I'm not much of a handgun guy, but I got a T/C Contender with the .45 Colt/ .410 barrel on it. I really like shooting it and will use it primarily in the .410 for Grouse next fall.
However, I'm wondering what would happen if I shoot a .45 magnum round through this gun? It is made for the .45 Colt, and the bore although rifled, is smooth all the way.

First question is... what's a 45 magnum?

Second question is... if the barrel is smooth how can it be rifled?

Ok, so I'm not the only one with the same questions.

He may be talking about the 45 Auto Mag. I don't think you can use them. I may be wrong but I think they have a rifled barrel with a 410 choke. I think they have to shoot 45 Long Colt. It needs to be rimmed. You might check it out at Fox Ridge Outfitters, T/C's custome shop.

Thanks all . . . but, never mind.

" 'Tis better to keep your mouth closed and have people think you a fool,
than to open it and remove all doubt! "

(lol)

.45 Winchester Magnum!~ A stretched-out .45 ACP. Has been with us for at least 30 years now....

Thanks, I have never even heard of it before.

Learn something new every day.

True, but the 45 Win mag is rimless. I guess I should have stated, I have never heard of a 45 rimmed mag. It would have to be rimmed if it fires 410 and 45LC.

I had heard of firing a 44 special in a 410 but not a 45 Colt. I would hope the bore would be big enough. Buffalo Bore sells 45 Colt in heavier loadings. I could not quite tell from the original post whether the barrel is rifled or smooth. The logic I had heard behind shooting a pistol cartridge in the 410 was for protection against larger critters at close range. Like a slug.

I am assuming what he meant by the smooth but rifled bore is...... this model of contender barrel is one that has a smooth bored barrel but has a rifled screw in choke for shooting the 45 Colt rounds. Thus you are able to shoot shot through it with conventional chokes and 45 Colt with the rifled choke.

This barrel will fire the 45 Colt rounds because the .410 shotgun shell (brass head) is the same diameter as the 45 caliber bullet and this barrel does not have a forcing cone to reduce the diameter of the bore like a conventional shotgun barrel does. It is the same diameter all the way through the barrel.

A side note about this gun is that you should NEVER fire rounds such as the 454 Cassul and 460 S&W mag, even though they would easily fit in the chamber, due to the fact that they are high pressure cartridges and would destroy the gun and possibly injure the shooter and bystanders. The 45 Colt operates at only 15,000 cup where as the other two operate at 55,000+ cup.