9x56MS
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- Jan 31, 2021
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- 882
Can’t go wrong with a 30-06.
Perfect vs One Gun
- Thread starter JShirley
- Start date
You know what I meant. Recoil of the same energy is perceived differently by different shooters. So I should have said felt recoil is subjective.
I grew up mostly shooting a H&R Trapper Jr in 20 gauge. I was shooting it by the time I was in first grade. I was quite reluctant to shoot our Mossberg 500 and Remington 870 when I got older. When I finally did, I found that these bigger guns, in 12 gauge...kicked less than the svelte little gun I had been shooting for 10 years. Weight matters a lot. A "9 or 10 pound" .30-06 is a different animal than a 7 pound .300WM. I don't remember anything about the recoil of any .308 or .30-06 I've shot, except that the FR-8 had more than you'd expect, and the recoil absorbing stock I put on a new .30-06 for my fiancee's son scared him- because it moved a lot, in the process of absorbing some of that recoil. So this kid, who outweighed me, shot it once.
A good stock will make a rifle so much better. I got lucky, my Winchester Safari Express has a good stock that fits me well.
Chuck R.
Member
It's sort of the approach we take when we hunt western KS. The long shooters for the morning and evening hunts sitting in overwatch or spot and stalk, switch up mid-day with the short range set ups to push through the draws. On the eastern side, unless overwatching a row crop field the distances are much shorter. By the 2nd week starts, a lot of the bucks have gone nocturnal or gotten into places sane people don't want to go, so we change tactics and go to them.
What folks use is interesting, especially when tied to terrain/game. You'll note though that most of the responses focuses on caliber VS platform, and to me the platform is probably more important, which is why I have a "ready rack" full of deer rifles.
Spot and stalk, is different from still hunting, and both are different from stands/blinds in timber. The one rifle concept is a compromise and ends up being really good at nothing. Add to that, you can plan golf with just a driver and putter, but why would you want to?
hawg
Member
I like recoil. I always have. There comes a point when it's too much but a 30-06 isn't anywhere near the top.
a 9 or 10 lb .30-06 doesn't have much recoil. That's kind of my point. A lighter gun, especially in a magnum caliber, does. also, lightweight shotguns, especially with heavy shells, kick like the dickens.
Add that the only concept of recoil some have is based on AR based platforms running 223/556… I know people that talk about how hard a 25-06 model 70 sporter kicks… and yup there is recoil! But try an old school belted mag and see the difference. Haha.
That’s another part of the equation: the perfect rifle? Recoil? Probably better to start a beginner out on something that won’t shake their teeth out and momentarily interrupt the earths rotation!
Yeah. I think a mild caliber like 6.5 Grendel, 6.8 SPC, 7.62x39mm, .300 BO, or .243 are good beginner choices. I think .223 and .22 Magnum (where legal) are too marginal for a brand-new shooter.
bigpower491
Member
@JShirley
I chose oatmeal, cause my day can't start without some maple and brown sugar......
Anyway, to the topic. One Gun was what motivated me to build the 338-06. I wanted that one do all rifle for North America. Not that there aren't a bunch of others that could fall in that category, but with the choice of 338 bullets out there in abundance, and much lighter recoil than the magnums, my "Yahtzee Six" fills the bill perfectly.
Which reminds me.....after today's bowl I'm out of oatmeal.....looks like grocery store after shift today
I chose oatmeal, cause my day can't start without some maple and brown sugar......
Anyway, to the topic. One Gun was what motivated me to build the 338-06. I wanted that one do all rifle for North America. Not that there aren't a bunch of others that could fall in that category, but with the choice of 338 bullets out there in abundance, and much lighter recoil than the magnums, my "Yahtzee Six" fills the bill perfectly.
Which reminds me.....after today's bowl I'm out of oatmeal.....looks like grocery store after shift today
Nice. I'm guessing that recoils a bit less than .35 Whelen? (Not that I really remember the recoil of my 7600, so it can't be too bad.) I do know some people complain that it (Whelen) recoils excessively for the return. My buddy Matt Guest has been threatening to load up some 357 bullets for a light/ close range load for me for years. I was shooting such a load out of his Whelen, when we took these pics 19 years ago. Looks like a bit over MOA, not bad for open sights
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mcb
Member
Recoil is very subjective even if we can put exact engineering numbers and measurements on the recoil impulse, free recoil energy, etc. You can take a particular rifle and ammunition and for one shooter they find it pleasant and another shooter finds that exact same setup unpleasant. That could be due to fit of the rifle to the shooter and/or just the recoil tolerance of the individual shooter. Recoil tolerance is a very real thing. Recoil tolerance is also something that can be work up to, being able to handle heavier and heavier recoiling rifles through a combination of learned and practice techniques and simply your body adapting to recoil over time just like going to the gym to get stronger.
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bigpower491
Member
Not having ever fired a Whelen, I would imagine that their really wouldn't be too much more(or less) recoil between the 2. And both much lighter than 338, 350, 375 Magnums.
Yea that's pretty decent for irons. I sure as heck ain't doing that no more with these eyes
Chuck R.
Member
It also helps when/if guys get off the bench and actually practice.
Worst recoiling rifle I have is a sub 7lb "all up" .350 Rem Mag M7 carbine, it is zero joy from a bench with 225s at 2730. It really get's your attention with 250s at 2490FPS.
It's not bad shooting from field rests, and I don't even notice it when shooting game. I traded some discomfort when developing loads and zeroing for a lighter, compact, more agile tool in the field.
bigpower491
Member
Even if you quantify it there are other variables that make it subjective.
Is it water boiling hot or nitrogen boiling hot?
At what altitude are we boiling the water?
bfoosh006
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- Jan 29, 2008
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- 1,083
Excellent thread, lots of good comments.
I voted spice of life... however oatmeal was a good answer as well !
BTW, JShirley ( and others ) reading such articulate comments / posts... is refreshing .
Thanks to all for making a morning read so interesting.
I voted spice of life... however oatmeal was a good answer as well !
BTW, JShirley ( and others ) reading such articulate comments / posts... is refreshing .
Thanks to all for making a morning read so interesting.
You already have it, but don't realize it. The 30.06 will take any animal in the northern continent. You can load it from 130 grain to 220 grain bullets plus cast bullets. And it can be set to max or loaded down like a youth load and still be effective. An attorney I know has a vast gun collection and also has the money to buy anything he thinks he wants. He goes way north every couple years and shoots a brown bear. And guess what his favorite gun is? A 30.06 shooting w/180 grain Trophy Bonded Bear Claw. He bought a case of the original commercial cartridge and shoots those "man killers" with them. He will usually take them down with one shot. However, the guide usually asks him to put another one in "just to be safe."
If you are having trouble with recoil I suggest you change the recoil pad to a Limb Saver. Recoil pads can become hard by sitting the gun on the pad in a gun safe for long periods of time. The other suggestion is to start reloading your own ammo, so you can customized your loads to whatever you want. I personally like 165 grain soft point boattails at 2800 fps. I shoot .6 MOA at a 100 yards using IMR-4350 or 4064.
If you are having trouble with recoil I suggest you change the recoil pad to a Limb Saver. Recoil pads can become hard by sitting the gun on the pad in a gun safe for long periods of time. The other suggestion is to start reloading your own ammo, so you can customized your loads to whatever you want. I personally like 165 grain soft point boattails at 2800 fps. I shoot .6 MOA at a 100 yards using IMR-4350 or 4064.
Oh, I have several candidates for the "one gun". The likeliest are my 2 7mmRMs or my 2 .25 Whelens. I don't remember the recoil of my Whelens, much less my '06s, so it's probably not a problem. The intent of this thread was to ask members what their goal was in looking for hunting rifles.
jmorris
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- Sep 30, 2005
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Thats just two different things, there are a lot more but they are all quantifiable as are the conditions.
Just like we know confining water under pressure increases the boiling temperature. It’s not random or subjective, like politicians try and make “science” these days…
Robert did clarify he was talking about perceived recoil though and I can attest to that myself. Often show others examples.
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