In between 7mm-08 & .308

[LVJ76]

If you want to get someone driven to shoot better, just show them how the gun shoots that you sighted in and let them shoot it (poorly). I zeroed a buddy's 350 Legend in a few weeks ago. It shot .75 MOA for me out to 250 yards. When he shot it, he shot it high and left but about 3-4 MOA. I kept telling him he's picking his head up off the scope immediately after he pulls the trigger. He was so mad that he couldn't group that he just wanted to sell it. He doesn't shoot much but he called me a week later asking if we could go back out so he could shoot some more. Time behind the rifle you hunt with is actually the most important thing. It's what ables perfect shot placement. No substitutes.

Follow through!

They don't follow through with their shots. This is where dry firing comes in to play. You can literally catch yourself jerking the trigger, flinching, lifting your head or moving it to the side to see impacts, etc.

Many shooters and hunters don't know better, and dry firing teaches "Follow Through". Many think this only applies to shooting moving targets but it applies to all shooting.

 

[VLD Pilot]

Follow through!

They don't follow through with their shots. This is where dry firing comes in to play. You can literally catch yourself jerking the trigger, flinching, lifting your head or moving it to the side to see impacts, etc.

Many shooters and hunters don't know better, and dry firing teaches "Follow Through". Many think this only applies to shooting moving targets but it applies to all shooting.

Right. That's exactly his problem. He's 76 years old and has only shot iron sights. Scopes are new to him. When shooting irons, he can see the animal clearly after the shot without lifting his head. He just wants to see if he hit the target so it's more a habit he's developed since the scope covers the target. Your right he needs that muscle memory.

 

[dogz]

Back many moons ago when I was a little dude my G-pa would have me hold the rifle offhand and dry fire it. Trick was, when I was holding the rifle up he'd set a dime on the end of the barrel and it needed to stay on it after I dry fired....helped learn me some good follow thru

 

[woodtick007]

Is there something in between a 7-08 and .308? My son wants bigger, but the .308 has too much kick.

Perhap you could send him go to some courses on hunting/stalking rather then long range sniper style. When using skills to gain closer access to what ever critter your attempting to kill you could buy him a 30-30 . the 30-30 utilizes a 30 caliber bullet and has a greatly reduced recoil. Believe it or not many hunter utilize bow and arrows hunting all types of game. They gain access of 50 yards or less and deliver lethal shots by the tracking / stalking methods along with proper shot placements.

 

[VLD Pilot]

Perhap you could send him go to some courses on hunting/stalking rather then long range sniper style. When using skills to gain closer access to what ever critter your attempting to kill you could buy him a 30-30 . the 30-30 utilizes a 30 caliber bullet and has a greatly reduced recoil. Believe it or not many hunter utilize bow and arrows hunting all types of game. They gain access of 50 yards or less and deliver lethal shots by the tracking / stalking methods along with proper shot placements.

I never read his post to say he wants to shoot LR with his rifle. Only something with less recoil. He has some pretty good suggestions so far. It is a LR hunting forum regardless.

 

[the blur]

I don't own any braked rifles. I'm 1/2 deaf as it is, and I need another 30 years out of my hearing. I started wearing electronic muffs while hunting. But they are a pita. I passed on a few deer because I didn't have my ears on properly. My ears are worth more than a trophy on the wall.
In fact, I will not sit next to a braked rifle at the range. The pressure wave is annoying. I now wear inner & outer muffs at the range.

 

[ducky]

I don't own any braked rifles. I'm 1/2 deaf as it is, and I need another 30 years out of my hearing.

Time to invest in a suppressor.

 

[the blur]

Time to invest in a suppressor.

Not where I live. Not worth becoming a liberal legal victim.

 

[xsn10s]

I don't own any braked rifles. I'm 1/2 deaf as it is, and I need another 30 years out of my hearing. I started wearing electronic muffs while hunting. But they are a pita. I passed on a few deer because I didn't have my ears on properly. My ears are worth more than a trophy on the wall.
In fact, I will not sit next to a braked rifle at the range. The pressure wave is annoying. I now wear inner & outer muffs at the range.

Hearing protection is a pita but like you I suffered a lot of hearing loss. So now it doesn't matter if I'm shooting, mowing the lawn, or driving nails I wear hearing protection. If braked rifles isn't an option I'd use a either a 7-08 or 308 with reduce recoil loads. But ultimately the shooter will dictate what to use and when to set up to a larger cartridge. I'd use a 308 win. but the reality is a 7-08 will work fine. Either rifle will need good shot placement anyways.

 

[VLD Pilot]

Hearing protection is a pita but like you I suffered a lot of hearing loss. So now it doesn't matter if I'm shooting, mowing the lawn, or driving nails I wear hearing protection. If braked rifles isn't an option I'd use a either a 7-08 or 308 with reduce recoil loads. But ultimately the shooter will dictate what to use and when to set up to a larger cartridge. I'd use a 308 win. but the reality is a 7-08 will work fine. Either rifle will need good shot placement anyways.

Shot placement is #1 with any cartridge.

 

[Muddyboots]

Ok, OP says recoil is problem but wants heavier bullets for elk? Recoil is simple physics of correlation between bullet weight, powder weight and rifle weight. Go up in bullet weight then either go down in powder or increase rifle weight. You cannot cheat physics on recoil unless you add outside factors like a gas operated system, brake or some other recoil absorption device.

Lots of good recommendations here but I would say 7MM-08 is as good as it gets for managing recoil with terminal performance. Toss in a light Hammer bullet high velocity load and go kill it.

 

[richhymas]

Not where I live. Not worth becoming a liberal legal victim.

Have you shot any guns with a good suppressor on it? My 300 WM with a thunder Beast break and suppressor combo has substantially less recoil than my 308. My 14 year old daughter who weighs 80 lbs shoots it fine without issue. Trust me. It's worth the time and money of noise and recoil are important factors for you.

 

[the blur]

Have you shot any guns with a good suppressor on it? My 300 WM with a thunder Beast break and suppressor combo has substantially less recoil than my 308. My 14 year old daughter who weighs 80 lbs shoots it fine without issue. Trust me. It's worth the time and money of noise and recoil are important factors for you.

I can only say it so many ways. Where I live, suppressors are illegal.

 

[xsn10s]

I can only say it so many ways. Where I live, suppressors are illegal.

So why don't you just get a suppressor then? Just kidding buddy, trying to lighten up thread. Have you come up with any solutions yet?