Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Whitetail rifle - minimal recoil

I am finding myself in a situation whereby my right shoulder is likely to be unable to withstand any recoil come fall. I live to hunt deer, so am searching for a solution. Possibilities:
1. Learn to shoot left handed.
2. Trial a fat squishy recoil pad on my 300 Savage.
3. Great excuse to buy a 22 centerfire for use with a TSX or Partition.
Was thinking a 223, then Mule Deer, in another post mentioned success with a 22 Hornet, surprising food for thought.
I admit to being a curmudgeon that has viewed big game calibers as starting at .25.
I simply don't know much about what I have heretofore, viewed as varmint calibers, so could use some good advice.

Do you expect your right shoulder to be normal two deer seasons from now?

If a centerfire 22 is legal for deer in your hunting area then a 223 with proper bullets would be a good way to go.

2-250 twisted 8 with 75-80gr pills and you're good

Hunting buddy has a similar problem due to diabetes. Has already had surgery on his shoulder and can't take more than a few rounds at the range with his 7mm RM.

A while back he shot my 7lb (rifle and scope with 3-round synthetic mag) .308W Ruger Scout and said it had "no recoil". I had added a $30 brake to the barrel. So my first suggestion would be to try a braked rifle. A laminate stock will add weight, which will also help reduce recoil.

Assuming your .300 Savage isn't threaded, I would also consider dropping down in caliber to a .243 or 6.5 caliber. This will allow shooting lighter bullets with the same or better trajectory and down-range velocity/energy. My girls love to shoot my +P loads in M77 .257 Roberts with 100g TTSX and 110g AB. We use them primarily for antelope but I wouldn't hesitate to use them on WT or mulies.

Hope you find a good solution.

Just a thought a .243 with and 85 grain TTSX or some other mono metal bullets loaded into the mid range of powder charge should be light recoiling and deadly. If you can tolerate them putting a muzzle brake on would make recoil almost nil.

Just my two cents. Good luck in finding a solution that works for you.

A 25-06 loaded similar to what GRG stated would also be a good option.

That's where I'd start and stop.

Bingo. Stoked with TSX's and pushed fairly hard, the .223 ain't your father's varmints-only rifle anymore.

Short of that, your .300 loaded with a 170 grain flat nosed cast bullet at 1800 fps is no pussy cat in the deer woods and is very easy on the shoulder (and pocketbook).

If your hunting jurisdiction allows 22s Mathman's suggestion makes mucho sense.
If, however, you're required to use a .24 then get a 6 Creedmoor and don't look back.

Have you shot a Creed? A 129 Interlock at about 2800 hardly recoils.

Built a 30BR for my Grandson when he was about 9 years old. He is a pretty good size lad now and likes to shoot all of my big bores, but when we go hog and deer hunting, he picks up his little Mod 7 in 30BR. I asked him why. He said, "Papaw, I've killed at least 25-30 deer and hogs with it and all were one shot kills". He uses 125grain bullets at 2950.

I'm with GRF++ A mid range load and a high quality bullet of 90gr or less in 243 would be a great place to start!

Coyote Hunter mentions a $30 brake which could also help with a recoil pad to finish the project.

223 and 62 grain tsx.
6.5 CM with a brake
I have both and they kill deer without issue. Wish Virginia would allow .224! Worked great in Texas.

Learn to shoot left handed

Do you like the 300?

Put that squishy pad on it, load it with some 125gr Pro Hunters using enough 4895 or some similar stick powder to push it from 25 to 27 hundred FPS and I think you'll be pretty happy.

Have the same problem.First it was just a bad shoulder,now a complete replacement. 30-06 with a good brake cuts recoil down to a bit more than a .243. I imagine a.243 with a brake would be like a 22 RF.

You also might look at one of the strap on recoil pads that spreads the recoil out. That helped me too. Lot of alternatives out there that will work. Of course any excuse to buy a new rifle works too.

I loaded down a .260 with 120's to 6.5 Grendel velocities for my daughter. She took her first deer with it last fall. I killed one with it as well. The recoil is very light and the deer didn't know they weren't killed by something with more velocity. 60 yards for her and 140 for me. Since the Creedmoor is everywhere now, you could accomplish the same thing in pretty much the rifle.of your choice.

250-3000 87gr Speer

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