Finally finished putting together my latest deer carbine

[gotboostvr]

This has been a few years in the making waiting on deals and funds.
I've already had a perfectly serviceable 44 Rossi M92 for drives and brush hunting that's given great performance and accounted for plenty of venison.

For this, I wanted something a little different. I stand hunt in the morning and evening, while the suns up we're pushing brush and doing drives. I wanted something a little better suited to the Dawn/Dusk longer range, rested shots that goes with how I stand hunt.

I've put together a Thompson Center Encore in 357Max. 17&1/2" threaded barrel, factory synthetic stock and a Vortex 1-6x Illuminated Strike Eagle for glass.

It handles great, and the cartridge is just about the flattest shooting ohio legal cartridge and will deliver plenty of thump at the ranges available and then some.



I've got 100 pieces of Starline brass, some 180gr XTP'S, and a bottle of IMR4227. Just gotta load em up and sight in.

 

[CarJunkieLS1]

Now that makes a nice handy rifle. Great looking rifle hope shoots as well as she looks.

 

[LoonWulf]

With the max, can you run the longer pointy rifle bullets? And if so can they be driven fast enough to expand?

I've kinda wanted one for a short range pig thumper, but thought it might be pretty slick if the point .358s worked.

 

[gotboostvr]

With the max, can you run the longer pointy rifle bullets? And if so can they be driven fast enough to expand?

I've kinda wanted one for a short range pig thumper, but thought it might be pretty slick if the point .358s worked.

Depends on the bullet in question. The older Hornady SSP's, yes. Bullets designed for 35 Whelen, no. If it works in 35 Rem, you should be good to go.

... then there's always hardcast too

 

[LoonWulf]

Thanks that maybe an inch I have to scratch......

 

[gotboostvr]

It should be great for hogs as long as you are pushing a bullet of appropriate construction.

It'd be one of the rifles I'd heavily consider taking for the task.

 

[LoonWulf]

Yeah I had a Rossi 357 carbine that a hogger bought from me before I could use it. He's been running 180xtps thru it and has killed a fair number of them from what I've been told.
I was thinking that a Max running a hard 180 or a 2-220 might be ideal for even our largest pigs inside of 100yds.

 

[gotboostvr]

I'd really like to try some 180gr Core-lokt's and see how hard I can sling them along at.

But the 180gr XTP's I can pick up locally easy and the XTP line has always given great accuracy in my other caliber so that's where I'm starting at.

 

[ontarget]

Looks like a winner.

 

[WestKentucky]

Very nice... for a g2.

 

[labnoti]

At what range will this be accurate? I'm leaning toward a Ruger 77/.357. I wouldn't do it, but the 77 action should be able to be reamed out to .357 Max. Only the cartridges wouldn't fit in the magazine. Whether magnum or maximum, my concern is reports of large groups at 100 yards. .357 Magnum is not normally considered a 200 yard cartridge, but if it's not 1MOA at 100 yards, I might as well use my revolver. I like the idea of a .357 rifle, but I don't want it to suck. Maybe a T/C would be better than a 77 or 1894.

 

[Frostbite]

My experience with the Encore since 2002 is extremely positive, I wish you the same!