I want a new encore big-bore pistol barrel, but

[Mr. Curious]

I want to be able to shoot whitetail out to about 200-250yds.  I live in NW OK and it is mostly wheatfields with some draws.  I currently own only a 223 barrel which is fine for my yote hunting.   I want a big bore with a brake like the 45-70,444, 50 Alaskan, but are the capable of 200 yd shots from a good rest?  Probably if I hunt right I should be able to get within 100yds, but what if.......  I don't like average calibers, but if a 308 would work than so be it.  I have owned 454 and shot 309 jdj and 7-08 in pistols, how is the recoil with the big boys with a brake.  I like a brake when hunting because I always have worn ear protection when hunting.
I would appreciate any opinions.
Doc Jon

[palgeno]

In T/C factory Encore chamberings, .308 and 7-08 are perfect for the usage you describe. Bullet selection for deer( and other critters) is enormous. Trajectory even out to 300 yds is flat enough depending on your zero ( I use 2" high at 100 yd with a 150 gr Nosler Partition bullet at 2550 fps ---handloaded---no changes to sight picture out to 225 yd). Factory ammo is plentiful if you don't assemble your own. These may not be exotic calibers but they are relatively economical and very effective. I use the JDJ wildcats also---I have 4 of them and I love them------they are fun ,expensive, but  no more effective for whitetailsthan the boring .308 and 7-08.  :wink:   pg

[Raven]

I second the 308.  I have a 15" 308 barrel that I used this year to kill 2 whitetail does and several wild hogs.  One of the does was shot at just less that 200 yards and one was just over 200 yards.  Hogs were all head shots at 100+ yards.  All appeared hit with authority and dropped in their tracks with the exception of one doe that ran 40 yards after being hit in  the lungs.  The 308 is a great choice if you do not want to hand load for the JDJ's or other wildcats.

[Deaf Smith]

and go straight to the 30/06 or 270? both currently work in the encore and factory barrels are avaiable for it as well. Why settle for the compramise when you can get the origional the 06 is a better round than the 308 anyway and can handle the heaver bullets if you wish. If I am not mistaken the 7mm remington magnum is also avaiable and the 280 as well. why limit yourself to
medium calibers with a break you can have any round you can handle even the 300 magnum if you wish.
Jim L
The Encore may not be for me but if you have one you may as well use it to the fullest.

[HOGSLAYER]

I have a SS 7MM-08 15" contender barrel if you are interested email me at the address below.

joemerrill@hotmail.com

Thanks
Joe

[crawfish]

"I want a big bore with a brake like the 45-70,444, 50 Alaskan, but are the capable of 200 yd shots from a good rest? Probably if I hunt right I should be able to get within 100yds."  Seems to me you want something not "run of the mill". Look to SSK and their .411JDJ. I have a 12 inch SS Magma-Na-Ported Contender that I shoot 250g-265g hard cast stuff BUT it does shoot .416 jacketed stuff pretty good. I use it mostly for informal steel shoots at my farm. It will reach way out there with authority.

[Captainkev]

the 308 would be perfect for your application you mentioned, but if you want an extremely flat shooting accurate Big Bore then consider an 376 Steyr.  I have an SSK 15 inch barrel plus the brake and it shoots sub moa at 100 yards with 225 factory Hornady Ammo.  They also load a 270 gr. factory offering for it.
The 225's are 2 inches high at 100, dead on at 200 and drop around 12 inches at 300.
Recoil is no worse than my 308 that is not braked.
I am going to be trying Barnes Triple Shock X Bullet when the 270 gr. 375 comes out in May of this year.

Kevin

[haroldclark]

In this country we are all entitled to an opinion and the right to express it.  Mr. Curious, your quest for a "Big Bore" and the need for that big bore was quite nicely answered with the suggestions of a 308 or 7-08.

I have made a quest out of trying to determine what caliber will work best in the 14 to 15 inch barrels.

Once you pass the 308 and 7mm-08 in a 15" barrel, there is no appreciable gain in velocity or effectiveness.  All a 30-06 will do in a 15" barrel is reduce the actual barrel useable area by taking up more space for the chamber.  A 7mm Mag will do the same thing.

I have a 308, as I mentioned before, and I also, have a 7mm BR 15".  If you like to shoot a lot, you might consider recoil.  I recently read an article about the testing of a Winchester Lever gun in the 405 Winchester cartridge.  The plan for the rifle was to hunt in Africa for huge critters.  someone asked if the recoil was tolerable.  The writer declared that if your were up against a nasty rhino, simply hand the gun to the rhino and ask him to shoot at you.  If the Rhino missed, the recoil would kill the rhino.

Now, with all that said, if you have Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet software, I have a spreadsheet with a huge amount of data comparing the effective ranges of most of the calibers in this discussion.

Send me an email and I will send the file as an attachment.  You will be astonished at the various results.

Harold Clark  haroldclark@citlink.net