I have just acquired a TC Encore pistol in .243 caliber. I am quite the novice at reloading and will take that up later after this hunting season.

Can someone advise me as to a good reliable factory load for antelope hunting that will perform well in this firearm? I probably am looking at taking a shot anywhere from 100 -300 yards.

I sure would appreciate any good information so that I may get out to the range a zero this puppy in.

Thanks

Fivetoes,

First off, welcome to the site!

Since you are not handloading at the moment you are a bit limited as far as a good load in your 243 Encore. That being said, there are loads out there that will work for you until you get your handloads going which I STRONGLY recommend.

The first thing to concider about using a standard rifle round for big game hunting out of a 15" Encore barrel is your bullet.

Since your velocity will be anywhere from 300-500 fps less then factory specs this can be a problem. You still need a bullet that will expand well at these lower velocities.

Personally, I feel that any factory load with a premium bullet is actually a bad combination for handgun hunters. That is except for the Nosler Partition loads.

The partition is a premium bullet that is designed to expand easily at lower velocities and still retain good weight for penetration. This is the only premium bullet I would recommend for the size game you are going after.

Remember that a big Pronghorn is not a huge critter. In fact the width of its chest is only slightly larger then a big coyote, a bit more but not much. They are also slightly built with not alot of heavy muscle to punch trough.

These animals call for a bullet with the following features:
-high ballistic coefficcient for flat trajectories

-Will expand quickly and retain decent weight(about 50%)

My sincle favorite bullet for single shot handguns for hunting big game is the nosler Ballistic Tip. I use it in everything from my 221 up to my 338 WSM.

Your problem is a factory load that will do what you want it to. There are factory loads with the 95 gr ballistic tip but velocity in the short barrel will limit 300 yards shooting because of trajectory. There are some 70 gr loads that will shoot flat enough but they are designed for varmints and while they may work fine in at these handgun velocities it isn't worth the risk.

So after all this talk I guess my advice to you would be to find a rifle load with a soft point in the 80 to 85 gr range. Loads from Winchester, Remington and even Horandy will work well. Your will just have to shoot them in your handgun and find out which shoots the best.

Just remember to stay away from super premium bullets such as the X bullets. These are great for rifles but they need the high velocity to work and they are of slow expansion design, not a good match for goats with a handgun.

One more tip, I do not know your shooting skill and do not mean to offend as you are probably a fine shot, but at 300 yards, these factory loads will be a bit lacking on energy. They will easily harvest even deer size game at that range with a solid well placed bullet but at 300 yards there is no room for error. I would suggest limiting your shots to 200 yards until you have knocked a few down. I have been hunting big game on the prairies of central Montana for years and I have only had to take a shot over 200 yards a couple times. Take your time and enjoy the hunt, thats why we use handguns instead of rifles.

Good Hunting!!!

50

50,
Thanks for the information. Although I am new to handgun hunting this will not be my first rodeo. I have taken a few goats every year in N. Colorado and East Wyoming outside of Lusk.

I am going out to the range Friday and will pick up a few boxes of ammo in different bullet weights and try them out. I'll keep you posted.

Thanks

Oh, one more thing 50, You seem to be pretty knowledgable in this area. Are there any good reloading books with information on recommended loads for the Encore?

When you start reloading, try and use the Nosler 90gr Ballistic Tip. Works great on Antelope!

Fivetoes,

The best source of data for rifle rounds in the Encore is the Hornady #5. They do list the 243 in the handgun section and has a good deal of data for you.

As far as the Encore goes, I have found that factory barrels can vary a bit. For example, a 7mm-08 barrel I worked with for a customer had a very tight chamber and was at max pressures far before the listed max in several manuals.

Also my personal 270 Win barrel has a rather loose chamber and will accept a heavier charge then most manuals list. You will just have to see what your barrel is like.

The comment about the new 90 gr Ballistic Tip is a good one. They are great in handloaded rounds for anything up to deer.

If you have any other questions feel free to ask, I will help if I can or point you in the direction of someone who can help you.

One last tip, you may want to try the Hornady light magnum loads for the 243. Other rounds in this line have performed with quite high performance compared to other factory loads. Sometimes adding 100 fps over other loads. Worth a try anyway.

Good Shooting!!!

50