Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Rethinking My "Big Gun"

Lots of good suggestions here. My choices would be as follows:

6.5x55 SE
.270
.280
.308

Bullet? Nosler Partition.

You may be on to something!

Absolutely!
I could build a 338-06 that would have tolerable recoil, but wouldn't like carrying it on hunts.
My favorite rifle weight is right around 7lbs +/-, with scope and mnts.

Panties in a wad? If the "downloaded" 338-06 still has too much recoil, then a 7-08 will too, at least in my experience. A "downloaded" 338-06 still isn't a 338 Federal, just as a 30.06 isn't a downloaded 300 WinMag. So, it wasn't a "stupid fu cking question", just a stupid fu cking answer.

Lot of advice here maybe some good and more enough bad. Maybe it's time for you to sit on your butt watching hunting videos and doing what your wife tells you too. After you get sick and tired of that sh*t. Go buy a magnum PAST recoil shield put it on pick up the 338-06 and go kill stuff. Might cost you $50. Send me your address for my consulting bill I don't all ways give away common sense. Mb

Maybe it should be renamed the .458 Chiropractor, lol.

Apparently President of the He Man Womens Hater Club just showed up.

Guy shows up here with a legit question looking for a bit of dialogue and you give him this macho bullshit? How many more dead elk do you need to see killed with non-magnum cartridges to at least accept that fact? I'm more than a bit empathetic with his issue, plus I know him. I had my shoulder rebuilt 15 years ago and have the same recoil sensitivities. Apparently I should just he-man up and hope it all stays together. Going through life with 1 good shoulder doesnt sound all that appealing.

Wrong and none of your posts have been constructive for Teeder either. NOT ONE POSTER but me coughed up an idea on how to reduce his felt recoil and discomfort. Magnum Past recoil shield is a start, Buffalo Arms Co out of Ponderray Idaho makes one even more effective called their prone model it's worth every dime it costs 50-60 bucks. Why is it I'm the only one who could come up with inexpensive but totally effective route to less recoil. Coupled with a 7-08, 6.5 C or 6.5x55 other than the report prolly wouldn't feel it at all. B Winters you missed a good chance to STFU and furthermore added nothing to help Teeder out. Magnum Bob

Let me reference the original post for and your "solution":

"For nearly 20 years I've had my .338-06 as my "Big Gun". It's taken elk and recently two moose in Newfoundland and has worked beautifully. Deer duties have been handled by a variety of cartridges, but mainly with my Montana 7mm-08.
In 2019 I was in a car accident that resulted in a concussion, torn rotator-cuff and something undetermined with my neck. Bottom line, it's really uncomfortable shooting the .338-06 anymore.
This gives me a clear reason to build / buy something new! grin
I have a pretty good guess what the answer to this question is, but what do you consider the lowest recoiling cartridge that is perfectly adequate for elk and moose? Put another way, what's the smallest cartridge you would happily use the rest of your life for elk and moose? May as well throw in the bullet combo, too."

See anything in there asking for recoil reduction of his existing rifles? But it did give you an opportunity to turn this into a biggest wanger contest and a snarky reply. Likely you should take your own advice. A bit of reading comprehension wouldn't hurt either.

I've used the Magnum PAST Shield on some hard kickers years ago. It helped me not develop a flinch. This was also before Limbsaver Recoil pads. I did not, however, have it on when I shot a Grizzly Ammo +P 460gr 45-70 round in a Marlin cowboy ( 26") This 5 yrs after my neck fusion, but the "instant" I touched it off, I "felt" I had tore all the gristle loose in my neck! ha One and done, I'm telling you! I had a really lwt 416 Taylor made up once, 20" barrel with a brake...400gr handload, OMG Even with that PAST shield it was brutal but the ear splitting muzzle blast was crazy! ha We live and learn..

I felt Teeder" just needs" a spare rifle in 7mm/08 , a bit heavier than his Montana...but the PAST is a good one...just saying

I had a .300 Win mag and a Weatherby Mark V in .300 Roy. Recoil started giving me neck pain and a headache. Now my big gun is a Ruger Hawkeye stainless
30-06. Ought to cover any bases that need covered in my world.

Ron

"what do you consider the lowest recoiling cartridge that is perfectly adequate for elk and moose"

This is what I'm looking for from people that have done it.

Thanks again to all.

7-08 -7x57 - 6.5x55 will kill anything in North America and most game in Africa . How many Elephants did Bell kill with the 7x57 ? A bunch . I own one of each and would not feel handicapped with any of the three . Hit where you should with a bullet built for the game your after and all will be good. My .325 WSM with 150-200 grain bullets is no slouch either and is not too hard on my arthritic shoulders . If all my shots were of moderate range (200 Yards) I would be perfectly happy with a .35 Remington or the .358 Winchester either one and recoil is moderate at most.

A lot of this discussion has centered, not to much surprise, on recoil. But that is not the major problem I think. I have had one shoulder replacement (right) and am going to have to have the other one done at some point. Originally my doctor thought I might stave off major surgery through physical therapy, which was the path I took. However the problem can easily become how high you can lift stuff. Like lifting a rifle to your shoulder, as shoulder height is milestone after surgery. My problem turned out not to be recoil. I already had a Ruger 77 in 6.5x55 I've used since 1993. Also lots of 308 use as well, so recoil wasn't the problem. What was the problem for me was getting the rifle up and after the shot working the bolt with the rifle up to the shoulder. The slap upward and the stroke to the rear of the bolt was pretty painful. So the rifle had to be lowered, the bolt worked, and lifted to shooting position again. Kind of like shooting a single shot. It worked, but was contrary to a lot of muscle memory. So I began thinking about what beside a bolt action might work.

Now, not so long ago I'd have never thought I'd go this route. Many years ago my brothers and I got Dad a Remington 742 in 30-06, because that was what he wanted. Well it was a PITA. Shot OK, but was the most picky thing I ever shot as far as cleanliness was concerned. You had to get it squeaky clean to metal, then you might get a dozen shots before you needed to clean it again, but you might only get 2-3, you never knew. But the recoil was OK on my shoulder and the auto was easier to operate than the bolt. You really start to rethink stuff when your right shoulder is FUBAR and your left one is soon to join it. Reduced shoulder function can be a life changer.

As circumstances went, I wound up with a nearly new Remington 7400 in 270. My next door neighbor and seller of all sorts of stuff had it from an estate sale and offered it for a real easy to handle price. Told him I'd might be interested IF it shot and functioned OK. He was fine with me shooting it. So to my utter shock and awe, the damn thing never seems to get too dirty to function, and it shoots better than I can. So I paid the man. Recoil is not an issue.

Maybe not ideal or popular but it solved my issue. I'd rather hunt a 7400 within its limits and mine than not hunt.

My shoulder is the least of my issues as far as shooting goes. The real problem is my neck and headaches.

Semi-autos are out. Can't use them for big game in PA and I would want to be able to use any rifle for deer also.

Keeping in mind that the weight and fit of a gun determines a lot of the "kick" you'll feel, trying to isolate a cartridge without consideration of the rifle is not of a lot of value. keep in mind that a Barret light 50 with a heavy bipod, rear mounted post rest, large muzzle break and super large scope and mount kicks (and hurts less) then a light 30-06. You can see my point.

But as far as the smallest cartridges I have seen used to kill animals of 1000 pound's and heavier, I have actually seen 1 moose killed with a 243, and 3 with 44 magnum handguns. I have seen 2 killed with 270s. I have personally killed a horse with a 357 mag handgun with 1 shot through it's heart. I have also killed a full grown bull buffalo with a 5" barreled 44 mag handgun. I have killed a lot of elk with 270 Winchesters and I have seen about 30 killed with 25-06s 257 Roberts, 243s and 2 with 357 mag carbines. I have also seen about 10 killed with 260 Remington's and 6.5X55s and 7 killed with 6,5CMs. I know my sister has killed about 15 moose with her 308.
My old friend Cy killed a bunch of planes game in Africa with his 7X57 loaded with 175 grain bullets and several of them were Kudu and Sable. The 7-08 is ballistically the same as the 7X57 if both are loaded to the same pressures.
So if I were to make the lightest kicking hunting rifle I could and still feel OK for moose, I'd make a 7-08 on an AT 10 style rifle. Bringing it back to the fact that cartridges only kick as much as guns let them kick.
The Army in the 1920s-1930s used to fire 30-06 test rounds from a sub caliber barrel in a 105 Howitzer. Safe to say that 30-06 didn't kick as hard as a 22 long rifle.
In a bolt action I'd go with a 7X57 or a 7-08 and put a good pad on it and install a "dead-mule" in the stock and add a muzzle break. That would tame it down to around a 223 (but louder.)
I understand the desire to have a rifle you can also use for deer, but Penn has very few moose anyway, so if the point of the post is about light recoil and MOOSE I see no reason to reject an AR10

I have shot big bulls with the 270 and 280. I have shot big bulls at over 500 yards with the 270. With dramatic effect. The 7-08 will kill without issue. In fact come to think of it the last big bull my dad killed was with a 7-08

There have been lots of words written but most do not address your question. To reduce recoil you must reduce bullet weight or reduce velocity velocity or increase rifle weight. I have shot 30/06’s with stout loads and they are pretty close to your 338-06. I have used 270 & 280 with 130-140’s at 3000 and they have a little less but they are not the least. Several have suggested 7-08 or 7-57 chamberings with velocities you only get with a word processor or a 30” barrel. Even if you could get such velocities you are right back into 270/280 recoil. Remember it is mostly about bullet weight and recoil.

I suggest a 6.5 bore shooting 125-140’s at 2700 or so. If you want more velocity then get a 25-06 and use 100-115’s.

Actually I suspect you already know what to do. You have succeeded at stirring the pot. I mean how could you have 6000+ posts and know so little.

"There have been lots of words written but most do not address your question. To reduce recoil you must reduce bullet weight or reduce velocity velocity or increase rifle weight."

I never asked how to reduce recoil. I'm asking for the lowest recoil cartridge that experienced people would be comfortable using for elk and moose.


"Actually I suspect you already know what to do. You have succeeded at stirring the pot. I mean how could you have 6000+ posts and know so little."


Stirring the pot or post count has nothing to do with it. I've never been in on or around an elk or moose being shot with anything less than a .30-06 with 180's.

So, blow it out your ass!

That's good performance! What bullets were being used?