Further thoughts on Contender pistol calibers

by Paul , Friday, September 22, 2023, 20:27 (426 days ago)

I'm going to retype this instead of copy and paste and see what happens.

357 Magnum is appealing with its ability to digest anything from 38 WC to Dan Wesson's grizzly loads.

44 Special has a lot to recommend it, but I've pretty much standardized on loads for my Jeff Quinn Shootist Bisely and the Taurus snub. I don't really want to have to come up with another ammo can just for another type of loading, although it'd probably do great with the loads mentioned above anyway.

44 Magnum has a lot to recommend it, especially since I've no other firearm in that caliber. The ubiquitous .429-.430 projectiles aren't too hard to source in a variety of interesting weights, but I've only perhaps a couple dozen range pickup brass cases in the midden heap.

45 Colt would provide a platform to wring more out of the round than I'm interested in trying for in my Vaquero and Blackhawk. Plus I've a decent stash of brass and a bunch of 300 gr hard cast that need SOMETHING to launch them from. But then crops up the possibility of confusing loads - which is why I've no SAA sized 45 Colt (that and USFA went down the tubes before I could do anything about scratching that itch). I've really no urge to replicate Elmer Keith's 4th of July experience, nor to notch my noggin by slipping a heavy load into the Rugers thinking they were simple mid range fodder.

The last four would definitely do good service on North American cervids that may be encountered by yours truly, the first few in the list would of course do great work on small to medium critters.

So I guess what I'm aiming at is the perception of the denizens of the forum as to what would be the most versatile caliber in a 10" Contender style single shot platform. If you were contemplating assembling a dedicated 10" singleshot straight wall cartridge pistol, what would you choose?