Knowing the rifle weight and exact load/charge tell you a great deal ofimportant information. But the correct stock fit and proper shooting technique are often overlooked and can make a HUGE difference in the felt recoil a shooter experiences.

Having a heavy rifle with the latest recoil doo-dads doesn't entirely make up for poor form and/or a poor fit.

In a perfect world we would all have perfectly fitted stocks, shoot with perfect form and be using a lead-sleds weighted down with plenty of ballast. Then we could all shoot the mega-magnums for extended range sessions and really brag about how much of a bad-arse we were!!! If that is what we wanted that is.

I myself don't own any real shoulder pushers, my 30/06 and my 8mm/06 are the biggest centerfires I own. Besides those rifles my 3" magnum Mossberg 12 ga is probably my hardest recoiling gun when shootingheavy slugs.

To be frank though, I much prefer to spend extra time at the range with my 243, my 7 x 57, my 300 Savage,or any of my 6.5 X 55's over my 8mm/06, 30/06's or shotgun. They are all cupcakes to shoot but have more than respectable performance forall that I hunt right now.

I aspire somedayto step upto a either a375 H&H Mag, a 9.3 X 62, or a 338 Win Mag (cannot make up my mind!), all of which I have fired before (friends' guns that fit me reasonably well) and I determined I could handle those for short sessions - 5-15rounds or so. If and when I do buy such a gun, I will take care to gain advice on proper fit and recoil pad installation. And for range sessions with it I will likely employ some sort of vise/rest/sled.
I'm safe for now cuz my finances will have me waiting for such a rifle for a few years.

I own a 3006 and 300 Ultra mag and yes they do have some recoil but nothing like the old single shot 12 gauge that my grandfather owns...can't remember make & model but wow that beast kicks....
My ultra mag does now have a muzzle break but I have shot it before it was installed and it was still managable just wanted to make it a bit more shooter friendly. I can now shoot the ultra mag all day long.....

kick doesn't bother me. All I need is one shot. I'll shoot a 50bmg without a muzzle brake or recoil pad if it means I get a great hunting experience.

And then you will have a broken collar bone, detached eye balls and a broken neck. [8D]

Not to mention a sexual change, no teeth, and a head turned around permanently. In seriousness, in times of crisis or extreme excitement, mankind has shown tremendous resolve. Very common in war to see someone fighting like hell, the battle is over, the person looks and sees one arm missing and then passes out. I am not sur it would happen in hunting but serious recoil can cause a disaster for certain.


bob chronister

I sometimes hunt with a 300 win mag and have no issue doing so. From previous threads I have read itsounds like a bunch of girly-men are on this site.

well being a weatherby fan we can talk about recoil. try any of the rifles based upon the 378 case (30-378, 338-378, 378, 416 and 460) and come back and tell us how you enjoued the experience. Oh yes, also take off the accubrake and use factory ammo.[8D]


bob chronister

I like my .243 Win...

Isn't that the truth and if you notice almost all come with the accubrake

300 WIn mag is the the breakpoint for most when it comes to recoil

Charts list 12 gauge 3.5 magnums in the high 70's fp of recoil.







(SorrySJ I was shooting for the quote button and hit the edit one........)