Thanks for the responses. I think a solid extension is about the best way for me to get some use out of that barrel. You may find the same with your .35 Rem (which would have been my first choice in chamberings). I never really used my Contender as a handgun and that barrel has been collecting dust for years. I'm not crazy about 16" barrels either but I think my 8 yr old grandson will enjoy it with some mild cast gallery loads. His dad took his first buck with that Contender frame and a 24" Bullberry barrel in .30-30 at 10 or 11. It was muzzle heavy for him and I had to take the recoil pad off so he could reach the trigger with his heavy clothes on. Since the grandson has been shooting a .22 we sized down for him, he's now a "big guy" and wants to shoot the "big gun', like his dad did. This stubby 16" should handle a lot better for him. I shot it just a little before I cut the ports off and threaded it. A group using the same loads with the extension bored to .330 shot the same but I haven't even started wringing this one out. I still have some odds and ends left to do - work out a scope base with aperature sight and drill/tap for the front ramp. If anyone has different thoughts or experience with clearances on this, I'd sure like to hear it.
