Roskoe

I have found Ruger Model 77's to be some of the hardest kicking rifles on the planet; particularly those called "All Weather" with the black plastic stock. If you know someone who has a Remington, Weatherby,or Winchester Model 70 in this caliber; you might compare and see. I just got a SPS Remington and it is pretty tolerable in the 7 Rem Mag. The Simm's recoil pads are great. I would stay away from muzzle brakes - too hard on the ears. And, if all else fails, a smaller caliber, as has been stated already, is really not a bad option. A good hit with a .270 sure beats a gut shot with the 7 Mag.

Catus Magnus

Well hey, if that is the case, just get a 30-30 and kill deer - very mild recoil. If you think you'll be shooting 200+ yards, 270 or 308 will do fine - or as you say, 30-06. For myself... a .270 is more comfortable to shoot [I've owned both, same model rifle] and plenty lethal at much further than I have any business shooting.

BrutalAttack

Go to a .308.

haugenna

Savage,

Sounds to me like you will never feel comfortable shooting this rifle unless you put a brake on it. Then it could be the muzzle blast that gets you there. My advice is trade it for another caliber.

TUK101

You could try moving the scope up an inch and see if that helps, but in my experience with kick and the flinch you will never feel totally comforatable with the said rifle. I used to have an 30.06 that kicked me really bad and I ended up having to get rid of it. After missing the biggest deer of my life I tried to work the flinches out but just couldnt do it with that gun. You have what most of us refer to as magnumitus and it is a hard beast to tame. A thick recoil pad could do wonders for you and actually occomplish what you are after with getting rid of the scope bite too since it will effectively move your face further from your scope. Scope bite can be nasty. I remember when I was a kid a friend of my uncles got bit by the scope and it bloodied his eye up pretty good lol. I thought that it was funny, he didnt lol. For the hunting that you do, the 7mm is way overkill imho and unless you need a gun for deer and kodiak bear the 7mm may just be more gun than need to be regularly shooting. The 30.06 will do just about everything that the 7mm will do and be a lot easier on you if it is setup right for you. An .06 can kick like a horse too if it doesnt have the proper recoil pad on it.

Chantecler111

Savage, get a 7mm-08, it has all the benefits of the 7mm caliber, without the magnum recoil. Plus, its an accurate round.

handloader1

Move the scope foward. If that dosen't work, get a scope with more eye relief. If that dosen't work have a muzzlebrake installed, it will stop the muzzle flip. Remember when wedischarge a firearm at the range or in the field one should be using ear protection. I use a "Walker's Game Ear", and it protects my hearing, and also inhances it. Good luck.

seattlesetters

If he learns how to shoot, he'll never need a "magnum" again.

I would trade it in for a .260 Rem or a 7mm-08.

North Texan

For deer, the .25-06 is good out about as far as you want to shoot them, and it's a ***** cat. I've got a Model 70 in one, and I can sit at the bench all morning testing reloads and my shoulder feels just as good after the last shot as it did the first shot.

It is a lot harder to get rid of a flinch than if you never developed one to begin with. It is important you have a rifle you can shoot comfortably, and it must have a good trigger. If it has a good trigger, it makes it harder for you to anticipate the rifle going off. It would also help if you could bring a friend to the range. You sit on the bench and aim the gun, but let them pull the trigger. Since you don't know when the trigger is being pulled, you won't flinch.

nyorange

You could also buy a mercury filled recoil reducer. It cuts recoil by adding weight and then the inertia of the mercury itself when you fire the gun. Very simple install, remove buttplate, drill hole to hold mercury filled cylinder in the butt of your stock, insert, then replace the buttplate. It does help some . hope it helps.