Alright, let's not turn this into a macho big bore high pressure, extreme velocity post.

I am recoil sensitive.

There, I said it. I'm recoil sensitive. I can't stand big bore, high velocity rounds. I even pre flinch before my flinch.
I drink too much coffee and am a high energy person so I don't go well with the bigger bangers. I can and do still shoot with them, but do not like flinching and don't enjoy shooting them.
My favorite rounds, that I can shoot without flinch are .22, .32 H&R mag, .44 special, and most .45 LC

So here is the question. I used to hunt with my Encore a 10" 7mm-08 barrel. I get no enjoyment out of practicing with it so I am not very accurate with it. What caliber should I be looking into that is big enough for thin skinned whitetail deer (Not huge Saskatchewan bucks) yet small enough to reduce recoil etc. I realize i could use my .45/.410 barrel, but it's currently set up for .410 and I want to scope it.
I would like to use a bottleneck cartridge.

.243? 25-06?
Any suggestions?
Thanks in advance.

And since we all like pics, here are a few.

.45/.410 set up for small game

7mm-08 set up for deer

Aaahhh...much better, doe with my .44 special.

The 243 Win, 25-06, 260 Remington, etc... will all work great, just get a good muzzle brake and recoil will be about nothing comparatively.
Holland Radial Baffle.
Chris Rhodes/Bayside Custom Gunworks puts a lot of brakes on TC's and other specialty pistols

Longer barrel than 10" will help also. Those 10's seem to jump and twist more than 15's

Spencer, I am in the same boat with you. I don't enjoy shooting those nuclear powered 1/2 inchers at all. I shoot my 44 well, and that's enough recoil for me. I am looking into a longer range handgun without the rifle caliber recoil. I think I have settled on trying the 300 blackout. It doesn't need a long barrel to develop its full potential, and I believe it would be great on whitetail sized game with some Barnes 110gr supersonic ammo. I can't comment on it from experience yet, but after much research, and talking to guys that use the 300aac, it has a reputation for killing above its level. My Christmas list is a CVA Scout II pistol in 300aac. Just a random suggestion to throw in the consideration hat.

I have a 243 and 7-08 in 15" if you want to try them some time

Spencer
May I suggest looking at the 257 Ackley Improved. I had SSK set mine up on a 15? barrel with their arrestor brake. I wanted something for dual use deer and coyote. The recoil is nearly non-existent and I can spot hits through the scope. Accuracy is amazing I have printed 1.3? groups off the bench at 200 yards. My pet bullet has been the Sierra 100gr Pro-Hunter, although the Sierra 90 HPBT Game-King shines well too. Lots of powder choices for this round, I have had good success with various ones ? A4350\IMR4350\IMR4831\N160. Currently running IMR4831 with the Sierra?s for a velocity of 2910fs this prints ?? and under at 100 yards. I took two does in 2013 with this setup have yet to connect on a coyote, maybe this winter.
Good luck on your search.
B..

Muzzle brake. Muzzle brake. Muzzle brake.

Turns the rifle rounds into soft shooters

WOW! lots of fast and great replies. I'll have to start researching what you all have said. And Tyler, thanks for the generous offer! I may just take you up on it. you aren't far from me. As a matter of fact, I used to live just south of you in Clifton Springs.

Another vote for the .243 Win or .260 Remington and a good brake.

If you handload, you can take those two cartridges and reduce load them to an acceptable balance between effective velocity and and recoil. I've seen my reduced .243 Winchester loads with 85gr Sierra HPBT-GameKings work exceptionally well on game.

Forgot to add, I only handload straight wall cartridges. Don't have the time or patience to add more reloading to the mix.

What distances do you wish to shoot? A ole 30-30 is a great shortgun cartridge. Easy on the recoil and no brake necessary to enjoy. If you were to load I'd suggest the 7-30 Waters or 30-30 AI, even better than the 30-30 in performance but still recoil friendly. A 10" barrel is no fun with any larger bottleneck chambering and you lose a lot of performance with the short steel, I'd go no less than 13".

^This.^ The muzzlebrake on my 300 Win Mag Encore barrel makes it quite pleasant to shoot.

I've got a 243 barrel for my Encore, and it's not that bad, even without a brake. I doubt it would even jump if it had a brake.

Brake that barrel man! It'll be sweet.

For your requirements, I'd add the 6.8spc in a 14" Contender barrel. It'll handle thin skinned deer out to 200yds and factory ammo is available. You don't need a brake on this one either....

so I can ADD a muzzle brake to the end of my current barrel?

300 Whisper / 300 Blackout .recoils like a 38 Special, strong enough for any WT deer walking....half the recoil of a 25-06...no brake needed

Yes, you can add a brake, a gunsmith can thread the end of the barrel. Most brakes screw on. Just remove front sight, the screw holes shouldn't matter.


My daughter-in-law shoots an Encore .243 with a brake and loves it; says it doesn't recoil at all. She has taken two good antelope bucks and a nice mule deer buck with it.

Another vote for a "Brake." Realize however that the "blast" may be more objectionable, depending on the brake.

You certainly could, but you are still giving up a lot of potential with that short barrel and that 7-08 case. Having shot the same load through both a 10" and a 14" barrel in the 7-30 Waters I found the 10"er lost over 300 fps compared to the 14"er and the muzzle blast and recoil were markedly more significant with the shortie.

ROB....... I"ll be calling you Friday!!!!

Lots of great advice here, not much to add other then consider a slightly longer barrel, increase weight and reduce recoil. The 110 gn Barnes bullet used in the 300 black out works great and is available in a factory load. The newer 45/410 barrels are notoriously lacking in accuracy with 45s. Supposedly the original barrels worked better.

thanks for the advice. lots of great info to look into.

racksmasher. i'm home friday, not working so i will be available.

I agree with everything Boot said. I have done the same research and belive I would like a 300 ACC Blackout barrel for my Contender.