Need less recoil than my .30-06 - opinions?

[Selmer]

Okay, I'm man enough to admit, my shoulders hurt when I'm not shooting, and my M70 FWT in .30-06 is just brutal to me on the bench.  I like the rifle, it shoots well and has killed dozens of deer for me.  But with my unexplained shoulder pain right now, I need a lighter kicking option.  I do all of my own handloading and have had a long love affair with the .243 Win, but the only one we have my mother shoots, and I'm moved out with my own family now.  I'm looking at possibly the .243, .260 Rem., or 7mm-08.  I have had a .308 in the past and it was redundant with my .30-06 around, so I traded it, and it honestly didn't kick much less.  What do you guys think?  What caliber should I get, one of these or something else entirely.  I'm looking at open country deer hunting out to 300 yds, and yes, I know a .243 will kill deer at that range, I've done it with my mother's and 100 gr. Partitions.  I'm not trying to start a .243 deer rifle debate, I know it's enough and that's all that matters, but are the others in the same recoil class or are they considerably more recoil?
Thanks for the help!
Selmer
PS  Should I hang on to the .30-06?  I'd like to, but that will be financially tight. It's a beautiful Classic FWT stainless, I fell in love with the looks when I bought it.

[elmer]

What weight bullet are you using in your 30-06? I would think that at that range you may want a fast / light weight round. I normally shoot 165gr, but I have shot 150's and 180's. The 150's seem to have less kick. I don't reload so I haven't played with different powders and powder loads. You may want to try a recoil pad or adding weight.

When my wife first learned to shoot the instructor had bullet proof vests (used ones that he bought from the police dept) that he issued to the students. That way they concentrated on their shooting and not the recoil. You could add some padding. This would be mostly for practice. When hunting I don't notice the recoil at all.

As far as different calibers, I have a 7mm-08 that I love to shoot. I just don't use it for hunting because it's too pretty.  I would love to have one in stainless with a synthetic stock to actually hunt with.

[Selmer]

I spent a year trying to develop an accurate 150 gr. load, and this 165 gr. load is the ONLY load that this gun likes unfortunately.  I have used various methods of increasing weight and using recoil pads, none of which have been satisfactory.  Filling the buttstock with 7 1/2 shot worked, but talk about a balance issue in the field!  I have used a recoil shield as well, but this doesn't do much for me.  I have a good Pachmayr pad on it at the moment.  If I could load this thing down I would, but it does not respond well to reduced loads. 
Selmer

[Don Fischer]

Have you concidered a 25-06?

[Texas Hunter]

There's more than one to skin a cat Selmer.
I dont think i would get rid of the rifle.
Perhaps you should try some of Remingtons or Federals low recoil ammo for your 06.
Then you will most definitely have much lower recoil.
Not long ago at the range i witnessed a kid about 12 using his Dad's Rem. model 7 in 308 at the range.
He was using the Rem managed recoil ammo and was not affected at all by the recoil.
Pretty impressive.
Having owned a 7mm-08 and 308 there isn't that much difference in recoil.
In fact in my model 7 in 7mm-08 i personally thought the kick and barrel whip was worse than my Rem. 600 in 308.
Unless you reload i wouldn't touch the .260 simply because of ammo cost and availability and frankly i have strong doubts the rifle will still be chambered in that caliber the next five years or so.

Of course if you buy another rifle then a 243 which is a favorite of mine will work like a charm.
You can always hunt down a used plastic stocked Rem 700 at a gunshow or else where for a pretty decent price.

[K.K]

Remington makes reduced 30-06 loads, that may help

[backstrap]

get u a 25-06  or get u some 125gr remington ammo and have fun with your 06i used to shot 165gr in my ruger 06 and i went to 150 u wouldnt think there was much diffrant in the recoil but there was just think how less recoil a 125gr bullet would be fore the 06 i havent shot any but i know a guy that deer hunts with this round and he loves it he is a older gentelmen and he said they a gravy to shoot

[demented]

Have you tried a Limb Saver pad by Simms?  I have one of these on my New England single shot 3.5" 12 ga. Turkey model shotgun. Still kicks but it does stop dislocted shoulders and/or broken collar bones.  Barring this a 7mm-08 with a 130 grain bullet should kick quite a bit less than the typical 30-06 with a 165.

[300winny]

Hi there, i use the remington managed recoil ammo in my 06 for ground hogs and i can see my bullets impact the target, i think they  kick less than my 243 win 100 grainers do, but thats just my 2 cents.

[BRL]

Don't know if this is an option... I have an 06 in a semi auto that feels like, or a little more than, my .243. Maybe a nice auto in .308, .25-06, 7mm-08 would be very comfortable for you and continue to provide the same performance on game that you are used to. Just a different thought.

[Dave in WV]

If you reload Hodgdon has "youth" loads that have reduced recoil. By all means keep the M70 as you shoulder may get better. As posted already Remington has factory reduced recoil loads. Try a PAST recoil shield. It slips over your shoulder and really helps.

[RaySendero]

Selmar,

The guys have already hit on both of my suggestions:

1)  http://www.remington.com/products/ammunition/centerfire/managed-Recoil.asp

     http://www.midwayusa.com/ebrowse.exe/browse?CurrentSort=manufacturer_a&CurrentCountRet=2000&CurrentManufacture=AnyCompany&CategoryString=653***690***&CategoryID=7529&BrandID=&page=1&KeyWord=&TabID=3&company_select=1601&search_keywords2=&sort1=manufacturer_a&PageSelect=1&RecordsReturned=2000&PageSelect2=1&RecordsReturned2=2000

2)  Or reload 125 to 150s with IMR-4895.  IMR-4895 can be used for reduced (less than 90% loads) safely.  Don't have a specific recipe for reduced load but do some searches and you should find some.  You may need to use a filler - don't remember.

My recommendation is to get a box of the Rem light loads and try them first.  What you got to loose - the cost of one box!  Heck bet you've already spent many times this $$.$$ already!

[slim]

257 roberts

[smokepolehall]

Selmar, keep yer 30-06 most all rifles have recoil. You can build the same reduced loads as the factory offerings. We all know the heavier the bullet equals more recoil. Try some mid to low powder charges. Then if it still is bad get a Tikka in 6.5x55!

[Type99]

I think a 7mm-08 would fit your requirements quite nicely.  In a light handling bolt action, it is nice little package, and plenty of punch for hunting.

Cheers,
Gary

[30-06man]

get a sims and a shooting shirt and use them. then hold the gun tight into your shoulder and you probably won't notice it in the woods. try the manged recoil loads. if all else fails get a handi rifle in .243

[hillbill]

heck i wouldnt sell that 06 either, but if your looking for a nice rifle thats accurate and low recoiling... and kills deer good, i would go with the 6.5x55 or its modern counterpart the .260 rem.a lightweight 06 is going to kick, thats a given. if you ever spend some time with a 6.5 or 260, and i dare yu to shoot it side by side with the 06 out to 300 yrds, it will suprise yu.you could go with a nice medium heavy constructed bullet in the 125 grn range in your 06 if yu hand load but i havent had good luck with light bullets in the 06 as far as killing power goes on deer, but that may be just my experience.

[30-06man]

the manged recoil will kill a deer easy. if not better with the way that bullet expands

[Rudy]

I'd try the managed recoil ammo too. I tried it in the 7mm mag and it did help. I would also suggest the 25-06.

[lewdogg21]

Selmer - What did you do?

My first deer rifle was a .257 Ackley Improved.  Very similar to a .257 Roberts.  Light recoil and you can get 117 or 120 grain factory loads.  Kills stuff dead btw.

[David Carey]

I have had a Remington 270 for about 25 years and it was brutal to shoot it hurt but I just thought that was the way it was, 3 years ago I bought a Weatherby in 300 win mag for Elk and was really ready for the recoil after hearing all the stories.

Well what happened was the 300 was a dream to shoot. So I went to the 270 and put a new limbsaver recoil pad on it and now my youngest daughter shoots it. Keep the gun look into another recoil pad, and ammo like others have said.

Dave

[Two Bears]

257 roberts

Yep, what he said....257 Roberts

[giturgun]

I use a ruger m77 mk 2 ultralight in 06 . Have had this rifle for about 4 years. When I first got it and shot from the bench the boat paddle stock was killer. 3 shots and it would bruise my shoulder leaving the marks of the ribs in the stock , no kidding . I am not normally recoil sensitive , but this thing was killing me, I considered selling it , but I like the action and it is stainless steel which I also like a lot. Finally purchased a Ram line stock and the recoil went down a lot. But what really tamed the rifle was a purchase of the Bell and Carson it now wears. Shot it yesterday with 165 Win silvertips , and was shooting the 96 Sweed at the same range session . The Sweed also wears a Band C stock with a timney trigger and barrel cut to 17 inches. The amazing thing is the m77 with silver tips recoils more than the Sweed , but is so managable now. Get a good stock , not a cheap one , try the limb saver first , if you still have recoil issues , get the good stock and put the limb saver on it also.

                                                        That is my 2 pennies worth and I'm sticking to it

[Siskiyou]

Well my son-in-law is trying to bury me early.  After stuffing me with a fine turkey dinner he wanted to know if I was willing to donate a .270 Winchester to him. 

I told him that he had the option back when he ended up with the 30-06 I had, but he would have to wait another 10 or 15 years for my .270’s. 

He then asked for advice on a rifle that produced less recoil then the –06 and was not as heavy, and is effective at long ranger.

We decided that anything 300 yards is long range and his limit.

His current interest is in the (my) .270 Winchester. 

I told him that there were a number of good rounds that would fill the bill and named off a few.  I am a big fan of the .270 Winchester but not blind to other calibers.

The 7MM-08, 260 Remington, 308 Winchester, and 25-06. 

Like most family men funds are limited so it is better to buy a rifle on sale.  When we looked at sale adds the most common options are the 30-06, .270 Winchester, .308 Winchester, and .243 Winchester.  Ammunition for these calibers along with 30-30 are commonly on sale.

What are his issues with his 30-06?
1.   He is recoil sensitive.
2.   His –06 is heavy.
3.   He wants another rifle.

I just run the numbers using the Beartooth Bullets calculator.  My reloads in the .270 compared with my reloads in his 30-06 are a wash.  Because of work I have never been out with him when he sighted his rifle in.  But I think he is beating himself up at the bench.  A change of methods at the bench and a new recoil pad might make the –06 more pleasant.

With the same loads and when it was my –06 a young woman in law enforcement fired of twenty rounds from different field positions without a complaint.

I must agree the rifle is heavy.  But when you give up weight you increase recoil.

I went back to the Recoil Calculator and felt the following rounds would be suit him, 243 Winchester, 260 Remington, 25-06 Remington, and 7MM-06.