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

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.