.243

[Kates]

Do any of you guys shoot a 15" 243?  I have a 7mm-08 I use for deer hunting, and just ordered a 15" .223.  After some thinking I should have just got a .243 and used it both for predators and deer  instead of changing barrels back and forth.  My 7mm-08 shoots like a dream, I didnt know if the .243 had the same performance out of a 15" barrel.

[xphunter]

Your 243 (if you get it) should be fun to shoot and accurate too.

[Gregory]

It only takes 3 min to change out the barrel.  You are better served with the two barrels you have than trying to get a compromise caliber to do both jobs.
That's the beauty of the interchangeable barrels on the Encore and Contender.

[Bud]

Have it in the 15". Shoots excellent. I reload for it, it really likes the 58gr. VMax bullet. Had both 223 and a 22-250 in the 15". Liked the 243 so much I sold them off.  Try one I think you will like it...

[Kates]

I dont reload.  Is factory ammo ok for that barrel?

[Bud]

Yes factory will shoot just fine.
You'll just have to try different ammo until you find the one the barrel really likes.

[rickyp]

I have a 15 inch 243 winchester just  just as it was sent to me from T/C.
the only thing I have done is takne it out of the box and put it in my encore case.
It can be up for trade for the rat deal

[SD Handgunner]

This past summer I have been working with a buddies 15" Factory .243 Encore. This one wears an older Bausch & Laumb 3200 2x6x32. One of the first things I did was to replace the Factory Grip and Forend with Laminated Wood Grip and Forend. For the Forend I actually used a Encore Rifle Forend, cut down and reshaped so it is better suited to bypod use.



In the process of redoing the forend I also free floated the forend except for leaving two saddles where the screws pass through to the barrel.

I tried a couple different factory loads in this Rifle and a couple different handloads. The handloads were 80gr. Winchester Factory Pointed Soft Points, and 100gr. Federal Power Shok Pointed Soft Points. Neither of these produce a level of accuracy I was pleased with. Average velocity with the 80gr. Winchester Factory Pointed Soft Points was 2892 FPS and the average velocity for the 100gr. Federal Power Shok Pointed Soft Points was 2536 FPS.

One of the Handloads I tried used 55gr. Nosler Ballsitic Tips loaded to an average  muzzle velocity of 2889 FPS (a reduced load designed to duplicate .223 Remington Balistics and Recoil), and a full power load at an average velocity of 3240 FPS. Neither of these loads produced accuracy I was pleased with, but the reduced load was close.

The best load I came up with consists of a 80gr. Speer "Hot Core" Spitzer Bullet loaded with Hodgdon's H-4895 Powder. Average muzzle velocity with this load was 2920 FPS. 5 shot groups at 100 yards from the bench are averaging slightly under 1".

I would have liked to have tried a few different factory laods in the .243, but since it was not my Handgun and time was limited I was unable to do so.

THe owner of this particular Encore plans on using the 80gr. Speer Handload for both Coyotes and Whitetails and I am of the opinion that it should provide what he needs to get the job done at reasonable range.

Larry

[Hawkeye]

I have several Encore barrels but I think my .243 w/break is my favorite.
It was a rifle barrel but was too heavy. It is now 15" w/a 3" break. Shoots like a demon. It really likes the Sierra 100grn Pro Hunters. I'm taking it next week to Wyoming for my buddy to hunt antelope. I'm using a XP100 in .260.
Here is my pistol. If you get a .243, you will want to shoot it all of the time.
Mike

[SD Handgunner]

Nice shootin iron there Hawkeye.

Yep a .243 Handgun is really fun to shoot and especially at vaproizing varmints.

Larry