I need some help on this one. I am getting ready to get a factory 10" 7 08 barrel for my Encore. What can I expect from the Factory ammo with this barrel? I have not gotten into reloading. Should I get the barrel or let it go?

ern,

IMO i think that a 10" bbl in 708 is to short you prolly wont burn enough powder to make that cartridge worth while.. I would recommend getting the 15" if you want the 708.. just my 2 cents

6.5 Bandit

[ 04-23-2003, 23:54: Message edited by: 6.5 Bandit ]

Ern,
I would aggree with 6.5 that a 10 inch wouldn't be best suited for the 7-08. I would also go with the longer barrel for this cartridge.

Ernie

I have one of those. Got it real cheap from Midway.

It certainly is a shooter. I'm a novice with these guns, but mine is consistently under 1-1/2" at 100 yards with winchester supreme, Remington and handloads. White box winchester and hornady give about 6" groups, but they do the same in my rifle barrel.

It is really loud and produces a huge muzzle flash. Kick isn't bad.

The throat is really long on mine, but again it is within .003" of the throat on my rifle. Seating the bullets out .012" from the lands helps accuracy, but I think it is better than I am regardless.

I'm away from home so I can't post loads, but my best hand loads are slower than factory loads. I seem to recall that the same loads are about 400 FPS slower in the pistol than in the rifle. For hunting purposes the Remington and Winchester Supreme are as accurate as I could hope, my handloads are only marginally better (but quieter!)

Just an old dog howlin' from the porch...

I'm Home!

My favorite load for both my 7mm-08 barrels comes from a poster over at Graybeards.

41 Gr. of Varget and 140 Grain Sierra. For my guns I load them to an AOL of 2.864 to get close to the lands.

2820 FPS from my rifle barrel, 2120 from the 10" pistol barrell. Groups consistently under 1" at 100 yards from both (All touching from the rifle, usually!)

Factory ammo from the pistol barrel clocks 2100 - 2400 FPS (All 140 grain).

I haven't hunted with the pistol yet, but I'm working on some 120 and 130 Grain loads to try to get some more velocity.

Porchdog