ORIGINAL: savage221
Ok, now that the regular season is over here in New York State I have a question for more experienced rifle shooters than myself. Last year I bought a Ruger M77 mark II bolt action in 7mm magnum.
It kicks like a government mule (worse than my 10ga BPS) and
I’ve been hit in the forehead so many times by the scope that
I’m flinching like crazy whenever I pull the trigger. The flinching cost me two doe this season that were both gimmy shots
(70 yards standing still in open cut fields, I just thank god that they were clean misses).
I like the gun a lot; it shoots flat, its light and comes up nice but I can’t keep it if I can’t get over the recoil issue. So, the question is what do I do? Do I toss it and get something chambered in a smaller caliber say 30-06? Do I invest in a better recoil pad? Will moving the scope forward help at all? Any advise would be greatly appreciated. Please just don’t get too technical; I do a lot of bird hunting (upland and waterfowl) and know more about shotguns than rifles. Thanks in advance.
Let's keep this simple and then go back to the most basic point of marksmanship.
1. "
It kicks like a gov't mule (worse than your 10 ga BPS)"
2. "
I've been hit in the forehead so many times"
3. "
I'm flinching like crazy whenever I pull the trigger"
4. "
The flinching cost me two doe this season"
and ...................................
5. "
I like the gun alot"??????!!!!!!!
Now the most basic of marksmanship. Apples-for-apples, you will shoot the gun you are most comfortable with the best. You are scared of this "beast" - get rid of it. Shouldn't be a problem finding someone willing to trade even up for a thurty aught six as there is no shortage of guys wanting to move to 7mm simply because of the novelty and "bigger is better" mentality. Let someone else scar their forehead up.
And you won't find a deer that will complain you didn't kill it good enough because you only shot it with a .30-06 and not a 7mm.