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.270, .280, .30-06 recoil in ultralight rifle

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.270, .280, .30-06 recoil in ultralight rifle

Old 11-20-2011, 09:36 AM
  #1  
Fork Horn
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Default .270, .280, .30-06 recoil in ultralight rifle

So I'm going to purchase a NULA model 24 from Melvin the week after Thanksgiving.
He has a left hand .30-06 exactly like I want in stock that was built in 2008 (I actually already put some money down on it) or he can build me one in about 3 1/2 to 4 months which is a little quicker than the normal delivery time.

Here's my predicament.......I'm selling a .300 Win Mag that weighs 7 1/4lbs. (unscoped) to help pay for this. The recoil wasn't all that bad from this rifle, but if I can get away with less recoil it's not going to hurt my feelings any.

After running some numbers on several recoil calculators, the .30-06 with a 165gr. bullet (my favorite) in a 6 1/2lb. total weight rifle at around 2900 fps. is virtually identical in recoil to my current .300 Win. Mag. Actually, the recoil VELOCITY is considerably faster with the 06', and both generate about 25 ft. lbs. of free recoil.

So, now I'm considering waiting the 3 1/2 to 4 months and have Melving build me a .270 Win. or .280 Rem.

When comparing a 130gr. .270 Win. @ 3100 fps and a 140gr. .280 Rem. @ 3050 fps. in a 6 1/2 lb. total weight rifle, the recoil velocity and energy are just about the same....right at 19-20 ft. lbs......but if you put a 150gr. .30-06 @ 3000fps. into the mix, you're up to about 25 ft. lbs. of recoil........pretty close to my .300 Winny.

I really need some advice here folks....

This is a rifle I want to keep for the rest of my life for deer and hog hunting. I want to ENJOY shooting it a lot. Sure do love the .30-06 caliber, but I don't want this rifle to make me hate it.

What would you guys do? Take the 06' that's already built, or having Melvin do a 4 month build in a .270 Win. or .280 Rem.

I'm not recoil sensitive, but I don't want this ultralight to make me that way.

SCHOOLCRAFT
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Old 11-20-2011, 11:39 AM
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http://www.chuckhawks.com/recoil_table.htm

I know you've done the calculations already but i thought i'd post this recoil table anyway.
Shooting factory loads in all 3 calibers from identical wieght rifles the 270 will kick slighty less,so slightly i don't think you'll notice unless you move up to 180g in the 30-06.
If less recoil is factor in the back of your mind why not look @ something like the 25-06,6.5x55,260,7mm08,308?
If i was building or buying a light wieght rifle i think i would opt for a short action.......but that is just me.
Good luck with the build

Last edited by jerry d; 11-20-2011 at 12:51 PM.
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Old 11-20-2011, 01:00 PM
  #3  
Fork Horn
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I guess I should give all 3 calibers more of an "apples to apples" comparison.

If my favorite bullet weight in a .30-06 is a 165gr., I should probably compare a .270 Win. with a 140gr. and a .280 Rem. with a 150gr.

Just never have done much with short action calibers. Guess I'm just a long action fan.
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Old 11-20-2011, 01:01 PM
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And here we are again....

I think rather than speculating how something "might feel" from data you're being fed from a calculator, you get out with each of the three in identical/ner identical rifles and make a practical comparison. In my family, we have a number of .30-06s and .270s, and to be honest, in similar weight rifles, it's difficult to tell the difference from recoil alone.

If the recoil of the .30-06 is concerning to you, I think it's time you gave very serious thought to short-action calibers such as the .308 or 7mm-08
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Old 11-20-2011, 01:03 PM
  #5  
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Going with semi-auto in any of those calibers will reduce felt recoil.
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Old 11-20-2011, 01:20 PM
  #6  
Fork Horn
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The recoil of a .30-06 doesn't concern me. I'm not very recoil sensitive. My .300 Win. doesn't bother me.
I also have a VERY hard time telling the difference from a .270, .280, .30-06, or even 7mm. Rem. Mag. in equal weight rifles.

My question/concern is.....I've never fired these calibers in such a lightweight rifle. I guess it's more of a "fear of the unknown" kinda' thing.
I'm 99% sure that if I get the model 24 .30-06, I'll shoot it once and cuss myself for worrying over it's recoil.

And Homer, your right.....crunching numbers really doesn't tell me anything about "felt" recoil. Only way to find that out is some time at the range with them all.


THIS IS HOW GETTING STUCK WORKING ON A SLOW SUNDAY WILL FRY YOUR BRAIN!!!

Last edited by schoolcraft; 11-20-2011 at 01:27 PM.
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Old 11-20-2011, 02:22 PM
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SC,

I'd just stick with the '06 like you planned. He has one ready for you. I don't think the recoil is going to be an issue for you. I've never shot an '06 that only weighed 5.25lbs or whatever that thing weighs, but once you have a scope on it it'll weigh a little more. I don't see that recoil is going to be a problem here.
-Jake
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Old 11-20-2011, 03:26 PM
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My Marlin XL7 30.06 weighs 6 pounds 11 oz & I shoot 180 gn core-locs. At the range I can put 20 rounds through it no prob, & when the adrenalin is flowing on a hunt I can't feel the recoil at all. I say go with the .06. A great variety of ammo is out there & the recoil is over-rated in my opinion.
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Old 11-20-2011, 04:29 PM
  #9  
Fork Horn
 
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I have to say, I wish I had the kind of money you do, as for me I'd have to think long and hard before ever ordering one of these rifles as it would likely be a once or twice in a lifetime thing.

That said, I prefer a 30-06, but it's all a personal preference. I hunt with several guys that also like the 30-06, and several others that wouldn't have a 30-06, but love their .270's. Then there is one friend that has a .280, and wouldn't have any of the others. Then others that have to have the latest .300 Remington Ultra Mag, etc for deer, and that's what they want. It really isn't that one is so much better than the other as they all perform very similarly, it's just more or less which one you prefer.

That said, I'd have kept the .300 Win Mag if I already had it. While it is less overkill going with a 30-06 or similar, it's really not that huge of a difference. Certainly not something I'd have taken a big loss on a gun over just to change.
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Old 11-20-2011, 05:59 PM
  #10  
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Originally Posted by schoolcraft
My .300 Win. doesn't bother me.
I have an 8 lb .300 Weatherby. I'd be lying if I said it's a dream to shoot. On the other hand, I put 80 rounds down the tube of a 1903A3 Springfield a couple of weeks ago (steel buttplate, not the most "ergonomic" GI stock) without a hitch.

If you don't feel your .300 WM is intimidating, I see no reason why you should be concerned about the .30-06 (or the .280, or the .270). No reason except -- you keep looking at those INFERNAL recoil calculators and you're letting them sow the seeds of indecision into the problem at hand.
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