30-06 Pistol My experience

[Colorado Osprey]

So, I had been looking for a while for a handgun worthy of big game hunting. Not liking big bore revolvers and not liking TC's Encore and Contender, I was looking at other single shot pistols.

I even posted here in the wanted section.

Well here is what I got for X-mas.


It is a MRI (Magnum Research) Lone Eagle

Not knowing if I would like it I didn't want to drop a couple of hundred on an optic, so I mounted a red dot and took it to the range today.

Here is the run down:
Loads with 168 Grain A-max with 12 grains of Red Dot powder
Velocity of 1300ft/sec
About the equivalent of a 357 Magnum hunting load in energy... but not in recoil.

What a pussy cat. Little recoil similar to a 6" 22 mag pistol.

Stepped up to a full house 180 grain Remington Green/Yellow box.
The blast was spectacular. Think standing next to your buddy while he shoots a snubby 44 magnum with a comp!
Recoil again was very tame. Close to a 357 magnum with full house loads.
Definitely less than a 44 mag recoil.

Now to the accuracy.
Started getting it sighted in at skeet clay targets at 25 yards.
After 3 shots they were too easy shooting free hand.
Backed up to 100 yards.
Now things got a little tougher. The gun is big and slightly heavy and keeping the red dot on target at 100 yards was tough. Still able to break a clay about every 3rd shot.
Backed up to 200 yards.
There is no way to hold the pistol steady enough to hit a clay free hand at 200 yards.
Plenty of people tried too!

Put on a bi-pod and went to the bench and 200 yard shots were about 50% on the clay targets.

Overall review:
I have wanted one of these guns for years. I wish I would have bought it many, many years ago when I could still get different barrels. The trigger is awesome. 5.5 #'s and NO creap.
If I had to do it all again, I would do it again in a second!


Now I just need to buy some decent glass

[BPTactical]

Pretty cool!
I always wanted one of the Remington XP-100's in 308.

[ray1970]

I had the opportunity to shoot one of these many years ago. I was surprised at how low the felt recoil actually was. There were three of us shooting it and we were all shooting at the same target at 100 yards and the group was quite impressive- especially considering three different people shot that group. I didn't have my chronograph handy that day but I would imagine velocities were well below what they would be out of a rifle. We were shooting in the evening right before the sun went down. Needless to say, the muzzle flash put anything I have ever shot to shame.

[9secondsflat]

Plan on reloading to get decent accuracy even if it has the same twist as a rifle you own. I have an encore 308 pistol and with factory ammo (federal gold 168, BH 168- accuracy stinks) it took alot of looking on forums to find a decent starter load that worked..the 155 palma shoot very well as do the 155 nosler using using 44 grains of varget

[Bowtie]

Is the recoil reduced by that compensator, length of the barrel, or some contraption in the back?

[9secondsflat]

truth be told (imho) the recoil from a rifle cartridge in such a short barrel isnt bad at all, its on par with a full house 44 mag but way short of a 500 smith shooting a 500 grain hard cast behind 31 grains of h110 in their 8" revolver.


fyi that "contraption in the back" is the breach

Is the recoil reduced by that compensator, length of the barrel, or some contraption in the back?