Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles FEAR OF RECOIL

I have had rotator cuff surgery twice on each shoulder. Four such surgeries will make anyone reevaluate his/her life.

Would recoil from a semiautomatic rifle be noticeably less from a semiauto such as Remington or Browning than a bolt with all else remaining equal such as cartridge and bullet weight?

Maybe a .270 Win would be wisest for me if I stay with a bolt rifle.

What will you be hunting for critters and at what ranges is my first question?

Also I do understand all about rotator cuff issues, I tore out my right one back in the 70's playing ball and had to learn to shoot lefty for quite a while.

Dober

Dober,

Deer and elk at practical ranges. Also, I am trying to get drawn for desert big horn in Utah. I've got lots of bonus points but no tag yet.

Rotator cuff surgeries are a bear. Since I've had two on each shoulder I have no place else to shoulder a rifle w/o fear of pain.

It's been almost three weeks since my last surgery, and I sleep maybe a couple hours a night. I'm pain all then damn time. Hell typing hurts! I just pray shooting even a .308 Win will not force me to confine my outdoor sports to fishing.

Having no Idea of your pain tolerance, or what you are hunting. Another good Question is are you a handloader. You can take alot of the kick out of a rifle with a reduced load. I would suggest the 6.5x55 or the 260 Rem. Both can handle you to elk or better with the right bullets. And with a properly fitted gun should not be to bad on the shoulder. If you couldn't handle the recoil of these rounds then one step down with a 257 bob is a noticable difference in recoil. I would have a good recoil pad installed and then find a real good shoulder pad. Not sure of the name of these things but I have seen them from time to time on the range. There is always the .243 calibers. They can kill deer with no trouble.

PS I had no idea you were three weeks out of the operating room. I suggest sleep and a lot of pain medicine.

Have you ever tried shooting a Browning BAR? I have one in .270 and it is the softest shooting high power rifle I have. Seems about comparable to a .243 Bolt Action. I dont shoot it often as its a pain to clean but the rifle is capable of 1 MOA groups. Best I can do with it is 1.25. Very cool rifle.

No one talks about them much here I guess for fear of being belittled. I know the last time I posted anything about it some guys here posted how silly it was for a true hunter to use a semi-auto and that only "squirrels" use them. But I am telling ya and I dont care what anybody says. Those rifles are known for bolt action accuracy and fun to shoot.

nothing wrong with the BARs, semiautos are lighter in my experience than most bolts unless you are willing to carry the 10pounder around. A 260 would be nice even a 257bob as mentioned with the 115gr TSX will flatten all critters hit in the boiler room. HAPPY HUNTING

Lot's of stuff affects recoil:
1. Weight of the rifle.
2. Weight of the bullet.
3. Weight of the powder charge.
4. Velocity of the bullet.

Then there are the things that affect the feel of recoil:
1. The design of the stock.
2. The fit of the stock.
3. The type of recoil pad.
4. The cheek weld.

Practice with light recoiling rounds, as that is the majority of your shooting. A couple a little stiffer in the field won't do too much damage, I wouldn't think. Best wishes with finding the perfect combination and killing some game.

An AR in .308 would be a valid option as well.

First rifle I shot after snapping my collarbone was my 300 win.It was one of those times it was gonna beat me or I it.Yup thought about going to the 270 but glad I never.Wasn't sure if it was going to snap the shoulder or not.Guess I won that round.

You might try a Bell and carlson stock. The last one I owned was as "soft" as a stock as I have ever had. It absorbed recoil wonderfully.

The other option would seem to me.. a Muzzle brake. For all the noise and blast they seem to cause.. they do cut down on recoil quite a bit and when the shoulder recovers.. cut it off.

308 with a brake.. should be fairly mild.

What about trying a Past recoil pad that you strap on and across your shoulder? I use one at the range, and it works great. They come in various thickness sizes depending on recoil you expect to encounter. The pad really distributes the felt recoil too.

I know this may be anathema, but have you ever thought of a muzzle brake? Yes, they do make the report almost ear-splitting, not that the report from a non-braked rifle is pleasant, but they also GREATLY reduce recoil. At the range you'll want to wear both ear plugs and shooting muffs and, perhaps, go at a time when there are few, if any, other shooters.

I am man enough to admit I am a wimp when it comes to recoil. About seven years ago, I had a muzzle brake put on my .30-06, and though I long thought it was a mistake, as I've aged I've grown to like it more and more. It's definitely improved my ability to shoot accurately. Now I can shoot off of the bench while testing handloads all day long without adverse effect. In the past, a half dozen full-tilt loads was my limit before flinching set in.

While I am hunting, I wear an earplug in my left ear to help with the report, but I guess something like a Walker's Game Ear would work too. Why the left? It seems like that's the one that takes the brunt of the noise. In the open, the right ear doesn't seem to be impacted much at all.

Just a thought.

Someone else mentioned trying a .260 Rem. While I have no experience with the round, if I had to do it over again, as I've stated elsewhere, I'd probably go with a 7-08 or a .260 Rem., both of which, I've no doubt, would be plenty adequate WITH A GOOD BULLET AND PROPER SHOT PLACEMENT INSIDE OF SANE RANGES for any ungulate, from moose on down.

Good luck with whichever avenue you choose and let us know how things turn out.
DAL357

I'm thinking 25-06 or 7-08, probably leaning 7-08 since you are an elk hunter.

My Kimber Montana in 7-08 feels like a 243 to me - even with 140's. The stock is that good in absorbing recoil. 120 TSX's in that rig should cover it without beating you up, and you can go up the ladder on bullet weight as you can tolerate it and as your hunting needs dictate.

Of course 100 TSX's in the 25-06 would likely do the same, it's just not quite as versatile for heavier bullets.

Hope the shoulder heals soon...

Take care,

DJ

DAL357 you're right the muzzle brake will work much better at reducing recoil. I have a 7MM Remington and its felt recoil is the same as my .243

I loaded up some 120TSX's in a rifle I borrow out as a "kids" gun. It's a Vanguard compact (20"bbl,youth stock), weighs 8.5# all up. It'll spit the 120's right @ 3000fps with 45gn of R-15. That combo absolutly knocked a doe off her feet @ 425yds for my young cousin this season. I'd have no reservations about an elk or sheep at the same range or a touch further.

IMO, less recoil than my 6.6# Kimber MT in 243 shooting 85's @ 3200fps.

I'll second the recommendation for the Past recoil pad that straps to your shoulder.
Three days after I got out of the immobilizer after bone spur/rotator cuff/biceps tendon surgery, I was able to comfortably shoot my 45-70 with Buffalo Bore loads when I used the thin pad to spread the recoil over a larger area.

With Nosler Partitions, the 30-06 recoiling class of cartridges can be downloaded to do exactly what you need. This would include the 270, 308, 280, etc. Just lighten up on the bullet weight a bit and reduce the velocity a couple hundred feet a second and you'll be in business.

Wayne

The .250 Savage would be a good choice for deer, although perhaps not the best for elk.

Mando - had shoulder surgery in August. Wasn't at all sure about hunting this fall.

Started back in with the .22 rimfire. Tried the .223 AR-15. Bumped up to my favorite deer rifle, a .25-06 and found that all was well. That rifle has a real cushy "limbsaver" recoil pad, which I always thought was sort of silly, but this season, I truly appreciated it.

Took a mulie with it in early November, about a month ago. Have now graduated back up to shooting my .300 WSM, but am still fighting shy of the .45-70 Marlin. Maybe some other year...

Have been out 'yote hunting with the .25-06 too.

The .25-06, my .204 Ruger and my .308 Winchester are my best shooting buddies right now. No pain to the shoulder, although I've held shooting sessions with the bigger guns to 20 rounds or less. Am thinking that your .270 idea is a good one. Excellent deer cartridge and it can be loaded for bigger game if you're interested in elk or bear. A good recoil pad, like a limbsaver, is nice. Really nice.

Might even consider a muzzle brake - although they're louder than all get out!

Best of luck to ya! Guy

Thanks, guys, for your help. I have considered weight as an option in reducing recoil, but I won't know for sure for many months how strong my right side will be. I don't want to go too light a cartridge; however, I do have immense respect for the venerable .25-06 Rem. I do think for infrequent elk use, it will more than suffice.

I was hoping to get maximum performance out of a reduced recoil rifle, hence the semiauto inquiry. Surprisingly, my Sako Classic 7MM Rem Mag recoils about like my Featherweight .308 Win, but it weighs about 10 pounds. Maybe my best bet is to go with some sore of recoil reducer/diffuser such as one worn over my shoulder.

BTW, should I have success with a BAR in .308 Win, then that's the way I'll go.