Which Caliber Should I Go With?????

[redfox33]

This will be my first encore pistol barrel purchase and I need some experienced input.  I've shot handguns before, 9mm, 45's and 357's, but never to hunt with.  I've narrowed my choices down to two, a .308 w/ a 12 1/2" barrel and 1-10 twist the other one is a .280 Rem w/ a 13" barrel and 1-9 twist.  Both already have a muzzle break installed and both are the same price. 

It will mainly be for southern whitetail and maybe for black bear and hog.  I'd also like to know what range with both barrels is best to stay within.  I don't figure that will be a problem since the areas I'll hunt with it won't extend past 175 yds at the most.

What will be the pros and cons of both?  Any input will be appreciated, thanks.

[encore3006]

I would think either caliber would be O.K. I use the 15" 30-06 with the muzzle tamer and a scope and can consistently hit an 8-inch pie plate at 200 yards using a shooting stick. You should do as well or better with either caliber and a solid rest. Availability and selection of ammo may factor in. Practice-practice practice! I thoroughly enjoy handgun hunting and I hope you will as satisfied as I am. I started with the 44 mag Super Redhawk but moved to the rifle cartridge for longer shots on large game like elk and black bear. Good luck 

[jhalcott]

  Redfox, I have a 12" barreled .308 that I have killed a couple deer and coyotes with. I have never tried to shoot an animal beyond 200 yards with it. With .308 ammo every where and .280 ammo not so available I like the .308. The shorter case SHOULD work better in the short barrel also.  I guess that makes it YOUR choice!

[Ken ONeill]

I'd go with a .308 Win., because it's been proven by so many of us from the standpoint of accuracy and killing power. Personally, however, I would have only a 14-15" barrel. I realize that you must be looking at specific barrels, but I'd recommend looking into the price differential for the longer barrel option.

[Graybeard]

I concur with the suggestion of a .308 Winchester and also the 14" to 15" length for it but if you're dead set on one of those two take the 12.5" .308 as it will still be fully the equal of any .30-30 rifle out there and that ain't bad really. It will do fine to the distances you mention and beyond but the muzzle blast will be kinda wicked in that shorter barrel. It will be a little more handy to carry and no less accurate for the reduced length and that 100-150 fps velocity you lose is really no big deal.

[7-30 Waters]

Why not have the best of both worlds.  Go for a 7mm-08. 

[Graybeard]

Why not have the best of both worlds.  Go for a 7mm-08. 

That would be my first choice too but wasn't in his list. He asked specifically which of those two to chose.

[redfox33]

The .308 barrel is a custom 12 1/2" barrel for $200.  How much will the muzzle tamer take off the muzzle blast from the shorter barrel? Graybeard, how wicked of recoil are we talking??  Would it just be best to spend the extra $20-$30 and get a new factory barrel??  OR just keep my eyes out for a good, less expensive used barrel, not so common around here though, and get a factory .308 barrel that is 15"?  The input so far has been great!  That's why I'm here.

Next question.  If I go with a 15" factory barrel should I go with the .308 OR the 7mm-08, which wasn't available in the custom barrel.  Definitely whitetail and highly possible bear with this caliber.

[Graybeard]

Your question:

The .308 barrel is a custom 12 1/2" barrel for $200.  How much will the muzzle tamer take off the muzzle blast from the shorter barrel? Graybeard, how wicked of recoil are we talking??

confuses me a bit. The muzzle tamer ADDS to the blast it does not take it away. It also does not reduce recoil it merely changes the vector of it. Generally a barrel with any type brake on it loses 1" to 1.5" of effective barrel length due to the brake so your effective barrel length is likely more like 11" which is pretty short for a round the size of the .308 Win.

My advice to you would be to just buy a factory barrel. I see no real advantage to buying a custom barrel if chambered to a round the factory offers. Oh it "might" be a bit more accurate or easier to clean but the difference won't really be worth the price differential in my opinion. Buy custom when you want a chambering not offered by the factory. This has been my advice for many years and still is.

Which round? If for deer I vote 7-08. I've owned two Encore 15" handgun barrels both chambered to 7-08 one blued and then later a stainless one. The .308 is also an excellent choice however I just happen to prefer the 7mm over the .30 caliber. If I need more than a 7mm I want more than a .30 as well.

[jhalcott]

  Well said Greybeard ! I like Factory barrels in regular rounds also. There is very little difference in a .284 bullet and a .308 one and a 15" barrel will not give the heavier bullets any advantage.

[redfox33]

Sorry about the confusion.  Graybeard, how do you think the 7-08 would be for black bear as well?  The shot range would be between 50-75 yds.  I just went to Eds Contenders for the first time and saw 15" barrels for just $10-$20 more and have heard alot of positives about him here.  For what I'm wanting to hunt, whitetail & black bear, if not the 7-08 or .308, what round would be best recommended???  Remember the ranges are probably not past 75 yds for bear and 175 for deer.  Thanks.

[Ken ONeill]

Either cartridge will be fine for deer and black bear. I like and use both. No animal will know the difference. As shooters we have our preferences, but we're mostly splitting hairs. For those who  don't reload, ammo is more plentiful for the .308.

[Graybeard]

As Ken said both are entirely adequate to the job. I personally prefer a 7-08 but cannot fault anyone who prefers the .308 instead. They are both the same case and the only difference is bullet diameter and the difference between .284" and .308" is not very much. If you shoot 140/150 grain bullets in the 7-08 and 150s in the .308 it is unlikely you'd know which you were shooting if someone handed it to you loaded and you fired it without looking. The results you get on game would also be too close to tell the difference.

But the 140 and 150 grain bullets from a 7mm have been BCs and so will get to the target with a bit more of what they leave with than will a 150 from a .308. On the other hand the better expansion ratio of the larger bore will give it a bit more velocity out of the gate. It's really a toss up and what you prefer.

You can use up to 180 or 200s in the .308 and up to 160 or 175 grain bullets in the 7-08. Both are more than adequte to the chores you're asking of them. Pick what you like best.

Ed's TCs, Midsouth Shooter's Supply and recently I'm told Reed Ammo are all three sponsors of this site who sell TC barrels. I really hadn't paid attention that Ron was selling them but noticed in a thread recently someone said he does. I guess I should visit his site more often. I can assure you all three will treat you right. SSK Industries is yet another site Sponsor who sells TC products but I do not know if JD sells factory barrels or only his superb SSK custom barrels. He does sell frames for sure.

[redfox33]

Thanks for all the input!  I really appreciate it.  I will go with the 15" factory barrel.  Now the only problem is deciding which caliber between the 7-08 and .308.  I'm leaning more towards the .308 since I don't handload.  Again, Thanks! 

I'll update with any success stories had with the pistol.

[doc-and]

I shoot both the 308 and the 7-08 in factory barrels, both have excellent accuracy for your intended purpose.  The 7-08 likes 140gr bullets factory loads and the 308 likes 150gr loads.  Again as stated before, for hunting purposes I'd choose the 308 due to the availability of ammo anywhere.

Here's my 308...will be changing the optics to a Bushnell 2x6 as $$$ allow


Here's a picture of both the 308 and the 7-08 which now wears a 7x Burris scope


Darryl

[Steve P]

If only getting one barrel, I would get the .308 because of versatility and economics.  Brass, dies, bullets, etc are easy to find.   You can get bullets from 100 - 220 grains to reload into it.  The 280/7-08 you are a little more limited with 120s - 175s and bullets do cost a little more.  Deer won't know the difference if using good deer loads. 

Steve