Medium Range Speciality Pistol

Looking for input on building a new handgun. wanting to shoot out to 400 yards. Mostly for a fun gun but will probably take a deer or two with it as well. I will probably go with a MGM barrel on an encore frame. I have been looking at 308 based cartridges like the 7mm-08 and 338 federal.

Do you handload?

Why not the .308? Ammunition is cheaper and more available than the others, and offered in an almost endless variety.

no not at this time...

And known for accuracy.

In that case:

.308 Winchester
1-10 inch Twist Rate
168gr Hornady TAP Precision ELD-Match ammo.

I was going to say 30-30 until I saw that your "medium Range is 400 yards! I have nothing to offer except that I adore the .308 Win. in a short barreled rifle. Plenty of accuracy and power, and very efficient in short guns. Plus, since you're not a handloader, you'd have a hard time finding a cartridge with a better variety of outstanding loads setting on Walmart store shelves.

My boy will be taking his first deer this week with a handgun, hopefully. He will be using a .308 Win bolt action SP.

So, I vouch for it enough to let him take his first handgun deer with the cartridge. 😁

This!
Plus a good muzzle brake.

Yes.

Haha ok LONG RANGE... Sorry my dad shoots long range rifles and long range to him is 1200 + haha.

I shoot 1,760 yards (1 mile) with a .308 Winchester. So, there is that.

😁

The 3-O-Wait can't shoot that far....and hit what your aiming for, especially with factory ammo

😎

If you are going Encore 308, 6.5 Sweed, 6.5 Creedmore, 260 Rem .I am partial to the 6.5 calibers but shoot a 308 as well and I second the muzzle brake. Makes them louder but lots easier to shoot.

6.5 Creed with all of it's factory ammo options would be a good choice too with less recoil.
147 grain Hornady ELD-M with 7.5 or 8T barrel (and a good brake)

I agree. The Creedmoor is another good factory load option.

Ok so it looks like the majority of you agree on the 308. What length barrel and what kind of muzzle brake?

Oh and ABSOLUTELY NOTHING from Precision Armament. Bad blood with them. My family use to own their parent company.

15" barrel. Suggest you try it without a break first, as the recoil is not that bad with bullets up to 150 gr.. I had my 30/06 Encore Pro Hunter Magnaported with the Dual Traps configuration, which really tames the muzzle flip when shooting the 180+ grainers.

15? MGM barrel
Holland?s Radial Baffle brake

What bi-pod are you running on your SP Handguns?

Harris BR (Swivel version) with notched legs.