Recoil yes or no!!!
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lancetkenyon
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Prime example of not feeling recoil while hunting.
When my younger daughter was 11, she drew an AZ bull elk tag. Well, she had a 6.5SLR I built for her, and I had a .25-06AI. I told her we needed the extra oomph of the .25-06AI for elk...knowing full well I had an identical rifle in .300RUM (except the RUM had a brake on it) she would actually be shooting. She practiced a bunch with the .25-06AI and was very comfortable with it.
Come hunting season, I carried that .300RUM around for her. When we finally got her on a bull, she smoked him at 160 yards in his bed. I had my leg behind her for the shot thinking she might go over backwards. Not a bit. I asked her how it was, she said "It was loud". Does this face lie?
When my younger daughter was 11, she drew an AZ bull elk tag. Well, she had a 6.5SLR I built for her, and I had a .25-06AI. I told her we needed the extra oomph of the .25-06AI for elk...knowing full well I had an identical rifle in .300RUM (except the RUM had a brake on it) she would actually be shooting. She practiced a bunch with the .25-06AI and was very comfortable with it.
Come hunting season, I carried that .300RUM around for her. When we finally got her on a bull, she smoked him at 160 yards in his bed. I had my leg behind her for the shot thinking she might go over backwards. Not a bit. I asked her how it was, she said "It was loud". Does this face lie?
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Shane Lindsey
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marksman1941
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My dad received a call from a friend back in the day. Said friend had tipped over an elk, but got hurt in the process and needed a group to come help butcher and pack out.
Upon arrival, my dad found his friend thoroughly beat up with a broken collarbone, bloody forehead and a cracked eye socket. He was walking up a skid road and saw an elk, so he dropped to his belly, aiming uphill and using a convenient rock as a rest. The position put the stock on top of his collarbone and he crowded the scope unintentionally, and the big 338 win mag broke him.
Upon arrival, my dad found his friend thoroughly beat up with a broken collarbone, bloody forehead and a cracked eye socket. He was walking up a skid road and saw an elk, so he dropped to his belly, aiming uphill and using a convenient rock as a rest. The position put the stock on top of his collarbone and he crowded the scope unintentionally, and the big 338 win mag broke him.
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Yikes.
Prone position is definitely not recoil friendly. I've gotten a couple of eyebrow cuts from shooting game in that position. I got myself good out in Colorado shooting a 7 lb 300 RUM with 200 gr Accubonds at 3200 fps from an awkward position on top of a rock pile. I figured I was going to get it, but it was the only position to take the shot from. The elk dropped like a sack of poop. Recoil was really snappy from the bench. It trashed a Leupold 3.5-10x scope prior to the hunt. That rifle has since found another home in favor of my somewhat heavier 8mm mag shooting 200 gr Partitions at 3050 fps.
Prone position is definitely not recoil friendly. I've gotten a couple of eyebrow cuts from shooting game in that position. I got myself good out in Colorado shooting a 7 lb 300 RUM with 200 gr Accubonds at 3200 fps from an awkward position on top of a rock pile. I figured I was going to get it, but it was the only position to take the shot from. The elk dropped like a sack of poop. Recoil was really snappy from the bench. It trashed a Leupold 3.5-10x scope prior to the hunt. That rifle has since found another home in favor of my somewhat heavier 8mm mag shooting 200 gr Partitions at 3050 fps.
bigngreen
Well-Known Member
I have to be some what careful because of a detached retina but prior to that I shot stuff you could only shoot standing or sitting where you could roll with the recoil, I'm not recoil sensitive BUT why the heck manage recoil if you don't have to!!
Nothing about recoil is conducive to precision shooting, especially in a lighter weight rifle for hunting, that's why I have a 14 lb long range rifle in a large 30 cal with a very effective brake, I can shoot it very loose and mitigate my influence on the shot, just touch the trigger and let it ride but the rifle is built around killing elk to mile not 100 yards.
I also want to see my but traces and impact, not interested in the idea of going over to see what I hit I want to see it it, lower recoil just make that all much easier.
Nothing about recoil is conducive to precision shooting, especially in a lighter weight rifle for hunting, that's why I have a 14 lb long range rifle in a large 30 cal with a very effective brake, I can shoot it very loose and mitigate my influence on the shot, just touch the trigger and let it ride but the rifle is built around killing elk to mile not 100 yards.
I also want to see my but traces and impact, not interested in the idea of going over to see what I hit I want to see it it, lower recoil just make that all much easier.
I really only notice recoil when I switch from rifle to rifle at the range. As in the previous rifle kicked more or less than the one I'm shooting now. A good stock helps knock the edge off as well as a break. I don't notice recoil in the field at all.
Now I will say that some cartridges just seem to kick harder than they should. I shot a 30-378wby 9 times. 8 to get the scope sighted in and once at a 90lb central Texas whitetail doe that was almost cut in half. I think the bullets were 180gr barnes but I don't remember. I do remember the recoil being violent and the wood stock didn't do much to help and it didn't have a break. Sold it and 11 loaded rounds to a 130lb 70+yo cotton farmer who was half my size but twice the man I was at 19 lol.
Another honorable mention is 270win. I've shot 8-10 rifles chambered in 270win and every single one of them seemed to kick way more than they should have. Granted most of them were "lightweight" factory rifles with no muzzle device.
Everything I shoot now has a break on it except my 25-06 coyote rifle. If it was threaded it would have a break on it also.
Now I will say that some cartridges just seem to kick harder than they should. I shot a 30-378wby 9 times. 8 to get the scope sighted in and once at a 90lb central Texas whitetail doe that was almost cut in half. I think the bullets were 180gr barnes but I don't remember. I do remember the recoil being violent and the wood stock didn't do much to help and it didn't have a break. Sold it and 11 loaded rounds to a 130lb 70+yo cotton farmer who was half my size but twice the man I was at 19 lol.
Another honorable mention is 270win. I've shot 8-10 rifles chambered in 270win and every single one of them seemed to kick way more than they should have. Granted most of them were "lightweight" factory rifles with no muzzle device.
Everything I shoot now has a break on it except my 25-06 coyote rifle. If it was threaded it would have a break on it also.
Most of my big guns now have breaks 300wm,338wm,300rum, 375ruger. All the rest from 30-06 and down to a 22lr are now suppressed. The biggest recoil gun for me was my 45 cal paramount pro muzzleloader at 105gr by weight of blackhorn and a 285 no break . It definitely let you know you were shooting . It's now got a break but at 112 gr it's still impressive and let's you know.
My hunting buddy is into the bigger stuff and as always I'm good about helping spend his money and got him to buy a 338rum and a 375 rum to go with his 300 he wants all the rums. I have yet to shoot them . His 416 was a little disappointing as I was expecting more recoil so he upped the ante and bought a 458 lott. I'm still young enough to shoot anything once.
My hunting buddy is into the bigger stuff and as always I'm good about helping spend his money and got him to buy a 338rum and a 375 rum to go with his 300 he wants all the rums. I have yet to shoot them . His 416 was a little disappointing as I was expecting more recoil so he upped the ante and bought a 458 lott. I'm still young enough to shoot anything once.
Total agreement on the .270. I'm almost numb to recoil after shooting tens of thousands of rounds for 60 years but I feel a .270 (lasers that they are) as much as I feel .45-70's.
akmtnhnt
Well-Known Member
It's not really about the recoil per se, though there's ton's of data on how no one, not matter how much experience shooting they have can shoot heavier recoiling stuff as well as low recoil.
To me it's about spotting your shots. If you cannot pull the trigger and stay in the scope to spot where your shot goes you're giving yourself an enormous disadvantage. There's many ways to get that done from stock design, muzzle device and powder + bullet weight. Since shot placement trumps everything to the extent that almost nothing else actually matters, my biggest rifle anymore is my 30-06 and honestly I don't use it for anything, but I'll never sell it.
To me it's about spotting your shots. If you cannot pull the trigger and stay in the scope to spot where your shot goes you're giving yourself an enormous disadvantage. There's many ways to get that done from stock design, muzzle device and powder + bullet weight. Since shot placement trumps everything to the extent that almost nothing else actually matters, my biggest rifle anymore is my 30-06 and honestly I don't use it for anything, but I'll never sell it.
While most all my hunting and competition rifles for the last 20 years or so have brakes and recoil pads, prior to that, with the exception of my African rifles(375H&H, and 458 cal. Magnums) with hard, red rubber pads, my rifles had hard rubbet(Bakelite) or steel butt plates. Learning the skill of "handling" recoil was no different then learning proper trigger control, etc, etc….An unconscious motor skill, and built into the muscle memory. While hunting, after some shooting time behind a rifle, a 375H&H feels no different then shooting a 30-06. However, sighting in and load development off a bench or prone with the heavy caliber magnum rifles was generally done with some padding between butt and shoulder. I've spent most of my shooting life with a medium build weighing 160-175 pounds….Can't say I ever recall recoil or blast while taking a shot on game.
A muzzle device (MBs, suppressors, etc.) is a game changer.
FireFlyFishing
Well-Known Member
Brakes and suppressors are wonderful things.
The only rifle I shot once and said no more was a ruger no. 1 chambered in 458 Lott. It had a 500 grain full house load. That was not fun.
The only rifle I shot once and said no more was a ruger no. 1 chambered in 458 Lott. It had a 500 grain full house load. That was not fun.
I can't say I've noticed it while hunting. Out of all the guns I've shot, a 300wby that I inherited is violent. If it wasn't sentimental it would hit the road. Light, pencil barrel mark v that probably weighs 7 pounds at most. Shooting 185 bergers at 3220.
