Help. My 30-06 is beating me to death

[35 Whelen]

I have a brand new Ruger American 30-06. I shot it for the first time today, and after 6 rounds I couldn't go on. I am 6'1" 210lb. I am holding the rifle firm against my shoulder, and it felt like my old 300 win mag. Is this a manufacturer issue or maybe I need to go down to .243 or even .308. I don't want to have a gun that just sits because it isn't fun to shoot. Can someone maybe give a breakdown on the recoil by caliber? It may also be entirely my technique. I'm just very disappointed that I feel like I just shot a couple of boxes of 12ga 00 buck.

Jeff

The causes and amount of felt recoil can vary greatly as there are many, many determining factors. The first and most obvious is cartridge and load. The heavier the bullet, the more the recoil. The rifles stock design can greatly add to or take from percieved recoil. Buttstocks with lots of drop greatly raise the amount of recoil perceived where a relatively straight stock can reduce it. My Dad has a CZ 9.3x62mm that when fired with 286 gr. bullets at close to 2400 fps beats the soup out of me. Ditto for a little Husqvarna 30-06. Conversely, my custom 358 Norma Mag firing 225 gr. TSX's at 3000 fps or 250 gr. Noslers at 2800 is n big deal. The difference? The CZ and Husky, are both European rifles designed to be fired with open sights so it has alot of drop in the buttstock. The 358 is an American designed rifle with a relatively straight stock.

If you have a scope with a gigantic objective lens (over 40mm) then the scope likely had to be mounted using tall rings so the objective lens would clear the barrel. Mounting a scope as such raises it higher off the receiver which means the shooter typically rests his jaw on the stock instead of his cheek. Shooting this way hurts as it's very difficult to get a nice, firm cheek weld. If this is the case, get a smaller scope. (Don't tell anyone this little secret, but 99% of the big game hunting in this country could be accomplished with a 3-9x40mm scope, and realistically, a 2-7x32mm.) Shhh......

Recoil tolerance is something that can be acquired as I've seen it many, many times, most notably in myself. If you handload, begin by loading lighter loads and increase them slowly and incrementally as your tolerance increases. If not, shoot the reduced loads offered by Federal and Remington until you are comfortable shooting the rifle.

Personally I'd steer way clear of devices like Lead Sleds and the strap-on shoulder protectors unless you can figure out a way to use them in the field. Using these devices just delays the inevitable.

35W

 

[chrome_austex]

Nobody suggests a compensator? Sure, he'd have to get his barrel threaded, but it would cut recoil significantly. Complemented by a buttpad and it would probably go from a beast to a beauty.

Seems like the extra noise and side blast would be ok for hunting, no?

 

[Smith357]

The main selling point of the Ruger American is its lightweight, couple that with a full sized rifle caliber like the 06 and a good mule like kick is a given. To minimize this kick for sight in at the bench sit lower so you upper body is more upright and not hunched over the gun. The butt should be in the same positon as if you were shooting off hand, this will let your body move with the recoil as if you were standing rather than pounding the top of your shoulder when anchoring you body to the bench.

 

[goon]

If it hasn't been covered yet, learn to reload. Then come up with a handload that doesn't rattle your teeth out when the rifle cracks.

 

[bigger hammer]

I've got a shoulder that needs surgery and so I don't shoot off the bench anymore unless I use my Caldwell Lead Sled. I put a two 25 pound bags of lead shot on the weight tray and it lets me shoot all my heavy recoiling rifles with no problems.

If you go this way, don't use the cloth bags that the shot comes packaged in. When the rifle recoils, it shakes the bags of shot and puts lead powder into the air, right under your face. I double seal the shot into vacuum bags and then put them into a nylon bag.

In the field, I avoid going prone, so my stance is more upright and it's easier to absorb the recoil.

 

[Mr. T]

I have a few ideas. For starters you could drop your bullet weight down to say 150 grains; and next look at getting a limbsaver butt pad installed. I did it for one of my rifles that my son uses and it made all the difference in the world to him. Another thing we did when he was really young was we used reduced recoil ammunition. The ammunition's point of aim was exactly the same out to 200 yards. You could practice with the reduced recoil ammunition and hunt with the standard ammo also.

 

[CharlieDeltaJuliet]

I have had some rifle that just try to stomp you. Namely the last Savage 110 30-06. I have horrible back problems and cannot believe the difference in the Savage 110 and the Rem 700. I have had to retire my Savages and go to Remington. Maybe you have a Ruger that is like the last few Savages I've owned. I even had a 110 .270 split the factory wooden stock. That being said the limbsaver will help. I shoot a Rem 700 in .308 very very regularly and the 30-06 a couple times a month. The way I grip the Savage is slightly different than my Remingtons too. So I feel your pain"literaly", but it has never been enough to make me quit shooting the calibers.

 

[MistWolf]

Nobody suggests a compensator? Sure, he'd have to get his barrel threaded, but it would cut recoil significantly. Complemented by a buttpad and it would probably go from a beast to a beauty.

Seems like the extra noise and side blast would be ok for hunting, no?

No. My experience with most muzzle brakes are that I'd rather deal with the recoil than the added blast

 

[Fremmer]

+1, Not so good for hunting.

 

[35 Whelen]

No. My experience with most muzzle brakes are that I'd rather deal with the recoil than the added blast

^^^^^ What he said.

 

[ball3006]

If you use the rifle for hunting, when you pull the trigger on game, you won't feel the recoil or hear the muzzle blast anyway..............chris3

 

[jogar80]

If you use the rifle for hunting, when you pull the trigger on game, you won't feel the recoil or hear the muzzle blast anyway..............chris3

This is true. But for practice or plinking, use a lead-sled or something.

Or just get a muzzle brake installed on your rifle. I had the same problem with a Browning x-bolt in .308. I tried the pads and a recoil-reducer installed in the stock. All helped, but I was still developing a flinch. Got a muzzle brake installed and now it feels like a .223. You will HAVE to wear hearing protection while shooting with it, but booooy will it feel nice to shoot it.

Another thing you could do is make the rifle heavier. Many of my friends with synthetic stocks fill the hollow in the buttstock with lead shot and it works great.

 

[allaroundhunter]

If you use the rifle for hunting, when you pull the trigger on game, you won't feel the recoil or hear the muzzle blast anyway

Yes, but if the recoil has gotten to you at the range, you still might anticipate the shot and make a poor hit (or clean miss).

 

[P-32]

I have to agree with Ball 3006. I have a feather weight '06 which boots like a mean mule. When the cross hairs are on a deer, the rifle doesn't kick and it doesn't make a lot of boom. The deer falls down dead.

My rifle is handy in the field because it's not real heavy. I would rather it be this way because I carry it more than I shoot it. Not trying to be a smart sss but learn to live through the boot and enjoy the rifle. I had to learn trigger control because I know the boot is comming.

I loaded up some 130 gr Speer HP's for some project I was working on and discovered I could shoot the 130's all day and not hurt. Tim

 

[Salty1]

I had the same issue, bought a Tikka T-3 Lite in 30.06 and it kicked like a mule on steroids with 180 gr Noslers, I put a limbsaver on it and it was the best money I ever spent as it no longer thumps as bad............

 

[Songdog1]

I basically felt the same way, that the recoil from the .30-06 was more unpleasant than I liked. So I got rid of the gun, and it was a really nice one. A Winchester Model 70 Super Grade.

I have rifles in 7x57 Mauser, 6.5x55 Swede and .257 Roberts for hunting N. American game. They should all do the job with well placed, well constructed bullets, and when the shooter does his job. Because all of the above rifles are pleasant to shoot, I can shoot them often and well, and accordingly, I have confidence that when I hunt, I will bring game home.

Try all or some of the suggestions, but in the end if you still have a gun that is unpleasant to shoot, you might consider getting rid of it for something else.

 

[interlock]

there has been lots of advice issued on this thread. Can i suggest that the OP breaks down his shooting and starts afresh by looking at how he holds and shoulders the rifle. I think that these are the blocks he needs to start with. the more he shoots whilst getting beaten up the more he will flinch and the worse it will get. If you have access to a .22rf then use it and practise a lot with it. This will overcome the accuracy destroying flinch.

 

[Boomie]

At 6 and a quarter pounds (without scope) the Ruger American is light but hardly a featherweight. It looks like it already has a decent recoil pad too. 30-06 is stout but can hardly be considered abusive.

I'd say that means the culprit is the shooter's form or the fittment between the rifle and the shooter.

 

[stevelyn]

Tikka T3 Lites tend to turn into meat tenderizers after a few rounds of 180 grainers, especially with the Federal HE loads. I put a Limbsaver on mine and tamed it down quite a bit.

 

[Creature]

I hunt with a sporterized 1903A3 with a very light stock. The same as you, after a half a dozen shots, my shoulder is worn out. Until I bought one of these:



Now I can shoot all day. When hunting I rarely shoot more than one or two rounds so no pad necessary.

 

[valnar]

Creature, that is very nice. Good colors and all.

What brand is it? I'd be interested in a shooting pad like that, or maybe even a vest that has pockets for ammo. Most of the shooting vests I've seen are just mesh overlays.

 

[Creature]

Cabelas for $30.

http://www.cabelas.com/mens-shooting-vests-shell-bags-cabelas-recoil-pad-hand-3.shtml

 

[jrdolall]

I shoot a couple of 30-06's on a regular basis including a Wally World Savage, a Remington 700, a Remington 742 and occasionally a Mossberg. I use a Lead-Sled for target practice because I can shoot all of the above guns without recoil consideration which means I can judge the accuracy of the gun/scope combo without worrying about my form and such. If I know the gun is accurate then I am more confident in my ability to be accurate without the lead sled. The Rem 700(1968) kicks harder than any of the rest. I have begun to experiment with the reduced recoil loads and they seem to perform well though I have not yet shot a deer with the ammo. I have seldom felt the recoil of any gun when shooting at a deer.
I did get my Swedish Mauser drilled and tapped and have fired two boxes through it so far. Recoil is negligible and it is quite accurate out to 200 yards which os all I ever shoot.

 

[Mike128]

I have problem with Ruger's stock design also. It kicks the crap out of me no matter what cartridge I'm shooting. I would suggest a new stock of a different design from McMillan. That way you upgrade the stock, get the LOP that fits you, and a better recoil pad. At a minimum, get a new recoil pad.

 

[jon_in_wv]

I put a B&C stock on my Savage 7mm and the difference was like night and day. With the factory stock I would get a headache starting at the base of my neck after just a few shots off the bench. The new stock and thick recoil pad make it much more pleasant. I would also suggest you get a bipod and try shooting prone. My rifles seem much more manageable when you get them off the bench.