Went tothe gun shop today and looked at a ruger frontier rifle which is nothin but a ruger compact with a laminated stock and standard size barrel cut down to 16.5" and needless to say I am very interested in it but I'm almost afraid to ask what the recoil would be like in somethin so light chambered in .300 WSM

For what it's worth....I have a Browning A-bolt hunter in 300 WSM topped with a Simmons AETEC. Fully loaded and with a sling it tips the scales at a very light touchunder8 pounds. While it isn't the most fun thing to shoot off of the bench it certainly isn't a rediculous recoiler either. After putting 50 rounds through it(on the bench) I developed a black and blue shoulder and it was becoming rather painful to shoot. Now, don't take this to mean it'sall that stout....50 magnum rounds with nothing but a T-shirt and a factory recoil pad had more to do with it than anything, IMO. The Ruger is all of 3 ounces heavier without 'stuff' on it or in it per the manufactures. I imagine it won't make a lick of difference.

my biggest concern wouldn't be the weight (my next 300WSM will be the 5# Abolt Titanium) it would be the kind of actual velocity you are going to get with a 16.5" barrel in a 300WSM? I seriously doubt you will even get 30/06 velocity out of the gun with that short of a barrel. One thing about it, the muzzle flash will be AWESOME in dark conditions. Your buddies will think you are hunting with a flamethrower!

I am interested also in the "Big Boar" edition bolt action from Tikka. It is available in 300WSM and features a 19" barrel. That short of a barrel will decrease velocity as well, but certainly not as much as the Ruger you are talking about. Sounds like Ruger should've just put "Buntline" on that gun!

Good luck,
RA

THE RECOIL WILL BE HERENDOS,IT WILL TEAR YOUR ARM OFF AND THEN BEAT YOU WITH IT.

It realy won't be that bad I would geuss probaly around what 30 ft/lb of felt recoil(I think it is normaly like 25-26).If I'm wrong I know someone will correct me.
As for velocity you would be deling with a 30-06 kind of power,with extra recoil.
I would like to see that Tikka that sound like a great pack rifle or ranch rifle here in Montana.I have realy been considering the .325 WSM in the Browning A-Bolt Micro Hunter.
BBJ

A 25-06 in an 8 pound rifle shooting a 120gr pill at 3000 fps should generate a whopping 12 ft-lbs of energy according to chuckhawks.com.

An 8.25 rifle pushing a 180gr pill at 2970 will produce 23.8 ft-lbs of energy....same place.

Fankly, a big column of powder being lit off in a light rifle is going to smack your shoulder....no two ways about it. That shouldn't deter anyone from trying one though. It's only a burden on the bench and that can be easily alleviated with a Limbsaver recoil pad and/or a PAST recoil shield. I've never felt recoil when shooting at game, so that's kind of a moot point. Although, if you're scared of recoil you could develop a flinch with a hard kicker.

My Ruger M77 standard 300 WSM has a lot of recoil, it only weighs8.4 pounds with scope and sling. I wanted the Kimber 8400 which is only 6.2 pounds but I could not afford it. The way I look at it is that this is a hunting rifle not a target rifle so I don't care how bad the recoil is. The Sims limbsaver recoil pads do take a lot of the thump out though.