Medium game caliber for the recoil sensitive?
- Thread starter domyalex
- Start date
sure is looking like one of the -08 is the pick.and if your looking for a great factory round that shouldnt be to hard to get for you the fed fusion ALWAYS gives me -M.O.A in my 7mm-08 tikka t3,and HVA 308 all day long.i use the fusion to test all rifles i buy to see how they perform.
The .243, 7-08, and 308, are all based of the .308 case. Will fit in a shorter action than the 25-06, 270, 30-06 (all share the same base case as well) which will want a longer action.
Any of the calibers you list will work fine.
Especially if you reload.
Choose the right bullets (like, say, Barnes TTSX, for moose hunting) and the .243 will serve you well.
Cheers
Trev
Any of the calibers you list will work fine.
Especially if you reload.
Choose the right bullets (like, say, Barnes TTSX, for moose hunting) and the .243 will serve you well.
Cheers
Trev
I own and shoot .243, .260, .270 and 7mm Rem Mag. I have also owned and shot .30-06 but sold it. For your needs, any of the first four I mentioned would suffice, although the .243 is a bit too light for bigger game. I like the .260 (aka 6.5-08) but ammo is hard to find and EXPENSIVE. I have taken big game with both the .270 and the 7mm RM and have to say the only time I notice recoil is at the range. The Swedes have been killing moose for over 100 years with the 6.5x55.
All said, go with the .270 in a bolt action with a good recoil pad. Lots of different factory loads available pretty well anywhere.
All said, go with the .270 in a bolt action with a good recoil pad. Lots of different factory loads available pretty well anywhere.
I hunted with my 6.5x55 swede for years and shot many deer using plain ordinary Century ammunition-got 10 boxes way back for $100....
I liked the 6.5x55 so much I decided to get a swede in 9,3x57-and then I started handloading-wasn't as dificult as I thought, either
I liked the 6.5x55 so much I decided to get a swede in 9,3x57-and then I started handloading-wasn't as dificult as I thought, either
shortaction
CGN Regular
- Location
- Manitoulin Island, Ontario
Either a 308 win or 270 win.
I find the recoil of 270 win to be more noticable than the 308 win.
If you are not going to be shooting any farther than 300 yds then grab a 308 win, if you are planning on stretching out past 300 yds the flatter trajectory of the 270 win will make shot placement a little easier.
7mm-08 rem or 280 rem would also make good choices but ammo is a little harder to find.
I find the recoil of 270 win to be more noticable than the 308 win.
If you are not going to be shooting any farther than 300 yds then grab a 308 win, if you are planning on stretching out past 300 yds the flatter trajectory of the 270 win will make shot placement a little easier.
7mm-08 rem or 280 rem would also make good choices but ammo is a little harder to find.
Sigh... how true!
I must say I'm surprise by the lack of love for the 30-30
By a quick count, the 270 seems to be the recommended choice, followed by 308 and 7mm-08.
I guess it will depend on what kind of deal I can find for the rifle.
Thanks a lot guys!
I must say I'm surprise by the lack of love for the 30-30
By a quick count, the 270 seems to be the recommended choice, followed by 308 and 7mm-08.
I guess it will depend on what kind of deal I can find for the rifle.
Thanks a lot guys!
In my experience that last thing you think about when spotting that prized game that you have been looking for all weekend is recoil. You are to excited to even think about the recoil, and all you want to do is shoot it. I was using a 45/70 for bear a while ago and didnt even feel the recoil, because adrenaline is your friend. Now maybe out at the range you will feel it, but no time like the present to toughen your self up. I agree with the 270 and 30-06 comments. I really didnt feel much of a difference between the two and a nice recoil pad could be your friend.
When I was 14, I was 5'9" and a buck forty, and I'd pound out .30-06 and 7mm Magnum no problem. I would surmise, therefore, that you would be able to handle the same level of recoil with adequate practice. Bear in mind I'd head out at least once or twice a month and put a box through the heavier kickers in my arsenal to keep my skills sharp and build/maintain my tolerance. (FWIW, I'm only 5'10" and 180 now and can handle a box of .375 H&H off the bench every once in a while).
That being said, you can accomplish what you want with lower recoiling rounds no problem. The .25-06 is great, but I feel it a bit light for moose personally. The .243 isn't terrible either as a dual purpose deer/predator rifle, but I prefer a bit more mass and diameter for bears. IMO your sweet spot will be the .270 Winchester, 7mm-08 Remington, and .308 Winchester. The .270 and .308 can be found pretty much anywhere and are extremely popular. The 7mm-08 might be slightly harder to come across in a small town gas station if that matters (which it doesn't, according to me. Plan ahead!) but offers the lowest recoil of the 3 with a bit more bullet weight than the .270 on the top end with a bit flatter trajectory than the .308. I think it's about perfect in this situation.
The .260 and 6.5x55 are great choices as well but not as widely available as far as rifle and ammo offerings in general. The .30-30 in a Marlin lever action is also a great little popper and can definitely improve your actual hunting skills with it's limitations as far as range goes, and if you do happen to find yourself hunting sheep you can always handload a .30-30 with something like a 150gr Ballistic Tip - you'll have one in the chamber and one follow up in the tube and so get close and make it count!
The X-bolt is a nice gun, not a huge fan of drop-boxes though. Do yourself a favor and shoulder up rifles from Weatherby, Sako, Tikka, Remington, Winchester, and Ruger as far as bolt guns. Bear in mind those brands are simply my preference, just to give you a starting point.
if i was you i would go with the 30 '06, Very good selection of bullet weights. ammo is everywhere. not the flattest shooting rifle out there but its got enough jam to get the job done on any game that walks this continent. Also if you find the recoil is too much then grab a sissy pad by pachmeyr or limbsaver, i have them on a couple guns and they are well worth the 40 bucks.
What has never been mentioned on this thread, is the difference of felt recoil, between different rifles in the same calibre.
Those people who say a 308 is so mild have never, I presume, shot a lever action Model 88 Winchester, in 308. The rifle stock has too much drop, resulting it the rifle jumping up on firing, and in my case, soon a very sore cheek bone.
Your run of the mill, 300 W type magnums in a bolt action with a well shaped stock, are much more comfortable to shoot, than is said Model 88.
Those people who say a 308 is so mild have never, I presume, shot a lever action Model 88 Winchester, in 308. The rifle stock has too much drop, resulting it the rifle jumping up on firing, and in my case, soon a very sore cheek bone.
Your run of the mill, 300 W type magnums in a bolt action with a well shaped stock, are much more comfortable to shoot, than is said Model 88.
Four weeks ago, I went practice to shoot with my moose hunt buddies, one did fire only 8 rounds... He packed it and leaved. It was a 30-06 Mossberg's 4x4. I do have the same rifle in 7mm Rem. Mag. and did shoot 50 rounds in my afternoon...
Later that same day, a guy came in with hios skinny-puppy son of 12 years old, weighting less than 100 pounds all wet... totally soaked... you know what i mean...
The guy just bought this rifle for his son, wHo's going to be his hunting buddy from now. It was the first shooting experience, for this young guy. So i offered the guy, to introduce his son to shooting, using my .223 rifle. He agreed.
I gave the little guy the basic shooting directives, corrected his position, relocated the buttplate at the proper place on his shoulder, then let him fire. He was smiling ear to ear.
So i told him, your 30-06 will be the exact same thing, juste banging a little louder and kiking a little harder, but nothing to care too much about. He shoot his first shot and said WOW !!! this is something cool ! Re-aimed and shoot again.
The skinny-puppy guy, did shoot all his box, and he even shoot his father's box too !!!! I was really laughing... on next day, i called my partner who did shoot only 8 rounds and told him that... he didn't believed me. So i am thinking to give him his release pass to stay home rather than come hunting and shoot anything, anywhere...
A 30-06 is a high-power rifle, but it's a rifle that you can shoot ALL DAY LONG, as long you let the barrel cool off after each 3 to 5 shots.
When i have the possibility, i don't hold the fore end of any rifle, i prefer let it free, to prevent from any shooting glitch. Actually i have shoot up to .300 Weatherby Mag., without holding it by the fore-end, just letting the fore-end laying on my hand wide open and not closing it on fire.
For a very similar performance to the 30-06, with a smoother recoil, i would suggest a .270 win. Go with a heavier rifle, the weight of the rifle will tame the recoil, this is just pure basic physic. Also Remington have now their R3 recoil pad, wich are GREAT !
This is one rifle, you will love.
Later that same day, a guy came in with hios skinny-puppy son of 12 years old, weighting less than 100 pounds all wet... totally soaked... you know what i mean...
The guy just bought this rifle for his son, wHo's going to be his hunting buddy from now. It was the first shooting experience, for this young guy. So i offered the guy, to introduce his son to shooting, using my .223 rifle. He agreed.
I gave the little guy the basic shooting directives, corrected his position, relocated the buttplate at the proper place on his shoulder, then let him fire. He was smiling ear to ear.
So i told him, your 30-06 will be the exact same thing, juste banging a little louder and kiking a little harder, but nothing to care too much about. He shoot his first shot and said WOW !!! this is something cool ! Re-aimed and shoot again.
The skinny-puppy guy, did shoot all his box, and he even shoot his father's box too !!!! I was really laughing... on next day, i called my partner who did shoot only 8 rounds and told him that... he didn't believed me. So i am thinking to give him his release pass to stay home rather than come hunting and shoot anything, anywhere...
A 30-06 is a high-power rifle, but it's a rifle that you can shoot ALL DAY LONG, as long you let the barrel cool off after each 3 to 5 shots.
When i have the possibility, i don't hold the fore end of any rifle, i prefer let it free, to prevent from any shooting glitch. Actually i have shoot up to .300 Weatherby Mag., without holding it by the fore-end, just letting the fore-end laying on my hand wide open and not closing it on fire.
For a very similar performance to the 30-06, with a smoother recoil, i would suggest a .270 win. Go with a heavier rifle, the weight of the rifle will tame the recoil, this is just pure basic physic. Also Remington have now their R3 recoil pad, wich are GREAT !
This is one rifle, you will love.
