I recently scored a brand new, in the box, 10" Octagonal T/C Contender barrel chambered in 45 Colt.

This barrel has not been reamed to 410, and I got it for a song from ebay.

With the external straight rifled choke tube removed, the remaining ported barrel is only 8", and very light.

I modified the factory forend to accept the single point attachment on the barrel. To my surprise, the barrel is fully free floated with my modification. Lucky me.

I also replaced the original rear sight with the newest style rear sight.

The only complaint I've read about these barrels is that the recoil is excessive compared to it's same length bull barrel counterpart.

I cant wait to get a chance to shoot it. I believe I'll start with standard 45 Colt loads, before trying any of the heavy loads.

Does anyone else have any experience with these older octagon barrels?

It's hard to see to octagon barrel with the forend swallowing it up.






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I saw a few Hot-Shot shells for one a while back.
I am sure they are pretty rare now days.
With the light weight it will start being a handful in a hurry if you start winding it up.
The hardest kicking Contender I ever fired was one of those in 30-30. Plain Nasty!

Bob R

There?s a few still kicking around, I run into them pretty often.

Most brutal recoiling gun I have ever owned was a TC Contender

10'' pencil/0ctagon barrel in 44 magnum.. Proceed with caution!

Mine can be a handful with heavy bullets.

Brought this back up to see if you ever got around to trying your barrel out. I purchased one yesterday missing the choke tube in .44 mag. 8 1/4 in. Shot it today with some 110 gr 44 specials SWEET, then some 180 gr 44 specials SWEET,then on to the 240 gr .44 specials nice, then the bigger dogs 240 .44 mags DAMN, DAMN, DAMN!!!!!!!!!!!300 gr next, HELL NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THAT PUPPY MOVES AROUND,FAST!

I'm not exaggerating...the octagoned 44 mag old school contender that I've shot recoiled more than my Encore in 500 S&W...put that into perspective

Looks like my Encore with a 9" MGM barrel in 357.

Looks like it would be a nice close in hunting/woods loafing pistol with reasonable velocity pumpkin balls. Without the mass of a bigger barrel, I bet it will rotate skyward quickly!

I just ordered a 10" .357 Mag barrel from MGM 2 days ago.

I have a CVA Scout in 357 mag that is shooting my hand loaded Hornady FP/XTP at 1818 fps into a 0.5 inches at 50 yards.

Sadly, I haven't got out to shoot it yet. Work and family responsibilities have taken up so much time. Maybe if I get off work early tomorrow, I can shoot a little.
Glad to hear you got out to shoot yours, I'm kinda dreading the heavy stuff now too. Thanks

My first big bore handgun (circa 1977) was a octagon barrel with choke chambered in 44 Magnum. It was my everything gun. I shot pheasants, squirrels and rabbits with Hotshot capsule rounds. I carried it everywhere in an under arm shoulder rig as my backup to my rifle and dispatched a wounded Whitetail in 1978. That was the last day I carried a rifle... I shot my first handgun big game with it. I even shot my first metallic silhouette match with it. In those days you brought what you had and you had fun with it.
Back then I was shooting 240 grain Speer and Hornady 240 Hornady JHPs with a heavy dose of IMR 4227. Recoil was harsh but guns were lighter and harsh recoil was a fact of life. The original grip on my TC was the original design, small, reverse taper, saw handle wood grip. Heavy 44 loads were brutal and sometimes bloody. I bought a Herrett style thumb rest wooden grip and that solved the problem.
My original Contender was a Octagon 218 Bee (1976) that I still have today. Over the years it has accounted for many groundhogs, squirrels and several wild turkeys.
These are the 2 guns along with my dad?s K-22 that were my only handguns at the front end of my handgun hunting journey. At that time I thought it was all I needed. It was certainly all that I could afford.

BILLA: WELL STATED, AND A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE FOR US OLDER GUYS. THANKS FOR THE POST.

This barrel will get shot,just with milder loads. It shot very well with the specials so something along the lines of the of the 240 gr special speed will be used. It was NASTY and fast recoiling with the 240 mags so no more of them,I have better guns for shooting those. Will try to find the screw in choke for the barrel also so if anyone has a spare for a 44 barrel I would like to buy one.

Finally got to shoot it. Not bad with standard loads and Hornady's Leverevolution.

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