Handling 308 vs 6.5 creedmoor for lighter recoil

[greyling22]

I hear a lot about how part of the appeal of the creedmoor is the reduced recoil for punching paper. But in theory, couldn't a say, 120grn 308 be loaded light and get similar light recoil? I understand the other advantages of BC and really long ranges, but my property maxes out at 350yds, so I wouldn't think that would matter much.

 

[horsey300]

I hear a lot about how part of the appeal of the creedmoor is the reduced recoil for punching paper. But in theory, couldn't a say, 120grn 308 be loaded light and get similar light recoil? I understand the other advantages of BC and really long ranges, but my property maxes out at 350yds, so I wouldn't think that would matter much.

H4895 reduced recoil loads under a 125 will work on deer sized game out to a fair distance for hunting purposes. Hodgdon put some data together for us if you'll do a quick search, they've been shared here and on hodgdon as well.

 

[greyling22]

Yeah, I saw that, I just don't really have a frame of reference. Is a light 308 like a 30/30? A creedmoor? A 243?

 

[stringnut]

Recoil is both subjective and mathematically able to be calculated. For the mathematical side gun fit , weight, projectile weight, velocity all play a part. Formulas for this are easily available with a quick search on the internet. To find out how much recoil in foot pounds you have to do the math. Subjective recoil is how the above combination feels to you. The wife's 308 with top 150 gr handmade is horribly uncomfortable for me to shoot. It slaps my cheek, puts my right thumb into my nose, and if done just right belts me with scope above the eye. Four or five shots and I am done. I have seen her blow thru 50 without blinking an eye. Fine for her terrible for me. Calculating recoil tells what actual recoil should be. Only by pulling the trigger on a particular setup can you say exactly how comfortable it is to you.
With all that crap just my opinion is that light bullet loads at moderate velocity in 308 or 30/06 feel like they kick less than the 170 gr 30 30. Bolt stocks are just more comfortable to shoot in my opinion than levers.

 

[Nature Boy]

I found in .308 that 47g of Benchmark and a 110 VMAX is a lot of fun to shoot. 3,200 FPS, very accurate and recoil somewhere in between .223 and a standard .308 load

There is a downside. Shooting these little 110’s coppered the hell ot of my barrel. Took a lot of work to get it cleaned out

 

[HankC]

Speer 125gn 308 TNT is mild recoil and very accurate, does not feel a need for 6.5C since I don't do long distance as well.

 

[Sunray]

"...my property maxes out at 350yds..." You don't have enough space for any kind of range. You need several miles of fall zone behind your back stop for any cf rifle cartridge. That's several miles of land with nothing on it and nobody traipsing around on it. CF ranges have 6 to 10 kilometers of fall zone.
And there's punching paper and punching paper. A 110 or 120 grain V-Max is not a match grade bullet. There is a 125 Match King though. Still no good for long range.