Within any distance that I am able to hit a deer, my 30-30 will kill a deer just as dead as that 300 wsm, only without the sore shoulder or emptying my wallet.

That's not off topic, it's just a polite way for one wuss to call another wuss, "a wuss".

Kinda doubt if it's the claybird thing.....I used to shoot 200-300 rounds at trap three times a week, and never felt sore..but that was when I was a lot younger. I'll bet it's the 300 & the muzzy more than anything.

its all good..i wasn't shooting just once, i thought i was spacing em out good, but i think it was those quadruple powder load shots at the end of the day that mighta did me in. i did enjoy watching my buddies safety glasses poppin up after each shot...he woulda had scope eye 6 times had he not had em on lol..i got a 30-06 as well, and a 22-250, 223, 30-30..but i needed my sm good to go and i really enjoy shootin it, takes a lil more than shootin the 30-06.

When I shoot off the bench, I wear one of these (in addition to having a good recoil pad on the stock itself):



PAST Recoil Shield. Shooting from the bench or from the prone is the worst as far a recoil goes, but this will help a lot. The problem with the "get used to it" school of thought is that by the time your shoulder stops getting sore you'll have developed a very bad and deeply ingrained flinch. Not good.

Mike