Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots .338 vs .300wm encore

I am getting a new encore pro hunter and I am debating on either a .300 wm barrel or a .338 wm barrel to go along with it. How many have shot those calibers on an encore? I have only shot the encore with the MZ barrel. I know the encore is a light rifle so my question is directed at recoil.

I am experienced with both calibers in regular rifles, so I am used to regular recoil in both calibers. I have even considered the .375 H&H. Any experiences with the encore?

I have a 375 H&H Mag. Encore. It is a light rifle so the recoil is substantial (worse than my 458 Lott off the bench) but not bad off hand or off of shooting sticks. Make sure to get a scope with good eye relief unless you think a bloody forehead is a good expression of your style.

The 338 WM and 300 WM should have recoil no worse than a 375 H&H Mag. I also don't think my 375 H&H Mag. barrel has any worse recoil than my Encore .50 caliber muzzel loader barrel.

Thanks, that is the type of reply I was looking for. I want to use it on plains game in Africa and I was leaning more to the .338. Ive done Africa with the .300 and .375 in regular rifles but never with an encore.

I had a chance to shoot a 300 WM Pro Hunter before they were marketed. I feel the Pro Hunter stock's crush zone is as effective as a muzzle brake in reducing felt recoil. I would not at all be afraid of either caliber in the standard Pro Hunter, but a word of caution: the Pro Hunter Thumbhole does not have as large a crush zone in the stock, and the early word is it has recoil comparable to the original Encores, which were stompers in magnum calibers.

Thanks for the info. I will definately avoid the thumb hole stock. It has the standard prohunter stock on it currently.