How do you handle recoil?

Another trick with magnum rifles is double ear protection, half of precieved recoil and flinch thing comes form the magnitude of the bang and the aniticipation of it.

Much is made of the value of lightweight rifles and I like them to, but I just got back form South Africa where I probably walked 50 km and climbed small mountains with a wood stocked Sako AV in 300 win mag that weighs 8'3" scoped and never felt the gun was heavy, I use a butler creek comfort sling and a good recoil pad. In smaller calibres the benefits of the lightweight comes out for me, I've had a couple of 700 MR's in260 rem and currently shoot a kimber 308for whitetails and really like them, but I know I wouldnt enjoy shooting magnums at those kinds of weight so I don't.
 
I'm having some trouble shooting my lightweight 308 Browning off the bench. It kicks pretty good but I damaged some ligaments in my shoulder last winter and now I'm really sensitive to the recoil. I don't have a flinch yet but it hurts enough that I don't enjoy it at all. No problem offhand, but hunched over the bench was painful. I ended up using a 6" square sandbag behind the butt which was okay for the day but is really tough for getting a good cheek weld. I think I need one of these shirt / strap on recoil pads until I get healed up.

People have been mentioning "PAST" and "FILSON LIMBSAVER", is there any consensus on the best shoulder pad out there?

Thanks,
Eric
 
Fear not, enough bruises on the same spot on the shoulder and you will get nerve damage in the skin and other soft tissue so it won't bother you so much. :D
 
gitrdun said:
I built this to sight in the heavy hitters. Heavier than a led sled even (28lbs).
But for some reason, I still like shooting them off the bags better.

Apr0027.jpg
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Our NAPA doesn't carry this model.
 
toomanyhobbies said:
I'm having some trouble shooting my lightweight 308 Browning off the bench. It kicks pretty good but I damaged some ligaments in my shoulder last winter and now I'm really sensitive to the recoil. I don't have a flinch yet but it hurts enough that I don't enjoy it at all. No problem offhand, but hunched over the bench was painful. I ended up using a 6" square sandbag behind the butt which was okay for the day but is really tough for getting a good cheek weld. I think I need one of these shirt / strap on recoil pads until I get healed up.

People have been mentioning "PAST" and "FILSON LIMBSAVER", is there any consensus on the best shoulder pad out there?

Thanks,
Eric
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Eric, if I may offer a few suggestions to you:

1. You mention that you are hunched over the bench, this may be one area that you could correct. Raise the bench position or lower you seat so that your torso is more at a right angle to the rifle stock.

2. For sure a Past shoulder pad will help, probably one the best cures for the bench issue. You could even make your own out of a thick layer of bull leather, the really thick stuff.

3. Finally, take a look a the rest that I made, Lazy Ike posted a picture of it. The best commercial alternative is the LedSled.

At the end of the day, shooting your .308 should be a pleasant experience, not one that you dread. Continued shooting with the pain will either result in a flinch or worse, you'll stop shooting.
 
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Gitrdun, thanks for the advice. I guess I can buy a bigger sandbag for the rear end and sit up more, I've been trying to keep it low for stability. The benches at the public range at Homestead don't adjust, so it's raise the rifle on the bags or nothing.

I went by WSS and they have the PAST pads, I think I'll try one of those too, can't hurt any worse than it already does. I enjoy the 308 quite a lot, just need to get past this injury & all will be well again.

444shooter, my technique uses the left hand to control the bag under the butt, so the forearm is free. I'd rather not change that much right now, but it's an option I'll bear in mind, thank you.

Hey Calum, I don't want to wait that long :p
 
1 mental

2 shooting something too big when you should be honing your skils on something smaller, then once the skils are learned shoot the larger rifle

3 psyching yourself out after hearing stories about scope bite

4 I have noticed many people are more scared of the noise than the felt recoil. ( whether they want to admit it or not
'
5 Try wearing the hunting clothing you will be using when target practising. The more layers the better.

6 positive imagery will help a huge amount. tell yourself it is going to recoil, it is going to be loud, tell yourself it wont hurt, visualize dropping your trophy buck/bull. You wont remember feeling the recoil anyways..

7some people are just: The more recoil the better, it doesn't affect them.
 
Led Sled is definitely a nice tool. i got one for Christmas last year, and now i have no clue how i ever shot my zytel-stocked Ruger 338 WM without it. I havent even tried it with the extra weight, it just hops a bit and i feel very little recoil. Field shooting is different, i just soak it up. (playing sports like football, you get to learn how the body can soak up impacts)
 
The cruelest rotten thing that anyone can do to a new shooter is to tell them to pull the rifle into the shoulder hard, I have found that new shooters shoot better if told to allow the rifle and themselves to recoil together, these things only kick the Christ out of you if you throttle them.
Regards, J Stuart.

Ps, the next cretin I see telling some lad or lass to ' pull it into the shoulder hard', I believe I am going to have a quiet chat with him.
 
toomanyhobbies said:
Gitrdun, thanks for the advice. I guess I can buy a bigger sandbag for the rear end and sit up more, I've been trying to keep it low for stability. The benches at the public range at Homestead don't adjust, so it's raise the rifle on the bags or nothing.
:p
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The Benches @ Homestead are pure sheit! That combined with an elevated range can make for a very long day.
 
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