.308 help

[newguy07]

So I purchased a savage 16 in .308 last summer and really don't care for shooting it because of the recoil. It weighs about 7.5 pounds with a 22 inch barrel. My primary use is target/bench shooting from 200-500 yards. Though I also bought the .308 for the possibility of big game hunting (elk, moose, bear) though I'm not sure ill ever get the chance.

So I'm thinking about getting rid of it and getting a different bolt gun. I already have an Ar15 and am thinking about a .223 bolt action but was also thinking a different .308 with heavy barrel would be less painful to shoot. Thoughts? I know a .223 doesn't hardly kick at all in an ar but what about in a bolt gun? Would a heavier bolt gun in .308 kick much less than the one I have now?

Thanks

 

[Clayne_b]

A good stock will do wonders for a rifle. I have a Remington 700 .308 i did not like the recoil after 40 rounds I could tell when I got home that I had went shooting.

I got a Mcrees Precision Stock and its a joy to shoot now. and it takes mags, and it folds... All kinds of positives with that stock.

The ergonomics can be adjusted to fit you well, and there for makes recoil management much better, I can now spot my own hits as close as 200 yards.

 

[bikemutt]

I just deployed a Remington 700 .308 for the first time and was surprised at the felt recoil versus my SX-AR, a 14lb AR10 rifle. The Rem is not light either, it's sitting in a Choate sniper stock and tips the scales at 13lbs.

In any event, the recoil of the Rem is not enough to throw me off since I'm used to shotguns. I will probably put a muzzle brake on it at some point since the barrel is already threaded. Not sure if that's a practical option for you to try.

I'll probably feel what you are feeling soon with the .308 Browning BLR rifle I picked up today, 7lbs +/-.

 

[akv3g4n]

I have a savage 10FP in. 223 with a 20" bull barrel and synthetic stock. Also got a harris bipod and inexpensive tasco scope. It's my wife's favorite gun to shoot as there is very little recoil and she is pretty recoil sensitive (she's petite). I've never shot the .308 in the same platform but the .223 is great for plinking.

 

[five.five-six]

Simple solution:

Buy a mosin and a crate of ammo. Fire all 1080 rounds.


Your .308 recoil problem will be solved

 

[targetshooter22]

That's a tough one. If you are looking for less recoil, you have a few options, but none may be real attractive.

1. Sell said 308 and fund the purchase of a 223 (this will solve it, and will likely fulfill your 500 yard paper punching mission admirably).
2. Buy a new stock and see if it makes enough of a difference. If not, see number 1 above.
3. Install a muzzle brake on the rifle and see if that makes it better.
4. ??

 

[Tolkachi Robotnik]

Get a padded shirt or something.

You aren't going to find any elk rifles that don't kick. At the range you can get a pad or something to reduce the recoil.

A whole bunch of 7.62X54R through a Mosin would kick more than a .308. I guess that fellow above is just joking. They are similar league, but the Mosin has steel butt plate, even if a lot of them weigh eight pounds.

You can get some less serious cartridges. Smaller bullets maybe. You can load some pretty small ones if you reload. Right now .308 is only moderately rare compared to .223, .22LR, and 9mm.

Right now might not be best time to find a .223 and ammo for it.

Good luck whatever you do. The .308 was originally a replacement for 30-06 in a smaller cartridge, equal at 2700 fps and 150 grain bullets, so those kick about same as 30-06. You have a serious rifle.

 

[wyohome]

I tried 125 gr Nosler BTs as a reduced recoilload for my wife to use for mulies. I could not get them to shoot well in any of my .308 rifles. Maybe a better recoil pad?

 

[egg250]

Umm, a decent recoil pad will soak up quite a bit of recoil. Also, proper placement of the butt, tight into your shoulder will alleviate the felt recoil. You've got the .308, might as well keep it. Guns are meant to be bought, not sold.

 

[4season]

The design of some stocks makes recoil much more noticeable than other stocks. Most of this is due to the way you hold the gun. A long pull length combined with a short scope makes you have to lean in to the gun more to see down the scope. Then you feel more of the recoil. Honestly a .308 in a 7.5 lbs rifle doesn't have that much energy so you should be able to handle the recoil very easy. Something as simple as a slip on Limbsaver could make a huge difference for very little cost. Also a heavy coat or a folded up blanket over the shoulder can make a big difference on extended target work.

 

[PlaneJain]

Get a limbsaver recoil pad, and put a small sand bag on your shoulder when shooting it at the range. When elk hunting starts, and wearing a warm jacket up there, you wont even feel the kick when you tag your elk. You can also make your gun heavier by changing scopes and even mounts to make it kick less.

 

[dmckean44]

Just get a limbsaver and you'll hardly notice the recoil.

 

[Skylerbone]

Newguy, could you rate your discomfort with your current rifle? It would be difficult to offer reasonable solutions for your current rifle if, say it is a 10 on the yikes meter, same with a replacement caliber.

 

[vujade]

+1 on replacing the stock. I have shot (2) savages. One with a light weight barrel and it hurts after a while. The other has a heavy B&C Medalist stock and it has much less recoil with the same rounds.

If you get into reloading, you can load up some light ones in 308. My dad is getting old so he just shoots 'light 308' rounds.

Have you tried to push the stock tight to your shoulder? How you shoulder the rifle can have an affect on the recoil.

How are you shooting the rifle? Shooting a Mosin Nagant (not 1080 rounds) either prone or sitting with the rifle on a bench can hurt after a while. Shooting it standing - not so much.

 

[Edarnold]

If you want to stay with the .308 caliber for longer range target work, a light sporter is not going to make the grade. Getting up around 10 to 12 pounds in a bolt-action is about right for off the bench.
The Savage 10FP with a heavy 24" barrel is a good start. Add a Choate Ultimate Varminter stock and you have a gun adapted for bench rest shooting and comfortable and stable to shoot for long strings.

IMHO

 

[Bobson]

Do some push ups and pull-ups.

Recoil will disappear

Never knew physical fitness has much to do with perceived recoil. Kinda makes sense in regards to handguns, but long-guns too?

 

[frankenstein406]

pay a bunch of money for a ar10?

308 recoil never bothered me even with scope bite and a little blood, try some 12 gauge 3 1/2 turkey loads

 

[AR15barrels]

So I purchased a savage 16 in .308 last summer and really don't care for shooting it because of the recoil. It weighs about 7.5 pounds with a 22 inch barrel. My primary use is target/bench shooting from 200-500 yards. Though I also bought the .308 for the possibility of big game hunting (elk, moose, bear) though I'm not sure ill ever get the chance.

So I'm thinking about getting rid of it and getting a different bolt gun. I already have an Ar15 and am thinking about a .223 bolt action but was also thinking a different .308 with heavy barrel would be less painful to shoot. Thoughts? I know a .223 doesn't hardly kick at all in an ar but what about in a bolt gun? Would a heavier bolt gun in .308 kick much less than the one I have ?

The savage guys always rave about how easy the guns are to rebarrel.
Have you thought about replacing the barrel with a much heavier one in 308 and en getting a better stock?
That would upgrade your gun without even having to sell it and buy something else...
Get the gun up to 12lbs or so and it will be much nicer to shoot.

 

[baz]

I don't follow the reasoning in wanting a .308 for big game, but then considering swapping it for a .223 bolt gun. I just got a Ruger GSR in .308. Sure, the recoil is stout, compared to .223, but no more than I associate with a 12 gauge or my MN M-44. You describe the .308 as being "painful" to shoot. Recoil, even with big guns, shouldn't be "painful." Besides other suggestions (like the limbsaver), how's your grip on the rifle? If you are not hugging the stock into our shoulder like your life depends on it, the recoil will be a lot worse than it needs to be. Shooting from a bench rest is not a realistic assessment of how you would handle recoil in the field. Some offhand shooting would be better for that.

All this said, when I take both a .223 and a .308 or the M-44 to the range, I shoot far fewer rounds of the latter two. I can handle the recoil. But after a while...

 

[USSR]

Would a heavier bolt gun in .308 kick much less than the one I have now?

Oh, yeah. My FN SPR weighs in at 14 lbs, and it's a pussycat.

Don

 

[jogar80]

Get a heavier rifle or swap you barrel for a longer/thicker one. I have a Browning X-bolt in .308 that was kicking me so bad I ended up putting a brake on it. I also have a Rem 700 Police in .308 that is MUCH heavier, and it is a joy to shoot, even though it has no buttpad at all.

 

[chicharrones]

Never knew physical fitness has much to do with perceived recoil. Kinda makes sense in regards to handguns, but long-guns too?

Yep. When I was 20 years younger and fit with decent chest and shoulder muscles, recoil rocked my body but didn't hurt to the bone.

Now at near 50, the padding on my body in those places is thin at best. Shooting a .308 strength bolt rifle (even with a good recoil pad on the butt stock) results in my shoulder and arm feeling it all after about 20 shots.

My choices are to start working out again, or buying one of these and stuffing it under my shirt. http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=708832

 

[Skylerbone]

At this point, we don't know if the OP is 4'2", 70 lbs. or 96 years old. Throwing every solution that has worked for us may never help him. If he spends $1,500 on a new stock, heavy barrel, muzzle break, recoil pad and home gym, then realizes it's bad form or simply the wrong caliber choice, how much help has been given?

I shoot full power 30-06 in a t-shirt, bringing a second 30-06 along to allow the barrels time to cool but I doesn't bother or hurt me. It also doesn't help the discussion in any meaningful way. We cannot discuss a fix until determining what the problem is. It hurts is merely a symptom.

 

[baz]

Maybe if you did a little more home work before you bought that 308 you wouldn`t be asking for help now.

Everybody starts somewhere. I get the impression that this is the first firearm the OP has used with substantial recoil. There is no way that doing "home work" is going to prepare someone for the first time they experience substantial recoil. And the remark isn't particularly on the "high road." Even with mistakes made, people should feel like they can ask questions without being ridiculed.

 

[Don357]

An 8mm Mauser will make you appreciate the recoil of the .308 too. This is from experience. I have a Stevens Model 200 in .308 and a M48 Yugo in 8mm, and believe me, there is a difference. But my Stevens does not have a bad recoil unless you compare it to a .22 or a .223. But to try and help you with YOUR problem, you could change your stock, or try a recoil pad like a "Limb Saver". They work great.