Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Contender Barrel and Caliber Question

I have a few Contender Barrel Questions and would like to get the Fire's Family's opinions on these...

1. If you take a 14" 45-70 hunter with factory loads vs. a 14" 44 Mag Hunter with factory loads, which one has more felt perceived recoil? I have fired a 35 Rem in both braked and non-braked barrels and to me, the 35 Remington has less recoil than a 44 Mag in either a braked or non braked config... I have read that a 45-70 has less recoil shooting typical 300gr factory loads vs a 44 mag shooting either 300 gr or some of the 300-400 grain cast loads due to the fact the 45-70 shooting rifle powder burns slower and has a larger case therefore having less build-up of pressure. I seek the opinion of those who have actually fired both in equal barrel configs to answer this

2. Do you think the barrel quality is not the same since S&W took over T/C? So in asking this, would it be better to find a good, used TC barrel made by the original stand-alone TC factory vs a newer S&W made barrel?

3. Do you think a barrel from a third party manufacturer such as Match Grade Machine, Bullberry, SSK or EA Brown is of higher quality and accuracy typically than original TC or current S&W TC factory made barrels?

4. What do you think of using a 357 Mag with a good quality 158gr or heavier bullet or a 10MM with a 175gr or heavier bullet for deer? I know the 41 Mag and 44 Mag would technically be better, but if you can shoot the 357 or 10MM better, what say you all?


Look forwarded to the responses. Have a Merry Christmas and Blessed New Years Campfire Family

1) with factory loads, I found the .45-70 to be softer shooting because it's such low pressure. Step on the gas any, and it becomes obnoxious quickly.

2) no direct experience.

3) Yes. I've not tried EABCO, but MGM, SSK, and Bulberry barrels are better.

4) They will work just fine, though you might want to lean toward the 180s in the .357. Shot placement, as always, is critical.

I can only offer an answer to question #4. I have had good success with a 6" GP-100 in 357 using a half grain below max charge of W 296 and a Hornady 158gr xtp.

I have an 8" 357 mag Contender barrel and as soon as I get time, I am going to play with some 180's in it.

Have been shooting Contenders since the 1980s.


1)..is going to depend on your load. Both are going to have a lot of snap but if you start pushing the .45-70 you are going to have a lot more recoil and muzzleblast. To me the .45-70 is a waste in the Contender. It is also one of the only factory rounds that with heavier loads will stretch a Contender frame. I've shot both in Super 14 barrels along with .41 Magnum...I still have the .41 in 10" and 16". I also had .35 Rems in both plain and braked...much preferred the non-braked. To me with full loads were snappier with the .35 than the .44 but the overall recoil was about the same.

2) Have not owned any of the TC barrels made since S&W took over... TC was three miles from the house and S&W told everyone that they would not be moving the factory before the purchase went through....there is now a vacant lot where the factory once stood... Can't see me owning any more barrels than I have now.

3) I am not sure it makes any difference. I've never had a bad TC barrel and the friends I've had with TCs have never had a bad barrel regardless of maker. The nice thing about the custom makers is that you can get exactly what you want... After the demise of the TC Custom Shop what you see is what you can order...

4) A 14" TC puts a .357 Magnum up into Carbine territory. .357 Magnum revolvers have kills lots of deer so a Contender will do it just as nicely and probably at greater distance. That said, sometimes the weight of a heavier caliber saves the day by punching through something that a .357/158 would not. 10mm is also a fine round but to me if you are going 10mm why not a rimmed round like a .41...you can also shoot heavier bullets if need be... if you want a .357 what about a Maximum?

My two main TC hunting barrels are a 10" .41 Magnum using 170-200 grain JHP bullets and a 14" .41/.445 SuperMag that will push a 255 hardcast to 2K fps...

Bob

1) My 45-70 Contender has a 14" SSK barrel on it with arrestor brake. JD Jones will tell you the the Contender will handle any factory 45-70 loads without issue as they are under the SAAMI allowed pressure for that caliber.
Handloads are under story as you the reloader determine if you follow the pressure limits.
I have both the 14" 45-70 and a 10" 44mag. The 44 mag is much easier to shoot as far as recoil.
2) No newer T/C barrels since the S&W takeover, so no comment.
3) I have OTT, SSK, and MGM barrels and yes overall they are a higher quality/accurate usually due to using better quality blanks and not being mass produced. That said I have a couple of TC barrels that shoot lights out and had a few that had poor chambers/throats that wouldn't group.
4) I have taken several whitetails with the .357 Mag in a revolver so I would lean that direction, but if I was buying a new Contender barrel for deer hunting I would go with the .357 Max.