Hey guys,
Last fall I bought a 16" 50 cal Contender muzzleloader barrel (handgun) from Dave Van Horn. Didn't have much of an opportunity to develop a load last year during deer season so I didn't provide much of a report on the barrel. I've done a little more load development this year so thought I'd give a more detailed report. The barrel has a nice gloss/blued finish w/ a cougar engraved on it. It uses 209 primers in a removable breech plug. DVH said I could use a max of 150 gr BP. Cleans up very nicely w/ removal of the breech plug. I managed to lose the extractor, but it's not been a problem removing the spent primer by hand. Will probably make another extractor someday from a Contender 22 LR extractor. (DVH wanted $$$ to make me another one.)

Initial (and very brief) load development was not encouraging, but only had a short time to find a huntable load. Initially used 90 gr Pyrodex RS (because that's what I had available from my ML rifle days), 45 cal Sierra 240 gr JHP bullet, Knight black sabot, and W/W 209 primers. Groups were less than impressive, running ~4" at 50 yds. Didn't get an opportunity to shoot it at game. Wasn't pleased w/ the accuracy, but thought part of the problem may have been the forend. Although I specified the dovetail locks to be the usual "Super 14" dimensions (so I could use a Pach forend), DVH built it w/ the "Super 16" dimensions, spacing the dovetail locks further apart. As a short term measure, I used the Pach forend w/ a 10" forend adaptor. He finally made me a Pach forend adaptor for the "Super 16" spacing just a few weeks ago, but I'll have to modify the forend greatly to make it work.

For this year's season, I tried the T/C 250 gr "PTX" bullet/red sabot and Powerbelt bullets w/ above load. Accuracy was not improved, but was still dealing w/ the 10" Pach adaptor. Just before the season, I changed to a CCI 209 primer and T/C "Shockwave" 250 gr bullet/black sabot. (I believe this is the same bullet as the Hornady SST ML bullet, but w/ a yellow plastic tip instead of red.) Voila!! Groups now run 1 1/2" at 50 yds (w/ a single spit patch between each shot). Have yet to shoot at any live game.

Velocities (w/ 250 gr bullets) have been interesting w/ different charges of Pyrodex RS (ffG):
80 gr=1213 fps
85 gr=1420 fps
90 gr=1460 fps
120 gr=1040 fps

Thought I'd try some Pyrodex P (fffG) powder, thinking the pistol powder would burn better in the short tube. There's a LOT of unburned RS powder blowing out the 16" barrel. The velocities were very interesting, albeit disappointing:
90 gr=935 fps
100 gr=1095 fps
110 gr=815 fps
120 gr=927 fps

Looks like I wasted $20 on the P powder... Think I'll stick w/ the "Shockwave" bullet/Pyrodex RS/CCI primer. Things started out rather rocky, but I'm now pleased. Although DVH didn't get the specs exactly right, he did make things right. He even offered to make me a new barrel last fall, but I declined. He was slow in getting the new adaptor finished, but when I called him about it (again), telling him the ML season was less than a week away, he overnight shipped it to me w/o additional charge (cost him $13). I'm getting 44 Mag type velocities so should have a solid 100 yard deer gun. I didn't really expect to get rifle velocities from the short tube. Gary T.

Gary T
Results are interesting to say the least.
Did you try 100, 110 of Pyrodex RS? I would love to see where it drops off.

Numbers with Pyro P are kind of hard to explain. I never chronographed any Pyro P loads but just assumed it was the same as FFFG.

I never shoot either RS or P, but have a container of each for some experiments when all the huntin is over.

Do you have access to Black Powder. It would be interesting to see the results with FFG and FFFG.
I was thinking of getting a pistol length front stuffin barrel for next year, but may well reconsider. Of course the results you posted are solid 44 Mag loads and they sure do stop a lot of deer with lesser loads.

LouisB

How about the rest of you with short barreled front stuffers. What results have you found with yours!

Louis,
No, I didn't chrono any 100 nor 110 gr Pyrodex RS loads. Was really looking at the Pyrodex P loads, but when I got to 120 on the P, I just decided to leave the powder measre at 120 and shoot a single load w/ the Pyrodex RS. Will fill in the gaps later w/ the RS, but probably won't chrono anymore ML loads until December, if then. I have access to ffG BP, but not fffG BP ; will certainly try the former at some point in time, as well. If I can find some 777 (ffg, I imagine) to borrow, will also try it. Yeah, the short barrel loses a lot of velocity, but should still be a solid 44 Mag twin. Gary T.