RECOIL-RECOIL.....
 

I here constant talk of guys afraid of too much recoil on a hunting gun.
When hunting and you have one shot to make the recoil is is not that big of an issue is it ?Get the gun to do the job your looking for first.NOT TALKING ABOUT GUNS FOR TARGET SHOOTING.

RE: RECOIL-RECOIL.....
 

In my opinion if a rifle has more recoil than you are comfortable with then trade it for a smaller caliber. chad

RE: RECOIL-RECOIL.....
 

Recoil is definitly a factor peole should consider in a Hunting rifle. If you are afraid of the gun when you shoot it, chances are you aint gonna hit what your aiming it, much less be able to take the time to get a good zero. People need to take a close look at what they really need the rifle for, and then go from there. If your going after brown bear, you need to figure out how to handle recoil. I actually kinda enjoy heavy recoiling guns( must have knocked a few screws loose in my head... LOL) but my dad doesnt at all... But my dad has no problem putting deer down quicky with rifles like his 243, and 308. While I prefer to hunt with my 300 win mag... To each his own, thats why there are so many calibers out there

RE: RECOIL-RECOIL.....
 

I have a bad shoulder. Much of it probably caused by a lot of shooting with recoiling rifles. I now stick with rifles that don't hurt me as much as the animal. Most people including me don't mind the kick of a few rounds while hunting but are not going to set at a bench and practice much. I shoot my bigger guns vert little off the bench. Just a few shots before a season to make sure that they are still zeroed in. I do know though from shooting them in the past where they hit at longer range. I am NOW a firm believer in using enough but not to much gun. I wish I had arrived at this point much earlier in life. Take care of that shoulder.

RE: RECOIL-RECOIL.....
 

My exact thoughts. What’s the sense in having a rifle with lots of recoil if you don’t enjoy shooting it at the range. To each his own...:D

RE: RECOIL-RECOIL.....
 

I had some shoulder problems also,and dont enjoy shoothing 20-30 rounds to site in.lets admit hunting usally calls for 1 shot.Not that id buy too much of a gun .just get a good cal. with good ,not too expensive bullet selection.30-06-270-308-243-7mm-ect.Im talking of mainly newer hunters that are getting too much information and are confused on what to buy.

RE: RECOIL-RECOIL.....
 

The 308-30-06 is the Max for me off the bench. Gone are the days that I could fire 20-30 rounds from the 416 Rem Mag from the bench. The 45-70 with heavy loads is one I still use but sparingly. My shooting shoulder is bone on bone I never could have imagined how painful something can be. There is nothing left to seprate the two parts of the joint. My doctor says he see this in a lot of older trap shooter. A friend of mine is a state champion trap shooter and has had both shoulders changed. I can't switch shoulder because I lost the right eye in a construction accident. My next option would be a Encore that I could shoot using my right arm and left eye.

RE: RECOIL-RECOIL.....
 

You logic is a bit flawed. The only way to become proficient with a rifle is to shoot it. If it has too much recoil and you develop a flinch, do you really think you are going to be concentrating on making your shot on the animal? I doubt it.

RE: RECOIL-RECOIL.....
 

Yes ,i did not mean to say recoil has no play when hunting.Its just some of the questions by new gun buyers...Is this less recoil than that or that.I feel that recoil should not be the main reason to decide,you dont want to go too small either do you?
also James, sorry to here of your eye,you seam like a great guy

RE: RECOIL-RECOIL.....
 

Well to a brand new shooter recoil unfortunately can be a main factor in deciding cartridge. You aren't going to start an eight year old kid on a 7mm Rem Mag are you? I think what you are trying to say is there needs to be a balance between performance and felt recoil, but the point is if you can't shoot it off a bench you can't shoot it in the field either. Just a fact of life. I used to laugh at people who worried about recoil. I am 6'7" tall and weigh 260 pounds, so I used to shoot anything with a trigger and not worry about it. That is until my rotator cuff gave out and now I have a shoulder problem similar to James B. I can't even shoot a 308 Win off the bench all day like I used to. Thank goodness for the PAST recoil pad. It spreads the load out and keeps stuff from grinding as bad.

RE: RECOIL-RECOIL.....
 

I also am rethinking my view on recoil. Although I am relatively young, I now have arthritis in both shoulders so My .300 win mag is no fun to shoot. But I won't feel it when I have a shoot at a hog or deer. However I feel that you should practice with the gun you use to hunt with. So that means 20-50 shots per session for at least 10 sessions before I hit the woods. That is alot of .300 win mag or even .308. I have alevieated some of this by using a similar .22 to my hunting rifle (IE Remington 504 abd model 700, CZ 452 and the CZ550). this way I can practice all I want and not break my shoulder or the bank. Then I can switch to the center fire a month before seer season.
Also I find that sighting in from the bench is mych more painful than offhand shooting.
okcmco

RE: RECOIL-RECOIL.....
 

Frizzellr, you are right on the money about the PAST recoil shield. Some years back my gunsmith suggested that I get one of these to prevent injury to my rotator cuff. I noticed that my shoulder hurt like all get out aftera day shooting surplus 8mm Mauser. After getting the Field Grade PAST shield I found life at the range far more pleasant. It isn't about being tough, it's about preventing soft tissue damage to parts of your body that were never intended to stop battering rams like big bore rifles. PAST sells several thicknesses, Field Grade being the thinnest.

If for some reason I wanted to get a big boomer I would definitely invest in either one of the Magnum style PAST shields or maybe even a Caldwell Lead Sled. Recoild and muzzle blast are much less noticeable when hunting, but if you develop a flinch when you shoot you might as well stay home and watch the Outdoor Channel because you aren't going to hit much in the field anyway.

RE: RECOIL-RECOIL.....
 

I have seen shooting vest with the PAST on. is that the same type ?

RE: RECOIL-RECOIL.....
 

I've not seen PAST shooting vests, but they may employ the same recoil pad as their shoulder pads.

The type I use straps on over your shirt. Here's a link to Midway's site - - you can see what they look like.

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=680235

Here's another link that shows some other choices...

http://www.midwayusa.com/ebrowse.exe/browse?TabID=4&Categoryid=9210&categorystr ing=655***688***

RE: RECOIL-RECOIL.....
 

What about the R3.

What if seen from remingtons sites and the video trailer on there site, it seems very effective.

RE: RECOIL-RECOIL.....
 

Past are the days of hunting with a 300 Win Mag or a 375 H&H Mag for me. To be a competent shot in the field requires practice at the range. I did not find it a pleasant experience shooting the magnums at the range. Consequently I developed bad flinch as a result which reflected in my field performance. Both calibres even "popped" a rib causing excruciating pain and a subsequent chiropractor’s bill. That damn 300 WM was an upgrade from my old Tikka 270 too. What huge mistake that was, as I rarely missed a shot on game with the 270.

The Ruger 300 WM was eventually replaced by the Ruger 30-06 and the Brno CZ 375 H&H Mag was replaced by the Marlin 45-70. That was 4-5 years ago.

The Ruger 30-06 has the laminated stock and is an absolute dream to shoot with Speer 165gn SPs at 2800ft/s. I have fitted a Decelerator pad on my Marlin 45-70 which made that rifle a relatively pleasant unit to shoot with 300gn HPs at 2000ft/s and 405gn cast lead at 1300ft/s.

From my experience, I have realised that the 270, 30-06 and 45-70, with the right choice of projectile, are more than adequate for all Australian game (bunnies to buffalo) in all conditions without the punishing recoil.