When I first moved to Alaska, I was pretty ignorant (still am) and I asked the gun store guyy what a good rifle would be for hunting Alaska big game. He sold me a 300 RUM....I shot it 3 times and that was enough for me. I sold it. I have a 30-06 and that is about all I care to take. I am not a big guy so, after about 20 rounds of my 06, my shoulder is bruised, and I am flinching like a baby....But anyways, I know what its like to get started out with a gun that is way too big. That 300 RUM really kicked my but....still have a scar above my eye from a mishap with the scope!

You mean this genius let that girl shoot at a turkey with a gun she'd never fired before?

Talk about a turkey! What if that shotgun had been a fully loaded semiauto with a sensitive trigger! Who knows what would have happened when she threw it down????

When I was stationed at Ft. Wainwright (Fairbanks), a Captain arrived there one day having driven up the Alcan and picking up a pre-64 Win. Model 70 Super Grade in .375 H&H at a roadhouse in Canada-traded a Win. M12 shotgun for it. The rifle had a Lyman Alaskan on it in a Paul Jaeger quick-detachable sidemount, and a Lyman 57 on it as well.

Said Captain went to the range,fired three shots from this beautiful piece, and quickly decided that his .243 was more to his liking. I bought the .375 from him for $125.00 cash on the spot!

Good story eldeguello....when were you at Wainwright? That is where I am stationed now...goin back there in a few months when my OIF deployment is over...I have driven the ALCAN twice now...what a trip!

Ryncam, the best way to work on the flinch is to have someone at the range working with you. How bad you are doing is really apparent when you pull the trigger on an empty chamber!

Ryncam,

If your hunting in thickly wooded areas like I am, it's my opinion that a 30-06 is more than you need. Don't misunderstand me, it's a fine triedcartridge, but as someone who dislikes recoil I don't feel it's worth enduring discomfort at the bench to ultimately take a deer that is going to be 10 to 100 yards away from you. My first centerfire deer rifle was a savage 110 .270 win and I have never before or since hated a gun as much as that one. A typical range session left me flinching, missing, and with a bruised shoulder. I endured this rifle from the time I was 15 until I was 22 when I picked up a sporterized Swedish Mauser. My performance at the range improved drastically. I've never shot a deer myself, so obviously take my advice with a grain of salt, but it doesn't seem like it matters much what you hit a deer with at close range (exluding .22 rimfires of course) if the bullet hits what it needs to, the animal will die. Once again, I have nothing against the 30-06 or even harder kicking classes of rifles. If the recoil doesn't bother you and you can shoot well with it, great. Personally, I shoot and hunt because it's fun. A rifle that hurts me, makes it less fun.

the recoil dont really bother me to much now that ive gotten bigger but im growing out of the flinch so this year im going to shoot more