Anybody here shoot .410 in a 'Tender?

[.Dirty-.30]

I am interested in squirrel hunting with a Contender barrel in .410, I was wondering if any of the membership here have used the .410 and can vouch for its patterns up to 25 yds?  From what I have read so far I think the barrels were made in 10" and 12", are they all vent ribbed? Should I be on the lookout for a certain barrel since I am not interested in the .45 part of, mainly the 3" .410.   Thanks   .DT
 
Here is my first handgun squirrel with a Commanche .410 , I struggled with it to get the job done, from what I have read the T/C barrel for my Contender does nice...

[Mike Scott]

There have been factory 45/410 Contender barrels in 10", 12", 14" and 16". There are smoothbore factory 410 barrels in 21" and 24".  I have had all of them at one time or another.  Most of the custom shops will do any other length you want.  The shortest I have had was 4". 


In my experience, at 25 yards, the 2.5" shotshells pattern as well or better than the 3" shotshells with a higher velocity and with less recoil.  They are sometimes cheaper so give them a try before you stock up.  The shorter 45/410 barrels result in significantly  lower velocity than the longer ones but the 16" barrels get real close to the longer smooth bore barrels.   

[Special Ed]

You will have to deal with the .45 part, all handgun barrels must be rifled.
I've had my 10" for years, IMO, one of the most fun barrels for a Contender. Its taken Pheasant, Rabbit, Tree Rat and Prairie Dog......lately I've been using it for Groundmoles.
Ed
 

[Mike Scott]

Make sure you get the "choke" tube when you buy the 45/410 barrel.  They will shoot 45s with the choke tube removed but don't expect much accuracy from it.  Most of the barrels have a vent rib but there are some older round 10" barrels with the factory iron sights.   

[DEACONLLB]

I had a super 14 vent rib that I did some skeet shooting with but you had to be on them very quick brfore they got out past the 25 yrd. range other wise you could not hit one and as for the 45 colt well forget that unless you have a very large target. I used mine in 410 for snakes that came up around my chicken house makes a good snake gun.
 
Deaconllb

[shot1]

I have a 10" round barrel with front and adjustable back sights with the internal screw in and out choke. I have never used it with the 410 shot shells. Shot it with some HOT 45 Colts just a few times at 50 yards and it shot pretty good. I need to get it out and give it a try.

[Ranger99]

i tried it, but it was a bust for me.
i thoughtlessly took it straight out
to hunt and didn't try to pattern it.
i couldn't make it do any good at
anything past 15 yards or so with
any brand of shells. i could use it
for squirrel knowing it's limitations,
but the one trip kinda spoiled it.
i'd rather use a bow, or my .36 ml,
or my .410 h&r.
but, it's probably the best cottonmouth
buster i've ever used.
one shell, one ex-cottonmouth.
good for bunnies too.

[Iowa Fox]

I'm kind of hung up on them for some reason. I have a 10-14-16=21 and a 24" barrels for the Contender. For squirrels I wouldn't get anything less than a 16". I reload my own and have patterned a lot of different components.

[Hopalong7]

    Has anybody tried reloads with no shot cups.....always wanted to try it, but was one of those "never got around to's".  May lead the barrel pretty bad, but, if you're not shooting 45's anyway it might not hurt....in fact???......just wondered.
    I've had 10", 14" and 16", and I agree, there's a big difference between 10" and 14", and noticable between 14" and 16".  I haven't cronographed them but could visibly see the difference shootin' beer cans at the same range.  I hunt with the 16"....my snake barrel is a 45Colt hot shot barrel, with 45 shot capsules loaded with #12's.  The creepy crawlers are DRT...don't even squirm...none.
Walt
 

[Iowa Fox]

Walt,
I shot a lot of 410 reloads back in the 70's with no shot cups and #9 shot. I used my Lee loader and tried all sorts of combinations in the octagon barrel with external choke. The targets were sparrows out of our barns and feed lots with most shots being 10-15 yards or closer. I shot them by the thousands. I patterned a lot of experiments into 4x4 sheets of cardboard and some of the patterns were sparse. The hulls were mostly paper back then and 3" without cups gave me the best patterns. I cut some off at 2" but patterns were horrible and 2 1/2" just never performed like the 3". Never did I have a problem with leading. Lots of fun as I was younger man back in those days, plus I liked showing off for my dad and grandpa. My targets today are mostly fast moving pests in the garden using the 16" barrel and carbine butt stock. I'm loading 3" plastic hulls on a Mec loader using  the old Remington 3" one piece plastic wads that have been long discontinued from the market. I have enough left to last me and the  kids forever, the grandson might run out. H110 is the powder I use and my patterns are 100% better than the feed lot days.

[Graybeard]

btt