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| There are a couple of current 7X30 success stories being posted and here and there on some of the forums, Here is an old one from another site but the author is a current poster here. http://www.handgunhunt.com/feature/s14/index.htmlAnd that is a 10" gun so I think he probably gets some serious practice in before season! LouisB |
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| I would choose the 7x30 over the 30-30 in the Contender, but since you are considering the Encore, I would choose something with more horsepower. Probably something based off of the 308 Win. or 284 Win. Ernie |
| Posts: 828 | Location: Wyoming | Registered: 11 July 2000 | 
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| 350 Rem mag ![[Big Grin]](images/icons/grin.gif) Sorry personal bias there. Sean |
| Posts: 537 | Location: Vermont | Registered: 04 March 2001 | 
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| quote: Originally posted by Swede44mag: I have been thinking about a 7-30 waters. I hear that it is better than the 30-30. What is your opinion on the best handgun caliber for Deer? Swede44mag
The 7mm-08 in the Encore looks mighty inviting. That would be my top pick. |
| Posts: 1172 | Location: Cheyenne, WY | Registered: 15 March 2001 | 
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| I like the 375 JDJ for deer out to 300 yards Crow Mag |
| Posts: 59 | Location: mi | Registered: 10 March 2003 | 
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| quote: Originally posted by Swede44mag: I have been thinking about a 7-30 waters. I hear that it is better than the 30-30. What is your opinion on the best handgun caliber for Deer? Swede44mag
If I was looking for a Contender barrel, they would be well worth considering, along with that 375 JDJ....
For the Encore, however, I would get a barrel where I can use the "horsepower". Currently, I have two that I wouldn't hesitate to use on deer - 260 Rem and 375 H&H.
Last year I used the 375 H&H - 220 gn. Hornady FP at ~2700 fps (from 16.5" barrel). Hit a doe from 70 yards, and I never saw one drop so quickly (top of the chest, nicked the spine).
This year I am carrying the 260 Rem - 120 gn. NBTs at ~2850 fps (from 15" barrel), no luck yet....
Both of these are solid 300 yard guns, provided that you have a good rest.
The 7-30 Waters and 30-30 Winchester are not factory chamberings for the Encore, so either would be a custom proposition. Anything 243 Win (with the right bullets) on up should do the job, the 260 and 7-08 Rems look awfully good to me.
Regards, Bill |
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| I really like the 250 Sav. AI, 25-284, 257 Rob AI, 260 Rem., 6.5-284, 7mm-08, and the 284 Winchester. IMHO some of these can go beyond 300 yards for deer under the right conditions.
Ernie [ 11-20-2003, 19:45: Message edited by: xphunter ] |
| Posts: 828 | Location: Wyoming | Registered: 11 July 2000 | 
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| quote: Originally posted by Bill M: [QUOTE]This year I am carrying the 260 Rem - 120 gn. NBTs at ~2850 fps (from 15" barrel), no luck yet....
The 260 worked very well on a nice doe yesterday afternoon, ~100 yds, almost facing me. It blew a quarter-sized chuck of the leg bone into the chest cavity, she went ~20 yds.
I got to wondering if my recall on the velocity was correct - it was NOT. The 120 NBTs chronographed 2650 fps muzzle velocity from that 15" barrel - not 2850.
Regards, Bill |
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| I like the 7mm-08 in mine. Accurate and chrono's 120 gr. Hornady SSP bullets at 2667. |
| Posts: 321 | Location: Tulsa, Ok. | Registered: 27 June 2001 | 
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| I shoot the .35 Rem in the contender and if I was not afraid of the recoil I would consider either the .358 winchester or the 350 Rem. Mag. You have a wide choice of bullets includiong the .357 pistol bullets. If you are hunting open country I probably switch to the .308 or7mm 08. Just my nickels worth jess |
| Posts: 40 | Location: nashville | Registered: 13 November 2002 | 
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| I'd say .223rem or 22-250 where legal, or .308win everywhere. Now I am probably boring you to tears, but my fun has always been to use plain and common factory cartridges in highly customized firearms, with very high magnification target optics, and load them and squeeze uncommon performance from them, verses toying with the wildcat and custom cartridges, custom dies, custom load data, etc. Not critizing those who do, just stating my own preferences. Just a personal preference, and in fact I have a 20" full bull Encore ss in .308win on order with Mike at MBMCO/On Target Technologies which demonstrates my penchant for such, which is going to wear a Bushnell Elite 4200 8-32x40 target scope I have even been thinking seriously about having another 20" full bull Encore barrel made in 30-30, or 303 British, due to the accuracy potential and low recoil of these cartridges. ![[Smile]](images/icons/smile.gif) |
| Posts: 830 | Location: Virginia, USA | Registered: 08 March 2002 | 
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| I have even been thinking seriously about having another 20" full bull Encore barrel made in 30-30, or 303 British, due to the accuracy potential and low recoil of these cartridges. ![[Smile]](images/icons/smile.gif) [/QB][/QUOTE] Have you looked at the 30-40 Krag AI? I would think the 303 AI should be a possibility as well. I have thought of this for some time. As to the AI, I am thinking just more TC user friendly? Swede44mag I have been whatching this thread off and on. I have a factory 308 Encore barrel that just plainly, impressed me. The thing shoots great! I am thinking on a deer load on of the 30-30 type bullets should perform well. I have shot some steel with mine a couple of times, (IHMSA). It is a little more horsepower than needed for the job, but made me really feel better performance wise after this. The 30-30 type bullets were just as good at 200M as the spitzer types, both 150's. As too answer your question what the best caliber was, why the one you can shoot the best of course. Jeff |
| Posts: 656 | Location: Kansas US of A | Registered: 03 March 2002 | 
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| quote: Originally posted by Swede44mag: "Sean VHA #60013" I have been thinking about the 308 for an Encore Pistol. It should be easy to load and plenty of power. Do you have any load recommendations? You might check the eye relief before you order the Bushnell Elite 4200 8-32x40 scope. I have the same scope but it is on a 22-250 rifle. I like the scope very much it is clear and plenty of magnification.Swede44mag
Swede,
Greetings! I already have one of the 8-32x40 4200 Elites, and love it! Exceptional optics! Good suggestion regarding the eye relief! I do like the eye relief because it forces a more consistant placement of one's head in relation to the occular end of the scope. I also consider them to be Leupold quality for a significant less outlay of cash
I do not normally share load data [just a pet concern of mine, do not want to open myself to the liability - probably more an imagined than a real concern, but still a concern I have] but I will say that any good book load with a good bullet of 120-180 grains in my experience is sufficient for our soft bodied whitetail deer.
I tend to throttle the loads a bit less than full power for the accuracy gains that I see out of my firearms, and other firearms may "like" something different. I am quite partial to the Nosler 165 grn Balistic Tip.
JSH, I did briefly consider such cartridges as the 30-40 Krag AI, but desire to stay with a widely available offering to make my practice and plinking very cheap, and to stay away from custom dies. I have just never had a need that I could not fill with a factory cartridge, using good loading methods, and exceptional custom equipement. Not slamming those that prefer the total custom cases, just a personal preference ![[Big Grin]](images/icons/grin.gif) [ 12-04-2003, 22:26: Message edited by: Sean VHA #60013 ] |
| Posts: 830 | Location: Virginia, USA | Registered: 08 March 2002 | 
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| I like to keep things just a little different than the lowing herd. Instead of a .308Winchester, I opted for the .307Winchester. In the break-open Encore, I like the rimmed cartridges a little better. I also have a .356Winchester, .225Winchester (semi-rimmed), and .405Winchester. I still can get factory ammo for them and the dies are reasonable. They all have worked great on deer and the .356 and .405 worked excellent on elk. You can always find a good used barrel on ebay or other auction site, use it for awhile, then sell it or trade for something else to play with for a time. ![[Wink]](images/icons/wink.gif) |
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| Swede,
Now you have heard of quite an array of "best" chamberings for deer under a wide range of circumstances. When it come down to the end, the really best one is the one you can hit it with. And the operative there is "HIT". So get one you like and practice, practice, practice.
Don Shearer |
| Posts: 223 | Location: Centennial, CO USA | Registered: 14 March 2002 | 
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