243, 7mm-08 or 308?

[JON8777]

I am looking into getting a custom made brl for pistol hunting.

I would like to have a medium game round that I can reload and shoot under an inch at 100 yards.

Will the 243, 7mm or 308 do the job? Any sugestions? A 6mm bullet is my optimal choice.

I would like to stay away from a wildcats for the basic first cost of dies and fireforming.

I'll have some 3-12 glass to go with the setup to help in getting the accuracy.

[Steve P]

All that you have mentioned are based on the .308 case.  Excellent choices.

Your twist rate is going to have a bearing on bullet weight.  .308 is obviously the most versatile as you can choose bullets from 100-220 grain.  .243 and 7-08 are going to be more restrictive on barrel twist.  Lighter bullets for slow twist 1-12 or 1-10 bbls.  Heavier bullets will be better with 1-9 or even 1-8 barrels.

If I was going to spend money, and get a current production round, based on the .308 case, to use on medium sized game, and have excellent accuracy, I would choose the............................260 Remington!!   Basically a 6.5x308.  Dies are cheap.  You can use .308 brass so brass is cheap.  Bullets from 120-150 grain are available. 

If you don't like the 260, then my choice of your 3 would be the 7-08.  Not as much recoil as the .308 and very versatile.

Steve

P.S.  My .260 is an XP-100.  Very accurate!

[JON8777]

How does your 260 group, whats your load, scope?

I have been intrested in doing up one nice pistol for the encore (have a few rifle brls already) something big enought for deer, but accurate enough to shot ground hogs with.

[lastchanc54]

I have the factory 15 ' 308 with a 2-6 scope. Most all loads shoot 1" or better at 100 yards. If I could hold still it might do better. I have shot 110 grain hand loads, 150 gr factory and handloads and military ball ammo. So far, this is the least fussy round I have seen. Everything just goes right into the target and at 200 yards, the 150's seem to forget to drop at all!! Recoil is a little heavy but other than that, I love it. Great round and ammo is cheap at Wal Mart. Hope this helps.Ken

[Grumulkin]

I'd go with the 308 Winchester.  You can't beat the choices in brass and bullets.

The 7mm/08 would do what you want it to do as well.  In my opinion, the 243 Winchester is a cartridge that doesn't know if it wants to be a varmint round or a small big game round.

[JON8777]

0.708" is some nice shoting. What dies and how much work did you put into the load (i.e. seating off the lands, neck runout, powder changes)?

[lastchanc54]

My 308 pistol will do that with factory ammo. I use mostly varget powder when I reload for the 308 but I seat the bullets the same as factory ammo! Nothing tricky required. one of my favorie bullets is the ballistic tip Nosler in 150 grain. I full length resized the case using standard Lee dies. I do not neck size becuase I shoot the ammo in a rifle as well. It just shoots so good that I don't have to do a lot to get good ammo. Nice huh.  It also shoots well with old military ball. Who knew?

[Steve P]

I have a 2x leupold scope on my .260 and have only shot Rem. factory ammo since I got it.  I have the dies, brass, bullets, etc, but have not sat down to work up loads.  With the Rem. factory stuff sighting in I was getting >1" groups at 100 yards.  I was also able to pick and choose spots on silhouette targets, call my shot, and knock them over out to 200 meters.  I would guess the hole in the ram horn area is probably 4-6" and I was consistently putting my shots thru the hole in the horn at 200 meters with the 2x scope.  Someday I will work up some loads with my home grown match bullets and see how it really shoots.

Steve

[JON8777]

I called eabco today to order a PH forend for the encore and asked about custom brls in 308, the lady laughed at me and said your 16-18 weeks out right now, order now if you want one by christmas.

Anyone have an Eabco custom brl? What blanks does he use to make his brls?

[JON8777]

Has anone cut a 26" 308 (or other caliber) down to a 15" pistol brl?

Pros cons?

I want a heavy or full bull brl not the skinny sportster brl.

[Grumulkin]

0.708" is some nice shoting. What dies and how much work did you put into the load (i.e. seating off the lands, neck runout, powder changes)?

I first tried Varget which didn't work as well as IMR 4064.  I probably tried 4 or 5 IMR 4064 loads to arrive at the one above.  My barrel may be a bit tight since the load is lower than other 308s I've loaded for so for yours, you may need a bit more powder.  The bullets are seated just off the lands.

I never check neck runout.  If I did competetive bench rest shooting I probably would.  Dies were pretty old RCBS and the cases were full length sized.