Recoil management-poor shooting

[johnish]

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.

Along with the suggestions above regarding bullet weight etc. Why not use a brake / moderator (if legal where you are) to sight in?
Shoot to get your groups / zero with the brake . mod which substantially reduce felt recoil and then remove for the hunt?
You can test to see if it has same POI with / without the brake, but it will enale you to practice without getting beat up.

The other thing I would raise is stock fit - is the stock on this rifle different to your .375? If it is, might be worth trying to get them as close as possible.

 

[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.

Muzzle brake is your only solution. Unless you buy another gun in a smaller caliber 6.5 PRC 156 gr. berger bullet. It'll kill just about anything

 

[WHITEBULL]

Easiest recoil reduction on the 300WSM is drop down in bullet weight. Maybe try the 162AH or even 152 HH. Or 168 ABLR. Dropping bullet weight will help it a lot. All will kill up to elk easily.

Use loads that use less powder to achieve velocities you need for above bullets.

Nothing kills scopes, base screws, rings faster than lead sled. Manage the recoil in rifle thru bullet weight and even consider dropping loads down. Animals don't measure bullet velocity that kills them. You really don't loose that much in performance for mid range work.

If you are just trying to tighten up your groups, a lead sled is invaluable. I have never hurt, loosened, or broke anything on my guns using one. That being said, I don't spend very much time behind one when I do use it.

 

[misterc01]

As other said - get a recoil pad! Solved the hard recoil issue for me.

 

[del2les]

Lots of good advise already given, and while I have not used a lead sled, for decades, I have used padded shooting jackets/shirts, PAST shoulder pads, slip-on recoil pads and etc for sighting in heavy kickers from the bench. Also, your technique while bench shooting can lessen or increase felt recoil effects and body stress/flinch. I always place my rifles or adjust my seating position at or near shoulder height when sitting upright and not leaning down and into the butt plate. For me, this allows my body a more comfortable position to roll with the punch.

Lighter bullets, brakes, etc will all help also.

 

[gsp2west]

You say you can shoot it for a few rounds OK. Instead of changing your load I would put a sand bag on my shoulder at the bench to sight it in. If you can't get it sighted in with a sand bag then start dropping bullet weight in your loading. I sight in my 338 RUM with a sand bag on my shoulder and it works fine at the bench.

 

[HARPERC]

I read through and there are a lot of good suggestions, about resolving your issue.

I can't recall Sako models real well, but it sounds like the one we had in .375 H&H many years ago. Worst design I've ever seen. Friend killed a couple of deer with it, but groups were out of the question, nobody could stand it enough to make it work. Good shots, all well versed in recoil. Sighted in and hunt was all it was good for. Zero joy in ownership or use.

it's about education and entertainment. You're not having fun, what are you learning?

By the time you've resolved the issues in this rifle it will be a different rifle. If you enjoy the custom process by all means build on the good Sako action.

What we learned from ours was sometimes you should cut your losses. I'd dump it. Get back to having fun.


Best wishes with your hunt.

 

[reeder]

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.

I do the same with no weight and add plastic milk jug lids on the three feet so it will slide on a smooth bench. Works great for zeroing every time.

 

[arch408]

i have two .300 RSAUM's which is a ballistic twin to you WSM. One is a titanium action with a Leupold Ultra light scope. Neither have muzzle brakes and recoil is not uncomfortable. The titanium rifle and scope weigh about 6 1/2 pounds. It has a Bell and Carlson stock. IMO, the stock is the problem. It doesn't fit you. One of the worst recoiling rifles I shot was a friends Winchester M70 30-06. Granted, it didn't have a recoil pad, but neither did my Rem M700 30-06 and that recoil wasn't bad. Check out some after market stocks. I also have a McMillon and HS Precision stock which I like. Another accuracy problem could be your bedding. A pillar and glass bed and barrel free float might tighten your groups but will do nothing for your recoil problem. Good luck.

 

[orifdoc]

Get rid of it. Once you have a flinch, it's incredibly hard to intuitively trust that rifle. The worst kicking gun I have is a 7mm-08 youth model. I'd rather shoot my .416 Rigby or .375 H&H. I know darn well I could solve the problem by putting a full/size stock on the thing, but I already hate the gun. P.S..... it's for sale.

Life is short. Get rid of the thing and get something that shoots well and that you shoot well. The last thing you need is a wounded animal and a ruined hunt. You NEED a rifle that you shoulder, aim, and fire without EVER thinking about recoil.

I'm not a fan of muzzle breaks at all - too much hearing loss from shooting already and it affects my life every day now. I do love cans and my rifle of choice these days is a custom .300 WM on a Rem 700 with an Ultra 5 silencer. I went a bit shorter on the barrel and it's a bit of a slow .300, but still well above 30-06 velocities. With 190gr bullets perceived recoil is around a .243 and I wouldn't hesitate to shoot at elk out to 800 yards. 10 year-old girls shoot it easily.

 

[skipglo]

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.

First buy a LIMBSAVER recoil pad....give it a try!

 

[Cinchy]

Buy a Past magnum recoil shield, takes the bite out of any big kicker! I bought one several years ago, easy to put on & take off, a guy could probably wear it hunting to give you peace of mind about not flinching

 

[FEENIX]

Buy a Past magnum recoil shield, takes the bite out of any big kicker! I bought one several years ago, easy to put on & take off, a guy could probably wear it hunting to give you peace of mind about not flinching

He has the PAST recoil shield shoulder pad already, noted in #25.

 

[Cinchy]

He has the PAST recoil shield shoulder pad already, noted in #25.

I rarely take time to wade thru all previous posts! lol I did notice some recommending he go to lighter bullets? But If he still flinches with the recoil shield, its a up hill battle with that rife I`m afraid, since he says he can shoot a larger caliber without flinching?