Trouble shooting my 30-06. 308 less kick?

[tuckersdaddy]

One more thing to condsider is does your rifle fit you? Length of pull can have a huge effect on where the but get placed on your shoulder. I have a Rem 7600 in an '06 and between the light weight and poor fitmet i simply cant shoot it. Now my big bores, 45-70, 444 marlin and my previous 50 beawolf all are managable because the guns simply fit better. Adjustable stocks, or shims on the recoil pads can make a big difference particularly when you start adding clothing on for the hunt.

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[uberyan]

.308 and 30-06 are close enough that it will greatly depend on the rifle itself IMHO.

I've shot the M1 garand in 30-06 and it felt fine even with a wood stock without a recoil pad.

Whereas the M1a Socom in .308 had a noticeable messy feeling kick.

I use a ruger bolt action in .308, very lightweight synthetic stock and recoil doesn't bother me at all. 

As someone else mentioned, if you like your current rifle I'd look into an upgraded recoil pad or muzzle brake or combination of both.

Tried a Sako bolt action in 308 with a muzzle brake and it felt like a plinking gun.

[peepsight]

On 11/23/2016 at 4:06 PM, Dan.NY said:

Sadly my shoulders are not what they should be due to joint disease.  I had surgery on the one and the other is not well either. I was trying to shoot my savage 30-06 last week and was shooting like garbage. Bad groupings, missing the target at 100 yards. I am pretty sure its due to the recoil and me knowing its gonna hurt like hell. I even shot reduced recoil and still had issue. I also put 2 180 grains through it and had issue lifting my arm fully for 3-4 days. So... I am looking at new rifles, thinking a 308 (maybe a 7m 08). For those who have shot both, the recoil is noticeably less than 30-06?????? I have shot a 308 only a few times when my shoulder was a little worse and it was hard to tell.

I do have a reloader and have wavered back and fourth about trying my hand at home reloads. Never set it up but I have all I need. I just don't shoot enough to warrant it really and am not sure I could cut down recoil any more than the reduced recoil loads from Hornady. 

Comments are welcome..

 

I didn't read every comment on this post so forgive me if this was mentioned but when your on the bench what's your set up? Do the first couple shots hurt or does it take a bunch?
I left my 06 behind yrs. ago for the same reason and went to the 243 as mentioned by so many here. But ... since that time I have found the caldwell lead sled allows me to stay on the bench longer because I'm not taking the beating. That way I get the gun ( rifle,shotgun,etc) where I want it. In most cases, out hunting, your not going to be taking a bunch of shots (hopefully) and if your confident from the time on the bench that's huge.

[NYBowhunter]

243 or 30-30.

[chas0218]

How good of a shot are you? I would go .243 tikka t3 drive tacks and very light recoil. My wife's gun is a .243 and with 95/100gr. bullets it will drop deer in their tracks no problem. Put one in the boiler room and it won't go far, longest track was maybe 20 yards. Shoot them in the neck and they drop.

[moog5050]

30-30 has almost no kick (or at least I feel none)

[Culvercreek hunt club]

58 minutes ago, moog5050 said:

30-30 has almost no kick (or at least I feel none)

but you are 6'-11" and 325#...lol

[moog5050]

44 minutes ago, Culvercreek hunt club said:

but you are 6'-11" and 325#...lol

Will hit 275 by summer, but then again I say that every year.  Pretty sure I will never hit 6'11" unless I am cut in half and stretched a bit.

[wildcat junkie]

7mm-08, 7X57 Mauser, 260 Remington, 6.5X55, 257 Roberts

Edited January 5, 2017 by wildcat junkie

[Steuben Jerry]

My wife shoots a 7mm-08. When I was sighting it in, I fell in love with it. Very little recoil, but very nice ballistics.

Her first deer with it was about a 160 yd shot, and the deer traveled 0 yds.

Nice caliber for whitetails, and/or sensitive shoulders.

 

Edited January 5, 2017 by Steuben Jerry

[Pygmy]

2 hours ago, moog5050 said:

30-30 has almost no kick (or at least I feel none)

Holy crap....That's because you're big as a TRUCK !!.....hehehehe...

[WNYBuckHunter]

I have a 308 with a brake, has about the same recoil as my 223. Its louder than all get out, but it doesnt have much recoil at all.

[mac]

Limbsaver recoil pads work well

[moog5050]

49 minutes ago, Pygmy said:

Holy crap....That's because you're big as a TRUCK !!.....hehehehe...

Cmon now Pygmy.  Enough with the fat jokes.  30-30 is pretty darn mild for anyone, I think.  

[hunter]

7mm-08 won't hurt and can handle larger game. Good luck.

[Buckmaster7600]

Granted it's probably my heaviest rifle but my H&R handi in 30-30 doesn't kick, it kicks less than my 410 for sure.


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[Pygmy]

19 minutes ago, moog5050 said:

Cmon now Pygmy.  Enough with the fat jokes.  30-30 is pretty darn mild for anyone, I think.  

Who said you were fat, Ya Big Chooch...??  As far as I know, you're all MUSCLE....

I kinda thought you were like Chuck Norris, only three times bigger..

[stubborn1VT]

Limbsaver recoil pad X2.  I use it on my 7 Rem Mag.  It works.

[wildcat junkie]

3 hours ago, mac said:

Limbsaver recoil pads work well

 

2 hours ago, stubborn1VT said:

Limbsaver recoil pad X2.  I use it on my 7 Rem Mag.  It works.

Pachmayr Decelerator is a good one too.