Nope, not me. Wish I had a handy picture of mine to throw up so as yours doesn't get lonely.

looks like an elk killer to me

Very nice Kyle! However... ...only 2550fps (avg of the two loads) from the 180gr bullets? The .338JDJ#2 does that with 180gr NBT's and only 52gr of powder in a 14" barrel. I just thought you may be able to crank them a little faster or are you just running a light load?

Dan, that was my ? to kyly as well. It does give the accuracy he's looking, but I think the powder is too slow for the velocity. I too can reach that speed with my 15" '06AI and H414.

she won't do much over 2600fps with 180's without pushing it pretty hard. i'd have to look over past notes to see exactly how high i've been in fps.
factory winchester 180gr loads chronied roughly 2650fps if my memory serves me right.

this load is 1 gr under listed max in the hodgdon annual manual.
once ya get up there in pressures with this magnum casehead on the encore action.......things just don't feel right. just don't know how to explain what i mean here.
the faster powders would give more velocity, but accuracy just wasn't there and once ya started pushing it pretty hard .....there were issues that concerned me. brass stretch, extraction n stuff like that.

yeah........anudder 100-150fps would be nice, but pretty much meaningless in my lifetime of hunting.

i've never knowingly had a "slow barrel"....but i tend to think this could possibly be one i know of another 15" 300win mag that may possibly exceed the velocity i get with this longer model.

now......a 180gr bullet in .338 does not have the sectional density of one in .308. so......theoretically it should penetrate more on tough game.....AND i'm willing to bet a whole bunch that this thing is quite more pleasant(recoil wise) to shoot 40 er 50rnds thru than a .338JDJ contender ....lol
courtesy of the OTT shark gill muzzle brake

another consideration.....if you plug 2575fps into a balistic chart......with a 2" high setting at 100yrds, she's around 10" low at 300yrds and still has over 1600ft/lbs of energy.

thats not nuffin to sneeze at out of a handgun

Kyle...sounds to be like they are nearly ballistic twins...the 338JDJ#2 w/ a 180gr NBT at 2550fps and +2.5" at 100yds will hit 10" low at 300 yards...confirmed with actual shooting. It also carries 1600 ft lbs of energy. I do agree with you that the .308 180gr would out penetrate the .338" 180gr...but a pass through is a pass through. You'd have to shoot something awfully big with the .338JDJ#2 not to get complete broadside penetration. Or it would have to be awfully far away.

Either way...you have a nice gun and we may be learning something. Jeff may be at the right point for a .30 caliber in the Encore action to reach peak efficiency in the barrel lengths you are working with.

But...I'm not exactly one to preach efficiency...I'm having a XP built in 7mm WSM! I should get 154gr IB's or 160 AB's to 2800fps. 2" high at 100 puts me less than 6" low at 300yds!! hehehe!!!

Kyle, my plain-jane '06 and 55g IMR4350/180 Nosler is as fast and almost as accurate with a 2x Leupold. I've taken ti to 57gr but case extraction is starting to be sticky. I won't tell you how fast it is with the new Barnes TSX but it does beat the winnie stuff substantially. They're pricey, but for a hunting round they a have to be the choice. I still want to get a 16" 300 wiinie thouhg cuz I have about 300 brass and lots of different powders to use. Stoke em up! So what if accuracyy falls off to 1 MOA! Your load is shooting awesome groups though! Nice rig!

Gerry...I know where there is a .300 Winny Encore rifle barrel for sale locally.

hodgdon's annual manual lists H414 as giving 2536fps with a 180gr bullet at a max load of 55.5gr in an 06 15" barrel. looks like H414 is working very good in the 06, as most other powders listed show 2300-2400+fps.

after shootin factory 180's at 2650fps out of this unbraked .......i'd like to sit n watch ya put 20-30rnds outta that JDJ with 180's at 2550 in the lil contender downrange dan that has gotta hurt!

it has never been my intention for this big magnum to be used for a lot of casual shooting, be efficient, or outrun someone else. it is simply a tool that will do the job. +or- a hunert fps is sweatin small stuff

face it fellers......ain't NUTHIN much got quite the "cool factor" of a big ol 300 winchester in a handgun......unless it would be a .338 win mag or 375H&H!

Kyle...50 rounds from the .338JDJ#2 w/ 180's and no brake is easy...it's a pooch. However...jump the bullet to 225gr at 2300fps...that starts to sting! The .375JDJ w/ 270's at near 2200fps is a hammer!!

In the end...you are correct...it's a tool. That's why mine are all dressed in Pach's...no fancy wood for me!

Now you guys quit picking on Kyle. At least he isn't whining that the thing won't group. He posted his results fair and square. Personally, I think it's some pretty good shooting. He want just make me break out my chrony and start clocking my 338wm. I really enjoy shooting my 338s and I don't think the recoil with the 180s is all that bad.

Good shooting kyle, looks like that barrel finally come around for ya. Now keep it clean and pull the stud. Speed isn't everything. You gotta hit what your shooting at first.

Dan, How much?

Kyle, come to the SWPA shoot in April and I'll you try the 375H&H and teh 416 Rugby.

Nice shooting KYODE.

I think you should come up to the SWPA shoot, will be a good time!!

Kyode, nice looking handgun! I'm getting about 100 fps faster with my Savage Striker 300 WSM with a 15" barrel (no muzzle brake), with the 165 gr Swift Sciroccos (sp?). I too dropped the velocity a little for accuracy. Mine likes the Big Game powder.