Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Recoil question for new bolt gun owner

Hi there,

I was invited to an elk hunt this coming november... In anticipation of this and so I had plenty of time to get used to a gun... I bought a 300 PRC rifle. Now for a few reasons I'd say I jumped the gun but... After seeing several positive reviews I bought a Christensen Arms Mesa in 300PRC. It was AFTER this as I was trying to read up on my new gun as I await its arrival I saw all the negatives on it. So now I'm dreading what I'll be getting once it arrives...

But in addition to that... Most of my rifle shooting is ARs... I HAVE had a Marlin Guide Gun in 45-70 but... since the Mesa is a lighter rifle and I've never shot a magnum rifle I'm starting to worry about the recoil of the PRC. Can anyone tell me how it will compare to the 45-70? the GG had stout recoil but completely manageable. I wasn't shooting buffalo bores or anything crazy but they were factory non cowboy loads.

Thanks for your time and insight! I'd thought about trying to find a place that will make me reduced recoil 300 PRC loads and work up to the full power factory Hornady ammunition... But not sure if I should do that or just try it as is with the factory ammo and hope I don't develop a flinch?

Don't let it play on your mind too much. Just wait and see how it goes when you get it. Off hand and out hunting you probably won't be too bothered by it.

The 300 mags do have a sharp recoil. My friends 300WM was less pleasant than my 375HHmag when shooting sitting from a bench. If that turns out to be your case as well you could try shooting standing from a bench if you can arrange this for sighting and load testing.

The closest I have is a Browning X-bolt in 325WSM that can launch 200gn at 3000fps. It's a sporter weight but excellent stock design. Sitting bench shooting is not a concern.

You might be surprised at how much recoil can be mitigated with the included muzzle brake. Sure, they are loud, but I shoot much better with a brake, than without one.

That being said, if you don't like the rifle, then cancel your order and get the same rifle in 6.5 PRC, shoot a quality bullet and go kill an elk.

There are recoil calculators online, you can look up the new cartridge specs and compare to the cartridges you already fired. If you had no issues with the 45-70, you should be fine.

Sell it and get a .308 or something reasonable to start out with. If you are already worried about recoil, then you are going to flinch, and that's not an easy thing to cure.

Never hit anything with it.

A brake would definitely mitigate felt recoil, but you might check to see how your hunting partners/guide feel about it first... because it'll be obnoxiously loud.

Now a question: why do you need a magnum for elk? Seems like a 270/280/06 or 7mm08 or 308 or even a 6.5 would be just fine within realistic ranges and you won't be flinching. (If you're already dreading the recoil, it's gonn take work to shoot the rifle well.)

^^^^^ 👍👍

I find that a slip on recoil pad can help from the bench as well. Like said above, you won't notice the recoil when actually shooting game. You will notice a brake though since your ears will ring for a week after shooting without hearing protection.

Don't worry about the naysayers. If there is break on the rifle, it will considerably reduce recoil. If not, put one one on. You probably won't be hunting right beside your hunting partner, be courteous at a range and there are electric earmuffs to protect your ears.

Another option is to put a suppressor on, but I don't like the added length to the barrel.

With a brake and decent recoil pad it should be manageable for most people that aren’t sensitive to recoil. Be sure you get a scope that has a generous eye relief. Getting tagged one time can become a life long fear. Don’t shoot many rounds at any one time either. You’ll do fine!

I just wonder what the people who invited you were telling you?

At a bench, you'll notice it. Out hunting, probably not so much. For a range session, I bring a .22LR along as well. Fire a couple rounds with your hunting rifle and then set it aside to cool off. Then use the .22LR to continue practicing, this helps.

Bad habits picked up at the bench will have their effect, notice it or not.

That's why a .22 is used too. It does help. All of us have bad habits, no one is exempt from that.

What is your experience in turn bolt guns off the bench other than shooting a Marlin tube feed lever? The 45-70, other than sighting in is typically shot off hand quite a bit, whereby recoil is not as severe as the shoulder and entire body move to lessen the recoil energy. That’s a big difference from finding a steady rest in the field at 400 yards and absorbing the brunt at the shoulder.

Both 45-70 and 300 PRC deal out around 40 ft-lbs of recoil when loaded with 405 gr at 1,900 fps and 7lbs and the PRC with 212 gr at 2,900 fps and 8.7lbs. That’s a very significant amount of recoil for hunting if not experienced.

Since you already bought it, you’ll need to work on that quite a bit. After sighting in shoot from a steady field rest (sticks, backpack, bipod, etc.) in prone, sitting, kneeling, and standing. Learn to use a tight sling as well to steady the rifle if shots become snap or needed quickly.

When at the bench use an extra pad or a sand bag between your shoulder and the butt of the rifle. Also stock fit has a tremendous effect on felt recoil. If it doesn't fit you, get it fit or find a rifle that does.
When you are out hunting you will never notice recoil but be aware that if you shoot a rifle with a brake without hearing protection you will permanently damage your hearing. I went through a similar experience with a 300RUM with a brake. I shot it twice without hearing protection at an elk. It hurt so bad I seriously considered using my knife to finish the elk rather than using the rifle. When I got home I cut the brake off and will never use one again.

Thanks for all the replies!

Answering in random order, my the one who invited me hasn’t given me advice. Pretty big oversight on my part I admit.

I’ve watched and read a lot about African hunting, I expected to shoot offhand in the field so that’s what I planned on practicing (with a trigger stick)

My prior experience with bolt guns is a 308 rem700 in one of the old style AI chassis. Shot prone.

I went with 300 PRC because I want to get into long range target shooting as well down the road and I wanted one rifle that could do both and I’ve read great things about the PRC.

Up until now all of my appreciable experience with Long gun experience has been AR15/AR10 in a law enforcement capacity so worrying about recoil has never been part of my thought process.

Thanks everyone for the input!

I recently bought a Seekins Element in 7PRC.

It’s a stout recoil, even with a brake.

I can only imagine how horrible the recoil is gonna be with a 300 PRC.

😱

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PS

Just kidding 😬

Recoil tolerance is truly an individual thing!

It can be dependent upon how many shots will be fired during a bench session, and how many shots are fired from other positions. Bench work and prone will likely be the most offensive to the shooter. If the shooter doesn’t do a lot of shooting with the high recoiling rifle from positions giving the highest degree of felt recoil…..most shooters can handle a fair amount of recoil!

It is also dependent upon the fit of the rifle to the shooter, and if the rifle has a good quality recoil pad. The one huge determining factor…….the shooter!

My wife hunts with a .338 WM., but she does minimal shooting from the bench! She doesn’t enjoy bench shooting…..but had zero reservations about picking up her .338 WM when it’s time to go hunting! By the way, she hates muzzle brakes and refuses to even consider using one!


My suggestion…….if at all possible, shoot numerous rifles of different manufacturers and cartridges before making your decision! memtb

The Christensen Mesa has a muzzle brake from the factory. I wouldn't worry about recoil much but if your hunting style allows time to put in plugs or muffs before you take a shot I'd recommend doing so.

If Inunderstand your situation, I'd opine a few things.

First, the Mesa rifle has more than a few fans. I'd not sweat alot till you get to shoot it.

Second, I'm not a fan of brakes in any form. They have their place but I'm not sure it's for this application (r.e. elk hunt).

Third, I'd strongly consider a lesser cartridge. Recoil is a personal thing but I've seen good shooters develop a flinch with 300 magnums. I gave up on raw horsepower a while back.

Fourth, you don't need a 300 magnum to kill an elk. A 308 will work fine. Given a choice, I'd opt for a 270, 280 AI, 30-06, 6.5 PRC, etc. Shoot a good constructed bullet, practice with your rifle a bunch, and go kill an elk. The last handful of elk I've shot have been with 308 and 270. I've shot them with 300 SAUM, 300 WSM and they didn't travel any less than those perforated with the lowly 308 or 270.

I fully understand I made several errors in my preparation.

This is the rifle I got so I’m stuck unless I can sell it, which I think I’ll have time to do if necessary.

I went with a magnum caliber simply because I hoped the more powerful round would give me a fudge factor if my shot placement wasn’t 100% perfect. And hindsight being what it is… I realize that the potential recoil on my technique and training will likely make that at best a wash, or worst case degrade potential shot placement even more

My plan going forward… is to do sight in standing with a tripod rest. I’m looking at the primos trigger stick to avoid negatives from shooting prone/from a bench.

The reviews I’ve seen on the Christensen 300s is that at least for shooting in the field, the brake and butt pad are excellent at reducing recoil to manageable levels so I’m hoping that range sessions of 3-10 rounds will let me build up my comfort with the rifle as is and then I’ll start practicing without the brake.

I fully realize I made poor decisions with my caliber selection and I appreciate everyone helping me make the best of the situation I’ve found myself. It says a lot about this community compared to others I’ve been a part of in the past

Don't underrate yourself or your rifle. And don't be tentative with it either. Just when sighting in, if from a bench, or shooting stix, don't shoot a lot at one time. Shoot a couple, take a break. Why I bring a .22 with when I working on a heavy hitter. With the .22, I can still practice breathing and trigger control. Give yourself a chance! Shoot something smaller while the hunting rifle cools off. Looking forward to your range report.

It sounds as if you have surrendered …..before the battle!

You can very likely overcome your issues with perceived recoil!

You will not be able to shoot legitimate, informative groups by using a tripod while standing! Try using a lead shot bag between the rifle butt and your shoulder….to largely mitigate felt recoil!

Or, hand-load the cartridge at a reduced load or have some one load for you……until you become comfortable with the rifle/cartridge!


There are many things you can do……before “throwing-in the towel”! memtb

Exactly, and shooting a big magnum takes a lot of practice to get used to. I damn sure would not be taking any long shots with it, if I were the OP. He sounds pretty insecure about the whole thing. Sounds counter intuitive, doesn't it? You buy a big magnum for the power and reaching way the f out there, right? How many guys actually shoot their magnums way out there in practice? Those that do, know what I'm talking about. Sounds like the OP needs something quite a bit more manageable, something that he can take out and comfortably practice with, and then have confidence when he's on the hunt. No confidence= failure most times.

Like others have posted, you don't need a magnum rifle to kill an elk. I killed my first 10 or so elk with a .30-06, made a one shot, DRT kill on one of my best 6x6 bulls with a 117 gr Sierra GameKing bullet from my .257 AI, and even killed a bull with a sharp pointed stick. My favorite elk rifle now is my .300 Weatherby.

I also put a KDF brake on my .300 Wby and on my .375 RUM, along with in-stock recoil reducers. Both of these rifles are now comfortable to shoot from any position, including prone, either at the range or hunting. I have hunted with both of these rifles on a number of world hunts, and the only thing that a guide said about either of them was if he could have it if anything happened to me.

The only time I've even seen a Christensen Arms Mesa rifle was one time at the range where a guy's wife had one and was very happy banging the 430 yard steel gong with it.

Use the brake for practice. And screw it off when you hunt. You will never know the difference when shooting at game. My .45=70 kicks much harder than any of my .300s. The world is full of wimps.

I quit on magnums years ago. I simply don't care for the recoil of them. I shot them when I had them enough to get used to them but never really enoyed the shooting part. Number of years ago I got a 6.5x06 and with 140gr Hornadys took three elk with three shots. I also have a 6.5x55 and aam quite certain it would do the same thing with the 140gr bullet's. It is about bullet placement AND selecting a bullet that stays together enough to penetrate to the vital on the spot you aim at. Spot you aim at is a catch, you can't hit it worrying about recoil, good chance the bullet you use will not do the job. That is not bullet failure, it's shooter failure! I shoot all cup and core bullet's, I do not use match bullet's on game. I use heavy mid weight to heavy bullet's. The heavier bullet's help keep velocity down to keep the bullet together on impact and during penetration.

I notice a lot of people using much lighter weight monolithic bullet's and I think there's a reason for that. Mono bullet's get more velocity and maintain weight much better. Two thing's penetrate, velocity and weight! But if you were to check I believe most game is killed much closer than we think. And with that if you take a behind the shoulder shot on pretty much anything, the bullet is normally going out the other side, hard to play that down. Thay means everything in is path get destroyed! I have seen a lot of fast fills in my life, even wwith the ehind the shoulder shot. But shoot to far behind the shoulder and it iss a wounding shot no matter what you use. In theory you could go with that 300 mag you bought and a 150gr mono bullet. Lighter bullet is going to reduce recoil and not shed weigh much and will raise velocity. In theory, a 200gr 30 cal bullet that lose's 30% of it's weight drops down to 140gr. The 150gr mono maintains 100% and in theory out weight's the 200gr bullet on exit. Seem's like advantage mono 150gr to me.

I don't shoot monos, I shoot cup and core and I', not gonna send a ccup and core with a plastic tip at any big game animal. I feel plastic tips are for varmint bullet's. Problem being that tip must go somewhere on impact and somewhere is right back into the bullet. Has to effect the proformance of the bullet!

My suggestion is get a cartridge that recoil won't bother you with and select a bullet you shoot well. I shot the 308 a lot of years and bullet of choice was normally 165gr. Up in Alaska I took it while working up there and ended up loading it with 180gr and 200gr bullet's. 180gr out shot the 200gr but the intention was protection while fisshing with friends and I think in close on a bear a 200gr packs more no no. Didn't notice much increase in recoil over the 165gr with 180gr bullet but at 200 gr, while tolerable, there was a good increase in felt recoil. Wouldn't phase me one bit to shoot an elk with that old 308 and a 180gr bullet. Last several years I hunted elk, cartridge of choice was a 30-06 with 180gr Hornady SP. Three shots and three elk. It's not so much what your carrying but how you use what your carrying. A more powerful rifle you don't shoot well will not over come a bad shot!

Since you are stuck with it look for some lighter weight hunting loads. I see Hornady loads some 190gr bullets or if you reload you can build some reduced loads with lighter bullets.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1024395054?pid=327919

That was a bit of a mistake. Don't sweat the .300 PRC until you shoot it. Just go slow shooting it and don't try and burn through all your ammunition at one time. Recoil adds up, and you might think you're handling it but in reality you're not.

Take regular breaks and shoot a .22 lr or .223 every so often to mix it up and overcome any bad habits you might be learning. My bet is you'll be ready by November to kill a elk. If you don't like the recoil, buy a .308 and go hunting anyway.

Don't sweat it. You got a great rifle in a great cartridge. Sight it in, run the data to 600 or so, then shoot it a few times of year to kill stuff with. It won't bust you as hard as you think. Learn to shoot it and let it push you around. You'll be surprised how much recoil you can withstand.

I'll offer a few suggestions that should mitigate recoil. One, I don't like muzzle brakes so only one rifle has one and it'll be coming off soon. Rifle is a .338 Win. Mag.

Look into a PAST Recoil pad. It slips onto your body like a shoulder holster and done a nice job of spreading the recoil impulse over a larger area of the upper body. You can have a gunsmith install a mercury recoil reducer. I haven't used one personally but some of my friends have them on their big boomers. replace the recoil pad with a Packmeyr Decelerator if the rifle does already have one. I prefer them to the Limbsaver. I have two rifles with Limbsavers that have turned to goo.

I've hunted elk and have used rifles from the 30-06 .300 Win. Mag. and my all time favorite, a custom Mauser in .35 Whelen. Some rifles used on unsuccessful hunts include the .270 Win. .280 Rem. and .308. Hunts were not successful mainly because I couldn't find any that were in a suicidal frame of mind. The elk just weren't there. Sometimes it was a case of having a bull tag and seeing only cows. Other times a cow tag and seeing only bulls. Public land hunts can be tough and other public land hunts tougher yet.

I wish you all the luck in the world for success but if there is no success, enjoy the experience of the hunt, good, bad or otherwise.
PJ

Great advice, except I would add that, instead of a mercury weight (which work), you can just throw a heavy bipod on the rifle when sighting it in. You can take it off when hunting. Those recoil pads (Past, Cabela's, whatever) are amazing. They really reduce felt recoil when sighting in. The pads not only spread the recoil over a larger area, they also spread it over a longer time. They work really well IMO. It makes my .340 Wby seem like a 30-06 when at the range.

I think you should cancel your order or at least change the cartridge to 270win or 308win or 30-06. Your fear of recoil is already working on your head, and the 300prc has plenty. Get a rifle you can shoot accurately, without worrying about recoil. Accuracy kills. Ymmv.

If you're shooting a 45-70 you'll be fine with the 300PRC.
Don't get all axle-wrapped thinking about recoil.
Do your breathing properly and squeeze slowly.

Shoot it. Get used to it. Learn trigger discipline, and don't let it scare you.

It's just mind over matter. You'll love the new rifle once you realize it's not out to hurt you.

You don't need pads and stuff hanging off your body or gun. Shoot the dang thing and kill stuff with it. Only thing you need to worry about is keeping your knife sharp. If you want a range toy, get a 12 pound 6.5xwhocares with a 59 power scope. It's a hunting gun. Carry alot, shoot a little.

Yep. If one has to shoot the rifle differently at the range than in the field, you're not only "probably" using too much gun, you most assuredly are.

I haven't surrendered at all. I realized I'd made less than ideal choices. I'm here because I'm looking for ways to work through these choices so that there is as little negative impact to my shooting as possible. "work the problem". I can't do anything about my rifle selection, and there ARE a happy bunch of Christensen owners... and I don't even know yet if mine will be in good working order so there's no point fretting until I see what arrives. Caliber selection, while I can't change this I *can* do everything possible to make sure it does not have a negative impact on my shooting or potential bad habits. I'm not afraid of recoil... but I *am* afraid that not being appropriately prepared for it can cause bad habits like flinching. I'm here hoping for suggestions on how to mitigate that.

I've seen plenty of videos of people managing the recoil of rifles with much stouter recoil than the 300 PRC, I've watched videos of how they do it but getting input on how to accomplish that will be a big help. I know rifle weight, and features will help but as with everything else it's the indian not the arrow

I don't plan on taking ridiculous long shots with this rifle. I wanted one gun to fill two roles. Long range precision rifle shooting down the line, but also a caliber that could take large game limited by the range that I'm confident in making an ethical shot on an animal.

I'm purchasing my rifle seven months ahead of my hunt so that I *can* get the trigger time in to be confident in my self and the rifle as well as know what my limits are so that when it's time to take the shot on an elk, I know I can do it and do it ethically.

Thank you so much for your suggestion on the PAST recoil pad! The other tips as well

I already planned on a bipod as well as a heavier scope mounting setup. I'll be using a Nightforce SHV 4-14 that weighs 30oz because I already have it on my AR10 for work. I've also considered getting a heavier stock if my initial setup doesn't cut through the recoil enough for me to be able to reliably shoot it for a few shots at a time.

Can anyone give me a good target weight for fairly tolerable recoil on the 300? I'm shooting for anything over 10lbs but staying under 12.

Merlin - I don't see your choice of a 300 PRC as a "mistake" and wouldn't think that way. The 300 PRC is an impressive cartridge and makes sense as an elk rifle. If you spend time with it, you will be fine. I think most of us are simply saying you don't need a magnum to kill an elk. If you can shoot it well from field positions, you open up more options, especially at longer ranges.

You mentioned rifle weight. You can make it as heavy as you want but you're still going to get significant recoil, he-men aside. If this is your first elk hunt, you'll learn after day 1 that you wish everything weighed less - boots, clothes, packs, rifles, everything. This is the gist of my comments at least - there exists a tradeoff between cartridge, recoil, and rifle weight. Everyone wants a fly weight laser. No one wants to shoot said flyweight laser very often. You need to spend enough time shooting your rifle to be proficient with it at expected ranges and from field positions. Flyweights often fail in both categories - they recoil like hell and are not overly stable from field positions. To me, the sweet spot is 7-8 lbs rifle weight in a 270, 280, 30-06, 6.5 PRC, etc shooting a good bullet. Mono bullets allow less bullet weight but also retain alot of weight - kind of a win-win - less recoil + bullet integrity.

I'd also opine that most elk are shot at less than 200 yards. All it takes is a bullet capable of punching a quarter size hole through both lungs - from any reasonable angle. Two holes are way better than 1. Elk aren't bullet proof but do have sufficient mass to stop lesser bullets from performing ideally. A 1 lung shot elk will likely turn into a rodeo.

Sounds like it's too late to change your rifle - so don't. Shoot a 165 gr mono with a faster powder for the PRC. A faster powder will mean slightly less top end velocity but also significantly less powder - both equal less recoil. A 168 TTSX or 165 Nosler etip or Horn CX would be an excellent choice. Your shoulder will like it, elk will not.

Thanks! Very helpful information and a good way to think about things all in all when it comes choices for hunting that go even beyond the rifle

300 PRC was designed for 200+ gr bullets
Grab a box of Hornady 212gr ELD-X and see how it shoots that.
Hornady 212gr ELD-X

You might want to consider trying the 190gr CX load, the lightest I saw listed. That should make a difference.

I think I’d have more trouble with the added noise from a brake than recoil. Everyone is different.

Merlin,
merlin,

Two comments, one on one of your posts:

"I went with a magnum caliber simply because I hoped the more powerful round would give me a fudge factor if my shot placement wasn’t 100% perfect." This is one of the oldest myths in big game hunting. I once shot an average branch-antlered bull elk at 300 yards with a "premium" 200-grain bullet from a .300 Weatherby Magnum and hit it in the heart. But the bull didn't die, or even fall over. Instead it started walking away, though slowly. Another shot at close to 400 yards dropped it--and during field-dressing I found the first shot had hit it in the lower half of the heart, resulting in a 1" hole. But the important portion of the heart is the top half, in the pumps and major blood vessels. The bullet only landed 2-3" lower....

What matters in an elk rifle is a bullet that penetrates and expands sufficiently when put in the vitals. The caliber, bullet weight and and whether the cartridge is a "magnum" are irrelevant. My wife and I have taken quite a few elk (and moose, and similar-sized African plains-game animals) over the years, and I've also seen plenty of similar animals taken with a wide range of cartridges, partly due to guiding for several years. If your .300 WSM results in any sort of doubt about being able to put the bullet in the right place, in my opinion it would be smarter to buy another rifle in a "standard" round such as the .270 or .308 Winchester--or a whole bunch of other cartridges in the same class. They kill elk very well with "premium" bullets, and not just monolithics.

Thank you! I really appreciate the real world examples with your insight, it makes it easier to start building my big picture understanding of what I'm trying to accomplish and how all the factors play into the equation. If there is *any* question as to my ability to handle the rifle, I won't take it. It wouldn't be fair to the animal and I won't do that. Once the gun gets here I'll work through all the good advice given so far and anymore to come and see how things go and base my plan going forward around that. While I most definitely jumped the gun, I try to be purpose driven when I do things. Just in this case I did it without enough research.

Well you are definitely right about one thing:

Merlin, you are going backwards man. You need a lighter rifle, vs a heavier one. Get yourself a good 7mm08 that weighs around 7 pounds all up. After your first day on that elk hunt, you'll be thanking me. The nice thing about the little 7mm-08 is you can practice with it all summer long and be very ready for your elk hunt in the fall.

A 4570 will recoil as much as a 300 Magnum. The difference is the recoil speed is Quicker with the 300. People complain about rifle recoil and then shoot 3" shotgun shells at ducks that recoil more than the rifle they say has too much. You normally shoot the rifle once at animals.
I deer hunt often with a 300 Weatherby. I have never noticed the recoil hunting or had scope eye from it.

Mule Deer;
Good morning to you sir, I hope that you and Eileen are well and that you're getting decent spring weather down in your part of Montana's Banana Belt.

It's still freezing by a couple degrees overnight here so we're still not putting the bedding plants into the garden, but the Balsam Root is finally coming so spring must be here... it just has to be.

Thanks for the illustrations from your hunting experience, it's interesting to see what some animals will absorb while barely flinching will flatten others.

A good friend told me of hitting a walking Okanagan bull elk 3 times with 250gr Partitions from his .338 at maybe 70yds. He related that it barely flinched, kept the same pace and of course as he was going into his pockets for a reload after the rifle was empty, it just wobbled a bit and tipped over. Oh, he said all 3 hit either heart or lungs too.

Another late friend of mine hit a Cariboo bull moose 5 times with his .270 using 150gr bullets and it just stood and looked at him. Once more as he was refilling for the second barrage it just tipped over.

My late father who killed Saskatchewan moose with a .250, .303 and .308 would always chuckle when he told me, "Moose aren't that hard to kill Dwayne, but sometimes they take awhile to understand they're actually dead."

You've covered stock shape and how our shape is affected by different stock shape and thus we perceive recoil differently in a few articles. I'm not sure which of your Gack books it's in, but I've dragged it out and read it to at least a handful of new shooters who ask me a similar question that the OP has posed.

Since I'm 5'5" and have Neanderthal length arms along with no neck to speak of, I'll experience recoil on an "average" rifle differently than most "average" shaped men would - which again is what you've written.

If anyone could find any components anywhere anymore, the OP could likely load his .300 PRC down to .308 recoil levels as well I'd guess?

Way back in the day I fooled with one of our .308 Norma rifles and H4895 and was able to make it into a very mild .30-06.

All the best to you both this spring. Let's hope its actually here.

Dwayne

Recoil can be painful but it cant really hurt you. You can get on Youtube and find videos of little five foot nothing girls shooting elephant rifles with no ill effects and seemingly enjoying it. So, mostly recoil is in your head. Practice and stay off the bench. I’ve also found that recoil I once considered objectionable is no big deal after getting used to it. Pain is okay. But don’t practice the point that the shoulder becomes noticeably tender. That will induce a flinch.

All that or don’t shoot anything bigger than a 30-06. It really isn’t needed anyway. lol

Now that the examples of moose/elk getting hit with magnum cartridges and not reacting, I'll share mine.

I was still hunting in a thickish section of a mountain bench in WY about 5-6-7 years ago. I had my Kimber 308 shooting 180 gr Sierra Prohunters under a healthy charge of Varget. Velocity was 2600 give or take a few fps. I spied a spike walking my direction about 9:00. He had no idea I was around. He was not alarmed nor looked like he had been spooked or disturbed in any way. He was simply being a spike bull and doing his thing. Given that WY allows a gen tag holder to shoot a spike, I decided this was a really good opportunity to see what a spike bull would taste like. More than a bit of the decision was influenced by the fact that the truck was 1.25 miles away across relatively flat terrain, and a logging road for about half that distance. I honeyed up to a tree and waited for him to present a freezer-inducing shot which he happily obliged at about 40 yards. I'm no marksman but even I can hit a broadside elk at 40 yards from a supported rest - even with a 308. I lobbed the first bullet into the elk. He never flinched, just stood there doing his best clueless spike bull elk look. Shot 2 occurred within seconds with the same aiming point, especially given that he hadn't moved. I saw blood at the point of aim but he took 2 steps and stopped again. Shot 3 was conducted with the same aiming point and rest. He apparently realized something was amiss at that point. Before I could administer shot 4 he tipped over. He was dead when I arrived. He covered maybe 10 feet between shot 1 and 3.

I always hesitate to tell that story because people jump to conclusions about your marksmanship, cartridge selection, bullet failure, Obama care - pick your opinion. Bottom line: sometimes big animals take a bit to realize something is amiss and fully cooperate.

The mesa will come with a brake on it. Shoot it as is and keep hearing protection around your neck when hunting. Don't make it any harder than it needs to be.

Shoot a lot, get used to the rifle.

Shoot a lot from field positions. I really like the Trigger Stix from a seated position. I’m not much from offhand.

Have a good time.




P

Holy crap! That was a great story and especially the last part!

I think I might be old enough now that I could get by elk hunting with a 25-06 on up. I just like to use everything so, I use it. But our great bullets these days really make cartridge selection a non relevant part of hunting these days.

Merlin, I have to admit when I first stated working with that Model 70 in .300 Win. mag I wasn't all that sure it would work out. First few sessions at the range were strictly from the bench shooting at different distances out to 500 meters on the club's silhouette range. I'd always do some of the shooting from field positions as we,,. Just before the hunt, I'd been putting in two to three days a week, first a few from the bench then field positions. When the moment of truth came, it was about 8 in the morning, perfectly calm wind which is rare in AZ, a herd of elk walking across this wide open park moving slowly from left to to right. I'd snuck up about as close as I could get and was sitting behind the last little bush between me and the elk. I'd lasered them at 530 yard, took as solid a sitting position and I could and took the shot at the last cow in the herd. Down she went, kicked a bit and it was all over but the hard work. You have no idea how much it hurt that I only had a cow tag when I saw the herd bull, a huge 6x7. The bull of a lifetime and I had to let him walk. I only hope he survived that year's season.
PJ

I had a Mesa in 300 Win Mag. With the brake, felt recoil was no worse than a 270. Calvin is right, don’t over-think it.

Like Calvin said, take advantage of the break and keep some easy to insert plugs handy. The 212 ELDX have been money in my wife’s browning xbolt. That Gun weighs in at 9.5lbs all up. She’s of small stature and has zero recoil sensitivity with this gun. I’ve shot it plenty in said configuration and it’s a pussycat in comparison to my non-braked 300 win mag.

Also, the factory recoil pad on the CA performs very well.

Marlin Guide gun 45-70s with factory loads are not at all unpleasant. Your 300 PRC is going to be much stiffer in comparison. Brakes are good at reducing recoil, but the associated concussive effects of the brake can be just as adverse. If I were in your shoes, I'd look for a 6.5 PRC and take a little loss on selling the 300.

With that said, you can learn to shoot the 300 well. It will take practice and discipline.

I know I'm late to the party, but for elk a 270, 30-06 or 7mm Rem Mag is all you need. I personally hate brakes either on the range or god forbid someone near me is hunting with on. You can always come to Colorado Springs and shoot my 500 Jeffery. After that your little 300 will feel like a 22 lol

This isn't bad advice.



I'll go way out there with something completely different.

Get involved shooting trap, skeet, or clays.
Shoot at least once a week. 100 rounds per trip.
Use a 12 gauge, and not powder puff loads, not a semi.
1oz 1, 1/8oz.

Those rounds out of an appropriate gun are not unpleasant, but they bump.
100 bumps per outing will make your shoulder tender, a week will let it heal.
Doing it every week will toughen your shoulder.

No idea how it works, but it sure did for me.
First time out i quit before 100. Was getting sore and I didn't want to get flinch.
Soon 100 was no issue.

When I got my light(not as light as yours) 300 Win out, it suddenly didn't
seem to kick much at all.



The hardest kicking gun you own, is the hardest kicking gun you own.
The hardest kicking gun you've ever shot.....


Zeroing an 870 turkey gun put that 300 in perspective with 2 rounds.

A lot of the effects of recoil is between your ears. This one is already between your ears. The recoil will be an issue for you. Everyone has a perceived recoil tolerance. That means that up to a point they don't notice the recoil and that level is different for everyone. And you can work up to it.

But just because you don't notice the recoil doesn't mean it doesn't have an effect on your shooting. A heavy recoiling rifle may ne tolerable for a few rounds, but once you reach a certain point your brain has had enough. You will reach the point where you simply can no longer shoot it accurately.

Less recoil means you shoot more, and become a better shot. A 308 will do everything a 300 magnum does out to 400 yards with 1/2 the recoil. Unless you have the skills to shoot at 500+ yards the extra power is wasted.

And 45-70 recoil is all over the place depending on the load. Most common factory loads are pretty mild. The hottest loads suitable for a Marlin will approach 458 WM recoil from a rifle that light.

You're going to hate shooting it, the 300 PRC has a good bit of recoil that rifle is designed as a "lightweight" and those stocks do nothing to mitigate recoil. You would be much better suited with a 308 or 270 as others have said. Having a rifle that you don't enjoy shooting, one that you have a good bit of money in once you add a scope, makes it worse, just collecting dust in the closet. The PRC is a specialty cartridge designed for long range with purpose built rifles. The CA Mesa is a misfit for the PRC.

Recoil is primarily tied to bullet weight, exponentially. Secondary by charge weight. For me, recoil becomes a bother once the bullet weight goes above 165.

Use double hearing protection - the foam inserts plus muffs. Much of felt recoil is noise. You will shoot better doubling up the hearing protection, as well as the shoulder padding when bench/target shooting.

You don't necessarily need hot loads either. Go for accuracy first.

I was test firing some 200 gr loads today in my .338WM. 69, 71, 73 gr IMR4350. Noticeable difference between 69 and 73.

69 was the most accurate, and most pleasant to shoot to boot.... win, win.