Going deaf and blind from the muzzle blast

[jaysouth]

Here is my 7600Police that I bought new last year on an internet board.  The muzzle flash and noise are so bad that I have loaded it down to a .30-30 level with cast bullets.  Which is fine for the short distances that I hunt.  The Truglo red/green dot is a great sight for the price and works well in a blind.  I am not sure I would try carrying it through the woods.


I once loaded us some 147 pulldowns over 40 something grs. of H-335.  The muzzle blast was so bad that I was invited to leave the firing line until everyone else left. LOL

[RevJim]

 Try a Smith Enterpise "vortex" flash suppressor, very effective. I had one put on an M1A and it works swell. The blast, well, try a reduced load (300 savage level) with a heavy bullet and slow powder instead of a light bullet/fast powder. Let us know how it turns out for you.

[jaysouth]

I am now loading a 165 gr. cast bullet over 14 grs. of Red Dot.  This would be a sub-marginal loading for 100 yards and over, but at the ranges where I hunt, it knocks whitetails DRT(dead right there) at 30-50 yards. 
Last week I shot a freezer doe (about 100 pounds on the hoof, I would guess) at 20 yards from my blind.  The cast bullet went through the ribs, hit both lungs and lodged under the skin on the other side.  Maybe she ran 10 feet after being hit.
 

[RevJim]

Sounds like a good combo! I hunted with a guy one year in SE Texas who had a Mod 742 carbine, also in 30.06. The blast and flame were terrible! I was trying to help him get it zeroed at 100 and he did good to keep them in a 8" paper plate. I tried to get him to settle down and do better, but, he wouldn't do it. He was too proud to admit the thing bothered him. Oh yea, this was w/o hearing protection too! I knew I never wanted a short barreled 30.06, ever, ha. I think you are on the right track, making it shootable. I bet that 165 cast load would ruin any zombies day also! Congrats on the doe!