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Lately I have been selling / or trying to/ some firearms on the classifieds.

I have been corresponding with an older gentleman that wanted a 30/30 marlin with a 24 inch barrel.

I no longer own one. I thought I might.

He stated he may get to hunt one last year but the recoil of his 3006 Bar is too much he don't care for it any more!

He shoots 150 grain factory ammo. I suggested 130 grain reloads ( Barnes) may significantly reduce recoil.

He then said he might try to buy a savage 99 in 308. I would imagine the 308 recoil would be as much if not more than the BAR using factory loads.

What say you guys. I know a 250/3000 would be an excellent choice but I don't own one. Then there is the ammo!

I also suggested trying a Paste pad.

Thanks

my 99 308 kicked more then my 110 30-06.
that bar absorbs some recoil so i imagine he won't be happy with the 99 308.
tell him to get a EG in 300. pussy cat compared to the 308 in the 99, at least mine are. when i go Elk hunting anymore i grab my EG 300 or the 110 3006. the 308 just sits.
also limbsaver makes a slipon that really tames. i use one on my 300mag.

Newton's Law of Motion: For every action there's an equal but opposite reaction.

Drive a lighter bullet fast enough to deliver the same energy, the gun will recoil the same. Drive a lighter bullet slower to tame recoil, poorer killing power. My advice: increase weight of the gun and shoot the load that'll achieve the goal of killing whatever animal is to be hunted.

If a 30-30 has enough power for him, then a 250-3000 or 300 Savage will also have plenty and be a lot less kick than a 30-06 or 308. There's been 300 Savage factory ammo available lately, so might try make sure he can get several boxes of that if you have a gun to sell him.

Sound advice there. While I've never hunted any big game with a Savage 250 or 300 (not allowed in my state), I've done alot of shooting with each caliber. The 250 is a proven deer killer and with full power loads has a tame and not shoulder killing recoil. 300 isn't bad either for recoil and will drop any deer with a hit in the vitals.




I give the Limbsaver brand of slip-on's a top, high shelf mark and recommendation. I've shot alot of 300 Savage rounds out of my two Remington 81's (pogo sticks). I'm 72, in good health, and have alot of bark on my hide. Big rifle recoil doesn't bother me much, nor full house revolver loadings in 357/44 Mag, but a couple of summers ago, those 300 Sav rounds in the Rem 81's were taking a toll. A shooter on the Rem 8/81 forum suggested the Air Tech Limbsavers on a post to another shooter. I checked them out and they were sold locally. Bought a large and a medium as I didn't know what would fit best. The medium fit the 81's best, in fact the medium fit best on every rifle I tired it on which consisted of collections of military rifles (Garands, 03's, German K98k's, Brit Enfields, Russian Mosin 91/30's).

The Limbsaver really cut down on the recoil of the rifles I mentioned, esp that Russian 91, they're a beast for recoil. I tried it on my 99G also and the medium fit good. The large size had a bit of sloppiness on everything. I took the large back and exchanged it for another medium so as when I'm shooting multiple rifles I don't have to change one as much. They aren't real pricey, $30-35 depending on source, available on line and alot of box stores and are easy to change. Very high quality and construction.

While the Limbsaver slip-on may not look old-timey, they work great, will not mar the finish, work as effectively as a screw on recoil pad and won't decrease value or permanently the original look and lines. Other companies make slip-on's, can't say much about them, but the Limbsavers are the top picks in two "the best of" surveys I've seen. I've seen some cheap slip-on's for sale and won't bother with them. Reference the Limbsaver brand, they offer two variations, the 'Air-Tech' model is the one I have and is the better of the two Limbsaver offers. Just my two cents, Angus1895-maybe your older gent friend could benefit from one of these on his current rifle or they would help in any replacement rifle.

Sounds like he's a good candidate for an EG in 300. What more could anyone need? More suds than a 30/30 and less bash than a 308 on a 99 platform, though there's absolutely nothing wrong with the former.

.32-40

+1 on the Limbsaver pullover pads. Unfortunately my hunting buddies (?) introduced the term "butt condom" to describe them, and it stuck....

They do lengthen the pull some, and that might be a problem with some guys on some guns. I have what my gunsmith describes as "ape hanger arms," so I need the extra length on most guns anyway.

If you hunt in the rain with the pad on, make sure to pull it off and dry the stock and the pad out after you get back.

.243 Win., 250-3000 or .30-30 Win.

reduced recoil loads, no way to find now, I sold what 270's I had

Don't leave the slip on pad on at all, when not in use. It'll eventually discolor the wood.
Length of pull can be a real issue if dressed for cold with those things.....
If I owned a .300 and recoil was still bothersome, I'd load it down to 30-30 levels and enjoy using it again....

This^

If he doesn't like his BAR, he going to hate a 308 F.

Good points with the slip-on's. I was going to mention (but forgot to) the added length of pull, which in my case I don't have any problem, but I mostly slip em on in warmer weather when extra padding by heavy clothing/coats is absent. I never leave them on, only add when shooting. Good point also about if hunting/shooting in wet weather.

the one had was like shooting a 22mag

IMO the shape of the stock and the quality of the recoil pad make a greater difference than the choice between most of the cartridges mentioned. I had a Rem 700 in 35 Whelen with a good pad that did not bother me at all. A Rem 14 in 32 Rem with a steel butt plate was not comfortable for me to shoot. He should find a rifle he likes, that fits him well, and get a good pad put on it.

A lot of truth there. Everybody ballyhoo's the .300 as being a mild kicker, which is so for the most part, but put it in a skinny-stocked lightweight M1920 and you have a real surprise coming. Owned two of those nasty little buggers and I don't own them now for pretty much that reason. (A M1920 .250-3000 is a pussy cat. Meeeooow!)

Again with The Universal Laws of Motion, and add leverage into the equation (poorly shaped stocks) and you have bruised shoulders, flinches, and bad things to say about a gun.

I've heard that about the 1920's. Oddly to some, the 6lb 1920 in 300 Savage is a bruiser, but the 6.5lb 99F in 308 doesn't kick at all.

Personally, my shoulder feels a 99F in 308.. so I believe the 1920 in 300 has some kick to it,.

I have an uncle who was bothered terribly by recoil. Everybody labeled him a wuss. He spent his entire deer killing career from the early 50's to fairly recently (c'mon, he is 90 now), in Pennsylvania where it's legal to do so, shooting a Savage 340 (or 322 or whatever) .22 Hornet. The guy drilled them where they needed drilling, and rarely didn't fill his tag. He thought maybe he was being a dumbass and bought a new Remington 760 .30-06, around 50 years ago, to try to "get with the program". He promptly punched his eyebrow with the first shot out of the gun/scope combo, cussed a lot, and swore off of .30-06's. Took up with the Hornet again and life was good. Come to think of it, I should call and ask if he still has that 760 in the back of the hall closet...

...Or better yet, inquire about that old Savage Hornet. It's battle scarred as hell, as you can imagine, but perhaps if I were to consider another 340 in my life after I swore off of them, that would be the one to have. He has no kids who would want it.

Why would a 243 " kick" less than a .308?

I wanna disagree....I think a 130 grain Barnes bullet loaded to low book would have less recoil than a 150 grain factory. Load it to 2600 fps.

I will post his name if you guys have a 30/30 or a 300 savage he might entertain a purchase.


His handle is garyw
Thanks
John

John, I have a 99C in 300 Savage for sale at $900. It has a 24" rifle weight barrel and should be heavy enough to not kick too hard. It is a rare model and shouldn't be drilled and tapped or the stock cut for a recoil pad. If you want pics send me your email address. David