Recoil

[TX Badger]

Less drop helps some, but since the center of resistance is always below the center of force on a hunting rifle its going to rise. Its not something you really notice between common stock designs since its very little. To get your shoulder up high enough to be in line with the center of force your cheek would be quite high then the scope would have to be up there too. Just not practical in a hunting rifle.

Thanks Alex. I always hear people talking about learning to manage recoil to spot impacts. Since the resistance will never line up with the force, it seems that the only way to keep the site picture from rising off the target is to reduce recoil, increase rifle weight, or have an offsetting downward force from a brake. Even if my shoulder was a brick wall, the rifle will jump due to this misalignment.

 

[DJ Fergus]

I can't understand the "muzzle breaks are loud" argument, when we wear hearing protection anyway. Or, "My Guide or PH won't allow MB's." Are you serious? Put your fingers in your ears then! Braked or not, rifles are LOUD

Have several brakes. I wear hearing protection so that's not a problem. The 300 NM will actually give me a headache from the concussion.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Its not just the vertical jump its the sideways movement as well. You really need to have your shoulders square to the bore to keep the rifle from going left or right. You swing your body left or right behind the rifle until it stays on target. All of this is great practice at the range, but like I said, I have never shot an elk from that perfect prone position I practice at the range. I usually ask a guy, are will building a range gun that might go hunting or are we building a true hunting rifle? A lot of times the bulk of a rifle is overlooked and only weight is considered. I still dont want to carry a bulky rifle even if it is light weight. But thats another topic

 

[TX Badger]

Its not just the vertical jump its the sideways movement as well. You really need to have your shoulders square to the bore to keep the rifle from going left or right. You swing your body left or right behind the rifle until it stays on target. All of this is great practice at the range, but like I said, I have never shot an elk from that perfect prone position I practice at the range. I usually ask a guy, are will building a range gun that might go hunting or are we building a true hunting rifle? A lot of times the bulk of a rifle is overlooked and only weight is considered. I still dont want to carry a bulky rifle even if it is light weight. But thats another topic

Thanks for the clarification, I thought that I was missing something. I have improved my form and eliminated the horizontal. The rifle now jumps and settles back on the the target (right after impact with my hunting set ups). I was hoping there was a way for me to stay on target without modifying my rigs. Sounds like that may not be an easy fix.

 

[dfanonymous]

Even if my shoulder was a brick wall, the rifle will jump due to this misalignment.

There's your problem, you're shoulder is suppose to act as a buffer spring, not a brick wall.

 

[TX Badger]

There's your problem, you're shoulder is suppose to act as a buffer spring, not a brick wall.

So less resistance, less jump...

 

[ShtrRdy]

Another factor to consider in being able the see your shot is scope magnification. If you have a high magnification scope on your hunting rifle it would be better to have the magnification turned down to give yourself a wider field of view.

 

[LaHunter]

So less resistance, less jump...

I have read and heard, your body should be like 'a slab of meat' behind the rifle. If you give a 'brick wall' like resistance, your rifle will bounce and the barrel will raise up excessively.
With a magnum with no brake, it is hard for me to eliminate 100% of the muzzle lift, but when I am really working on my fundamentals, even with my 20X scope maxed out, I can see my bullet splash at 400+ yards.
I find that my firing hand impacts the side to side movement during the recoil. It's a fine line between too little and too much involvement for the firing hand, or it seems this way for me

 

[Joefrazell]

I got decent with recoil management with my unbraked 300 win sendero. I sent it to the Smith after shooting out the barrel and had a 3b bartlein spun up with a mbm beast brake. Wow. I can often spot the hole appearing on the white paper at 100. Spotting hits at 850 a few weeks back was fun. I had to wait for the bullet to get there lol. I just got a Tikka ctr in 6.5 cm and with the little bastard brake it's like shooting a .22 mag haha. It's stupid enjoyable to watch the ground squirrels fly though the air in the scope!!

 

[Rich Coyle]

Another factor to consider in being able the see your shot is scope magnification. If you have a high magnification scope on your hunting rifle it would be better to have the magnification turned down to give yourself a wider field of view.

I made a few brakes for intertainment. After a few shots I saw a consistent action. I filed a very small grove in the opposite side and Wala it was controled. Then I drilled holes larger and larger in the top until I could see impact at 100 yards even on 20X.

It was a 130 grain bullet at 3,190 feet per second from a seven pound rifle.

 

[Rich Coyle]

I got decent with recoil management with my unbraked 300 win sendero. I sent it to the Smith after shooting out the barrel and had a 3b bartlein spun up with a mbm beast brake. Wow. I can often spot the hole appearing on the white paper at 100. Spotting hits at 850 a few weeks back was fun. I had to wait for the bullet to get there lol. I just got a Tikka ctr in 6.5 cm and with the little bastard brake it's like shooting a .22 mag haha. It's stupid enjoyable to watch the ground squirrels fly though the air in the scope!!

I received a five port little beast for my 8mm wildcat. I will use Hammer Hunter 198 grainers. I can hardly wait to shoot it next week.

 

[Axl]

Very good topic! being able to see your bullet impacts is very valuable. I use brakes on most of my rifles from 22 creed through 416 Rigby ( although on the Rigby it's hard to tell it works!). I started with one in the mid 80's on a 300. I had a work schedule unlike my hunting partners, and I needed to "spot" for myself. As far as being loud ALL guns are WAY too loud to shoot ever, even once without causing permanent hearing loss. In my 20's i didn't wear hearing protection shooting/hunting, working in a machine/fab shop or working on cars with open headers. i'm 56 and my ears ring ALL of the time and to hear most people i need to be looking at their mouth move ( impossible with everyone wearing masks now).
For over 30 years I have packed ear pro with me hunting- pheasants, varmints, and big game, etc. I always use it without fail. You have time to put in ear plugs because no amount of time will ever bring back your hearing.

 

[Holycity73]

I love this thread. I have brakes in most of my rifles, regardless of caliber. Recoil seems to have been treated as a bravado issue. I suppose insecurities will always show themselves somehow. Name calling and challenging ones masculinity etc. There is only one truth, recoil can be mitigated so why not do so? Better shooting in the end justifies any action taken. Better shots mean less wounded or lost game. Plus, I'm a group chaser. If a brake can help me get .25" or better groups, I'm in.
just my .02

 

[DonBogaerts]

I lone this thread. I have brakes in most of my rifles, regardless of caliber. Recoil seems to have been treated as a bravado issue. I suppose insecurities will always show themselves somehow. Name calling and challenging ones masculinity etc. There is only one truth, recoil can be mitigated so why not do so? Better shooting in the end justifies any action taken. Better shots mean less wounded or lost game. Plus, I'm a group chaser. If a brake can help me get .25" or better groups, I'm in.
just my .02

Cant agree more.... just thinking about the weight effect on recoil. Would only the total weight count or does it matter where the weight is? As in a 6lbs rifle with a 2 lbs scope (incl rings etc) be the same a an 8lbs rifle with open sight in terms of recoil?