Favorite brands of reduced recoil ammo for whitetail?

[atek3]

I've got my Tikka T3 Lite in 7mm RM on the way. Originally, I wanted a light recoiling cartridge like 243 or 260, but I also wanted a rifle I could take any north american big game with.

7mm RM, with the right ammo, seems to fill those demands pretty well. Using something like Remington Managed Recoil I can have a rifle that won't tear up too much meat on a sub-100 yard shot on white tail, and at the same time I can use a hot load for a 400 yard shot on Bighorn Sheep.

My question is this. I know much about bullet construction for hunting ammo. I'm pretty sure that Remington Managed Recoil will work well, but are there any 'better' options for whitetail?

(I know handloading is the best option, but that's not an option for me right now)

thanks,
atek3

 

[ROCKFISH]

I've tried, RMR, Fusion lite, and Hornady Custom Lite loads in my 30-06. All reduced recoil significantly in my rifle, but the RMR gave me the best accuracy at 50- 100 yards. In fact point of impact was nearly identical to PMC factory 150 grain loads. The Hornady hit high and the fusion dropped quickly in my rifle. I suggest you try them all as your rifle may shoot differently.

 

[spclpatrolgroup]

Rather than reduced recoil loads, why not invest in a good recoil pad. I have one on my .270 that makes it feel like a .243.

 

[RhinoDefense]

Not an option you want to hear, but a better choice would have been something like a 7mm-08 or .308. Milder recoil than a magnum and plenty of kill left at 400y.

 

[hardluk1]

atek3 Have you hunted much up to this point with any centerfire rifles. Reason for asking most ever hunters i have ever talked with just don't feel the shot when hunting, many don't even hear it. What you hunt and at what distance would play into desideing if the down loaded factory ammo for the 7mmRM is worth while to use. For deer hunting most any of the 139 to 140 gr loads out there are just fine including the reduce loads but if that is what you have to have ??

If your recoil pad is screwed on there are recoil reducers that can be fit in side the stock that helps to absorb recoil and they work and that might help you. That might be an option for you so you can still use the regular7mm mag ammo.

I have used a towel folded up between my shoulder and rifle back when my old ss ruger with the boat paddel was shoot from the bench many years ago. Now many years later and as a custom ruger with a weight is over 9 1/2lb and with a great simms recoil pad it shoots real sweety that my 100 lb daughter will shoot.

 

[ROCKFISH]

I use the RMR ammo to site in and practice at the range. For hunting whitetails, I'll be using 150 gr pmc factory ammo, as I've already determined same point of impact at 50-100 yards.

 

[atek3]

Perhaps I should clarify, when I said, "reduced recoil" I was using the marketing buzzword for "lower muzzle energy". In a gun of reasonable weight, 7 rem mag and 300 win mag don't bother me. The only reason I want a lower energy cartridge is to tear up less meat. Where I'll be hunting, the average range is <70 yards. 3600 ft-lbs is quite a lot for a normal sized whitetail. Remington Managed Recoil OTOH has about 2200 ft-lbs putting it in 243/6.5x55 territory.

If I was making long shots on Elk Bulls, I'd want the full-power, heavy weight stuff, but its overkill for NE whitetail.

thanks,
atek3

 

[RhinoDefense]

Don't get hung up on numbers. Most hunters scoff at using a .32-20 even though it's killed tens of thousands of deer, elk, and bear.

 

[Freedom_fighter_in_IL]

atek, sounds to me like you have a really good justification to go get you another rifle.

"Honey the 7mm RM will be for when I land those coveted Elk tags. I need to get myself another rifle for around here for the deer season. My apologies dear, I thought that was understood."

If another rifle is not in the cards, then the Rem. Reduced Recoil would fit the bill at 100 yards and under quite nicely if your rifle likes them.

 

[Geckgo]

I don't know about the rest of you's but RMR in my 30-06 spread my "grouping" from 1.5-2" with 150gr core-locts at 100yrds to 4-5". Probably doesn't matter for deer and whatnot within 70 but I felt it was important to point out. The bullets are seated noticeably deeper (shorter bullet) and the gap to the lands is longer. If it were me I'd work up a light load myself and match it to the rifle to ensure good results, but that's just my two bits. Sounds like a solution that will work for you.

 

[atek3]

Eventually, I'll get something in a light 6.5 like grendel or 260... for now. RMR. Thanks y'all.

 

[spclpatrolgroup]

As far as not tearing up meat, pretty much every bullet designed for hunting deer\Elk type critters is made to expand, or fragnate. The key is not shooting things in the meaty part, but through the rib cage into the vitals, I know its not allways possible, but avoiding things liks ass shots is. For my sake I choose a bonded core bullet over a frangible baslitic tip, as I prefer to have my bullet pass through, and I think there is less shock to turn meat into jelly (just my opinion)

I never had a problem with recoil until I started reloading, when you are shooting way more than you normally would in a sitting because you are working up a new load, and you are doing so in a T shirt rather than a think hunting jacket. So now everything over a .243 gets a squishy recoil pad.