Anyone own a 45/70 Contender barrel w/muzzle tamer

Noreaster · October 4, 2011, 05:43 PM

Looking at adding a 45/70 barrel to my collection for the G2. The only barrel you can order is the 14inch with a muzzle tamer and no sights. S&W closed down the custom shop. My question is can I put factory sight on it? I know the holes are there for the rear sight but I didn't know if the front sight was drilled or not? I don't want to put a scope on it. Anyone have one?

aaalaska · October 4, 2011, 08:15 PM

Mine has the front sight from the factory.

**44 AMP** · October 4, 2011, 09:24 PM

I have a 14" .45-70 barrel for my Contender. Stainless, with a lot of little holes all around the end of the barrel. Has mounting holes for a scope base, no sights. I put a red dot on it. Not sure how well it would hold up, I use a cheap red dot sight.

A couple hundred rounds of factory equivalent handloads (400gr cast) and so far the sight has survived. My only complaint is the dot tends to go away in bright light. Since the cheap ($35) dollar one has made it this far, I will be putting a better one on it eventually.

I don't have a problem shooting it, even one handed (although holding it up one handed is a chore). However, some new shooters who have talked me into letting them try it have had it hit them in the nose!

Mine shoots very well (potentially better than I do), and while recoil is stout, muzzle rise is less than a 10" octagon unported .44 Mag barrel (which is, of course, much lighter).

Any good gunsmith could mount a front sight on your barrel. How well it would stay there would depend on what loads you shoot, but I think it could be done satisfactorily.

Personally I would recommend the Pachmayr rubber grip, it helps me a lot.

Noreaster · October 5, 2011, 06:04 AM

44amp so your saying there isn't any pre drilled hole for the front sight screw. I called CS at S&W/TC and the guy told me there was, but I know he didn't look it up or look at one his answer was to quick. I had a bushnell red dot on my 44 barrel and it worked great up until it shattered. Maybe I'll try another one.

shurshot · October 5, 2011, 07:57 AM

I have the .375 Winchester w/muzzle brake, TC, old frame. No fun to shoot!

Pahoo · October 5, 2011, 02:31 PM

I have a .44mag as well as a .223 with what they called, a muzzle tamer. Nither one came with a means of mounting a front sight. If I am not mistaken, they also issued what they called the hunter package that came with the muzzle tamer and again, no front sights. I'll have to look back over my old TC catalogs and see what's listed ....

Be Safe !!!

kimbershot · October 5, 2011, 03:33 PM

had a 12 incher with tamer. drilled and tapped for scope mount only. had a red dot on it. very accurate but i kept my shooting at paper targets to 50yds. also--shot only reloads with 320/405gr. lead bullets in front of trailboss. sold it--got 16incher--tapered barrel without tamer--with iron factory sights and installed a shotgun scope (a rifle now). very accurate to 100yds using same loads. wasn;t looking for bonejarring or filling loosening scenarios--just something that would drop a deer easily. i would tend to stick with a red dot or scope at first blush vs. installing irons.

**44 AMP** · October 5, 2011, 04:26 PM

Noreaster, sorry if I wasn't clear. My barrel is not marked T/C. I don't know who made it, bought it at a gun show a few years ago. There is no screw hole for a front sight, only the screw holes in the rear for mounting the scope base.

Noreaster · October 5, 2011, 04:40 PM

44amp thanks. It's tough getting info now that S&W took over. The Fox Ridge where I live is closed. I called around a few shops where I live and they didn't have one on hand to look at.

Stevie-Ray · October 6, 2011, 07:26 PM

My .45-70 barrel is a Super 16 and it came with factory sights. It is also a tapered barrel and I really don't recommend it, as all that hole makes for a very light barrel. Recoil is horrendous with any load other than those popgun 405grs. So much so that I had it 4-port Magnaported. Better, but still no fun at all. I'd say bull barrels are a definite must for the .45-70.

It was bought for a bear hunt that never came to fruition. Good thing, because it may be worse on the receiving end, but probably not by much.

Noreaster · October 7, 2011, 10:11 AM

put the order in today. The barrel I found was 14 inch, SS, with MT. No sights. Hunter package. Now for some ammo!

odette · June 23, 2017, 12:48 PM

I have a TC 14" 45-70 barrel that I put iron sights on. You have to move the front sight in front of the muzzle brake. There are no screw holes for t.he front sight so it has to be drilled and tapped

jumpingeezer · June 24, 2017, 04:26 PM

Noreaster,

WHY! The 45-70 isn't pleasant to shoot in any handgun! Trust me, that cartridge will take the pleasure out of shooting an otherwise great gun.

Yes, I know this from firsthand experience.

No, I'm not particularly recoil shy but I know when enough is too much and the 45-70 in a handgun is just too #%&* much!

Cheapshooter · June 24, 2017, 04:45 PM

My 45-70 barrel is a SSK Industries 10" with muzle brake, and open sights. Real attention getter. Both for the shooter, and observers!

**44 AMP** · June 25, 2017, 02:42 PM

Quote:

I'm not particularly recoil shy but I know when enough is too much and the 45-70 in a handgun is just too #%&* much!

For you. I rather enjoy shooting mine. Everyone has different tolerances about what they consider "too much". If it's too much for you, then its too much for you.

While the recoil of my .45-70 is heavier, I find it actually more pleasant to shoot than my .44 Mag 10" unported slender octagon barrel, which jumps in my hand noticeably more than my 14" ported .45-70.

bbqncigars · June 27, 2017, 09:06 PM

It depends on the load as well as the gun (barrel and grips). The NOS stainless steel barrel I got for my original '74 frame is fun for most loadings, but NOT FUN for the 535gr Sharps loads. The torque is more objectionable to me than the recoil.

October 4, 2011, 05:43 PM	#1
Noreaster Senior Member Join Date: January 30, 2011 Location: New England Posts: 1,449	Anyone own a 45/70 Contender barrel w/muzzle tamer Looking at adding a 45/70 barrel to my collection for the G2. The only barrel you can order is the 14inch with a muzzle tamer and no sights. S&W closed down the custom shop. My question is can I put factory sight on it? I know the holes are there for the rear sight but I didn't know if the front sight was drilled or not? I don't want to put a scope on it. Anyone have one?

October 4, 2011, 09:24 PM	#3
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,824	I have a 14" .45-70 barrel for my Contender. Stainless, with a lot of little holes all around the end of the barrel. Has mounting holes for a scope base, no sights. I put a red dot on it. Not sure how well it would hold up, I use a cheap red dot sight. A couple hundred rounds of factory equivalent handloads (400gr cast) and so far the sight has survived. My only complaint is the dot tends to go away in bright light. Since the cheap ($35) dollar one has made it this far, I will be putting a better one on it eventually. I don't have a problem shooting it, even one handed (although holding it up one handed is a chore). However, some new shooters who have talked me into letting them try it have had it hit them in the nose! Mine shoots very well (potentially better than I do), and while recoil is stout, muzzle rise is less than a 10" octagon unported .44 Mag barrel (which is, of course, much lighter). Any good gunsmith could mount a front sight on your barrel. How well it would stay there would depend on what loads you shoot, but I think it could be done satisfactorily. Personally I would recommend the Pachmayr rubber grip, it helps me a lot. __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

October 5, 2011, 02:31 PM	#6
Pahoo Senior Member Join Date: February 16, 2006 Location: IOWA Posts: 8,783	It's a puzzlement I have a .44mag as well as a .223 with what they called, a muzzle tamer. Nither one came with a means of mounting a front sight. If I am not mistaken, they also issued what they called the hunter package that came with the muzzle tamer and again, no front sights. I'll have to look back over my old TC catalogs and see what's listed .... Be Safe !!! __________________ 'Fundamental truths' are easy to recognize because they are verified daily through simple observation and thus, require no testing.

October 5, 2011, 04:26 PM	#8
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,824	Noreaster, sorry if I wasn't clear. My barrel is not marked T/C. I don't know who made it, bought it at a gun show a few years ago. There is no screw hole for a front sight, only the screw holes in the rear for mounting the scope base. __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

October 6, 2011, 07:26 PM	#10
Stevie-Ray Senior Member Join Date: May 22, 2007 Location: The shores of Lake Huron Posts: 4,783	My .45-70 barrel is a Super 16 and it came with factory sights. It is also a tapered barrel and I really don't recommend it, as all that hole makes for a very light barrel. Recoil is horrendous with any load other than those popgun 405grs. So much so that I had it 4-port Magnaported. Better, but still no fun at all. I'd say bull barrels are a definite must for the .45-70. It was bought for a bear hunt that never came to fruition. Good thing, because it may be worse on the receiving end, but probably not by much. __________________ Stevie-Ray Join the NRA/ILA I am the weapon; my gun is a tool. It's regrettable that with some people those descriptors are reversed.

October 4, 2011, 08:15 PM	#2
aaalaska Senior Member Join Date: March 14, 2007 Location: Palmer Ak Posts: 319	Mine has the front sight from the factory.

October 5, 2011, 06:04 AM	#4
Noreaster Senior Member Join Date: January 30, 2011 Location: New England Posts: 1,449	44amp so your saying there isn't any pre drilled hole for the front sight screw. I called CS at S&W/TC and the guy told me there was, but I know he didn't look it up or look at one his answer was to quick. I had a bushnell red dot on my 44 barrel and it worked great up until it shattered. Maybe I'll try another one.

October 5, 2011, 07:57 AM	#5
shurshot Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2006 Posts: 1,819	I have the .375 Winchester w/muzzle brake, TC, old frame. No fun to shoot!

October 5, 2011, 03:33 PM	#7
kimbershot Senior Member Join Date: September 27, 2008 Posts: 121	had a 12 incher with tamer. drilled and tapped for scope mount only. had a red dot on it. very accurate but i kept my shooting at paper targets to 50yds. also--shot only reloads with 320/405gr. lead bullets in front of trailboss. sold it--got 16incher--tapered barrel without tamer--with iron factory sights and installed a shotgun scope (a rifle now). very accurate to 100yds using same loads. wasn;t looking for bonejarring or filling loosening scenarios--just something that would drop a deer easily. i would tend to stick with a red dot or scope at first blush vs. installing irons.

October 5, 2011, 04:40 PM	#9
Noreaster Senior Member Join Date: January 30, 2011 Location: New England Posts: 1,449	44amp thanks. It's tough getting info now that S&W took over. The Fox Ridge where I live is closed. I called around a few shops where I live and they didn't have one on hand to look at.

October 7, 2011, 10:11 AM	#11
Noreaster Senior Member Join Date: January 30, 2011 Location: New England Posts: 1,449	put the order in today. The barrel I found was 14 inch, SS, with MT. No sights. Hunter package. Now for some ammo!

June 23, 2017, 12:48 PM	#12
odette Junior Member Join Date: September 21, 2010 Posts: 11	TC Contender 45-70 barrel I have a TC 14" 45-70 barrel that I put iron sights on. You have to move the front sight in front of the muzzle brake. There are no screw holes for t.he front sight so it has to be drilled and tapped

June 24, 2017, 04:26 PM	#13
jumpingeezer Member Join Date: November 19, 2015 Posts: 88	Noreaster, WHY! The 45-70 isn't pleasant to shoot in any handgun! Trust me, that cartridge will take the pleasure out of shooting an otherwise great gun. Yes, I know this from firsthand experience. No, I'm not particularly recoil shy but I know when enough is too much and the 45-70 in a handgun is just too #%&* much!

June 24, 2017, 04:45 PM	#14
Cheapshooter Senior Member Join Date: December 2, 2007 Location: Missouri Posts: 8,306	My 45-70 barrel is a SSK Industries 10" with muzle brake, and open sights. Real attention getter. Both for the shooter, and observers! __________________ Cheapshooter's rules of gun ownership #1: NEVER SELL OR TRADE ANYTHING!

June 27, 2017, 09:06 PM	#16
bbqncigars Senior Member Join Date: February 1, 2009 Location: Iowa Posts: 525	It depends on the load as well as the gun (barrel and grips). The NOS stainless steel barrel I got for my original '74 frame is fun for most loadings, but NOT FUN for the 535gr Sharps loads. The torque is more objectionable to me than the recoil. __________________ "Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most." A. Brilliant