anyone use an Encore pistol?

[ChrisK]

I bought a .243 encore pistol the other day and had a chance to a .308 barrel for it also. Does anyone use one of these calibers to hunt deer here in Indiana in a pistol length barrel and if so what loads seem to shoot best out of yours?
Thanks,
Chris Kiefner

[korkskru]

i had a 45 min mag barrel on a contender for a while.  that was alot of fun.  never was able to connect with a deer though.  308 will rock ya out of a pistol.  just enough to make it fun to shoot, but enough to make ya respect it also.  sure would get the job done on a deer, for sure.

[ChrisK]

The .243 isn't that bad at all. I figure the .308 will have about a 1/3 more recoil considering I am using a bullet that will be atleast 50 grains heavier in a pretty standard load. I should be more than capeable of handling it. I wouldn't sit down and shoot a 100 rounds a day with it. That might kick my butt.

[Bullseye]

I had an Encore pistol with a 30-06 barrel for a while.  I did not think it recoiled that bad.  I sold it before I ever deer hunted with it.  I think a 243 would be easy to shoot and a 308 not much worse.

The Encore was just too big for me as a pistol.  I do love the Contender pistols though and have shot deer with the 41 Mag, 375 Win, 357 Max and 45-70 in the Contenders.

[ChrisK]

sweet

[mrjbloomington]

I got my 7mm-08 encore pistol ready to rock late last deer season and haven't got a chance to hunt with it yet. When I first shot it I found that the recoil was very manageable, nothing like i was expecting. at 100 yards it was grouping Rem. corelocked factory ammo at about 1.5 inches. I would like to get a tighter group, though. I just got into reloading, too. I just got through loading up some first loads for it. once the weather gets a little nicer I'll work on my pet load for it. I can't wait to see what the 7-08 will do to a deer. The 7-08 is simply a 308 cartridge necked down to fit a 7mm bullet. The loads should be kinda similar to a 308. I'll post after i shoot it and let you know what load worked best for me.     

[ChrisK]

That is cool, my next barrel will be a in the same caliber. I would love to keep getting barrels for it. I shot it earlier to see how big the fireball would be, I was amazed.

[ChrisK]

I have heard lots of good things about the 7-08 you have a great deer caliber.

[HappyHunter]

I use an Encore Pistol, 15 inch with Busnell Elite 3200 2x6 handgun optic.  It is calibered in 25-06.

It is AWSOME!!!

Just this past season it took two does one at 200 and the other at 212 yards.  One shot each and they piled up.  They where both taken at same time in less than a minute. 

Typically I hunt in the woods, but the encore is in the truck if I find an opportunity to set up at a field it is with me. 

Fred

[ChrisK]

It would be nice to shoot that far at deer but I think I will have to practice a lot more before I attempt that.

[HappyHunter]

200 yards is not a difficult shot.  Your MUST use a rest, limb, or shoot prone.  Some people use bybods (not me). 

When I set my scope zero at 100 yards it drops 1-3/8 at 225 yards.  This is a no brainer point and shoot gun, don't even think about drop. 

When I first got the gun and first sighted it in I put 10 shots on a paper plate at 225 yards with the butt of the gun on a wooden fence post.

I do enjoy the 25-06!

Fred

[ChrisK]

You are right, I shot a 2 liter bottle at 175 yards, couldn't see that much drop maybe 1/2 inch. The bottle still exploded(filled with water). I have it sighted a little over an inch high at 100. Figured if I did that I would not have to worry about elevation at the ranges I would be shooting at.

[asquires2]

I just put a 7/08 on my encore today/ Took it to the range for the first time just to see what the recoil was like and to my surprise it doesnt kick much more than my 243. Now to finish her off with some glass .