Been wanting to get into hunting with a handgun. Don't want a round too expensive to shoot, but want to start out with the best round out of a 15 in. barrel. What works well?

308 is a great round. If you can also get a .22 barrel for practice/small game and shoot it often.

The .308 is definitely the best round IMHO!

I have had great luck with Varget and 150 gr Sierra and Nosler bullets in my .308's. Best of luck!

For all-around use it is hard to beat the 308 Win. Ammo is available everywhere and is relatively inexpensive. The 7-08 is a good one in an Encore as well. If you are hunting bigger game as a rule, a 338 Fed or 358 Win might be better. But, if I could have only one, it would probably be the 308.

Also agree on a rimfire tube for cheap practice, it takes lots of practice to get proficient with the shortgun.

I would like to get into smaller handguns also, so I can feel like I'm really hunting with a pistol, but I think I'll start with the encore and progress to something harder. Always been a rifle hunter, but getting to where I need a more challenging firearm. ;))

The .22 sounds like a good idea. thx.

I would have to agree with everyone on an 308 in an Encore as the #1 Choice in barrels and even more so for the non-reloader. Easy to get ammo, ammunition cost, good choice of bullets in factory ammunition. A very good list of bullets to reload for it.

And as mentioned TC makes a 22 LR and a 17 HMR barrel for it for economical practice. I would probably include the 223 as a good practice/plinking barrel with economical ammunition.

If you want to varmint hunt you can add a 223, 22-250 or 243 barrel for it.

The switch barrel handgun has some real advantages. With a 22LR, a 223, and a 308 barrel you can cover almost every handgun hunting,and plinking requirement you might have. The best part is you can get a 308 barrel to start with, then add other barrels later.

I'll put in a vote for the 7 08. I reload though so ammo avaliability is not an issue for me. I think the 7 08 can do anything the 308 can do with less recoil, which usually means better accuracy. Also, the 7 08 is a flatter flying round, and passes the 308 in impact energy somewhere around 300 yrds.

Can you tell I like the 7 08?

I will be hunting deer with it this year, and Elk next year if I can draw a tag.(elk this year will be an otc bow tag)

+1 on everything good about the .308 above. I like mine.

Bill in OR

Can't go wrong with the .308 win!

My 2 cents worth: The .308 Encore IS the primary single shot pistol my son Joe uses in my handgun hunting video comprising most of the hunt scenes.

For ammunition supply, it is a great choice as far as ease to obtain: military surplus, and all major ammunition makers supply a myriad of different loads for it.

For Versatility and Availability, not to mention ACCURACY; it is a great choice.

Love my .308 Win. Easy to find ammo. Tons of reloading data if you get in to that. I load some 110 grain rounds for off season practice, and some 130's for whitetails. Excellent accuracy. Bit of recoil, about like a heavy 44 mag load.

I had almost decided on something like 270, but wanted more energy and although I'm a 30.06 man in a rifle, I thought it might be a whole lot of flame, kick and loss of energy in a shorter barrel. The most talked about in the magazines has been .308 encore and 30-30 contender. Appreciate all the input!

The 7mm-08 is a great handgun, but in a handgun platform the 308 will outperform the 7mm-08.

I have both, 30-06 ans .308 in a 15" Encore barrel. I have not shot the .308 yet, but I imaging they will be about the same out of a 15 inch barrel. I have had great success with my 30-06!

I got a 15 inch 308 Encore barrel last year and took a doe with it at about 80 yards. She was facing me and I hit her in the neck and exited between the shoulders. She dropped like a bag of rocks. I was using 125 gr. handloads. I posted a picture of her on the bragging board. The recoil isn't bad. I enjoy mine. A few weeks ago I shot a beaver swimming at about 75 yards.

oh please explain......

I was thinking the same thing. 308 = over rated. Make mine a 257 Roberts.

Comparing my Hornady data for my 7mm08 and TC loading book, Vol 2, for the 308, the 308 with a 14in barrel will project a 150gr projectile at 2600-2700fps. (pgs 74 & 78) My 7mm08 shoots a 140gr projectile at 2500fps. The Hodgdon website has listing for Varget that launches a 139gr at 2600fps, but I could not find a bullet that would shoot it accurately.

http://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp

V/R

Duane

The additional bore volume of the .308 over the .284 should allow more efficient use of the expanding gas when shot from a shorter tube with the same weight bullet. Larger bores, as a rule, suffer less than smaller bores with barrel length reductions. The better BC of the smaller bullet may prevail at longer ranges (500+) tho, depending on MV. The difference on critters in the field is subtle.

imo....balistic coefficients and sectional density of like bullet weight make the 7-08 the performer. my 15" 7-08 does 2800fps with the 120gr bullet.
there would be very little difference in fps with the 150gr class. if you have a good expanding bullet in that weight in 7mm, the b.c. of the 7mm wins on all counts.

the only thing i'd prefer a .308 for....n maybe at that....would be elk within 200yrds, n there would still probably be little difference in reality.

That is Awesome that you have found a load that works for you!! What is humorous is that I one a 7mm08 and NOT a 308… LOL

OK, Prof. Kyode has educated again. Could I possible inquire what you are loading in your 7mm08????? PLEASE!!

Duane

41.5gr of H4895 with a 120gr nosler bt. 5 shots average 2800fps from the 15" factory barrel and accuracy would rival a custom.

i've shot some 154gr sst's, but have never completed a load workup yet. they should be around 2500fps neighborhood.

nope....no professor here lol. others can quote that scientific jargon, i'm not really into arguing/splitting hairs on that stuff. you just have to take a lot of stuff into account to decide a "best".

I'm not a reloader, and I know that a ballistics chart is not always the best reference, but looking at a shooters bible, I see the 7-08 outperform in range some, up to 300 yds. but the 308 has more energy of course, so I really have to account for what has more bang for the buck. Plus the availability of the .308 is much, much wider for the guy who has to buy factory. I do know some reloaders though, and would love to know what other guys are shooting in a 15 in. encore that has worked well for them. I do plan to buy other barrels in the future, so I may get twitterpated on a different round later.

I have been Twitterpated more than once. LOL

My son Joe uses my handloads of 150 gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips for antelope and 150 grain Accubonds or Partitions for mule deer.

Can you tell I am a proud father?

gregg richter, what powder, amount and bullet are you exactly using? Or are you shooting .308?

My 15" .308 barrel likes 165 gr NBTs and Reloader 15. It will shoot under 1" from the bench with this combo at about 2200 fps.

Great pics Gregg!

I would ad a .45/410 to this list [quote=Bob

The switch barrel handgun has some real advantages. With a 22LR, a 223, and a 308 barrel you can cover almost every handgun hunting,and plinking requirement you might have. The best part is you can get a 308 barrel to start with, then add other barrels later.



[/quote]

PM sent.

Thank you pab 1. If you ever come back to Colorado give me a holler and we will catch up!

If I get down that way again I'll let you know. Its tempting to make a trip just to check out your new toy Rod made!

Thanks, pab and pter. And those are great pics gregg. Pronghorn is on my to do list.

I think both rounds will perform equally well on game, so for me, i'll take the one with less recoil, and a little more range.
But...
You said you will be using mostly factory ammo, so you should probably get the 308.
If you were rolling your own I would say the 7 08. Really it doesn't much matter, they will each serve you well.

This is flawed thinking plus physically impossible.

The reason for less recoil is a lighter bullet, so they can't perform equally well on game.

The .308 is the superior cartridge, IMO.

ESPECIALLY if you go on to larger game like elk.

Not saying the 7-08 won't work, just that the .308 would be the superior choice for elk.

I agree. Only because when I shoot it, I want it to drop in it's tracks. The only blood trails I like are the ones I leave haulin' it out.

Not to say the 7 won't work. shot placement is the most important factor here. I'm just a fan of impact energy. Love to watch a coyote wad up when he gets hit with a .35 Whelen, and hey, quick death is humane right?

Well, look at it these way. They are comparable enough that we are debating them. LOL If we do our job I don’t think game will know the difference. Pick which one you fancy and NEVER look back. Just add more barrels…

Yeah, you can spit hair all day, but a .22 LR will do it if you put it in the right spot. 308 is cheaper and more available, which is the main reason for it. #1 I think the recoil would be somewhat less than a 30.06, which I'm fond of, but want to try something I've never had #2 The .308 comes in a hunter package, already scoped. Kills a few birds, anyway.