Some help on recoil..

cbabes

cbabes

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I bought a Stainless Remington 700 in 30-06 for hunting moose/deer. I wanted a light version not heavy barrel since I will be carrying it for long periods of time. I have it sighted in but the recoil is too much for a 30-06 as far as I am concerned. Any help reducing recoil would be greatly appreciated. I get some bad shots while target shooting just because of the recoil. I have shot heavy barrel 30-06s and .308s that almost felt like .22s. I am starting to think it may be better to buy a heavier rifle even if I am going to be carrying it all day.

Thanks In Advance
 
Recoil isn't the cause of "some bad shots while target shooting", flinching is. This is the anticipation of the shot. Trigger time (even dry firing) will solve this as well as a good recoil pad and double ear protection while shooting.
 
There's a shoulder pad I forget the brand name that you wear.It would be good for the range.For hunting it shouldn't matter as your not throwing a box of shells at your game.
 
Weight of the firearm is a large determining factor of the amount of felt recoil a firearm delivers but a few things can help tame recoil a bit. A Limbsaver recoil pad would be a great start and you may also want to go to a lighter grain bullet. If it's just the range time that is making you recoil sensitive, you may want to try shooting from a good recoil reducing rest.
 
Red foreman said:
There's a shoulder pad I forget the brand name that you wear.It would be good for the range.For hunting it shouldn't matter as your not throwing a box of shells at your game.
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I think Red is refering to the PAST Recoil shields that you can buy for about $30 or so. They slip over your shoulder and really help reduce felt recoil, especially shooting from the bench.

Another option you could consider is reduced recoil ammo, even if it's just for practice.
 
Rifle fit has much to do with perceived recoil. If the rifle doesn't fit you, then get it adjusted. A good pad should take the bite out of it.

If you reload, cut down the powder charges so that a 180 gr bullet makes 2500 fps or a 165 gr bullet makes 2600. You could go as light as a 150 gr or even a 130 gr, if you chose a TSX, and still get good big game performance. Powders consistent with 4064's burning rate will not be a noisy as powder charges in the H-4831 range.

When you are shooting don't let a light contoured barrel free recoil. Much of the recoil can be absorbed by your support hand, and there is less apparent recoil if you sling up and shoot from a supported position. If the gun can jump around, it will beat the hell out of you, so it follows that the tighter you can hold it the less effect the recoil will have on you.
 
A good recoil pad (like a Limbsaver) will help, but I wouldn't switch to a heavier rifle than a Rem 700 because of perceived recoil issues. You're only going to be taking a handful of shots while hunting (hopefully just one ;) ) and the extra pounds to lug around will more than outweigh the advantage. As others have said, be sure your problem isn't flinch.
 
replace the POS plastic stock with a good fiberglass stock that will actual absorb some of the vibration and recoil energy rather than funneling it into your cheek and shoulder
 
I agree with the body recoil pad along with use your sling it well help to reduce the jump on a lite rifle and a better grip and snug it up titer to your sholder. if you dont do your own reloading I would sugest the investment and start to. the right reload as some have given will help a lot as well and in the long run save you money on ammo as well. Good luke
 
Maynard, sheephunter and boomer all gave excellent advice. I am unfamiliar with the advice from Todd. Combine the information on those three posts and you should be fine.
Regarding the Limbsaver, I am about to get one for my 1895 Marlin. However, I note a strange thing in the catalogue about them. They are shown for Marlin as fitting a 336, 444, and 450. I find it strange that the Guide gun and 1895 are not noted.
Do you people know if the same model also fits the 45-70, with the 22 inch barrel?
 
H4831 said:
Maynard, sheephunter and boomer all gave excellent advice. I am unfamiliar with the advice from Todd. Combine the information on those three posts and you should be fine.
Regarding the Limbsaver, I am about to get one for my 1895 Marlin. However, I note a strange thing in the catalogue about them. They are shown for Marlin as fitting a 336, 444, and 450. I find it strange that the Guide gun and 1895 are not noted.
Do you people know if the same model also fits the 45-70, with the 22 inch barrel?
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That's true, the Marlin 45-70 is not mentioned in that list. However, I did acquire one (the precision fit model) and installed that on my 1895G.....wasn't exactly a "precise fit" though......protrudes just a very little bit out at the toe.

I found the Limbsaver to be an excellent product - with the factory recoil pad on the Marlin I was feeling pain with 325gr Hornady after 20 rounds down range. With the Limbsaver installed, I shot a couple boxes of the same cartridges the following weekend.....no pain or discomfort of any kind whatsover :).

Forgot to mention, not sure if that pistol gripped buttstock (read 22in bbl) is curved or not....flat/straight buttend is the requirement for that precision fit pad model though.
 
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A light hunting rifle is not meant to mediate heavy recoil as a hunting rifle is meant to shot once. Bang-flop and there's your meat. You're rifle was light to be carried for long times for that one shot. You're recoild problem is at the range where you're firing multiple shots of a very powerful round for sighting in/familiarization and THAT is why recoil is a problem. Why not keep your great rifle and use/buy/borrow a shooting sled (lead sled or similar) in order to sight it in.

When you're in the field and are only going to make 1 or maybe 2 shots, heavy recoil won't be a problem.
 
Ahsan Ahmed, thanks a lot for the information on the Limbsaver.
Yes, the pistol gripped model also has a flat butt end. However, unlike the GG with the squeege rubber butt pad it comes with, this one only has a hard, solid rubber pad. The pad itself has a curve to it, but the wood is flat.
This is the only rifle I ever loaded for where I don't worry about high pressure loads for the rifle! My shoulder gives out long before the rifle gets near its pressure limits.
Maybe with a Limbsaver, instead of that rock-hard red thing called a butt pad, I will be able to try out the heavier loads.
 
H4831 said:
I am unfamiliar with the advice from Todd
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take a recoil pad off of almost any "synthetic" stock rifle off the shelf, and you will see it's nothing more than a injection molded hollow shell with plastic walls about 1/4" thick. Inexpensive to produce, and fits the needs of the average joe hunter.

I had a plastic stocked 338 Mag that I got in a trade from Martinbns. Replaced the plastic stock with a Bell & Carlson lightweight fiberglass stock that was 3/4 lb lighter than the previous plastic model. You'd think being much lighter it would kick more, but the felt recoil went down considerably.

Of course, changing stocks usually isn't inexpensive, with quality aftermarket fiberglass stocks going for $200-500. You gotta pay to play
 
todbartell said:
take a recoil pad off of almost any "synthetic" stock rifle off the shelf, and you will see it's nothing more than a injection molded hollow shell with plastic walls about 1/4" thick. Inexpensive to produce, and fits the needs of the average joe hunter.

I had a plastic stocked 338 Mag that I got in a trade from Martinbns. Replaced the plastic stock with a Bell & Carlson lightweight fiberglass stock that was 3/4 lb lighter than the previous plastic model. You'd think being much lighter it would kick more, but the felt recoil went down considerably.

Of course, changing stocks usually isn't inexpensive, with quality aftermarket fiberglass stocks going for $200-500. You gotta pay to play
Click to expand...

I suspect that has more to do with fit than the actual construction material of the stock. I can't see how fibreglass can absorb recoil better than plastic.
 
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