Recoil Question?

[NJB]

I am a long time hunter new to Colorado. I currently work overseas but cannot wait for the day whenI return to the U.S. and can start elk hunting.I am considering buying a .300 WSM. I am an experianced shooter but being from Ohio am use to a 12 GuageSluggunbeing the benchmarkfor recoil. I'm a big fellow and do not anticiapte any problems but my hunting partner is new to Coloado also and inexperiaced with fire arms.

Could someoneplease atempt todiscribe what kind of recoilI should expect keeping my previous experiance in mind. Also does any one think that recoil will be a problem for my novice shooter buddy. I understand than rifle wight and type of round will play a roll in the recoil.

Thanks, I'm new here and am looking forward to participating in future dicussions.

[ShatoDavis]

Recoil is very subjective, what is manageable to me may be unbearable toyoufor example. It doesn't make me right oryou wrong its just the way it is. That being said, I would guage my 300 wsm as equivalent to shooting a 12 gauge with 3 inch turkey loads. It has some kick but nothing unbearable.

Yes, I would guess that recoil certainly could be an issue for your friend. I would suggest shooting something on the mild side of recoil to begin with. He could start with say a 25-06 or 7mm-08 to begin with.

[will79]

I have only shot one 300WSM. It was a browning. The recoil didn't seem much more than a 30-06 to me. Certainly less than a 12ga with slugs. Might try the trusty old 30-06. Almost anybody can handle the recoil, my wife even has one.

[Chantecler111]

Recoil is a different for everybody, I, personally, have no problems shooting 2 or more boxes of ammo through my .300 Win Mag, in one shooting session, for some people, maybe they can do more, maybe less, it just depends on the person, and their experience with recoil.

[TUK101]

Maybe get the rifle for yourself since you think that you will be able to handle it and let your buddy try it. No sense in him buying a rifle he cannot handle. If in doubt talk him into a 30.06, with so many different loads available for it, I am sure that he will find something that works for him and the gun is more than capable of handling Elk sized game. Then if he decides that he needs the Magnum overkill the 30.06 should have held its value well if well kept care of.

[Chantecler111]

You certainly don't want to start him out on a gun that is way over his head, maybe, get the gun, and let him shoot it enough, to get used to it. Or maybe he will be able to handle it right from the start, it just depends.

[Red Lion]

NJB if you can tolerate the recoil of a 12 gage shooting 3" slugs then you will be fine with a .300wsm. I know that shootingt 3" slugs out of my 870 with the 20" slug barrel has more recoil than shooting 180grn fail safes out of my .300 win mag. I would rather shoot my .300 win mag, than my 870.

[NJB]

Thanks everyone. You responses have been very helpful. I started shotgunning on a New England Arms 12 Guage that could not have weighed more than 5 pounds. The 3 inchmagnums were a real treat especially without any kind ofrecoil pad.

Thanks again.

[Folically Challenged]

This is about asdecent of a description as I've ever found:

http://www.chuckhawks.com/what_to_expect.htm

Good Luck!

FC

[Pointrunner]

Here might be your best comparison for judging recoil for various firearms. Use this table to compare/contrast against guns you have shot in the past. I have enclosed a Recoil Table (pay attention to the recoil energy thsi is the ft/lbs that you the shooter will feel upon shooting.






Cartridge (Wb@MV)
Rifle Weight
Recoil energy
Recoil velocity

.17 HMR (17 at 2550)
7.5
0.2
n/a

.204 Ruger (33 at 4225)
8.5
2.6
4.4

.22 LR (40 at 1165)
4.0
0.2
n/a

.22 WMR (40 at 1910)
6.75
0.4
n/a

.22 Hornet (45 at 2800)
7.5
1.3
3.3

.222 Rem. (50 at 3200)
7.5
3.0
5.1

.223 Rem. (45 at 3500)
8.5
2.6
4.5

.223 Rem. (55 at 3200)
8.0
3.2
5.1

.22-250 Rem. (55 at 3600)
8.5
4.7
6.0

.220 Swift (55 at 3800)
8.5
5.3
6.4

.223 WSSM (55 at 3850)
7.5
6.4
7.4

.243 Win. (75 at 3400)
8.5
7.2
7.4

.243 Win. (100 at 2960)
7.5
8.8
8.7

6mm Rem. (100 at 3100)
8.0
10.0
9.0

.243 WSSM (100 at 3100)
7.5
10.1
9.3

.240 Wby. Mag. (100 at 3406)
8.0
17.9
n/a

.257 Roberts (117 at 2650)
8.0
9.0
n/a

.25 WSSM (120 at 2990)
7.25
13.8
11.1

.25-06 Rem. (120 at 3000)
8.0
12.5
10.0

.257 Wby. Mag. (120 at 3300)
9.25
15.1
10.3

6.5x55 Swede (140 at 2650)
9.0
10.6
8.7

.260 Rem. (140 at 2750)
7.5
13.6
10.8

6.5mm Rem. Mag. (120 at 3100)
8.0
13.1
10.3

6.5x68 S (140 at 2990)
8.5
16.8
11.3

.264 Win. Mag. (140 at 3200)
8.5
19.2
12.1

.270 Win. (130 at 3140)
8.0
16.5
n/a

.270 Win. (150 at 2900)
8.0
17.0
11.7

.270 WSM (150 at 3000)
8.0
18.9
12.3

.270 Wby. Mag. (150 at 3000)
9.25
17.8
11.1

7x57 Mauser (139 at 2800)
8.0
14.0
10.6

7mm-08 Rem. (140 at 2860)
8.0
12.6
10.1

.280 Rem. (140 at 3000)
8.0
17.2
11.8

7mm Rem. SAUM (160 at 2931)
8.0
21.5
13.2

7mm WSM (160 at 3000)
8.0
21.9
13.3

7mm Rem. Mag. (140 at 3150)
8.0
19.1
12.4

7mm Rem. Mag. (150 at 3100)
8.5
19.2
12.1

7mm Wby. Mag. (140 at 3300)
9.25
19.5
11.7

7mm Ultra Mag. (160 at 3200)
8.5
29.4
n/a

.30 Carbine (110 at 1990)
7.0
3.5
5.7

.30-30 Win. (150 at 2400)
7.5
10.6
9.5

.30-30 Win. (170 at 2200)
7.5
11.0
9.7

.300 Sav. (150 at 2630)
7.5
14.8
n/a

.308 Win. (150 at 2800)
7.5
15.8
11.7

.308 Win. (180 at 2610)
8.0
17.5
11.9

.30-06 Spfd. (150 at 2910)
8.0
17.6
11.9

.30-06 Spfd. (180 at 2700)
8.0
20.3
12.8

.300 Rem. SAUM (180 at 2960)
8.25
23.5
13.6

.300 WSM (180 at 2970)
8.25
23.8
13.6

.300 Win. Mag. (180 at 2960)
8.5
25.9
14.0

.300 Wby. Mag. (150 at 3400)
9.25
24.6
13.1

.300 Ultra Mag. (180 at 3230)
8.5
32.8
15.8

7.62x39 Soviet (125 at 2350)
7.0
6.9
8.0

.303 British (180 at 2420)
8.0
15.4
11.1

.32 Spec. (170 at 2250)
7.0
12.2
10.6

8x57 Mauser (170 at 2360)
8.0
12.9
n/a

.325 WSM (200 at 2960)
8.0
32.8
16.2

8x68 S (150 at 3300)
8.5
25.3
13.9

.338-57 O'Connor (200 at 2400)
8.0
19.2
12.4

.338 Win. Mag. (250 at 2700)
9.0
33.1
15.4

.340 Wby. Mag. (200 at 3100)
10.0
29.6
13.8

.338 Ultra Mag (250 at 2860)
8.5
43.1
n/a

.357 Mag. (158 at 1650)
7.0
4.7
6.6

.35 Rem. (200 at 2050)
7.5
13.5
10.8

.35 Whelen (200 at 2675)
8.0
22.6
13.5

.350 Rem. Mag. (200 at 2700)
8.5
22.3
13.0

9.3x62 (270 at 2550)
8.5
33.3
n/a

.375 H&H Mag. (270 at 2690)
9.0
36.1
16.1

.375 Ultra Mag (300 at 2800)
8.75
53.2
n/a

.378 Wby. Mag. (300 at 2900)
10.25
71.1
n/a

.416 Rem. Mag. (400 at 2400)
10.0
52.9
18.5

.416 Rigby (400 at 2400)
10.0
58.1
19.3

.44 Rem. Mag. (240 at 1760)
7.5
11.2
9.8

.444 Marlin (240 at 2400)
7.5
23.3
14.2

.450 Marlin (350 at 2000)
7.0
37.2
18.5

.45-70 (300 at 1800)
7.0
23.9
14.8

.45-70 (405 at 1330)
7.5
18.7
12.7

.458 Win. Mag. (500 at 2100)
9.0
62.3
21.1

.460 Wby. Mag. (500 at 2600)
11.25
99.6
n/a