7mm Mag

[airedale]

The funny thing about recoil is everyone's perception is different. I have a buddy that hunts with a 300wby mag that won't shoot my 6lb 35 whelen carbine because he says it kicks too much. I don't find it to kick bad but it is "jumpy." The rifle makes as much difference as the cartridge.

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 I have to agree with Buckmaster7600, seems like everyone has a different take and evaluation of felt recoil. The only time I really notice recoil is when shooting from the bench sighting in and testing my handloads performance. If I am firing a lot of rounds out of something that belted me I would use a half full 25 lb bag of lead shot up against my shoulder which reduced recoil to very tolerable levels. 

 

I have owned a 338 Win mag in a Sako Finnbear and a 458 Win mag in a Ruger 77 both kicked pretty good but using the lead bag pad I had no problem with load development and sighting them in. When using the 338 on game, one Elk, one Caribou, one Deer and a bunch of Woodchucks just to get familiar and comfortable with the rifle in the field I never noticed the recoil very much. The 458 was one of those deals where I just had to have one to try out and play with, I never killed anything with it but I had a lot of fun.

 

Back when I worked in my buddy's sporting good's store we had a scope mounting service and sighted the gun in for customers. I always dreaded those 6 1/2 pound 12 ga Ithaca model 37 Deerslayers with slugs, they would make you cockeyed firing them from the bench.

 

 

 

Al

Edited July 17, 2016 by airedale

[eagle rider]

see that's the thing, I haven't been fortunate enough to go out west yet.  I keep missing Powerball.....  But if I do, I'm not convinced that I would use 30-06 either.  What can't it do with sensible recoil.  Maybe it's not going to be as flat at 500 yds a belted cartridge, but with good glass and a well built bullet it will knockout anything up to that distance. Am I missing something?  I could't imagine an '06 with a 180 gr monolithic or partitioned bullet would not be able to anchor a monarch class mature elk at 500 yds.....? That said the 270 WSM with identical recoil to the 30-06 again with the right load should do equally as well.  Thoughts?   

[Pygmy]

500 yards is a poke with anything but a specialized long range rig..

 

I find 400 a much more realistic "maximum range"  at least with the standard chamberings. The problem is, you can't always convince the elk to pose broadside for perfect shot placement, regardless of the range.  You need a bullet that will penetrate far enough to reach the vitals even with a less than perfect shot angle.  I'd say that within 400 yards, a 30-06 with a monolithic 165 or 180 grain bullet would be a reasonable choice.  I would a whole lot rather be able to get closer though, say within 300 yards.

[Rattler]

Regarding felt recoil, everyone should use every trick in the book to mitigate recoil when target shooting, especially from a bench.  Even a rolled up towel between your shoulder and the butt of the rifle will reduce felt recoil tremendously.  There is no need to suffer from recoil when sighting in a rifle.  When taking a shot at a game animal, you will most likely never feel the recoil at all if you are in the excited "zone" when you shoot.  I personally never feel any recoil when shooting game and often don't remember hearing a loud report when I fired the shot either.  Of course the position you shoot from, and the technique used when shooting also matters a great deal.  For example, shooting a high recoil rifle from the prone position is a bad idea.

 

The stock design has a lot to do with how much felt recoil you experience.  I prefer the stock design of Melvin Forbes, used on his Ultra Lite Arms and NULA rifles.  I believe he also designed the Kevlar/composite stocks used by Kimber.

 

All of the above should be considered if you need a magnum round for the hunting you will be doing.  But for whitetail hunting at reasonable ranges, the same considerations will make your 7mm-08 fell like a .243 or less.

[Billdogge]

Went with a 270. Should get the job done.

[Rattler]

Great whitetail round that will do the job just fine if you do your part.

 

[Trial153]

I just traded some work for a NIB Tikka T3 lite in 7mm RM along with a Zeiss Conquest hd5 ..... Since I don't gun hunt any more I think I am going to give it to my dad for out moose hunt this fall.

I have a couple boxes of 162 grain Hornady interlocks floating around my workshop...while I don't think the interlock would be my first choice for moose I think they will work.... So there is my take on the. 7mm RM lol

[Pygmy]

I just traded some work for a NIB Tikka T3 lite in 7mm RM along with a Zeiss Conquest hd5 ..... Since I don't gun hunt any more I think I am going to give it to my dad for out moose hunt this fall.

I have a couple boxes of 162 grain Hornady interlocks floating around my workshop...while I don't think the interlock would be my first choice for moose I think they will work.... So there is my take on the. 7mm RM lol

They will work just fine...

 

Where is your Dad hunting ?

 

I'd love to hunt moose again, but it probably will not happen..

[Trial153]

They will work just fine...

Where is your Dad hunting ?

I'd love to hunt moose again, but it probably will not happen..

We are both hunting together in Newfoundland

[Buckmaster7600]

Regarding felt recoil, everyone should use every trick in the book to mitigate recoil when target shooting, especially from a bench. Even a rolled up towel between your shoulder and the butt of the rifle will reduce felt recoil tremendously. There is no need to suffer from recoil when sighting in a rifle. When taking a shot at a game animal, you will most likely never feel the recoil at all if you are in the excited "zone" when you shoot. I personally never feel any recoil when shooting game and often don't remember hearing a loud report when I fired the shot either. Of course the position you shoot from, and the technique used when shooting also matters a great deal. For example, shooting a high recoil rifle from the prone position is a bad idea.

The stock design has a lot to do with how much felt recoil you experience. I prefer the stock design of Melvin Forbes, used on his Ultra Lite Arms and NULA rifles. I believe he also designed the Kevlar/composite stocks used by Kimber.

All of the above should be considered if you need a magnum round for the hunting you will be doing. But for whitetail hunting at reasonable ranges, the same considerations will make your 7mm-08 fell like a .243 or less.

I start a range session off by taking out my H&R single 10ga with a turkey load lay it across the bench and touch one off. After that even a 6lb 35 whelen feels like a 22. Since recently picking up a used custom model 7 in 350 rem mag I am amazed how "manageable" the recoil is for a very light rifle, that thing is enjoyable to shoot. But I'm sure a lot of that has to do with the stock design.

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[eagle rider]

I use to hunt with a guy who was one of the NY Giants strength coachs (back in the late 1980's).  Needless to say money was no object for him.  He was an Adirondaker (he's now gone off to the Happy Hunting Ground) and had a camp north of Saratoga.  He used 270 WCF for everything, including three trips to Maine for moose, and a bunch of trips to Ontario for Black Bear.  A gunsmith I know uses 270 WCF for Canadian Black Bear.  It's harvested scores of whitetails too.  No dust on the 270 WCF at all.  I've got an older Browning A-Bolt in 270 WCF that's been a hunting fav of mine for about 20 years.  I've hunted NY and VA with it plenty.  Great choice, ammo is far more available and less costly which means you'll shoot more and you can shoot it wearing a T-shirt without tearing your shoulder to pieces.  

Edited July 17, 2016 by eagle rider

[Pygmy]

We are both hunting together in Newfoundland

Good luck to both of you...Newfoundland is beautiful and the Newfies are a HOOT !!

 

Lots of moose, too.

 

Moose are not especially hard to kill, but they are HUGE critters, and sometimes it takes them a while to realize that they are dead.

 

You are lucky to be able to go with your Dad.  By the time I could afford an out of state hunt, my Dad was too old and his health too bad to accompany me.

[Pygmy]

Went with a 270. Should get the job done.

For game up to the size of caribou, the .270 is never a bad choice..

 

With proper bullets it will do a good job on moose and elk too..  Enjoy your rifle ..<<smile>>...

[Trial153]

Good luck to both of you...Newfoundland is beautiful and the Newfies are a HOOT !!

Lots of moose, too.

Moose are not especially hard to kill, but they are HUGE critters, and sometimes it takes them a while to realize that they are dead.

You are lucky to be able to go with your Dad. By the time I could afford an out of state hunt, my Dad was too old and his health too bad to accompany me.

Thanks ! We are looking forward to it.

[gjs4]

Have a sendero in 7rm. It likes the hornady 139 set American whitetail and 160(?) gr coreokts but obviously performs better wh and loads to which for the life of me I can't remember. It barks and jumps off a bench. I also have a 270 and don't think that is a bad round but doesn't feel like the long range gun (and mind you it is a savage 16) the rem does. I also have a 243 and more important a 257 weatherby. They all have there pluses and minuses. I would say the 7 is best for long range and offers the most versatility for game sizes and game above whitetail size. Just shooting a few rounds for deer every yr- there are better choices.

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[wolc123]

Sorta like Buckmaster7600, I always start my range sessions with a few 16 gauge slugs from my grandad's old Ithaca 37 featherlight (I have a nearly inexhaustable supply of slugs for that, purchased dirt cheap when a local sport shop closed a few years ago).  That gun is built on a frame almost as light as a 20 gauge, but fires loads almost equal in energy to a 12 gauge.  That adds up to maximum recoil, making everything else feel very tame.  My Ruger 77, 30/06 feels almost like a .22 rimfire in comparison. 

 

Folks who are bothered by recoil from any centerfire rifle should try firing slugs from a lightweight shotgun to get a "real" taste of some heavy recoil.  No centerfire rifle has impressed me much with recoil, including a Ruger Number One in 458 Win magnum.   I do "cheat" on the range with a cheap recoil pad that pins onto my shirt, but I have never noticed recoil on deer, and dozens have fallen to my old Ithaca.