I am thinking about getting a new barrel for my TC Encore. i already have a 30-06, but want something that will shoot flatter. I recently obtained a deer lease that has open fields and I possibly could be shooting 300+. I am leaning toward either 7-08 or 270. Can I get some advice on your experiences with each.

Also, any recommendations for the best scope for under $300 to put on it?

id get the 270. a 130 at 3100 fps, is flatter shooting then a 140 at 2800 or so. then again i love the 270. but each round is a fine deer round. and if you get a 7mm-08 and practice at 300+ yards shooting in hunting conditions, then you will be fine. if you dont practice at long range with a 270, then the flat shooting ability of it doesnt do much good. Every deer i have ever shot with a 270 has only taken one shot and then it was down. as for scopes, i dont know of many sub $300 scopes, but i think sightron is around that price and they are good quality scopes. Ive also heard of eagle eye scopes, they are cheaper priced scopes, but from what ive heard and seen, they are good scopes.

No difference at all with the right bullet and load used between the 7mm-08 and the 270 if you reload. Case lengthand preference only a factor?
But, if you use factory loads only then the 270 takes the lead, ONLY because of the different factory ammo offered!

e-mail me if interested in a beautiful walnut and blue Ruger 77 MKII 270 that will shoot 5/8 inch groups at 100 with my 130gr BT reloads?

I'm a HUGE fan of the 7mm08. It performs well in excess of what you would expect from the case powder capacity, and is almost always more accurate than comparable .270s. IMO the 7mm08 is the closest thing to being THE perfect cartridge ever designed on deer. When reloading you have an much wider available selection of bullets as well.

I too favor the 270 here. It is to the 7mm'08 about like the .30/'06 is to the .308.......

RugerMike, sent you a PM

I would not discourage a shooter from buying another barrel for their Encore. Lord knows I have a ton of them. However there is no difference between the 30-06, 270, and 7-08 out to 300 or 400 yards. Unless someone wants to argue about an inch or two. The 30-06 with a comparable bullet(weight wise) will easily do the job.

Personally I prefer the 30-06 with the 165 grain bullet for distances past 300 yards over the other cartridges listed. The heavier bullet is better(IMO) downrange. Tom.

Head0001...thats interesting. I guess I ought to look at the ballistics tables. I had always heard the 270 or 7MM was a flatter shooting calibre than 30-06. BTW....I am currently shooting 165 gr out of my 30-06. My longest shot on deer to date has been right at 200 yards and have never shot it on range further than 100 yds. I have it zero at 3 in high at 100 yds. At that zero...where would I be at on 300 yds?

BTW...I am shooting Federal Vital Shok Sierra GameKings

Who told you that a 06 doesnt shoot flat. Its right there with the 270. Play around with it some, its one fine caliber.