I'm sure there are a lot of 14 inchers that would be preferable, but was looking for a easy handling 10" contender barrel. Not really looking to get a big grizzly with it, but there is usually a good chance that they are around. Thanks for your choice. e-mail at dennis.madriaga@gmail.com

Hi Dennis.
Always nice to run across a fellow Alaskan on here. I'm down in Kenai. I have a Contender in .444 Marlin, but it is 14" & I'm afraid it would loose a fair amount of efficiency in a 10" tube. I guess my 1st choice might be a .445 Supermag. I would guess (just a guess mind you) that it has about all the powder you can burn well in a 10" barrel. The .444 might be a bit faster, but I wouldn't bet on it. In my 14" barrel .444 barrel the loads I chronographed yesterday showed an average of 2106fps with 270 gr Speer Gold Dots.
If you are ever down this way let me know & I'll buy you a cup of coffee somewhere.

I'm not sure that you would NEED any more than a .44 Magnum. In a 'Tender it get a little more than in a revolver, and it's all about shot placement anyway - right?!?!?

Shot placement is very important, but when you start talking about brown bears that can run up to 1200#, there is no such thing as overkill or too much gun. And with their muscle & bone structure the .44 mag is marginal.
Even with the smaller inland grizzlies, in my opinion the .44 mag is adequate only with perfect shot angles & under optimal conditions, & if the bear is picking the time & place to be aggresive, it's never optimum!!!!
All that said I do at times carry a .44 mag revolver for bear protection, but it's only because that's the heaviest revolver I have. I would not buy one for that purpose. If I were buying for that purpose, it would probably be a .480 Ruger.

With a 10 inch barrel I think I would go with either the .480 or a .45 Colt.

Well, if one could get a Contender barrel chambered in .480 Ruger I'd be all over it, but........! 445 Super then, eh.

the 480 is way more then the contender can handle

Like I said........If!

I guess I'd pack either my 10" 444 Mahlin or my 45-70 Guvmint loaded as hot as you can hold on too!

I talked to a friend last night that has a 10 inch .40-44. He has hunted a lot with it and says it is deadlier than the .44 mag and has more range than the 44 mag. Also SSK does make .480 barrels for the Contender.

Hi Dennis, I'd go with either the 45-70 or the 45 colt loaded hot, I shoot the 45 colt with a 335 grain cast performance over 25gr of H110 out of my rugers and my lever gun, it seems like the rugers get between 1300 and 1400 fps out of a 7.5" barrel.

They do?!? But can you shoot full power loads or is it like their 250 Savage where you must reload at reduced power?

So Dennis, did you come to a decision yet?
Is there anybody up there with a decent selection of used Contender barrels? I know Gun Runners used to have a few, but I haven't seen much anywhere else.

Vance-didn't really get a barrel yet? I have dies, bullets and brass for the 45 Colt, but contender barrels are not that numerous. Lots of 45/410 barrels, but I wanted 45 Colt only barrel. A fellow shooter offered me a 12" barrel in another caliber, and I think I'll take it. Will let you know when the deal pulls through. No barrels at Gun Runners. Was there the other day, and Neil still had a 454 Encore barrel thats been collecting dust, but he wants quite a bit for it, and I don't want to go and buy a bigger Encore frame, although it would be a cheaper way of getting into a 500 S&W.

10 inch .454 Casull in the encore.