Recoil Pad's bipods questions

cereal83

cereal83

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Hey all,

Well I finally got out to shoot my Savage 30-06 and the kick on it is pretty hard. After about 4 shots my arm feels like it's gonna fall off and it's all brused.

Can anybody recommend a decent recoil pad? Are they special fit or just a universal one good enough? Also, where can I get this recoild pad as I see nothing in lebarons website

What about Bipods, are they good to put onto hunting rifles? I am not sure if plan to do alot of shooting where I could use one but I think it would help a bit if I was laying down.

1 more quick question. Whats a cailber that doesn't have a huge kick but is also able to take deer?

Thanks
 
What kind of rifle do you have?
What is the stock made from?
How much do you weigh?
How much does your rifle weigh?
What bullets are you using?
Were you shooting off the bench?

Most men of average stature can handle the recoil of a 30-06. Not to make you feel bad, but my 120 pound, 19 year old daughter shoots an '06, and so does my wife. I have them using 150 grain Nosler partitions with a moderate load of IMR3031, and it is a real pussycat to shoot in a 7 and a half pound rifle.

There are a few good pads to be had. Remington makes one called the R3 that is made by the same company that makes the "Limbsaver." Very absorbant pad. Pachmayer (sp?) makes the decelerator, and it is also good. Depending on what rile and what stock, you may be able to buy one made for your rifle.

The Simms Limbsaver can be had from Wholesale Sports in Calgary for about $36 + taxes and shipping.

There are lots of rifles out there that will kill deer that don't recoil as much as a 30-06, but if bigger game is on the menu, you might want to hang on to the '06.

Also, if the stock is not the right length for you, felt recoil can be worse.

If the scope is in too high rings, that can remove the cheel from the butt stock, and then when the recoil starts moving, the face gets slapped pretty hard.

When you are shooting, make sure that you tuck the rlfle in good and tight to your shoulder, and get a good cheek weld on the stock as well.

Best of succes to you.
 
I have a Savage 111 30-06, I haveSynthetic Stock, I weight around 210.
For bullets I was using 150 Grain Winchester Silvertips, 150 Grain Remington Core-Loft and 180 Grain Federal Power-shock.

I am not offended that your daughter can handle the gun but my shoulder is all bruised, it hurts to move my arm and the friend that came with me is about 240 pounds and he is even worse off then me. He is also a person who hunts every year, has a 303 and a 300 savage. He said his 303 kicks twice what my 30-06 does but he was really sore. When the rifle kicks, it feels like somebody is hitting you with a hammer in the shoulder.

The scope fits pretty good and doesn't seem to be too high.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v652/mypersonalpics/cgn/cb23f66c.jpg is a link to a pic of the gun.

I am not sure if I am just not used to it but I am sore. I think I will try a new recoil pad and see if it helps. I will also try really pulling the stock into my shoulder to see if that helps
 
Hi cereal83,
Try this link; it's for recoil pads at LeBaron.
http://www.lebaron.ca/pdf_fall_pgr/hunting/pachmayr_pads.pdf
or go to Lebaron's site, click on "Fall supplement; Enter here", then scroll down through the hunting section to Recoil Pads (right before "reloading")
I've never used a bipod, so can't help there. The fact I've hunted for 30+ years without one might mean something......I'd possibly want one if I hunted groundhogs with a centrefire, though.
My centrefires aren't too bad for recoil, so I stick with the factory pads. The only two pads I ever hear recommended are the Pachmayr and the Sims. I've been thinking about trying a Sims on my .280, which doesn't truly kick hard, but could be more comfortable.
Preacher's advice was all good. We can't overstress the importance of rifle fit and shooting form. And position. Shooting prone makes the recoil seem much worse than shooting off sandbags at a bench.
As for light recoil deer calibres, there are a few. Strictly for deer, I'd say the .243 Winchester is a good choice. The .250 Savage and .257 Roberts are just as good for all practical purpose, but rifles in either chambering are much less common than the .243.
The 6.5 x 55 Swede, .260 Remington, 7mm Mauser, 7mm-08 Remington,and .300 Savage all kick a lot less than the .30-06, and can be used on bigger game, say moose or black bear, at reasonable range. The .308 Winchester kicks a bit less, as well.
A lot of writers say (and I agree) that the .30-06 is about the hardest recoiling cartridge that the average hunter can shoot well. It's not what I would call a heavy-recoiling cartridge, but can be a bit for the newer shooter to handle. It is, however, an excellent choice for a deer rifle, and for larger game as well. Follow Preacher's advice, make sure the rifle is comfortable, and take it to a range with benches. Talk to people there; they'll be glad to help out an interested newbie. You'll be shooting better in no time. And don't try to shoot too much. My main rifle is my .280, which recoils slightly less than a .30-06. I almost never shoot more than a box of ammo (20 rounds) out of it at one range session. Good, enjoyable practice more often is the way to go, in my humble opinion. Best of luck to you.
 
If the recoil pad is anything like the stevens 200, I could see it being like a hammer to the shoulder in 30-06. Maybe try wearing a winter jacket when you shoot. Just remember this, when your are shooting at your deer or moose, etc, you wont even feel the recoil.

then again, if you are not happy with the recoil when practising, it could lead to flinching later.
 
Myguess is that the stock recoil pad on your rifle is the same as on a Stevens rifle, and if I am correct, I am not surprised it hurts to shoot.

Those pads are made form recycled hocky pucks and may as well be solid steel.;)

Getting a Pachmayer deccelarator or a Limbsaver will do the trick.

Try out the rifle with a proper recoil pad, and if it still beats you up, trade it in for a 7-08.:)
 
You are now ruined forever... the recoil has burned a flinch into your brain and you will never be able to shoot game properly.
Poor guy... take up badminton... send me your rifles and I will look after them for you.
your welcome.
 
I am not a great fan of plastic "tupperware" stocks, as they are typically lighter than wood. What you have should NOT punish you like you are saying. Any rifle in 30-06 that weighs in the 7 to 8 pound class shot with 150 to 180 grain factory bullets will generate about 22-26 foot pounds of recoil energy.

Try buying some of the reduced recoil rounds that are available, and really tuck that rifle up against the shoulder snugly. If you lift your elbow up so that it is about parallel to the ground, you will notice that the meat of your shoulder will cover the shoulder bone better, and dampen the recoil.

Sounds to me like this is your first high power rifle, and you are either a bit green about recoil or proper shooting techniques, or else you bought a real hammer. A better recoil pad will take the sting out of the punch, but the rifle is still going to come back with the same amount of force. You cannot change physics. Either get a heavier wood stock, which adds weight to your rifle, and decreases the recoil, or put a better recoil pad on it and decrease the felt recoil (take the bite out of it) or else buy a heavier rifle in a lighter recoiling cartridge.

Use a 22LR to practice your shooting technique so you don't develop a flinch, and find someone who is a seasoned shooter to help you out. Sounds like your buddy with the 303 is a little sensitive to recoil as well. Join a local club, and ask some of the older guys for advice. :)
 
cereal it sorta sounds like a combination of crappy recoil pad, LOP needs to be fit a bit better to you, weight of rifle, and how the rifle is held,

start with replaceing the recoil pad go with the expensive models like a limbasaver or pachmyer put one on my 303 and it has made a world of differnce, if it still kicks harsh look at getting the LOP fitted for you *most smiths can do it for pretty cheap and in no time at all*, again if it still kicks to much for you look at how your holding it if its not in the " Sweet Spot" in the shoulder recoil WILL be much more noticeable, last but not least when you have your recoil pad off get some 1 oz Fishing weights and tape in a sock or sandwich bag so they can slide in the hole thats in the butt of the stock to add some weight, now if recoil is still to harsh for you at this point lebarons and most other mail order places sell shooting pads that go on like a sleave thing on you over your shirt or under if you dont wanna look like a wuss in front of anyone as well as if your rifle is being used for mainly hunting wear your hunting jacket when you shoot it as if its like mine its kinda bulky and will provide some cushoing and lets you get used to how it feels while in the stand etc and if its still to much send it to me and get something in the lines of .270 i can make sure it has a nice home
 
I have the same rife in 7mm RM. It hurt a bit at first. I put a Limbsaver pad on and a mercury recoil supressor in the stock. It's all good now. These rifles are too light out of the box. Add weight if you can.

As for a bipod. They work really well. Look into a Harris or a Versa-pod. Both are good. I like the Versa-pod because it comes with two bases so you can switch the bipod from one rifle to the other in seconds.

Don't give up on the 06 just yet. Call up a smith and spend a few bucks on it before you shoot it again. Carefull with that flinch!

Good luck!
 
You're getting good advice here cereal. Well, other than BIGREDD's bit of teasing but you're not too far away you can go deal with him :p

Seriously, I think its a case of all of the above. And a big part being that you are a new shooter figuring it out pretty much on your own. Just like everything else, there's a few tricks to the trade. As said you need to pull the rifle into your shoulder and flex the muscles in your arm and shoulder. Also pull back a bit with your other arm on the forstock. Very important, a "cheek weld". You need to pull your cheek in tight to the stock and keep it pressed in tight. Now do all of that, but relax a wee bit. You don't want a death grip on the thing, just a good firm hold. When the rifle goes boom you want to let your body flex with the recoil.

If you are shooting from a bench, set things up so that your back is relatively straight. You don't want to be hunched over like a dog doing a football. You might have to have a high rest for the front and a rest for the rear of the stock. When I'm doing a lot of bench shooting I wear a heavy jacket, even add a towel or something if you wish. There's also recoil shields that you can get that fit on your shoulder.

And, it sounds like you do have a piss poor recoil pad. It might be a wise idea to take the rifle to a gun smith or at least a shop that knows what they are doing to choose a recoil pad, and one that will make the length of pull correct for you.

You've come a long way young internet warrior do not give up now. :) I remember back to being smaked around by rifles when I started and it sounds like I'm about your size.
 
Ah shucks Preacher, you done gone and embarrased me :redface: Cheers..
action-smiley-066.gif
 
Hey all, Thanks all for the good replies. I have to run so I don't have time to reply to everybody's post the way I would like to but I will later tonight.

Just a quick note,
I am not giving up on the 30-06, I just wanted to buy another caliber to target shoot without the recoil of a 30-06 as I want to try to get out shooting and practising atleast 4 times a month so I get really good at shooting before hunting season.

I am thinking about getting a bipod but I am not sure yet because I don't know how much I can use it in the field while hunting for deer or moose.

A recoil pad, I am going to get for sure. I am thinking about the Limbsaver as it might be a bit more expensive but alot of you guys recommend it and I am sure my shoulder will thank me.

Thanks all for your help.

Satly, thanks for a great post
 
your shoulder will be doing show tunes of thanking you for getting the limbsaver and if you plan on doing alot of hunting with the '06 you might be better of to get a shooting stick or something similer heck veen a forked branch will do instead of a bipod unless you do alot of prone or sitting on the ground as the bipods tend to get hung up in our ontario brush as for target shooting and bench practice think about getting a 22lr or even an SKS either way something cheap and fairly good shape that you can hone your accuracy a bit as well as get used to the shots without devoloping a flinch to soon once you have a few thousand rounds of 22lr under your belt *doesnt take long i do it in one or 2 days with the semi's* grab your trusty '06 and put 5-10 rounds through and see how you fair out with it and yes like salty says wear a heavy jacket and even put a towel on your shoulder to tame it a bit see how it feels then
 
Yeah.. all solid advice cornflakes... you should listen well.
I was tongue in cheek with my earlier comments but the truth of it is if you develop a flinch you will be a long time overcoming it... if ever:eek: .
Take heed and get yourself a limbsaver.:cool:
 
Well I am not gonna shoot my 30-06 for a little while.

I just ordered a Limbsaver from sir and I will get it install this weekend but I am not gonna shoot it. I am gonna see if I have time to go out shooting again on Sunday. I will practise alot more with my 22 and hopefully good things will happen.

btw, what exactly is a flinch? Just before you pull the trigger you close your eyes or something?

Thanks all for your help and advice.
 
I've got the same rifle, and the same problem, the freakin' think kicks like a mule! First time I took it out to sight in I loaded it up with 180 grain Cambodian Tire ammo, YOWZA what a kick! I haven't had a scope that close to my eyeball since I was 12 years old shooting my dad's .30-30!!

I've since put a couple boxes through the rifle and learned how it shoots, every rifle is different (even two identical models in identical calibers can be more/less accurate with the exact same ammunition). I never shoot more than 5 or 6 rounds at a time to, prevent myself from developing a flinch (a flinch is a premature reaction to recoil, it can be anything from closing your eyes to moving your head to the side or even pulling the muzzle up and shooting at the sky!). I've also got one of these in the mail; Mercury Recoil Suppressors. I ordered the 16 oz. one, hopefully it fits :D Thanx to Anglinfool for that link, BTW ;)

If your Limbsaver pad doesn't work, try a recoil suppressor. Work on shooting with your eyes open, and don't be afraid to take a break every few rounds while shooting, just to rest your ears and shoulder. Good luck!
 
cereal83 said:
Well I am not gonna shoot my 30-06 for a little while.

I just ordered a Limbsaver from sir and I will get it install this weekend but I am not gonna shoot it. I am gonna see if I have time to go out shooting again on Sunday. I will practise alot more with my 22 and hopefully good things will happen.

btw, what exactly is a flinch? Just before you pull the trigger you close your eyes or something?

Thanks all for your help and advice.
Click to expand...

Exactly, closing your eyes, jerking the trigger, or pulling the shot in expectation of the recoil... but the real damage is that it is an automatic malfunction at the subconsious level... it has ruined many shooters... they don't even know they are doing it or don't want to admit it.
I can coach you out of a flinch... for a price... whats your girlfriend look like...;)
 
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