Ways to reduce recoil for a hunting rifle?

Hey guys, I have a savage axis II 30-06 that I hunt deer and hogs with. Being a very light gun, it has a pretty strong kick and I was wondering what I could do to reduce the recoil some. I DO NOT want a muzzle break, and have heard that limbsaver pads work well but I haven't found one to fit a savage axis yet (still looking though). I am also looking into buying some reduced recoil ammo. I have heard of people using mercury recoil reducers - do they actually work? Are they worth it? Is there anything I am not thinking of that can also be an option for reducing recoil? Also, this might be a stupid question, but if I did something to add weight in the stock (which would affect the balance of the rifle) could it somehow affect or throw off the accuracy? Thanks everyone.

 

Buy a PAST recoil pad and wear in under your shirt or coat.

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rc

 

I bought an Axis not long ago,and the factory recoil pad is plenty soft,and then some.In my opinion bullet weight is a bigger factor in recoil than case capacity..A 30-30 with 165s kicks way harder than a 243 with 90s..If you don't reload someone you know probably does.I would just go with about a 120gr bullet...An after market stock would be stiffer,and a little heavier than the Axis factory stock,but If you did want to add a little weight to the factory stock I guess you could because I'm pretty sure they are hollow under the recoil pad,but it probably ain't worth doing.

 

I have a mossberg 500 slug gun (12 gauge) that the length of pull is too short for me and consequently it beats me up pretty bad if I'm not wearing extra layers like I would hunting.
One thing I did to make it more manageable is I took the buttplate off and filled the hollow portion of the stock with steel bbs. I wrapped them in a cloth and packed them in tight so they don't rattle. It might all be in my head, but I think it improved the balance and tamed the recoil a little bit. It only takes a couple minutes and a couple bucks worth of bb's to try. I suppose lead shot might be even more effective.

 

Most new rifles introduced in recent years already come with a very good recoil pad and I doubt there is a replacement that is going to be significantly better. But I'm not familiar with the Axis. If it has a hard rubber pad replacing it with something better might help.

Adding weight will help. The mercury inserts help too, but they add about 1/2 lb to the guns weight and it is all in the butt stock which dramatically changes balance.

Long term, and probably cheaper too, is to simply sell the rifle or trade it for something that recoils less. With a $1,000-$1,500 rifle it may well be worth it to throw money at it to improve performance. But this is a $300 rifle, you can quickly end up spending more money on than it is worth.

In a rifle that light chambered in 30-06 you're looking at 18-22 ft lbs of recoil depending on the individual load. A 308 will shoot the same bullets 100 fps slower and have 15-18 ft lbs recoil. A 243 with quality bullets will kill everything in the lower 48 with 11-12 ft lbs recoil. A 243 is borderline on larger game like elk, but it'll kill em and is all you need for deer and hogs. A 7-08, 6.5 Creedmore or 260 would split the difference between 308 and 243 performance and recoil wise. But ammo is a little harder to find and more expensive

 

I've weighted a rifle stock before when a replacement Limb Saver recoil pad still wasn't enough. The rifle balanced and performed fine other than excessive recoil so I added decoy lead weight in the composite stock. I found the exact location of balance and placed a little lead in butt and fore end at a ratio and location that maintained the same balance. Once the right weights and spots were found, it was epoxied in place using a 2 part epoxy.

For a wood stock, I don't know. I don't think I'd want weight in the butt but not in the fore end also to keep balance.

Andy

 

Reduced loads and a thick recoil pad. If that`s doesn`t work, Get something else. Sounds like you can`t take much recoil. For every action..........There is a reaction!

 

How heavy of a bullet are you using? If you are using standard 165-180 grain bullets, you may consider finding some 130 grain X-bullets to try. Mono bullets shine when you go light for caliber. Less recoil, same penetration or better depending on what you are already using.

 

Easiest way to reduce recoil of a 30-06 is to sell it and buy a .308.

 

Can I ask how you are shooting it? Is it from a bench rest, and leaning down and forward into the gun? If so, try piling up enough junk to get a solid rest that allows you to sit with your back straight up and down, NOT braced/leaning into the gun. That allows your upper body to move with the recoil, and really changes the felt recoil.

When hunting it isn't as noticeable, largely in part to the body not being leaned into the gun like when shooting from a bench. When shooting my old 338, it was always field positions, and it was never uncomfortable to shoot. From a bench, and a not tall enough rest, not so pleasant.

 

The cure is to shoot a 458 Win. Mag. a bit. Then a 30/06 won't feel so bad.

Regarding the mercury recoil reducers; yes they work pretty well.

 

Anything smaller than elk, I'd stay with 150-grain bullets. They're plenty good for Bambi to 500 yards.

I'd go with one of the modern butt pads. My 7mm08 700Ti is 6.5 pounds, "fully dressed", and even on the benchrest the recoil is not bothersome.

Something I've occasionally used at the bench: I made a small sandbag of about a pound. I put it between the butt pad and my shoulder. That adds weight, and spreads out the area of impact.

 

simple physics. Weight, weight and more weight. The more mass you have, the less the impact on your shoulder.

a 14# rifle won't hardly move. But... with a 14# rifle, you'll barely move either.

Impact pads also are a great addition.

 

What weight bullet are you currently shooting?

 

They sell reduced loads for 30/06 loaded down to 308 velocities . I'm pretty sure Remington makes some & winchester also

 

I had an Axis II .30-'06 I sold for that reason. Much happier with a heavier gun, and I shoot better.

 

I have been shooting 150 grain hornady SST, but I have been thinking about trying some of the reduced recoil loads in 125 grain (haven't shot any yet though). Also, a past recoil shield looks like a great option, I might invest in one and wear it under my clothing at the bench and while hunting.

 

You probably won't have much problem with regular 125's. When my son was 13 he could shoot boxes of them in an afternoon and have no problems with recoil.

I just used the cheapest Remington 125's they had on the shelf. Very little recoil, and plenty accurate through his gun for plinking out to 250 yards.

 

You can add weight, reduce the load, get a suppressor, get a recoil pad or other recoil reducing device like a lead sled for your sighting in/practice and not worry about it while hunting.

 

I switched to a 7-08. A .308 is enough less for me.

 

Maybe, just maybe you might want to consider another cal.

 

"...reduce recoil of a 30-06 is to sell it and buy a .308..." Felt recoil is the same. .308 velocities with like bullet weights are only about 100 FPS less. Insignificant difference.
Lose the plastic stock, reduce the bullet weight and add a recoil pad.
"...could it somehow affect or throw off the accuracy..." No. However, it might alter how you hold the thing when shooting. The balance can be adjusted by putting the weight(usually in the form of shot in epoxy bedding material) in the fore stock and the butt stock.
"...length of pull is too short for me..." Fix that. Recoil pads will do that on the cheap.

 

Hand load or find a 150 gr 2500 fps load.

 

That would be a reduced load even for a 308 by 300fps