Recoil management-poor shooting

[Ftothfadd]

Thank you everyone. I will try the limbsaver. I shoot with my left hand squeezing the bag with the forehand free. Any suggestions for videos demonstrating good bench technique?

 

[FEENIX]

As stated by others,a Limbsaver pad helps a lot.My 300WSM for the most part isn't that bad,but some powders do seem to make the recoil a lot worse.One powder that gave me the most felt recoil was Magpro.I didn't feel the recoil as much on my shoulder as I did on my cheek.A few of those rounds might loosen your teeth a bit,it wasn't pleasant to shoot at all and I was a few grains shy of book max load.Faster powders on the burnrate scale around the 4350's range,will keep you around mid 60gr range for bullets up to 180grs and the recoil really isn't too bad,about like a 30-06 or a 7mag.The 300WSM recoil tends to feel a little less than from my 300 Win Mags and I tolerate them fine.A lighter trigger around 2.5-2.75lbs can help your groups.Even if you flinch just a little,you should be able to maintain decent groups.Work on the simple changes first,sometimes changing to a different stock can make it feel totally different too.Good Luck to you.A rifle that hurts you is no fun to shoot and can make you become a lousy shooter.

I stopped using Limbsaver or PAST recoil pad, they only mitigate felt recoil, not muzzle rise. I shoot 215 Bergers out of my .300 WSM with muzzle brake and the felt recoil is comparable to .308 Win's. Your last sentence is a true statement, and the muzzle brake will make a better shooter out an average hunter.

 

[xsn10s]

Thank you everyone. I will try the limbsaver. I shoot with my left hand squeezing the bag with the forehand free. Any suggestions for videos demonstrating good bench technique?

When shooting off the bench with my hunting rifles I tend to shoot off my pack or off bags. I hold the fore end just like shooting off hand or prone off a pack. I try to sit up like shooting while standing to give my recoil pad a good purchase on my shoulder pocket. I even sling up with a 1 inch military style sling with keepers. And on hard kicking light rifles I really pay attention to posture, rifle positioning, and keeping my buttpad tight against my shoulder. I'll use a rear rest at times, but I never hold it with my offhand. I try to replicate my "hunting" shooting position as much as possible while sighting in my light, hard recoiling, hunting rifles.

 

[nealm66]

Thank you everyone. I will try the limbsaver. I shoot with my left hand squeezing the bag with the forehand free. Any suggestions for videos demonstrating good bench technique?

I know it's possible to shoot good that way but for light magnums, getting the hold down on the stock figured out will definitely help a lot. It also takes some of the trigger problems away with practice.

 

[bluedog69]

Definite wear ear muffs! I never did back as stern ager. Realized flinch was due to noise and not recoil.

Also just always shoot it out of led sled.

Of course brakes are awesome! Just shot one for first time in my life. WOW!

 

[gvjm]

I've had a variety of 7 mag rifles over the years. I could shoot them well but the recoil just took all the fun out of it. I now have one with a Harrells precision tunable brake on it. Recoil is totally mitigated to the point that the gun is such a joy to shoot I have to be careful I don't overheat the barrel. Since I always were ear protection in the field noise is not a problem.

 

[wolffo]

Holland Quick Discharge brake + limbsaver should get you down to .243 type recoil
yes it will be loud

 

[bugle20]

I have the original lead sled and still use them today, esp. during barrel break-in. I can transition from shots to barrel cleaning and back to shooting with ease. People ran into a problem with improper usage when they use an excessive amount of weight and try to eliminate recoil. The weakest point, as you noted above, will suffer. I do not use any weight on mine and have not done any damage to any of my rifles, and I have used it for many years since its inception.

Thank you for saying this. When set up correctl, the sled should still move but will absorb enough of the recoil that you can focus on the shot and not be preoccupied with getting whacked.

 

[7fan1967]

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.

There's an old saying . If you can't shoot it then don't shoot it . There's no need to destroy your shoulder over something that you don't enjoy shooting and can't shoot well . Take the advise and shoot something that you can shoot well and doesn't hurt . Precise shot placement trumps all . Good luck on your hunt .

 

[R2rr]

Post #16 ! Stock does not fit. Pads are good band-aids, but a proper stock and you may not even need a specialty pad.
Years back, I was given an .06 that I could only shoot three rounds before tossing down on the bench and giving up. Just a .30-06 !. I added a good pad, but little help.
Changed to a good stock shape, and it's been my go-to game killer ever since. No add on pad. Can shoot it all day.

 

[Radman]

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.

What others have said plus what may sound like a shameless plug but the Limbsaver Recoil Pads, (usually available at Walmart), do a GREAT JOB of softening recoil for me.

 

[fxdwg03]

I have a Tikka T3 in 300 WSM, 300 Win Mag, 7 MM Mag and they are all light rifles but can punch pretty hard. The first thing I did was order a Simms/Limbsaver Recoil Pad for these as I put these on ALL of my rifles (hard recoiling or not). It reduces recoil and they are reasonably priced. It reduced the recoil on the .300 WSM similar to my Browning 7mm-08 and do not even notice it anymore. It is a cheap (cost effective) way to fix the recoil issue without having to swap out stocks or trying to find a reputable gunsmith to thread your barrel for a brake.

 

[cabelasken]

Reducing bullet wt and powder will help a lot. A good premium 150 gr from a 300 at 3000 FPS will take elk all day long and will kick just slightly more than a 30-06. Velocity and Energy should be good to out past 400 yds.

 

[thwatson2]

As stated, add weight, add recoil pad, and you could add mercury recoil device. I know you are turned off by muzzle break but they have ones you can turn on and off, like savage makes. Add all the above and you will have a pretty easy going rifle