Well, I finally did it. I got an Encore today!! (happy for me :-D ) I just couldn't make up my mind so I got the pistol frame with a 44 mag, 12" barrel. I gots lots of loaded ammo for this one and none for the other options. I have been bit now and I have a question for those how are in the know on these Encores.

I was recently reading an article about the new .460 S&W hand cannon. It said in the article that this revolver can also shoot 45 LongColt and 454 Casull.

That got me wondering. Will the TC Encore 454 Casull barrel accept 45 LongColt? If so, will it shoot it accurately enough to be used for hunting? I want one of these .45 caliber barrels but might as well get the most for my buck when buying one. I really don't think I want one of the 45/410 barrels. Do you think that T&C will chamber for the .460 S&W?

Thanks in advance for the info.

Well, I finally did it. I got an Encore today!! (happy for me :-D ) I just couldn't make up my mind so I got the pistol frame with a 44 mag, 12" barrel. I gots lots of loaded ammo for this one and none for the other options. I have been bit now and I have a question for those how are in the know on these Encores.

I was recently reading an article about the new .460 S&W hand cannon. It said in the article that this revolver can also shoot 45 LongColt and 454 Casull.

That got me wondering. Will the TC Encore 454 Casull barrel accept 45 LongColt? If so, will it shoot it accurately enough to be used for hunting? I want one of these .45 caliber barrels but might as well get the most for my buck when buying one. I really don't think I want one of the 45/410 barrels. Do you think that T&C will chamber for the .460 S&W?

Thanks in advance for the info.

If you don't get a good answer, take your question here: http://www.bellmtcs.com/forum/index.php

I have a 15" T/C custom shop bull barrel in .454 Casull. It came with 8 grooves and a 1:16" twist rate. I have never tried using .45 Colt brass in it but I am currently working up some moderately heavy .45 Colt loads in the Casull brass. I think where it might be a problem is the shorter case and the carbon ring build-up that happens with short cases in long chambers.

I have read several posts on people having this problem with shooting .38 Spcl in .357 Mag chambered guns.

As to T/C producing a .460 S&W barrel, they might if requested from the Custom Shop (Fox Ridge Outfitters).

I have loaded up some of my 335 gr. cast bullets (Lyman #452651 mould) with W296 and can get 1800 fps. with this bullet/load and it has a consistant 3" group at 100 yards.

On a side note, don't make the same mistake I did and get Mag-Na-Ports on your barrel, go with a muzzle brake. The Mag na port doesn't do anything for recoil, just muzzle rise.

VA-Take a trip over to Shenandoah Sports they had some cannon barrels for your encore.

I have a 15" T/C custom shop bull barrel in .454 Casull. It came with 8 grooves and a 1:16" twist rate. I have never tried using .45 Colt brass in it but I am currently working up some moderately heavy .45 Colt loads in the Casull brass. I think where it might be a problem is the shorter case and the carbon ring build-up that happens with short cases in long chambers.

I have read several posts on people having this problem with shooting .38 Spcl in .357 Mag chambered guns.

As to T/C producing a .460 S&W barrel, they might if requested from the Custom Shop (Fox Ridge Outfitters).

I have loaded up some of my 335 gr. cast bullets (Lyman #452651 mould) with W296 and can get 1800 fps. with this bullet/load and it has a consistant 3" group at 100 yards.

On a side note, don't make the same mistake I did and get Mag-Na-Ports on your barrel, go with a muzzle brake. The Mag na port doesn't do anything for recoil, just muzzle rise.


454casshootr,
Concerning your side note; I really hadn't considered a Mag-Na-Port or a muzzle brake for the Casull. Honestly, I haven't fired anything in a handgun larger than 44 Mag, and maybe I have some real research in order before I leap too far. Is it necessry to have the 454 braked? Is the recoil something I could get used to or an unnecessary evil in this cartridge? I really like the 44 mag, but want something with a little more bang.........

Thanks for the info and food for thought.

VA-Take a trip over to Shenandoah Sports they had some cannon barrels for your encore.

Lynn,
Thanks for th info. I will check them out. Got a rifle I might have them put on cosignment for me anyway. Maybe can make a trade with them. Are you located in Winchester?

Thanks again

A brake will help on the .454 but it is not in the realm of being a necessity. My FA .454 came ported from the factory but I have shot them that were not ported. In the .454 porting or braking is really not needed, nice, but not mandatory.

Big Bore,
I live in the Winchester area. Where do you do most of your shooting? I have been using the Conservation Club.

That got me wondering. Will the TC Encore 454 Casull barrel accept 45 LongColt?

Yes, but accuracy will likely suffer becasue of the longer jump from chamber to throat. Just experienced the same thing using 44 Special in 44Mag. It also happens in my combination 45 Colt/.410 barrel.

Big Bore,
I live in the Winchester area. Where do you do most of your shooting? I have been using the Conservation Club.

I shoot on private land. Have shot skeet at the Conservation club, but it has been many, many moons ago. Send me a PM if you would like to get together sometime and burn some ammo.

That got me wondering. Will the TC Encore 454 Casull barrel accept 45 LongColt?

Yes, but accuracy will likely suffer becasue of the longer jump from chamber to throat. Just experienced the same thing using 44 Special in 44Mag. It also happens in my combination 45 Colt/.410 barrel.

Ya know, after reading the responses maybe my question really isn't as significant as I once thought it was. After rethinking; I shoot 357 mag in a blackhawk. I have loaded some 38 special for it as well, but very rarely do I shoot the specials. I have light 357's that I loaded for plinking. Really not much more that 38's probably. Suppose I could do the same with the Casull. Just load it light if it kicks too much.

After thinking about it, you could probably load the Encore lighter than one would have to for a revolver because there is no pressure lost from the cylinder. Those of you in the know, correct me if I am wrong on this one.

Guess I got caught up in all the "hype" that the manufacturers and gun rags spew out. Just thought it would be neat to shoot both cartridges, but in reality I would only need the Casull die set and casings; just load to the pressure (kick) I can handle. This seems to make more sense as I am writing. Thanks for the posts. I believe I have found the answer that makes the most sense.

You are correct in your assumption about the loss of the cylinder gap. Sealed barrels (single feeders, bolt actions, etc) have higher pressures than revolvers do. I proved this to myself with my contender .44mag barrel. A friend of mine has a S&W 29 with a 8" barrel, and I have a Contender with a 10" barrel. We went to the range one fine day and shot both with the same ammo. The 29 was great to shoot. The Contender was downright painful, for both of us! Granted, the Contender had 2" more barrel, and weighed a half (or so) pound lighter, but the difference was astonishing! And during cleaning, the 29 had almost no jacket fouling and the Contender had jacket material "smeared" down the last half of the barrel. Boy was that fun to clean out...

So achieving your desired pressure/recoil level will require less powder. And you will probably get better accuracy using the Cassul cases. I have *always* seen better accuracy in my .357 with 357 cases than with 38s, even with the same (or close) loads.

I guess the question of a brake or not, if you have the extra money-get the brake. Yes, you can load down to .45LC levels and plink all day or you can stoke it up and push numbers from that barrel that would make a .45-70 jealous.

I don't mean to scare you off of the .454 Casull--I love my .454's and I have had very few regrets. Those that I have had, are due to falling for the advertisers hype without doing some proper research first. I really regret that Mag-Na-Port set up T/C sold me on--I should have sent it out to another shop to get a good brake on it. I took their word for it that the Port system really reduces recoil--it doesn't at all. As a matter of fact, it makes FELT recoil worse. The barrel doesn't rise, but all the recoil comes straight back into my wrist.

Just food for thought.

Check out this group and you will get all the info on the .454 Casull you want.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/454casull/

That got me wondering. Will the TC Encore 454 Casull barrel accept 45 LongColt?

Yes, but accuracy will likely suffer becasue of the longer jump from chamber to throat. Just experienced the same thing using 44 Special in 44Mag. It also happens in my combination 45 Colt/.410 barrel.

Ok, here is the response that I received from Tim Pancurak at Thompson Center Arms:

"The .45 Colt.cartridge can be fired in the .454 Casull barrel. However, the use of the shorter cartridge may cause ringing of the chamber. The ring may cause extraction problems once you return to the use of the longer Casull cartridge.

The .44 Mag barrel can be used with the .44 Special cartridge. The ring may cause problems in the .44 Mag barrel as well.

We do not have any other barrels that will safely accept other cartridges. T/C does not have any plans to chamber for the .460 S&W cartridge".
Sincerely,

Tim Pancurak
Thompson/Center Arms