Could it have been the "magnum" of booze Thursday night, that caused Friday morning's headache? He he!I went to the range thursday and shot a 300 Win Mag. Shot the Weatherby from a bench and prone. Woke up friday with a headache!
Could it have been the "magnum" of booze Thursday night, that caused Friday morning's headache? He he!I went to the range thursday and shot a 300 Win Mag. Shot the Weatherby from a bench and prone. Woke up friday with a headache!
Picher said:Quick resting points help, whether a tree trunk, a prone shot with the left elbow on the ground, or some other convenient steady rest, even a folding stool/chair.
jmr40 said:When I came to the realization that 400 yards was already pushing the limits of my shooting skills I sold my 300 and 7mm magnums. Not that I couldn't handle the recoil, but because I figured that I didn't have the skills to take advantage of their capabilities.
Picher said:I've seen deer "ripped apart" from some magnum shooters lousy shot placement and multiple shots. A good hunter/shooter can easily make 300 yard killing shots from a quick rest with a .30-06 or .270 Win. It just takes practice and an accurate rifle/scope outfit. Quick resting points help, whether a tree trunk, a prone shot with the left elbow on the ground, or some other convenient steady rest, even a folding stool/chair.
I’m not huge on recoil, 30-06 is about my limit and that’s with rifles on the heavier side.Also, someone mentioned feeling the concussion from a magnum fired nearby at the range & that can have a very real affect on perceived "recoil". I have a Savage scout in .308 Win. that I could actually feel the concussion from the muzzle blast in my fillings.
I agree that a Magnum isn't necessary. A 260 Rem,6.5 cm, or 6.5x55 is about perfect for deer.I've seen deer "ripped apart" from some magnum shooters lousy shot placement and multiple shots. A good hunter/shooter can easily make 300 yard killing shots from a quick rest with a .30-06 or .270 Win. It just takes practice and an accurate rifle/scope outfit. Quick resting points help, whether a tree trunk, a prone shot with the left elbow on the ground, or some other convenient steady rest, even a folding stool/chair.
I hate shooting anywhere near someone with a muzzle brake. I understand that they need to zero their rifle with the brake functioning, but it's hell on bystanders and especially annoying to neighboring shooters who are trying to shoot small groups.I’m not huge on recoil, 30-06 is about my limit and that’s with rifles on the heavier side.
I go to shooting ranges rarely because I have my own land, for which I’m grateful. The last time I was at a range the gentleman to my left was using a bolt action with a shorter barrel, I’d say 20 inches. Don’t know what cartridge and didn’t ask but they looked noticeably larger than the .270 I was using. The rifle had a muzzle brake and every time he shot the blast felt uncomfortable to me and the noise hurt my ears. I left, that was around six years ago. So yeah I get what you’re saying. In retrospect I’m sure some of the reason I don’t care for recoil has nothing to do with actual recoil but with muzzle blast.
I refuse to brake a hunting rifle. My hearing is already damaged.This Bergara Ridgeback in 300 Win Mag is tame as a kitten with it’s weight and Thunderbeast Ultra 9 suppressor. It was incredibly loud with just the TBAC brake, but recoil was not bad. Muzzle brakes and suppressors will game pretty much any rifle, at a cost.View attachment 927482
There are plenty of devices out there that enhance hearing, but block loud noises like gunshots.I refuse to brake a hunting rifle. My hearing is already damaged.
That looks like a sweet rifle though.
It's the miles not the years that get you.That is your brain telling you that, your body says something else and does not agree with the brain. The first symptom of old age is your body not agreeing with your brain. It is the opposite of when you were a virile young teenager. You may have had a good sensible head on your shoulders but when the blood got diverted to another head of your body common sense went out the window.
I've tried several and don't like them. The squirrels get inside my head.There are plenty of devices out there that enhance hearing, but block loud noises like gunshots.
That sounds like the worst time imaginable.I had to shoot 25 1 oz slugs and the same number of full-power 00 buck at rangemaster school while prone. Then 25 each kneeling...then 25 each standing...which followed at least 150 rounds of birdshot fired prior to.
That got old REAL quick. And yes, I was bruised for days afterwards. Luckily my 870 has a 20" barrel, extended mag tube and a squishy recoil pad. Some of the others with the wood-stocked, 18" bead-sighted 4-shooters were really taking a beating . The guys with the Benelli's (shooting full power loads) got off easier (A couple of guys from one agency were shooting low recoil loads in their Benelli's, they almost failed because they weren't cycling reliably.)
As was stated, you're taking all of the recoil prone. There's no real way to "roll with it."
As for the A-bolt, I agree that the original stock design was not great for the shoulder with belted magnums. I had a Medallion in .338 Win Mag that I bought right out of high school in 1985. It was one beautiful rifle, but it was one savage kicking SOB. One of the very few firearms that I've sold that I never, ever missed.
Stay safe.
I think it was more of a macho “who can take it” rather than serious training at that point. I’ll readily admit I was becoming Fred Flinchstone by the time we were done .That sounds like the worst time imaginable.
The good thing about this rifle is: Even though I was sore, there was no bruising.
Nice post.I've always said most of the effects of recoil are really between the ears, tell some people it is a magnum and they convince themselves it is a hard kicker. A 7 mm Rem mag shoots the same bullet weights to the same speed at the muzzle as 30-06. Recoil is indistinguishable in equal weight rifles. The 7mm's advantage is that in the same bullet weights 7mm bullets are more aerodynamic than 30 caliber bullets and retain the speeds much better downrange. Yea it hits animals a little harder, especially at longer ranges, but it doesn't hit the shooter any harder.
Magnum is just a poorly defined word. I can tolerate up to about 30 ft lbs of recoil, but prefer to keep it closer to 20 ft lbs. You need to start looking at actual recoil, not words. There are plenty of non-magnum cartridges out there with recoil that exceed many with magnum on the headstamp.
Most 30 caliber magnums are going to be in the 28-32 ft lb range. About the same as 12 ga waterfowl, turkey, buckshot, and slug loads which no one complains about. I often see people suggest rounds like 338/06, 35 Whelen and 45-70 as non-magnum alternatives even though all of them exceed 300 magnum recoil levels. The hotter 45-70 loads exceed 375 magnum by a considerable amount. The 30-06 and 7mm mag are going to be in the 18-22 ft lb range depending on the exact load and rifle weight. Anymore I prefer something in the 15-18 ft lb range where a 308 or 7-08 falls. The 6.5 CM is in the 12-14 ft lb range.
All 3 of those will kill anything any of the above cartridges will kill. The difference in in effective range. My 308 will lose enough bullet speed after about 400 yards that it may not be effective. The 30-06 will add about another 100 yards to that. The 7mm and 30 caliber magnums another 200-300 yards.
When I came to the realization that 400 yards was already pushing the limits of my shooting skills I sold my 300 and 7mm magnums. Not that I couldn't handle the recoil, but because I figured that I didn't have the skills to take advantage of their capabilities.
I have never gotten the point of putting a heavy magnum caliber in a lightweight stock. Easy to carry sure but at some point you've got to shoot it.A friend of mine has a 7mm Mag. A very lightweight, synthetic stock 7mm Mag.
He keeps trying to get me to shoot it.
No thanks.
If it's too big to kill with my .30-06, I'm not interested in hunting it.