Encore .45-410 questions

[Blunderbus]

This is my first posting here, but I've been observing this forum for several weeks. A lot of great info here.

I just bought a new Encore pistol with 12-inch 45/410 barrel and I have several questions.

1) Can you shoot the 00 buckshot .410 loads in this gun? Choke in or choke out? Or is this oddball load a complete waste of time.

2) When you shoot it as a .45 Colt with the choke out, don't you risk damaging the threads? Do they get gummed up with  powder residue and/or shaved lead?

3) When  you shoot .45 Colt, that looks like a pretty long jump to the rifling. What kind of accuracy can you reasonably expect out of this barrel, and what factory loads would you recommend for hunting deer and boar at woods ranges with this barrel.

4) Could you expect to hit a paper plate at 50 yards using that little factory "bead-in-the-notch" iron sight setup?  Has anyone ever tried one of those rib-mounted fiber optic sight sets intended for turkey shotguns?

Like most guys who get this barrel, the .410 function (small game) was foremost in my mind. But until I add my next barrel (.44 mag? .454? .480?)  I'd like to explore the full versatility this one has to offer.

Thanks in advance for any enlightenment anyone might provide me.

Blunderbus

[HHI-7420]

Most of the guys here that have commented have said that the heavy(300gr.+) loads seem to shoot well. Don't know what sights they use though. Mine is a 14" contender. It's deadly on squirrels to about 25yds. with 7-1/2 shot. Always remove the choke when shooting slugs or buckshot. Don't know that I'd waste my time(except for fun only) with slugs or buckshot. Try the 45 colt at 50yds. and just see what you can do with the bead and notch. Who knows, it might just be a suprise.  Pat

[Blunderbus]

Thanks for the encouragement, Pat!

So far, I haven't located any 300-grain factory loads.  All I can find is the plain-vanilla 260 grain lead roundnoses and a 225 grain Silvertip hollowpoint. I don't know if either one of these is what I'd want for deer.

I guess you just about have to reload to make the most of the old hoss. That's on the "to do" list for me. But I'm not sure I want to go to the trouble to tool up just for a barrel I primarily got for squirrels and other small critters.

It occurred to me that, since this is an Encore, one might get away with firing a Casull in this barrell. Then again, one might not. I sure don't want to be the first person who ever tried this!

Blunderbus

[Big Gun]

I have one of the 45-410 10 inch Contender barrels with the real iron sights - no vent rib, also one of the old octagon 45-410 10 inch barrels.  

In the first barrel I have shot factory 45 loads, I could hit the paper plate at 50 yds but that was using all of the paper plate.  This was using Federal cast lead hollow points and Remington UMC (Yellow Box) lead flat points - both shot about the same as far as accuracy.  In my opinion accuracy was a bit lacking, although I did not experiment much to find a load that shot better.  I had always heard the same as you - big jump to the rifling will screw up accuracy.

In 410 mode the gun was fun on doves and black birds, even got 1 pheasant.  I used the octagon barrel a few times at a friend's house to shoot trap - scores were not impressive, but it was good fun and sparked a lot of conversation with some of the other shooters present.

On the 410 buckshot.  While I lived in Bolivia I had one of the Rexio (Super Comanche) break open single shot pistols chambered for 410 - I imagine most of the guys on this forum know what that is as I have seen them around in the US for the past 3 years - they are cheap (made in Argentina), and in Bolivia it was the closest thing I could find to a Contender.  It had a 10 inch barrel and a bead front sight.  I used it as a sidearm while hunting in Bolivia, I actually took 2 deer (they are much smaller than white tail deer) with it using the 410 buck shot - 4 pellets.  Both were at relatively close range 20-25 yds.  I also took many of the local partridge, a few doves, a couple of armadillos, rabbits, an alligator, and a duck or 2 with that pistol - it was great fun.

[Blunderbus]

:shock: Alligator? Boy Howdy to that! :grin:

The fun factor was the main reason I chose this as the first barrel for my Encore. That, and the fact that the T/C website shows the next generation of .45-410 barrels as having non-vented ribs. The shop I bought it in didn't have a blued .44 mag barrel in stock, which was actually my first choice.  I was intrigued by the .480 Ruger barrel they had, but hesitated because of the limited factory ammo. I was intimidated -- I admit it -- by the .454 Casull.  I've heard too many seasoned shooters say "Ow!" when telling me what it's like to shoot one.  But when the clerk showed me that 12-inch .45-410 barrel with the vent rib -- the last one in the shop-- I figured I'd better grab it while I still had the chance.

Blunderbus

[spinafish]

Blunderbuss,I know the regulars are getting sick of hearing about it...but..I used a B-Square shotgun vent rib mount to put a Tasco Red-dot sight on my 14" Contender.  It allows me to use both the .410 and the 45 LC with far better accuracy than I was getting with the bead and notch set-up.  My barrel really likes the 300 grainers..I load both the 300 XTP's and a hand poured hard cast Lee 300 grainer.  They are equally accurate.50 Yds was max for me with the bead and notch..I would try 100 now under right circumstances.

[Blunderbus]

Spinafish,

Well, I'm certainly not sick of hearing about it. Thanks for the input!

The B-Square mount is a neat idea. It's good to know that mounting a scope is an option on this barrel.

Is the hard cast Lee a Keith-style bullet? Do you cast it yourself, or are these produced commercially?  I stopped by a different gun shop today and located some of those Federal 3-inch shotshells with 7 1/2 shot. But the .45 Colt ammo selection was even more dismal than the first shop I visited.

I may have to get into handloading sooner than I thought.

Blunderbus

[spinafish]

I guess technically it is pretty close..meplat is not as wide I think.  I pour my own usually tire weights hardened with tin solder..then quenched in ice water. They will shot through a 16" seasoned pecan log end to end from about thirty yards.  I use the high end loads from Hodgdon using their H-110 and Lil'Gun.  I really like the lower pressures generated by the Lil'Gun,but some have complained of wide velocity spreads with it. There is a wealth of info at their website.  www.hodgdon.com  Good hunting type loads for the 45 LC are hard to come by from the factory.  Corbon and Buffalo Bore are two that come to mind right off,but I believe with the 45 LC reloading the only way to go..both economically speaking and for performance.  Its easy to surpass .44 Mag performance at far lesser pressure..easier on you and your gun. Linebaugh has written extensively concerning the advantages.  I have some of his essays earmarked somewhere.  When I find them,I'll PM them to you.
I believe the Winchester Silvertip would make a good lower weight whitetail round. The mushroom they produce is magazine photo perfect.  They should work inside 50 yds. easily.  I certainly wouldn't want to get hit by one!

[boneguru]

I use it almost exclusively with .410, But when I want to take something big.... I have been playing with slugs and really like the russian solid cased slugs. no plastic to tear or trash out and pack a whallop, R