Author Topic: Need help deciding re: Revolver v. Encore, and what cartridg (Read 1304 times)

Mawgie · « **on:** June 01, 2003, 06:19:55 AM »

Folks -

I am in the hunt for my first pistol to use for: 1) target practice; 2) deer hunting here in Upstate NY; and 3) working up handloads, as I plan to start reloading when I buy the gun.

I currently own a TC Encore with a 20 gauge rifled slug barrel for deer season use. (No centerfile rifles allowed where I hunt.) I am considering two alternatives: 1) Set up my Encore as a pistol (hand rifle...); or 2) buy a new Ruger Super Blackhawk Hunter.

The Encore pros are: awesome accuracy and long range potential, depending on choice of caliber. The con is I'm not wild about the looks of an Encore pistol, because I have revolver fever.

The Ruger SBH Hunter is, in my view, one of the finest looking weapons ever made.

The only reservation I have with the Ruger versus the Encore comes at 100 yards or longer. True, it is infrequent that we take deer shots further than 100 yards here in Upstate NY, but I do regularly hunt field edges from a treestand, so the potential for a 100 + yard shot is there.

I'd appreciate input re:

1) With the SBH Hunter in well practiced hands, with a custom load, braced on the rail of a treestand on a calm day, with a clear path to the target, how long a shot can be reasonably and humanely taken. 100? 125? 90?

PaulS · « **Reply #1 on:** June 01, 2003, 08:26:42 AM »

Mawgie,
The SBH is a fine weapon but, like all revolvers, it has serious limitations when it comes to 100 yard shooting. I used to shoot Hunter's Pistol Silhouette using a 4" Ruger SS 357. I got good enough to tie the range record of 40/40 shooting the 100 yard course. As I got older I noticed it was harder to keep a good sight picture and the need for a scope became more important. With good eyes and well practiced shooter the SBH in 44 mag can reach out to 90 yards with a bit more than one inch variation from line of sight. (240 grain jhp at 1451fps) At that range the velocity is down to just over 1100 fps with 662 ft lbs of energy and 38 pound feet of momentum. It will humanely kill a 120 pound white-tail with a hit in the vitals. At 120 yards the velocity is in transition between super and sub-sonic which plays hell with accuracy and the drop below line of sight is over six inches. At 100 yards a smaller (100 lb.) deer could be taken humanely with a velocity (remaining) of 1080 and an energy of 620 ft. lbs. but at this range your bullet will drop 2.6+ inches below your line of sight. (assuming that you sight in at 75 yards for a maximum rise of 1") I limit my shooting to a range that I can hold a +/- 1" from line of sight so that it gives me room for other variables that I have no control over. You can do something other than that but my trajectory information is based on point-blank data for that variation.

Hope this helps,
PaulS

KYODE · « **Reply #2 on:** June 01, 2003, 08:35:17 AM »

dang thats a tough question! :? i have a 7 1/2" stainless ruger redhawk 44mag. it was the first gun i bought to deer hunt with about 17 years ago. it was my first pick at that time and i still do love the gun.
but man o man! those tc's are awesome! :lol: i have three contenders and two encores. those things shoot like nothing you've ever seen. i guarantee there's not many rifles that will outshoot a couple of my barrels. BUT they are more specialized to load and work up loads for, harder to shoot offhand,etc. at any rate either choice you make requires extensive practice, and you have to really be dedicated to stick it out and live with a missed shot or opportunity for one. do not give up if at first you don't succeed. like you said the ruger SBH is one bad momma handgun,and if you go revolver, that is THE handgun of handguns. the revolver will not even get close to the single shots accuracy but would still be a great hunting gun for short ranges. distance will depend on your confidence and ability mostly. i'll give my thoughts on ranges for a 44mag revolver. 50-75 yards for a practiced beginner, 75-125 yards for a experienced well practiced handgunner, out to 150 yards for a complete expert under the most ideal conditions. if you go with the super blackhawk hunter, then by all means get either a staight 2x burris or leupold scope to sit on top of it.
now, i say plan on three guns total :shock: a 22lr auto(ruger 22/45) w/2x scope - a ruger super blackhawk hunter w/2x scope - then a encore or contender in a nice long range caliber w/ 3x12 burris ler scope. :eek: but may set you back a few bills. just do it over the next couple years. it may be best to start with the 22 auto for large amounts of practice shooting. then add the revolver this fall, and the single shot next year.
wouldn't it be nice if it was that easy? if you stick with the handguns, it's the most enjoyable hunting you'll ever do. :music: :money: :money: :money:
that would be a super setup

Hud · « **Reply #3 on:** June 01, 2003, 09:21:46 AM »

Mawgie,

I'm a single action revolver man myself but since you already have the Encore that may be the way you want to go. You have a much larger choice of calibers, whether stock TC, or custom barrles.

I would suggest a scope for the over 100 yard shots, and a scope looks much better on a Encore than on a single action. To me a scope on a single action reminds me of a Corvette, I once saw, with a 5 wheel hitch on the roof; works fine but just don't look right.

I do have a 5 shot, custom Ruger SA, with iron sights, that will shoot a 2" - 100yd group off a rest, if the wind, sun, humidity, the moon is right, all stars are in alignment, and I've drank only one cup of coffee. I have even shot a 1 1/2"- 3 shot group with it.

If you are going the revolver route you may what to check out a Ruger Bisely in 45Colt. With handloads you can out preform the 44mag a little bit.

Hud

myronman3 · « **Reply #4 on:** June 01, 2003, 02:54:36 PM »

well i posted an answer on your other ?. i have owed or shot a good many guns and pistols; just got my sbh hunter and a few of the others are now going down the road as a result. it is by far my favorite.

opossum · « **Reply #5 on:** June 02, 2003, 02:22:21 PM »

I have owned both the sbh and the encore .The the encore will shoot circles around the sbh.So the sbh has since found a new home.My encore is chambered in 270 win and it does not seem to have as much recoil as the sbh. If you want to go with the 44 go with the encore or the contender.

Bullseye · « **Reply #6 on:** June 02, 2003, 03:02:40 PM »

As an owner of a SRH, Contender and Encore I would say go for the Encore, but not because of any high tech reasons about accuracy or anything like that. Without a doubt the Encore is very accurate. My reason is this. I own a Contender and 9 barrels and probably have sold 10 others. It is fun to change to something different or add another caliber for FUN. This is easier and cheaper to do with the Encore.

But, if you just want to buy a gun and keep the rest of your life (boring), get whichever feels best to ya.

Good luck with your decision.

TopGun · « **Reply #7 on:** June 02, 2003, 03:07:13 PM »

Go with the revolver. Your heart's set on it and you won't be happy. After you shoot it awhile and get good, you'll want to add a nice barrel to the TC. I carry my 270/308/3006 Encore in a sling :grin: and either my Ruger SBH Hunter in .44 mag, or my M629 :-D in a holster rig. The revolver for short-range woods stalking and the long Encore for 100+. :? Yes it's a lot to carry, but it's fun and that's what it's all about..

longwinters · « **Reply #8 on:** June 03, 2003, 04:14:15 PM »

For hunting I would go Encore anyday. I have had several revolvers and tho they are fun I do not think they hold a candle accuracy wise to the Encore system. But if you have a hankering for a revolver it will not go away. The only way to get rid of an itch is to scratch it.

Hcliff · « **Reply #9 on:** June 04, 2003, 06:27:10 AM »

The accuracy of the gun depends on how well the shooter can see at 100 yards. Iron sights cover alot of area and even a two power scope is better to "see" the distance. Then you have the shooters ability I took a 85-90 yard shot and missed. I had a great rest, 2X scope and I also had buck fever and just blew it. The buck snuck in and I thought it was a doe that I was looking for a opening and there was a buck. I can make that shot on paper but goofed in the field (It was a good clean miss)

With the Encore you can cheat and get moe distance with a rifle cartridge

Hcliff

Paul H · « **Reply #10 on:** June 04, 2003, 08:06:01 AM »

I'd say go with the revolver. While the single shots are extremely accurate off the bench, they are more difficult to shoot well in field positions.

It really depends on how you hunt, and what type of performance you are after. I personally prefer an iron sighted sixgun, and a scoped rifle. I know the rifle is out for you, and certainly a scoped encore provides rifle like performance for those with areas closed to rifles. But, an iron sighted sixgun is a much more effective tool for taking game close in. You can quickly get a sixgun on target at close ranges, a single shot is much more difficult to balance and line up.

Gregory · « **Reply #11 on:** June 04, 2003, 12:49:04 PM »

Mawgie

I've owned or own 44 Mag and 44 Spec revolvers but have never hunted with them. I've reserved the hunting chores for a TC Contender, mostly in 44Mag. With a 10" barrel and a 2X scope I've never had a problem "getting on a deer". I know that I can get much better accuracy out to 100 yds with the Contender than I can from a revolver.

But you list target shooting as #1 on your list and after I work up a load for the Contender I do very little actual target shooting with it, (although I do practice for hunting) a revolver is much more fun as a real target gun in my opinion. The revolver also is a viable home defense gun, not something a single shot pistol would be good for.

I used to live and hunt in Ulster Co. What Co. do you hunt?