Changing rifles because of excess recoil.

[Dougfirtree]

I became a 7mm-08 convert about 7 years ago. I love the low recoil, which makes it fun to shoot. And so far, it has killed deer, pronghorn and elk just fine.

My brother and his wife shoot 7mm-08's too and they're in a funny pickle now, having been invited to hunt a huge ranch in Colorado, with bull tags next fall. The owner never received the memo about shot placement/modern bullets, etc. He insists that a .30-06 is the smallest rifle anyone can hunt with on the ranch. So my sister-in-law is going to have to develop some recoil tolerance over the summer. I think he's being a little silly, but personally I'd learn to shoot a .416 if I could go along...

 

[runningmt]

I had a Tikka T3 Lite in .338 Win Mag.......love the caliber, but oh boy the recoil was punishment. Broke two variable scopes before I put a fixed Nikon 4x on it.

I had a good friend re-barrel it to a .264 WM (same bolt face), I changed the crappy Tupperware stock to a Bell and Carlson, and put a nice Viper 4-16x44 on it.

Happy with the change, so it my shoulder. Still want another .338 someday......something a bit heavier though.

 

[406dn]

I became a 7mm-08 convert about 7 years ago. I love the low recoil, which makes it fun to shoot. And so far, it has killed deer, pronghorn and elk just fine.

My brother and his wife shoot 7mm-08's too and they're in a funny pickle now, having been invited to hunt a huge ranch in Colorado, with bull tags next fall. The owner never received the memo about shot placement/modern bullets, etc. He insists that a .30-06 is the smallest rifle anyone can hunt with on the ranch. So my sister-in-law is going to have to develop some recoil tolerance over the summer. I think he's being a little silly, but personally I'd learn to shoot a .416 if I could go along...

If they hand load,,, they can shoot a tamed down load. No one would be the wiser.

When my son was first hunting he drew a cow tag for the breaks. He was not a very large kid. I reduced the charge in my .270 so that it was likely lighter than a 7x57. He killed his cow with one well placed shot.

 

[TheJason]

I have. Twice.

 

[Buffs35]

Got handed my grandfather's, then dad's
.300 wby on my 16th birthday. Heavy as snot, fixed 3x scope. I now have a couple .270, they are wonderful, but I still gravitate back to the weatherby like a security blanket.

 

[jabber]

It's been said a couple of times. Placement is more important. Use whatever you can shoot best.

I started with a 280 and still use that gun, as I love it. Then I got a 300 WM, love that gun still use it. Then got a couple of 300 RUM's, Use them some but not as much as others, but not because of recoil, just haven't got that love for them yet. Picked up a 28 Nosler, it is very comparable to the 300 WM, loving it right now. Bottom line I usually figure out what I am going to hunt that year, and then pick a caliber that will work on that game, and spend the summer working with it and a backup.

Do what YOU want and don't worry about anyone else.

 

[Dougfirtree]

If they hand load,,, they can shoot a tamed down load. No one would be the wiser.

When my son was first hunting he drew a cow tag for the breaks. He was not a very large kid. I reduced the charge in my .270 so that it was likely lighter than a 7x57. He killed his cow with one well placed shot.

They don't, but I do and I've offered.

 

[Dsnow9]

If they hand load,,, they can shoot a tamed down load. No one would be the wiser.

When my son was first hunting he drew a cow tag for the breaks. He was not a very large kid. I reduced the charge in my .270 so that it was likely lighter than a 7x57. He killed his cow with one well placed shot.

Hornady makes a reduced recoil load for 30-06.

 

[Western Traveler1]

If I ever changed from my 300WM it would be for a lighter weight rifle not the recoil or muzzle blast, but I doubt I will ever change. At 72 I can’t justify it for another hunting rifle. Everything from antelope to moose and it just gets it done and it has been my go to rifle for well over 20 years. I had a custom brake made for it when new and the holes are canted a bit forward which makes a big difference for the shooter. Besides I don’t ever remember the report of the shot on a kill (I have titanium shoulders too, no problem). My Remington 06 is a literal pain to shoot.

 

[std7mag]

My wife & i are both in our 50s.
While i've been hunting/shooting since a teenager, my wife is fairly new to the shooting world.
And we both shoot my 7mm Rem Mag.
I used to put 300+ rounds downrange with it. But since a new job last year, i've only put about 100 rounds through it.
I have since picked up two 280 Rems, a 257 Roberts, re-barreled my 7mm-08AI to 250 Savage, a 284 Win on a Mauser action, and a range only Savage 110 FP in 223 Rem. (Her rifle, which she has graciously been allowing me to use for some shorter range matches)

By the end of winter i hope to build a designated range rifle of my own in 7mm-08AI.

I still keep my eye open for another 7mm-08 as it was one of my favorite hunting/range rifles.

 

[3855WIN]

To reduce recoil, but keep magnum ballistics, go with the 257 WBY Magnum.

 

[Mosquito]

As a middle aged guy (43) i have had two shoulder surgeries on my right shoulder. i don't like a heavy recoil. I hunt and shoot for enjoyment and fun. As soon as i turned 18 i bought a lightweight 7mm with no muzzle break. I maybe shoot it 50 time's total. It sat in my gun cabinet for 20 years and i just sold it a few years ago. I bought a 6.5 a year ago and have probably have 500 rounds through it im very comfortablewith that gun. I know its a very debatable subject on elk and i don't want to go there but i can say undoubtedly if i was going elk hunting tomorrow which one would would be a better choice for me and the elks sake. Me and my hunting buddies are hoping to take are first elk trip next year and ill be doing a lot of research after the 2020 hunting season and most likely buy a different and a bit more powerful elk gun( partially because i want another gun ) . But I'm 100% on the less recoil fun to shoot no big magnum band wagon.

 

[elkhnter]

Had a Mossburg 835, with 3” slugs that thing was brutal. It found a new home.
The 300 RUMs that I had would get your attention. Weathermark 300 is not unpleasant to shoot. The new AccuMark 257 is quickly becoming my favorite rifle.
Don’t think I’ll ever run off the magnum bandwagon, have too many of them.
BTW, turned 59 this year.

 

[1_pointer]

My college graduation present from my father was a Ruger 338 Win Mag. He wanted to get me something I could hunt anything in NA with. I've killed every species of big game that I've harvested with it, from doe pronghorn to cow bison and bull elk. I'll never sell it. That said, I'm growing quite partial to the Tikka 260. Lighter, easier to shoot, and I have yet to see it lacking in on critter performance. It'll get dibs on most hunts moving forward.

 

[noharleyyet]

Aside from the lever 45-70 all I own are magnums.....no brakes. The brockel accurized 7 Supa Mash Mag is the mountain go to. Edge stock carry friendly light but I never feel recoil on game. The 300 RUM reports only slightly more robustly at approx 1/2 lb more carry weight. The .257 Wby is tame and a smattering of 7 Rem Mags, 300 short & long mags are all manageable...shoot em all, some have been pretty much relegated to range duty.

Gonna be a mental tussle between the lever and the .257 come deer season.

 

[jeff_gibbons]

Yes. I'm a little younger but on same path.
Had a 300 Win target gun w and w/o brake.
W/o it kicked more than i liked despite being heavy
w a break it kicked like my 308 target gun but the muzzle blast was obnoxious.
for hunting, i shoot a 7 RM, 308 and 243. The 7RM is all the recoil i can handle and have fun.
but i'm pretty sure i'll get rid of it after a while and get a 280 or 7-08.
im not a master hunter but i did realize that true hunting is about getting close to the animal.
and guys better than me harvest with sticks and strings. pretty sure my lil 243 hits harder than any stick and string combo.

 

[88man]

I typically like accurate rifles and shoot pretty often so recoil gets in the way of the enjoyment. I have brakes on almost all my shooters and even on a 22-250

 

[tzone]

I haven't changed as in not going back to shooting them. But I have certainly bought more rifles with less recoil as of late. I can't think of any situation I can't hunt with a 30-06 and that would be my max. My favorite is a .280 Rem with .223 in a close 2nd. I wouldn't choose it for elk on purpose but that's about all I wouldn't hunt with a .223. Fantastic round.

So, if you want a gun with less recoil, have at it. Bullets and placement matter more than the caliber anyway.

 

[DrH]

I have never enjoyed recoil, nor shooting until I develop a flinch. After watching hunters with magnums(and some non-magnums) at sight-in days, it is obvious a whole lot of people simply cannot even sight in a magnum caliber, in heavy or light rifles. I shudder to think how they are able to hit an animal when the adrenalin is flowing. I have never owned anything larger than a .30-06, having killed elk with the .308, .284, 7mm-08, and .25-06. I am 75, and have killed 57 elk, with conventional bullets from 120-150 grains. I have never needed a premium bullet, nor a bullet heavier than 150 grains in the .30-06, 130 grains in the .284 or .7mm-08, or 120 grains in the .25-06. Less bullet, less recoil. I think the magnum and heavy bullet crazes are mostly horse manure and hyperbole. We are suckers for a sales pitch, and love new toys. All of our cool equipment has not produced much of an increase in success rates. Could it be we can't substitute a bigger caliber or fancier bullet for knowledge, skill and effort?

 

[Talk2elk]

I am also thinking of swapping my 300 win mag for a 308 the factor for me is the weight of the rifle not so much recoil but less would be a bonus.