Encore PISTOL advice needed

Guys,
I am looking into the T/C Encore Pistols, sort of like the old contenders but more calibers. Will be used for deer hunting in the piedmont and bears in North GA (hopefully). Need to be able to shoot out to 75 yards accurately with a scope mounted on it. What calibers should I consider in this pistol and do you have any good/bad experiences with it. My main goal is to add a little diversity to my deer hunting and lighten my weapon load during the bear hunts where I hike in real far. Thanks
NGA Bearhunter

I have relatives that both shoot the .308 in the encore pistol config, has dropped deer and hog on the spot....excellent accuracy and one even beefs up his hand loads a bit. Im comfortable with the recoil but much over that and you've got to train for it...unless .454 is a regular part of your vocabulary....

I purchased an Encore last year and love it. I have a 30-30 win. in a 15" barrel all stainless with Thompson rubber grips. I topped it off with a Bushnell 2X6X32 scope. It shoots great. At 75 yrds with a good rest you can touch holes. My next barrel will be a 7-08 for it. It has more punch with a flat fast bullet. One thing I would do is buy a different scope. Don't get me wrong the Bushnell is very clear and I really like it, but it has a fixed eye relief of 18". I thought this was what would be best, but found in hunting situations a scope with a variable eye relief say 14" to 18" will work better. The scope I would buy will most likely be a Burris 2X6X32. It has the feature I described.
The first time I shot this gun I was gripping it like mad. I thought it would jump out of my hand, but believe it or not, there is very little recoil. I shoot it off of a monopod shooting stick and it hardly jumps with me holding it with one hand. I had the barrel made by the Thompson custom shop they did a great job. The 7-08 barrel is a standard caliber for the Encore.
Get you an Encore and don't look back. You will be like me thinking about the next barrel you will buy for it.

Good luck. I did take two does with mine last year and missed a couple also. The more I shoot it and hunt with it the better I get with it.