I am wanting a 20" barrel for my Encore. I want a short lite weight barrel that will be used as a 150 yard max deer rifle. Have narrowed it to a 243win. or 250 savage. I am leaning toward 250 savage. Recoil would have to be low. Any thoughts?

If you reload, think about a 6BR, my 26" shoots 2815 fps with 105's, a 85/87 will do 3k or better.

Out to the ranges listed, it is SO close to a 243 ballistically in a 20", I doubt more than 100-150 fps or less depending on bullet/powder, a reputable hunter told me once using 243/85 BTHP on deer to 400 yds in a 600 Rem, 18", no deer traveled more than 30 yds or so.

If you reload, a 6BR has an advantage of less blast and allows you to see your hits easier if you have some barrel weight.

If you need factory ammo, go with 243, but I doubt you do or you would not limit yourself to 250 factory loads.

If you handload, you can efficiently use a cartridge up to a .308 Win. for a 20", 200 yard rifle. If you're sticking with factory loads, the .250 Savage is probably the most efficient. For handloads the 6BR, 6.5 Grendel or the 6.8 SPC would be optimum rounds with minimum recoil.
Dave

I always tend towards the larger bore.

Just remember that the elements that make up felt recoil are gun weight, bullet weight, weight of powder charge and muzzle velocity.
To offset a lightweight rifle you must choose a lighter bullet that goes slower. I have had good luck with 85 and 100 grain bullets in .257 caliber on whitetail deer.

quote:

Originally posted by CLK320:
I am wanting a 20" barrel for my Encore. I want a short lite weight barrel that will be used as a 150 yard max deer rifle. Have narrowed it to a 243win. or 250 savage. I am leaning toward 250 savage. Recoil would have to be low. Any thoughts?

Both are good choices and will do the job. The 250-3000 will yield less recoil for any given bullet weight as it uses less powder.

But than if you down load the .243 the recoil will be similar and will yield perhaps an advantage do to greater SD with conventional non premium bullets.

If you can select the twist and throat depth I would go with the 250-3000 and hand loaded 120 gr. conventional bullets. roger

Either one of those sounds good to me. I use a 7mm08 in a Rem Mtn rifle myself but I think that may be more recoil than you are looking for in an Encore.

As onefunzr2 said--bullet weight,gun weight,muzzle velocity and powder charge make up the recoil. Here is a formula I find handy--it doesnt give foot pounds it is a recoil factor and is good for comparing. Bullet weight(in grains)+powder charge(in grains)Xmuzzle velocity divided by 3500(constant)divided by gun weight(in pounds). I have had a lot of experience with the .243 on Texas whitetail--most over 100 pounds-none 200. Contrary to what a lot of folks will tell you--it doesnt require a premium bullet. I use Winchester bulk packed(cheap)100 grainers and one through the boiler room,they dont go far. For that matter a .22 cal 55 grain produces about the same results.

I have a 16" barrel in .223 barrel for my Contender Carbine. The muzzle blast is brutal, in my opinion. Single shots are shorter than bolt guns, moving the muzzle closer to the face. With the your 20" barrel, not only does the blast at the muzzle increase (lower expansion ratio), but it is brought that much closer to your face.

Of the two you've suggested, I'd go with the .250 Sav. The better expansion ratio should lower the blast. The .243 ought to be a real ear-ringer.

I'll throw out the .25 TCU, on the .223 case. With the 117 gn RN, you should get 2300+ fps, putting it a bit ahead of the classic .25-35. Admittedly, that's a bit weak for 150 yd, but at 100 yd it would be plenty. Or you could just up-rate the .25-35 itself, to about 50 ksi, and get nearly 2400 fps.

BTW,

A 357 i.e. my marlin 18.5", is amazing vs a pistol, around 2,000 fps with 158 gr., lots of deer downing power and minimal recoil, and the blast is more of a 'boom' so a 20" in it or a 357 max might be a solid deer rifle and easily to 150 yds. It is very efficient in a rifle, LOW recoil, little powder, cheap bullets, accurate, and deadly. Ask anyone who shot deer with a rifle combo.

I always try putting something in my ears while hunting, just to take the blow out of the ears.

Short barrels on rifles of many calibers work well for whitetail deer at the ranges you will be shooting. My favorite that I use is a Savage 116 in 7mm Rem Mag with an 18" barrel. It looks funny and it is a waste for the 7mm Rem Mag, but it handles very well and kills deer. Only problem is if you shoot near dawn or dusk it shoots out a super fireball and leaves you sort of blind for a minute or two.

Recoilpad, hence your 'name'......you need welders goggles AND ear plug/muffs when shooting that, reminds me of my 600 in 350 mag yrs ago, blinding at dusk, also a M29 in 4", 44 mag full house loads, looked like a dang grenade going off......my testosterone must have come down, I REALLY rather not do some of those things again.

CLK, have to throw you another curve, I shot my 7br rifle today with new scope, shot a cloverleaf hole at 75 yds, SO darned accurate, and it has SO little kick and blast, I would use it on deer to 300 or even 400 yds if I could expect to drill vitals. Some may argue, but I know what it can do, my 6BR did one in at 400, and I KNOW the 7BR can do for you under 150.

120's clocked 2878 fps, it is VERY efficient like the 357 in a rifle. Ironically BOTH ctg's were made for handguns initially, and later came in rifles.

Factory brass, EASY to load, small powder charge LONG barrel life and EZ on the ears/shoulder. Hard to beat, plus one hole accuracy!

Have to try it, I'd say it has 243/250 killing power with heavier bullet/larger diameter.

Playing with all of these switch barrel ideas.. I have thought seriously about taking a Ruger 77 Mk 2, and doing two barrels in a heavy magnum contour or maybe even a varmint weight barrel....

however, just making the barrel length 20 inches...

The heavier weight should give it stiffness, but cut to 20 inches, should offset the weight difference from a regular 77 Mk 2....

I'd look at doing two barrels, both in stainless as would be the receiver, with a grey laminate stock....but the two candidates would be the 260 Rem, and the 338 Federal...scopw would either be a Leupold 2 x 7 shotgun scope... or a Nikon Buckmaster's Muzzle loader scope with the BDC....

i have several short carbines on Contender and Encore frames. None are producing hair splitting or ear ringing results. The Contenders are my favorite due to the lighter weight. The .257TCU is a 21 inch tapered barrel and is super handy and with barnes X bullets it is very effective out to 150 yds and has no recoil. The 30-30AI is just about the best in my view for the application. It is a 20 inch bull barrel with nice walnut stocks and a bit heavier(still very light) and super accurate..2600 FPS with 150 NBT's and near 308 performance with less recoil and blast. I also have a 20 inch bull in .357 MAX and it is good to 150 yds with 180 grain bullets at 2100 fps. I have a H@R Handi Rifle in a custom chambered .358 Bullberry that is deer death in a lite handi package. I have an Encore in 7/08 the is the heaviest of the bunch and has much heavier recoil than the others but still not bad...and I have a Handirifle in 500S@W tht will knock the snot out of both deer and shooter. Now that one has some muzzle blast and recoil. One day I'll get brave enough to hunt with it...but the others work fine and are great lite weights for the suggested application.

shortgun

Funny we think so alike seafire: My M7 7BR with 21" med. hvy barrel is so well balanced and shoots amazing.

I was thinking the other day of doing a heavier contour 20-23" in those same calibers. The shorter barrels maneuver out of a blind window much better, the weight helps steady for possible longer shots, not to mention just very accurate to do range work.

I know many factory sporters i.e. your ruger 260 have intrinsic accuracy, but in the field, a heavier barrel might steady better when needed at times. My 350 had a much beefier profile than say your 260 as it is a magnum countour. I hear Ruger will be offering a 358 win and 338 Federal. Perhaps they will do them in the same contour as the 350 which is what I would much prefer.

I shoot a Model Seven in 7mm-08. The barrel is 20 inches long and shoots quite well. My longest shot to date was a mule deer at 377 paces.
Recoil is quite moderate and is down right non-existant in my wife's MOdel Seven youth in the same caliber. That R-3 recoil pad is marvelous.
The 7mm-08, .243, .260, and .308 are all well suited to 20 inch barrels as are all of the cartridges mentioned in this post(although I did cock an eyebrow at the 7mm Rem Mag choice). Not sure why you think a 20 inch barrel is restricted to shots at 150 yds or less. But hey...I dont claim to know everything

Another way to get reduced muzzle blast is to start with a lower-pressure round. Something like 300 Savage or 30-40 Krag would work in that regard without sacrificing any trajectory benefits.

I just thought that CLK wanted something for up close hunting, perhaps for kids/ladies gun, or perhaps he has health reasons needing light recoil.

Saw a NICE rack today on a heavy older buck shot with 243, dad of the son that killed it bragged on the performance of the 95gr Fusion bullet, it angled through and complete exit, yet it did run about 150 yds. That very reason is why I want to really place a shot well with a small caliber, preferably a neck or head shot if it is at risk to have a long tracking job after dark in the woods.

My buddy was impressed using a 225gr 350 REM Mag the other day, his deer went down right where hit. Instant kill. I think a 357 mag or max would do similar work at distances to 150 yds.

So easy to load for that straight wall case, and recoil very light. Would have to be a top pick for me after having used my Marlin 357.