TC Contender 45/410 choke question

[kelljp]

I just traded for a contender with the 45/410 barrel. My question is does the choke stay in when shooting the 45 round ?
I've been told you remove it, but it seems that would damage the barrel threads for the choke tube. Any input welcomed.

 

[jak67429]

take the choke out for solid bullets. The choke is to take the spin out the bird shot so you don't get a donut shaped shot pattern. If you leave it in for solids it will most likely shave the bullets.

 

[WestKentucky]

If you leave it in for solids expect it to destroy bullets and barrel right there. The “choke” is kind of aggressive in its design as it not only stops spin induced by rifling, but it also rips open the shot capsules. Once you get a really good look at it, you will understand that you don’t want to shoot solid projectiles through it.

 

[PapaG]

Late sixties, Contender 45/410, external choke.
Two friends were questioning this so one loaded a 45 case with a few grains of Bullseye and a round ball. Shot it through the choked barrel. The first chokes didn't have multiple straight grooves, just two straight, fairly high ridges. Recovered ball had a hourglass shape. Once was plenty. He said recoil hadn't changed but this load was probably 1/4 the power of a full 45 Colt load.
Not recommended by TC, me, or my buddies. I never felt the urge to try it myself. In fact, when I take my Contender bunny hunting, I never carry ball ammo.

 

[12Bravo20]

I would definitely not shoot a solid .45 caliber bullet through any 410 choke. AS others have said, it will deform the bullet and could very easily destroy the barrel.

Hornady warns not to shoot their 410 Critical Defense Triple Defense shells through a full choke for this reason. The jacketed bullet in those shells are .41 caliber and a full choke is .398"

 

[mcb]

I don't own one and I beleive there have been several various on this 45 Colt / 410 Shotgun barrels for the T/C but I was under the understand that the Contender/Encore barrels that were chambered for 45/410 came with two different types of chokes. One was a smooth choke that was functionally a thread protector and larger the bullet diameter. This allows you to shoot 45 Colt accurately in the rifled barrel and simple kept the threads clean. You cold safely shoot shot shells too but the pattern would be poor due to the rifling imparting a spin on the shot column. To stop this there was a straight rifled choke tube that was used to arrest this spin and tighten the patterns.

 

[kelljp]

I appreciate all the input, I'm still puzzled as how shooting a 45 round in the TC with the choke (internal) out would not mess up the choke threads in the barrel. I'm probably not going shot a 45 in it, but still curious.

 

[teerex.otw]

I appreciate all the input, I'm still puzzled as how shooting a 45 round in the TC with the choke (internal) out would not mess up the choke threads in the barrel. I'm probably not going shot a 45 in it, but still curious.

T.C. supplied a choke wrench (or key) with these barrels.
I’ve shot several boxes of .45 through it (choke removed, of course) and have never had any damage issues or problems putting the choke back in…after cleaning the threads…

 

[PapaG]

I appreciate all the input, I'm still puzzled as how shooting a 45 round in the TC with the choke (internal) out would not mess up the choke threads in the barrel. I'm probably not going shot a 45 in it, but still curious.

The threads are way larger in dia than a bullet. Like shooting through a flash hider

 

[dickydalton]

I have one and have shot normal bullets without the choke and never hurt the threads a bit. If your bullet hits the threads then you already have a bigger problem. However, shooting a shotshell without the choke in may allow pellets to make contact?

 

[PapaG]

As I said before, the thread bore on all the choked Contenders is way larger than the bullet diameter. I’ve had all three sizes, 45/410, 357 Hotshot, and 44 Hotshot.
Never saw or heard of bullet thread interference. Either external or internal chokes In fact, this is the first time I recall anyone even questioning it.

 

[jmorris]

http://pdf.textfiles.com/manuals/FIREARMS/thompsoncenter_contender.pdf

 

[kelljp]

Than

View attachment 1152302

http://pdf.textfiles.com/manuals/FIREARMS/thompsoncenter_contender.pdf

 

[kelljp]

Than

View attachment 1152302

http://pdf.textfiles.com/manuals/FIREARMS/thompsoncenter_contender.pdf

 

[Schmidtg]

So - no one mentioned but perhaps relevant and certainly of interest (to me) it that the older external chokes screwed into a ported “sleeve” at the end of the barrel (octagon or hex). The porting was/is not blocked by the threaded portion of the choke. The internal chokes, on the other hand, are fitted in barrels without factory porting.
Any thoughts as to the implications to shot performance?
The porting might mitigate risk of a catastrophic failure with the higher pressure 44 rounds. Any thoughts?

 

[PapaG]

I don't own one and I beleive there have been several various on this 45 Colt / 410 Shotgun barrels for the T/C but I was under the understand that the Contender/Encore barrels that were chambered for 45/410 came with two different types of chokes. One was a smooth choke that was functionally a thread protector and larger the bullet diameter. This allows you to shoot 45 Colt accurately in the rifled barrel and simple kept the threads clean. You cold safely shoot shot shells too but the pattern would be poor due to the rifling imparting a spin on the shot column. To stop this there was a straight rifled choke tube that was used to arrest this spin and tighten the patterns.

I think that was one variation on the Judge in carbine form. Never saw it in Contender and I’ve had every variation of 45/410 since they came out. I’ve been wrong before but I remember selling one of the Circuit judges and it had the thread protector.

 

[MrShooter]

The guys on handgun TV did a test and left the choke tube in for 1 shot. Surprisingly there was no damage to the tube or barrel, but they highly recommend against trying this at home.