I freely admit I’m a recoil wuss. I’m on my second 300 with a brake, a Tikka. The rifle shoots awesome, but I just don’t like the percussion that comes of the brake.

I’m willing to add some weight in exchange for less recoil. I once had a Weatherby Vanguard 2 in 7 RM that seemed to tame the recoil pretty good. My first was a Win EW that I found the recoil to be too harsh so I put the brake on.

Any thoughts?

One thing to be aware of is that felt recoil is influenced by stock fit and by stock design. A stock that fits well will produce less felt recoil. And certain stock designs, even when well fitting, will increase felt recoil.

Which design is best for you, and what fits you is very personal. If your serious about reducing felt recoil, a visit to a rifle-stock fitter is worth the expense. Even if you don't get a custom made stock for you, knowing what works and what doesn't, will help you choose a factory stock that is best for you.

JMHO

One thought would be considering the actual need for a 300 magnum.

What brand of brake are you using?

One, in a practical sense for the vast majority of hunting, a .308 will do most everything you likely need, without the recoil and you won’t need a brake. Second, stock design! You want little to no drop at the heel and a negative forward cant to the comb. I think some palm swell helps too. Forget about light rifles also. If you must have a magnum, you want 7.5-8# to the gun minimum.

.................................Everything has trade offs and some compromising. For starters, why not just try a $20-$25 slip on/slip off recoil pad for some more recoil absorption? Without using the brake maybe your recoil pad on the Tikka is not quite absorbing enough felt recoil?............Try a slip on without using the brake and see how she feels...........I use a Limbsaver slip on for my 'lil 300 WSM Ruger Frontier compact........Does a good job.

This^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Find a smith who fits stocks. As an example, I had a post 64 M70 in 30-06 that weighed about 9 1/4 lbs. I replaced it with a M700 30-06 with a stock that was fit for me that weighs 7 1/4 lbs. With the same 180gr load clocking 2800fps the lighter rifle has far less felt recoil. When I got my 375 H&H I took it to my smith and had him duplicate the dimensions of the 30-06. The difference between the factory stock and the custom fit is night and day.

I have a beater 300 WM, older Savage 111, the LH version of the old 110. The stock has been painted with truck bed liner & krylon.
The felt recoil was terrible, I shortened the stock and put on a fairly thick shotgun recoil pad. Good enough now.

Senderos are nice, heavy, not a walk about type rifle.

I’ll be different and recommend practicing with the brake more. I really didn’t like brakes until I put one on a 22-250 so I could spot the hits on prairie dogs though scope. The percussion from the brake bothered me and I didn’t like using it. Now several tens of thousands of rounds later it doesn’t bother me at all. It’s all in practice and getting used to it.

Nothing will tame the recoil like a brake and once you get used to them you don’t notice them.

The simple answer is to provide more rifle weight. The other alternative is to shoot a much more shoulder friendly cartridge.

Well, to answer the title to the thread, of the over a dozen 300 Win mags I've owned, for some reason, the Cooper model 52 soaks up recoil better than any I've owned. Maybe it's stock fit. Who knows? I do know two things OP. You are shooting a very lightweight rifle to be shooting a 300 Win mag and, all else being equal, weight is your friend when it comes to recoil.

The heaviest.

Just step down to a 7mm Remington Mag and enjoy shooting your rifle instead of dreading the recoil.

There are no flies on the 7mm Rem Mag.

Have you considered a suppressor?

Sendero and similar work well w/o a brake. I like the brakes that have three big perpendicular holes in them. Have never noticed the blast when behind the rifle. I had one put on a Mod 700 Classic ( its sorta heavy by itself) and it was a sweetherat. My recent Kimber 8400 300 WSM feels like a 30-06, with no brake. I have a very light Kimber 84L classic in 270 that is also a kitten to shoot w/o a brake. Since I like to walk around and Still-Hunt I like the light rifles. If I was to sit in a Box Stand in Texas, the heavier the better and at least a 4.5x14 something scope!

As others have said, weight is your friend in that cartridge. Stock fit also plays a big role. I've owned a couple of 300WMs but I no longer own them. The first was an older 700 BDL Deluxe. It wasn't fun to shoot for me, but it wasn't terrible. The second was a Browning BAR. Even though it was heavier than the 700, and had the added benefit of the gas recoil system, it was almost painful for me to shoot. It quickly went down the road.

Look into a .308

Exactly.

Or 30-06, 280 Rem/AI, 270, 7mm-08, etc. Why punish yourself with recoil when going down in cartridge will provide the same terminal and ballistic performance bundled in lighter/compact rifle platform, with an added round in the magazine. I personally despise brakes for the noise and will never consider them as an option. Other folks have no issue with them.

Good luck!

You might look into getting one of these if you are stuck on 300 mag

https://www.brownells.com/shooting-...d-stock-recoil-suppressor-prod85602.aspx

https://www.ballisticproducts.com/Dead-Mule-Recoil-Reducer-standard-model/productinfo/1510502/

Alternatives to what has been proposed.

YMMV

David

To answer a few questions, i'm using the 300 for spot & stalk black bear and elk, out to 500 yards. I currently have a Limbsaver recoil pad on the rifle. The brake is a Muzzle Brakes & More 4 port side discharge. I have considered a suppressor, but they expensive and add a whole lot of length.

And for your needs something like a 30-06, 280Rem/AI, 270, 308, 7mm-08, etc will suit you just as well as the 300WM, without the punishing recoil or excessive weight. My argument would be they would serve you better! My bet is you will definitely shoot them better.

After sitting idle in the safe for several years I sold my 7mmRM and my 300W is for sale. They have been replaced and enjoyed way more with a 270W and a 30-06. I gained lighter, better balancing rifles that were more suitable for spot and stalk and gave up the excessive recoil. 😎

Why not just get a 6.5 Creed and be done with it?😁.....Hb

30-06 and a Decel pad.

Already have one.

A lot of the recoil of the 300WM is the propellant load. The 300 WSM actually does kick and boom less because it uses a lot less propellant for, at least in factory ammo, just about the same performance. But as many have said, if you're not shooting much past 500 yards, you can push 180 partitions or accubonds fast enough with a 30-06 to kill elk and black bears well.

What kind? A heavier one...or use a .308 or 30 06

BAR. Between the weight and the gas operation, probably the nicest
recoiling sporting rifle you will find.

I bought a slightly used 1st gen ss M700 bdl with Remington Tupperware stock in 300 Win mag, it did not take long to figure out why it got traded off. A lot of felt recoil, the original pad was hard as a rock. I replaced it with a Sims Limbsaver which made it comparable to my 700 adl in 270 win recoil wise. Stock fit is very important. Put a limbsaver on it first, then see if you need more
MB

A lot of panzies have answers........
but not for your question.

Proper stock fit and good recoil pad makes ALL the difference.

Had the SAME problem with a 338 WM in a Ruger 77 O G tanger. The same cartridge in a 700 BDL was a WORLD of
difference. Even my 700 BDL 8mm RM is pleasant.

I will repeat myself. Stock fit is everything. You will have the added advantage of a rifle that naturally comes to your shoulder and the crosshairs will just appear on what you are looking at as easy as pointing your finger. And it's a lot cheaper than buying another rifle, especially another one that doesn't fit.

Excellent! You already have the perfect recoil wuss cartridge. The 6.5 Creed is a magical cartridge that can do almost anything including leap tall buildings with a single bound 👍....Sell the .300 Win and go forth and kill chit with the mighty Creed....Hb

Weatherby Vanguard does a pretty good job of soaking up recoil. My brothers 300 Wby shocked me with it's apparent lack of recoil. I had to read the casestamp to see that it really was a 300 bee. My Mark V kicked like a mule in comparison.

As others have mentioned stock fit and weight. My Tikka T3 Lite .300 WSM kicks like a mule compared to my Rem 700’s in .300 WM and .300 WSM, even more than my Ruger 77 Hawkeye .338 WM. Heck, the Ruger kicks less than all of the above I shoot. The stock fits the best over the other 3 and weighs more. All 4 have a synthetic stock and all but one wear a Limbsaver recoil pad.

Blacktailer... I 'really' read your first post & shinbone's (unlike some who jump into the middle or end of a discussion).
So unless you consider yourself a 'panzy', I weren't talking about you.



No offense to you at all.

Jerry

The stock and the pad makes all the difference in the world.I can shoot a Remington 700 300 Win Mag with their Limbsaver pad all day long no problem.I had a Browning with a hard rubber pad in a 300 Win Mag that would leave you black and blue after a few shots.Put a Limbsaver slip on pad on that same rifle and it was a world of difference,really tamed it down.I had a Remington 30-06 that had an old Pachmayr ventilated recoil pad on it.It kicked harder than my 300 Win Mags.A few shots with that rifle would leave you with bruises.Switched the pad to a Remington Limbsaver and it felt like a different rifle.I have a Sako Big Game 30-06 with their synthetic stock.That rifle is the most pleasant shooting 30-06 rifle without a brake I have ever shot.It almost feels like shooting one with a brake.So if you have a rifle that hurts you when you shoot it,do something about it.The pad is the easiest and cheapest place to start.You will probably shoot a lot better too if your rifle doesn't hurt you.

Jerry,
None taken. I was just thinking of the old saying "You can lead a horse to water..."
Russ

As others have said stock fit primary and weight too. I had a Tikka in 270 and scope bit myself twice with it. Replace it with a Bergara Ridge and recoil is noticeably less. I also have a Ridge in 300WM with a brake by MBM and it recoils like a 243. I don't notice any percussion from the brake either.

Kimber Montana soaks up recoil very well for a featherweight rifle. It’s all in stock design and materials. Other than that the heaviest one you are comfortable using.

It was exactly the opposite for me. I had one in .308 that seemed to amplify recoil. It was very accurate, but very unpleasant to shoot.

My .300 Win Mag MRC has a MRC brake on it and while loud has mild recoil and is very pleasant to shoot. I shot over 50 rounds off the bench in one sitting doing load testing, no big deal.

I have a Browning Eclipse M1000 in 300 WinMag that shoots the heaviest loads with the recoil of a 243, but the rifle weighs in at 11.25 lbs with scope. I have both of the BOSS brakes, the ported and the conventional recoil model. The ported one really tames the recoil, but the noise level is right up there. the weight of the rifle mitigates the recoil well. It shoots like a lazer guided missile. It's pretty beefy,though.

Another consideration is what the brake is doing to your ears. According to Mule Deer, a braked .300 can damage your ears even with plugs and muffs, because some of the noise comes through your skull. Your choice, of course, but I'd not use something like that myself unless there was no other option. I'm not an ear- ninny either; I hunt with my needle-blowers with no protection ordinarily, though I now have a set of clamping muffs I might try from a stand.

You asked for thoughts.

the Weatherby 300 mag seems not so bad on recoil But the Howa 1500 in 300 win mag hits a tad harder or it seems to me Have a 375 in a Weatherby and that is a shoulder bruiser and the 416 rigby I use in Africa seems to be a tad lighter than the 375.

I have a Vanguard 300 Wby that I hunt with every year. It is a little heavy and I guess the stock fits me well. I don't notice the recoil at all shooting it at game.
The thing about it is when you shoot an animal with it they drop dead from my experience. No tracking or dragging out of a thicket required. You shoot and walk to where the animal was standing and put your tag on it. It's worth 30 extra grains of powder not to drag them to me.

Lighter bullets and lighter charges of faster burning powder are two other considerations.

Sir,

I imagine you can fix your problem rather easily. Take a drill bit and create a void in your stock. Insert lead into the new void until the recoil is more to your agreement. Happy Trails.

Stock fit is an individual thing. I have found the Mark V stock with the cast off keeps the stock and thumb off the cheekbone. I don't really mind the .300 Weatherby of mine but a buddy’s Vanguard seem to have more felt recoil with the same load.

It's the exact opposite for me. I'm short and husky without much of a neck and a weatherby stock on anything feels like someone is hitting me in the cheek with a 2x4

My Browning X-bolt stalker in 325WSM has very tolerable recoil - must be the stock design because it is relatively light. I presume the 300WSM would be similar. Don't think they make one in 300WM though.

If you're stuck on a 300WM, I suggest you shoot a Browning X-Bolt in 300WM. With it's recoil pad and stock design, I think you will be pleasantly surprised. RJ

BAR.

I shoot a Tikka 300WM Boar Hunter with a Limbsaver recoil pad and it is not unpleasant to shoot.

They're not for everyone and a bit hard to find these days, but the old A-Square rifles were designed for big calibers, and would handle a 300 WM like a BB Gun.

I'm with Dillonbuck and Viking. I have a BAR Lightweight Stalker with a fluted barrel in 300 Win Mag and really haven't had any issues with recoil with it. I have had a few other 300s and definitely noticed recoil more with the others.

One with a muzzle brake on it ?

a heavy one.

This would answer the original question.

I've tried/built 6-7 30 cal magnum rifles between 7 and 8 lbs and didnt find anything that handles recoil well. I strongly suspect all the soft shooting 300s either weigh 9+lbs or are shooting 30-06 velocity loads, which if course never happens.......

Having been through various varieties of larger 30 cal offerings ( and several 7mm magnums), I decided I needed to either carry more rifle weight or find a smaller cartridge. I opted for the later. The 6.5 Creed proves a smaller cartridge with good bullets can get it done. Just me (flame suit on), but I want a bit more bullet weight and velocity for bigger game. I settled on the 280 AI shooting 160 Accubonds. My Kimber Montana wears a 20+ oz dialable scope. I'd wager the 160 NAB carries more velocity and has less drift than most 300 manglem loads at the 500 yard limit. I guarantee it recoils alot less.

That said a 30-06 loaded to 2800 with a 180 NAB will hang as well. Several 165 grain bewlits work well in the 06 - 165 NAB, 165 Fed Trophy have high enough initial velocity and BC to retain velocity at 500 yards. Both of these loads recoil less than a 30 cal magnum in a reasonable weight mountain-type rifle. I built one from a Kimber 8400 and an Oregon Gunsmith stock a couple years back. It weighs 7.25lbs.

Lots ways to skin this cat. I'm not a fan of recoil and have several magnum eyebrows as proof. The last several elk have died to a 270 or 308. A bit cliche but a good bullet in the right place at a useful velocity works wonders.

Well said. We don’t NEED much to get us to 500 anymore. Great bullets and powders really make a strong case for what you just mentioned.

A Tikka T3 factory recoil pad is trash and should be removed!

I thought I'd answered this thread but I guess I didn't. I don't have a .300 Win Mag, I have the Weatherby. The Mark V stock soaks up recoil pretty well but part of that is its weight. It's heavy. AND it has a brake.

The threshold of pain, I measure at ~ 20 psi.


1) The most important thing in reducing pain is increasing area of the butt.
A 200 pound woman walking on you bare foot is much more comfortable than a 100 pound woman in high heels.
The high pressure per square inch caused by high heels caused Boeing to redesign their galley floors.

2) The second most important thing is recoil pad compliance.
If it is as soft as a woman's falsie, it will just compress to easily.
If it is hard as your truck tires, it will not compress.

3) The third most important thing is recoil pad thickness.
If it is too thin, there is not enough distance for deceleration.


In conclusion, we want to spread the recoil impulse over time and area to stay under 20 psi at the shoulder.
The best recoil pads I have found is the 1" thick Limbsaver grind to fit, but left unground for more area.

The Browning with the BOSS system should be about the gentlest on the shoulder, just be sure to use PPE.

The BOSS is also perhaps the loudest brake I've ever been around.

I have a Ruger M77 MkII in 300WM, With the boat paddle stock I could shoot it well, but not for long. Put a Mcmillian on it and it is a huge difference. I think the combo of the fit of it, as well as having a much wider recoil pad makes all the difference in it.

As pointed out, recoil is such an individual thing. Fit, weight, etc. make a difference but so does the individual pulling the trigger.

As someone already suggested, I would also recommend trying a 7mm Rem Mag in a rifle with a little more weight and good stock fit with a good recoil pad, such as a 1" Decelerator. I have had 300 Win mags before, and found them unpleasant. To me, the 7mm Rem Mag is comfortable with a 160gr bullet at 3100fps or a 175gr at 2950fps. Really, the 300s don't have much on the 7 Rem mag. A factory 300 with a 180gr bullet is usually quoted around 2960fps. The 7mm with a 175 is right there with it, but with a higher BC and SD value. When combined with a premium design, like a Nosler Accubond or Partition,t he 7mm Rem Mag will handle anything in North America very well. Short of the great bears, a 7mm-08, a 270 Win or a 308 Win will also work well for you and be much more pleasant to shoot than a 300. I have killed game with a 300 as well as with lesser cartridges, and in my experience, fail to see any difference.