Recoil management-poor shooting

[Don Titus]

Hi everyone, I need some help. I own among many other rifles of sako finnlight in 300 WSM. For the life of me I cannot sight it in anything better than a 3 inch group... Unfortunately, I have to admit this is due to my inability off managing the recoil and shooting it without a flinch. The gun is about 7 1/2 pound scoped and it beats me up bad. I also own a 9 pound 375H&H and I can shoot that one with no problem... This little WSM however just beats me. I'm planning to take this rifle for a mountain hunt this summer and I am wondering what should I do to properly sight it in? Would you have it threaded and use a muzzlebreak or a can? The problem is I detest muzzle breaks and a can make the gun rather unwieldy. Would you think sighting it in in a lead sled like device would be reasonable? I can shoot it for a couple rounds without the sled but then the wheels come off as it starts to beat me up, therefore I am unable to even sight it in right now.... Anyways, any suggestions are welcome and if you think it is best to thread it where would you have it done? I live in by the twin cities in MN.

I bought a T3X lite in 300 WM it came with a brake and shoots great with groups under 1" usually around .5". It kicks less than my REM 700
in 300 WM which has a brake too. A brake is your easiest and most cost effective solution, no doubt about it. The brake will reduce felt recoil by 40%.

 

[nealm66]

Would sub 2" inch, 3 shot groups @ 300 yards, from the bench, with a rifle producing 59+ ft/pounds recoil qualify?
To be clear, for general bench work I wear a PAST recoil shield......for extended sessions. For a half dozen rounds or so, for a zero check.......not needed! memtb

What is your technique?

 

[Loonsrcool]

IF, you want a Light, 7.5 Pound, Mountain Rifle that, can be shot WELL, without,.. a Brake,..
BUY, a Tikka T-3, in,.. 7mm-08, 7mmRM, .270 WSM, 6.5 PRC, .30-06, etc. and stay under,.. 168 grain Bullets.
With, the PROPER Bullet, they will all, Kill Elk to 5- 600+ yards and NOT,.. your, Shoulder !
The Gun Racks are full of, .300 Win Mag's, WSM's and .338's, in most Gun Shops for, a REASON !
I'm 74 and shoot, a Tikka T-3, @ 7.7 pounds "all up" with, 140 Berger Classic Hunters at, 3,185 FPS into, Sub 1/2, MOA groups.
This load, is still going, OVER,.. 2,000 FPS at, 800 Yards !

Total agreement here. I put alot of meat on the table for nearly 60 years, without shoulder pain!

 

[Cliffhunter]

Hi everyone, I need some help. I own among many other rifles of sako finnlight in 300 WSM. For the life of me I cannot sight it in anything better than a 3 inch group... Unfortunately, I have to admit this is due to my inability off managing the recoil and shooting it without a flinch. The gun is about 7 1/2 pound scoped and it beats me up bad. I also own a 9 pound 375H&H and I can shoot that one with no problem... This little WSM however just beats me. I'm planning to take this rifle for a mountain hunt this summer and I am wondering what should I do to properly sight it in? Would you have it threaded and use a muzzlebreak or a can? The problem is I detest muzzle breaks and a can make the gun rather unwieldy. Would you think sighting it in in a lead sled like device would be reasonable? I can shoot it for a couple rounds without the sled but then the wheels come off as it starts to beat me up, therefore I am unable to even sight it in right now.... Anyways, any suggestions are welcome and if you think it is best to thread it where would you have it done? I live in by the twin cities in MN.

 

[Cliffhunter]

Light weight mountain gun with a big caliber the only solution is a muzzle brake. I like the Terminator muzzle brake. A little expensive but well worth it. Go to their website and you will see for yourself. He has a recoil measuring device and demonstrates at least four or five different brakes. His break beats all of them.

 

[memtb]

What is your technique?

I like pain! In all seriousness, I covered my learning curve in an earlier post during this conversation!

I shoot with front rest (an old Hoppe's rest), the rear seated in a typical "rabbit ear" bag, place my left hand on the scope to minimize rifle jump and torque, I do not grip the pistol grip tightly as it seems to cause a shift of aim point at the time of firing (merely use the pistol grip to pull the stock straight back into the shoulder), place rifle butt firmly into my shoulder, and then dry-fire several times to be certain that there is no scope shift at the time of sear release. Then replicate, as best I can, the previous hold/method as best I can for the following shots.

As mentioned earlier, for the past 10 years or so (as I'm getting soft in my old age), I do use the PAST shield when shooting my wife's .338 WM and my .375 AI, when verifying the zeros.

I firmly believe that muscle tone helps mitigate the effects of a high recoiling firearm. And as I mentioned before, I'm getting soft in my old age. If I were doing more bench work with the heavy kickers, it may provide me the motivation to do more pushups to improve muscle tone. When younger, I could shoot much more without the tenderness!

Even with the PAST shield, if I go more than 20 rounds at a sitting..... my shoulder is a bit tender the next day, and my groups will be larger!

My rifle weighs a whisper over 9 pounds (scoped, fully loaded and slung), which for myself, is a good compromise between portability and shooting comfort! memtb



I hope that some of this made sense. If nothing else.....I've convinced myself that this methodology helps! memtb

 

[dale guthormsen]

Idaho lefty has it right. Im 71 and shot a 300 wm and best thing Ive done waz sell it. I use 30 06, 308 and 6.5. these will kill anything you want to hunt, help your marksmen ship and you'll just be a better hunter..
Its supposed to be fun.

 

[Equalizer]

I had a finnlite Sako 300 WM. 9 rounds later it got traded.... I've since added a 375 H & H & two 338 WM's. They are much more forgiving to shoot even max loads. It's a difference in recoil impulse due to weight and stock geometry.

I've recently been shooting a 300 Saum (model 7) that's pretty light. It's an abrupt recoil but I've got more practice shooting magnums and I can manage it better. As someone mentioned pull it in tight to the shoulder and don't be skittish. there is a wealth of knowledge in these replies.

I might add that Sako triggers are very easy to tune. No need to replace them.

 

[Stryker56]

Ftothfadd,
There are a lot of experienced shooters here giving good suggestions. I discovered an inexpensive solution for the plastic stocks with a hollow buttstock. Remove the buttpad, and get some 100% silicone caulk (GE clear). You can get it at Lowes, Depot, Walmart, etc. One tube will fill the hollow buttstock. The silicone doesn't harden, but remains rubbery. I have found on my 30-06s, the gel in the stock noticeably softens the recoil.

 

[Ftothfadd]

Thank you again. I am now itching to go back to the range (I live I the republic of MN where the closest range is an hour away...) and sight in the rifle. I think with the limbsaver recoil pad and the past recoil shield it will be doable, but I will take a lead sled along without extra weight just to be sure ;-).
If only I could find another box of norma 300 WSM bond strike ammo somewhere...
I watched a couple videos on YouTube on bench shooting but all those rifles are braked/heavy/ or light recoiling... I am a bit torn about holding the fore end of the rifle with my left hand instead of supporting the bag. I like to keep it on the bag, but then there is a substantial muzzle jump every time I fire...

 

[Idaho Lefty]

Put 2 fingers of, your Left Hand on the Top of the Forend, LIGHTLY, alongside the Barrel to keep Muzzle "Flip", down, a bit.
Wear, the Past Recoil shield ! Good "move" putting, the Limbsaver Pad, ON !
Locate Butt Pad, OFF your Shoulder Bone,.. closer IN, towards, Neck ( the Meaty part of, Shoulder ) and hold, Pistol grip, Firmly
( Pulling inward, towards Shoulder ) But don't go crazy on holding, Firmly !
Concentrate on,.. Breathing, Cross Hair Position and Trigger squeeze.
Do you have a PADDED Cheek Riser on, the Comb of Stock ?
I have / use, a Ballistic Nylon one that, Straps on buttstock with, NO shell holders. Good Luck !

 

[Equalizer]

Good point there. Breathing and the mechanics of accurate shooting are ingrained in most of us who have been doing this a long time but they are sort of like the nuances of our craft that may not be known or practiced by all who read these posts.

It's even more critical to relax and focus when we know we are about to get a healthy dose of recoil lol.

OP Good luck sourcing the ammo you are looking for.

 

[nealm66]

Don't be torn about your shooting style unless it's not working.

 

[nealm66]

Do your best to have the rifle still pointing somewhere in the ballpark after your shot. This will tell you if you have everything about right. My brother can shoot really good with fairly high recoil with your style but he's very particular about the trigger and often has it replaced or worked on. The hold down method, at least for me, helps to get around a crappy trigger. Probably something else picked up from back in the day when you made the best of what you had