Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Turning 60. All of a sudden shooting my big boomers isn't as fun anymore. Happen to you?

I'm 67 and retired back in April 2016 at age 66. Last gun I bought was this past January and it was a CZ-455 in 22 LR. What does that tell you?........ The CZ's gonna be my new squirrel gun even though I have several others. I'm leaning towards softer shooting stuff and have sort of "rediscovered" .22's although I now shoot sporting clays with a 12 ga. pump going through 60-70 rounds a week and it doesn't bother me, ( not yet anyway). Couple weeks ago I even took my 300 WSM out to the range for the first time in a few years. Not gonna make a habit out of that but I pretty much load only 150 gr. Accubonds in it now, as sort of a "reduced recoil" alternative to the 180's. Some of my buddies who are my age have pretty much got away from their big boomers and I can see myself thinning out the gun safes in a few years. The centerfire varmint rifles can stay, along with the 25-06 and the two 6.5x55's , the 30-30, and a few others.

I'm in my late 40's but I started a few years back getting rid of the bigger guns. I found out the 375 Ruger didn't kill any better than the 35 Whelen so I traded off the 375. Tried a fairly light 358 Norma and again decided the Whelen was enough for my big gun. Have some 6.5's and a 270 that get used a lot for deer and black bears. I'm unloading a couple of more to add a couple of specific rifles, most likely a Tikka T 3 300 WSM or 30-06 for a "long range" goat, moose and elk gun. Also looking at adding a Browning BLR in 300 WSM, 358 Win or 450 Marlin depending on what I can find used for a gun to take camping and fishing in grizzly country. I like what the 300 WSM offers, you can run it full power or also use a slightly faster powder and have a noticeable reduction in recoil, in my old 300 WSM 59-60 gr of RL 15 with several different 165's at 3050 fps was really nice to shoot and not far off of a full power load.

I'm closing in on 65, my light 338-06 went away several years ago. Now my ol 270 is my big gun and it doesn't come out to play unless elk is in the forecast. 250-3000 and 257 Roberts are my preferred general deer season rifles nowadays, but a new to me Marlin 336 rebored to 38-55 and loaded with home cast bullets to black powder speeds gets plenty of use in the timber. My 110 year old Marlin '94 25-20 with cast bullets gets most of the small game, plinking and offhand practice time. Seems like the freezer stays just as full as before I downsized.

I'm not exactly recoil sensitive, but generally don't shoot harder-recoiling rifles anymore if there's no need--like an article deadline, or going on a hunt courtesy of some manufacturer who wants me to hunt with a specific cartridge.

Have found myself "down-sizing" the cartridges I do my own hunting with over the past decade or so. Did use my reliable CZ .416 Rigby for a Cape buffalo hunt (which may be my last) in Tanzania, but other than that have been using the 9.3x62 (or my own short-action wildcat that duplicates its ballistics) rather than my .338 Winchester or .375 H&H, and haven't seen any difference in "killing power"--but have felt a difference on my shoulder. For specifically hunting non-dangerous game rarely use anything more powerful than the .30-06 anymore. In fact took my last bull moose with the 7x57, no problem. Have even down-sized my varmint rounds, because lighter recoil allows me to spot my own shots more easily.

There are quite a few hunters who equate heavier recoil with "better" killing power, but I've found shot placement by far the most important factor, and in second place bullet construction.

I have a 300 WSM and a 338 WM for sale now in the classifieds. I still own a couple of 300s and and a 9.3x62 as well as a 375 H&H, but I don't shoot them much anymore.

No more 416 Taylor, 416 Rigby or 458 Lott.

I have more 6.5 and 7mms than anything else right now at the ripe old age of 68. Probably no more elk hunting of Africa for me.

donsm70

"Did use my reliable CZ .416 Rigby for a Cape buffalo hunt (which may be my last) in Tanzania, but other than that have been using the 9.3x62 (or my own short-action wildcat that duplicates its ballistics) rather than my .338 Winchester or .375 H&H,"



John,


It sounds like B-S to me.

Bruce,

Exactly!

I think it is pretty well known by now that a .243 is now my " Big" gun....

Bought a very nice Number 1 .45/70 last year, and sold it pretty quickly. Too much fun, from the bench anyway, even with light 350gr loads. Apparently, 65 has consequences.

Went to the range for the first time this year with my new AR, a Number 1V .243, a .308, and a .270. No problems, but the .270 with 150 and 160 grainers was noticeable, partly because the guard was banging my finger. First time I've fired that one with a scope. That 69 year-old FN barrel looks to be a good one!

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/galleries/12181164/bullet-holes

I'm 66 and still love to shoot my loud-n-boomer belch-n-snorters. Some times though I do get a bit of a headache that I used to never get....

At age 67 I have backed off the loads I shoot in my .35 Whelen and installed a Decelerator recoil pad on the .30-06. Don't shoot the 12ga. slug gun either, I have had rotator cuff surgery on both shoulders and shooting the hard kicking stuff makes them really sore for quite a while.

Godogs57, I'm still (soon to be 65) doing pretty good. I believe that staying physically fit (though I'm starting to slip), is paramount (my big word of the day ;)) to continue to shoot the ones that kick a bit ( 9 lb rifle, 250's @ 3130). I rarely shoot more than 20 rounds at one sitting from my rifle. I seem to be "more" affected the second day of extended shooting. The shoulder is tender from the previous day, and it shows up in the group sizes compared to the first session.

I don't know how much longer I can shoot her well from the bench for extended sessions....but that is why we handload! We "can" turn the power down, and still enjoy our big guns! memtb

I will keep the.375 H&H debating on the 300 wm but might put it in a nice wood stock. 7RM I will never get rid of even though currently I shoot a .280AI more frequently.

All my new projects have been 6 to 6.5 mm and I am liking these a lot. When I shoot anything from 300 mag up I either limit myself to about 40 rounds, wear a sissy pad or preferably shoot standing up.

I wonder about the concept of "hardening your shoulder" seems like the more I shoot the softer it gets. It is not just the shoulder as arthritis has F'dup my neck and back with discs reduced by 40% or more. But it is funny I was having some chronic neck pain and a few rounds with the 375 and I had major popping going on and my neck immediately felt better. If it doesn't kill you it makes you stronger, maybe.

I am 49 and don't like to shoot the heavier recoiling stuff as much as I used too, especially from the bench. A .243 or 6.5 Swede is so much more enjoyable to the shoulder.

Mine also. Put away the 300 Weatherby several years ago and never looked back.

Took a while for this old dog to learn! Last year I took the Model 37 to the range to verify with slugs. Forgot my leadsled. One shot and I thought Mike Tyson had slugged me! What a way to develop a flinch!
Got home and broke out the semi auto and mounted a rifled slug barrel I had bought years ago but resisted using as the Model 37 was my mojo for shotgun deer for 40 years. Well with slugs and no leadsled the semi shot great, tolerable recoil, and the Model 37 is looking to be converted to a bird gun!

I'm a lot closer to 70, than to 60, and have never liked shooting guns with a lot of recoil. That stems back to being 15, very skinny, and shooting a 30-06 Remington pump with 220 grain bullets. Anyway, I've found out that a 20 gauge will easily kill a turkey, and that a deer rifle doesn't have to kick hard either. If I get lucky and draw a Kentucky elk tag, I figure my 270 will work for that.

Keep pushing it and they may get worse.

The chiropractic offices of Holland & Holland.

What John says here is the sum total of the thread, once all the rest is boiled down.

" but I've found shot placement by far the most important factor, and in second place bullet construction."