Please Help Me Decide - TC Encore 7mm-08?

[bigmac_au85]

I'm looking to get back into deer hunting after many years away from the sport.  My local Gander Mountain has a TC Encore real tree stainless with 24" barrel and open sights.  Looks good and feels good.

Due to shoulder surgery, I'm recoil sensitive.  And the smaller caliber barrels seem to balance better than the larger caliber barrels (at least for the 24" standard contour barrels).  And personally, I don't like .243.  So, the 7mm-08 seems like a good choice to me.

I don't like scopes, and plan to use only the open sights.  The woods I plan to hunt are very thick, and 75 yard shots will be the max.

Would the 7mm-08 suit me well, based upon the info above?  Is it a good "one shot kill" caliber?  Is the recoil relatively light?  What about accuracy with factory ammo?  Will the lightweight Encore, without the added weight of a scope, handle well for shooting 75 yard shots using the open sights?  Can peep sights be added?

Thanks for your help.

[sweetwyominghome]

The 7mm-08 will suit you fine, and numerous aftermarket sights are available if you don't like the factory TC offering.

I would suggest getting the TC FlexTech stock as it really does reduce recoil by a significant margin. The 7mm-08 is fairly mild anyway but would be even more manageable with this setup.

As to accuracy with factory ammo, that's a function of several things, not the least of which is your barrel and its preferences. But for the close range shooting you describe, I am certain you'll find something that shoots plenty accurate for your intentions.

[upnorth]

After 15 years of getting beat up by my 7mm rem mag, I bought a 7-08 barrel for my encore. What a great choice!!! Recoil is very mild, You can follow your target after the trigger is pulled, and as for accuracy, I get great groups with the accubond and the barnes tripleshock. if your recoil sensitive, it's similar to a 308,or 25-06. I've heard good things about the flex stock, but haven't used one myself. I use this here in canada on whitetail and elk.

[Grumulkin]

The 7mm-08 will suit you fine, and numerous aftermarket sights are available if you don't like the factory TC offering.

Could you elaborate on the sources of Encore aftermarket iron sights?  In my opinion, the T/C Encore iron sights are a bit pathetic.

[Johnny Reb]

I think you'll love the 7mm-08, I do!!!  Mine really likes the 140 grain Federal Fusion ammo.  With the limb saver recoil pad I can shoot all day long with out any problem.  Good luck!

[Chuck White]

bigmac_au85
I think it would be hard to beat the TC Peep (aperture) sight in conjunction with a Fiber Optic front sight.

This is the setup I use on my TC 209X50 ML.
It really gets on target quickly.

[swampthing]

75yds max? why bother with such a high velocity cartridge? .357mag or .357max with a good bullet {ie; 180g Hardcast} @1600fps or so, and elk wont be a problem. Very easy on the ears too.
But if your gonna do it, and you can handle .35rem class recoil from a light marlin 336, you should be fine.
Have a good one.

[HEAD0001]

I totally agree with SwampThing.  The 7-08 is a fantastic cartridge.  But from how you describe the hunting you will do I think SwampThing has the better idea.  Do you Reload?  If so you can shoot a heavy bullet at slow velocities that would be deadly to 100 yards.  And recoil would be low.  A 300 grain 44 mag Bullet at 1200 fps would be deadly.  And the recoil would be very light.  Also a 357 Maximum barrel, loaded down to 357 magnum loads would also be fantastic.  You could cast a 200 grain bullet, and push it around 1400 fps-that would be a real killer load to 100 yards, and there would not be any recoil.  Remember the 7-08 still recoils, just not nearly as much as a magnum. 

I recommend the Maximum instead of the magnum for one reason, if you ever do want to load it a little hotter, you can.  You can even get a ported barrel in 357 Maximum.  That would be a *****cat.  You can also do the same thing with a 44 Magnum, or a 45 Colt cartridge(one of my favorites).  If you do not reload you can buy 45 Colt cowboy loads to hunt with-they are very mild, and I am sure they would be deadly to 75 yards.  Tom.

[oneshotonekill]

Lots of good advice already given but 1 thing I wanted to add.  The 7-08 is a pretty mild rifle cartridge as far as recoil goes but it does generate some recoil.  Now looking at a 24" tapered barrel and synthetic stock you are going to have a pretty light rifle especially without a scope so I would imaging you will end up with a bit more recoil than you are anticipating.  If your max range is going to be 75-100 yards you may be better off with one of the pistol cartridges that were mentioned.  They will generate less recoil with light loads, they are fun to shoot, and if you reload cast bullets over a pistol powder costs a fraction of what you could load 7-08 rounds for which ='s lots more shooting for the $$.

[swampthing]

Calculating the actual recoil generated from a 140g bullet from a 7-08 @2700fps. It's 15ft.lbs. recoil to the shoulder from a 7lb. gun.
The .44mag shooting 270-300g bullets @1400fps from the same 7lb gun will give 8-10ft.lbs. recoil on the shoulder.
 .357mag from the same rifle and 180g hardcasts @1500fps or so, =5.5ft.lbs. recoil to shoulder.
I can say from experience that 1200fps is all that is necessary with the .44cal.
Food for thought.
 
 
 

[throttleman]

Big Mac,

How about the G2 Contender in 7-30 Waters?  Seems to me that it will do just what you're asking and will be lightweight, easy on the shoulder and with proper bullet placement, it will give one shot kills just fine.  If you're not familiar with the G2 Contender, it is a smaller, lighter version of the Encore and the 7-30 Waters cartridge is a .30-30 case necked down to 7mm.  Federal makes factory ammo which pushes a 120 grain partition at about 2700 fps.  It is known for phenomenal accuracy. 

Good luck,

Jeff

[basdjs]

All of the advice you've gotten so far has been good.  I've shot a number of deer with a .243 and also have an Encore 7MM-08 that's a great combination.  However, I switched over to .260 Remington shooting 120 gr. Nosler Ballistic tips 2 years ago and love it.  Recoil is midway between .243 and 7MM-08.  Great knock down power on deer. All 3 cartridges are necked-down versions of the .308 with the .243 being 6mm, the .260 Rem. being 6.5 mm, and the 7MM-08 obviously 7mm.  Consider the .260 Rem for less recoil than the 7MM-08 with essentially the same ballistics.  As suggested, either put a Simms recoil pad on a regular Encore or, better yet, go the the FlexTech stock to really minimize recoil no matter what caliber you finally select.

[Doc T]

     Deer at 75yds max?  A Contender carbine would be perfect.  I would get no more than a .30-30 or 7-30 Waters.  I have both.  Want less recoil?  Try one in Rem 6.8 SPC.  My personal favorite is a carbine barrel in .300 Whisper.  This recoils about like a 223.  For you purposes, an Encore seems like overkill and it is heavier and more expensive as well.

Doc T