcat.

More than enough authority to put anything on this planet down.

I used to use a Contender. Like you mentioned above some of the wildcats may need a longer tube. I was always happier w/shorter barrels & straight wall cases. Even had a buddy w/an 8" 41 on his Tender. Very handy! Under a 100? Why not something akin to the 475-500's? Not like you see them much. Second thought I like Franchise's idea on the supermags. The rarest of them all a 375 Supermag? Deer & pigs shouldn't be an issue.

You don't mention if you reload. It is essential to reload to get the full potential from any caliber especially some wildcat. You need to decide what length of barrel thaat you want. I am a fan of the 10" in tenders. Some swear by the 12". If i am going to pack a 14", i will just pack a carbine!
Second then choose a caliber that fits that barrel length. I like the 30 Herrett. The plain ole 45 colt or 44 mag is plenty of gun. Pointed bullets out of the Herrett seem to fly better than a fat flat nose from either my 45 or 44.
There are lots of choices, but i tend to stick eith ones that have brass and bullets. That is important these days of hoardeing gone wild.

I also prefer a 10 for handling but a 12 with a large bore handles like a 10 with a smaller hole and those 2 inches will yield another 100 fps + or -.

I have several of the 10 inch factory barrels, and several 14 inch barrels in factory and custom configuration. I only have two 12 inch barrels, both "custom", that are true bull diameter, and must admit that for your type of hunting, have the best balance when shooting offhand. One of the 12's is a 45 Colt from MGM, and has a beautiful finish (blued). It wears a 4X Leupold, and would do nicely out to 100 or so yards. A factory G2 barrel in 44 Mag is available in 12 inch bull, and would also serve your purpose nicely. A heavy for caliber bullet placed on the point of the shoulder will anchor your quarry, and because the bullets aren't traveling that fast, you can eat right up to the hole.

For under 100 yds I love my 12" 45-70. The balance and knockdown have to be seen to be believed plus recoil is not as bad as you might think

Don't overlook a 12 to 14 in 45-70 barrel. I have a 12 in on a Contender with a red dot that is a hammer on deer with 300 gr jacketed bullets . Packed in a cross draw holster it is easy to draw and is protected from brush very well.

Swampcrawler,

After reading your original post several times, I am going to agree here with what Ellis and Junebug have said, (IE: the 45/70... 'cuz you did say how thick the cover is and the ranges are short and you want "Lots of thump for deer and pig" and "Tracking a wounded pig through our little jungle isn't my idea of fun." That being said, I have used the 45/70 in a Contender and I know that with the proper loads it will answer your needs with authority.

For the most part the other cartridges mentioned will also work fine but this is my view from here.

BTW the 45/70 cartridge also works well on elk at short ranges.

Thanks for all of the great info and suggestions gentlemen. I'm actually a bit surprised how many seem to like 45/70 in a Short barrel. I had forgotten about the
linebough rounds as well.

They may be a bit much for the Contender.

S4s4u, ya think so? J.D. designed his 475 jdj for the contender, and it's a blown out 45/70 case as well only full length rather than shortened.

(Bet touching off the 475 jdj with a 500 gr pill would be about like stiff arming a speeding fiat.)

I know you lean toward the 4+ sizes but the 35 Rem isn't too shabby either. Probably needs 14" tube though.

Oops. The linebaugh is too much for the contender. I may just start saving for a freedom revolver in 475. They are kinda growing on me

If you like the grip frame I doubt the BFR would disappoint. I have an FA & love it though. What ya need is a big bore revolver in the same cartridge as your scoped tender!

Swampcrawler, I have the 475 JDJ in a half-round, half-octagon setup in the Contender (read lightweight). It's "sporty", even with the 325gr loads!

I want NO part of the 500 grainers

Lol I can imagine. I'm not sure if my sanity is intact here. A 23 inch contender carbine shooting lever evolution factory ammo kicked the snot out of me and I'm looking for something similar in a handgun. But the 2 pigs and one 145 lb white tail it took went down like lightening hit them and I love it!