Wife's rifle build - looking for thoughts and experience

So I just finished up my light .338 NM build, came in perfect just at or under 9 lbs as I planned. Only issue is....my wife wants to take it now ha ha. She loves the way the EH-1 handles, she likes the weight, and she likes the overall feel, just doesn't like the arctic camo pattern and wants a more standard camo. No problem, that can be done. But now the issue is building everything else for her, so she can have the perfect rifle.

But here is the hard part. She is pretty new to shooting, but she is good at it, we just haven't had much time due to nursing school to practice. But if I dope the rifle properly, she makes the hit. She isn't very fond of the muzzle blast from my brake though. The solution of course is to get a supressor, but here is the other side of that. We shoot a lot of elk, and most of our elk are shot at long ranges. 703, 710, 713, 810, 840, 865, and 910 just in the last 3 years for our elk.....so I would really prefer to build her something around a 30 cal 215 Berger around 2950+, but that introduces significant recoil for a relatively new shooter that I don't want developing bad habits, and while a supressor reduces recoil, I am doubtful if it would make it "new shooter" friendly in a 8-9 lb rifle, so a rifle like this would need an efficient brake.

The other option is go with a supressor, but limit it at a 6.5 using the 156 around 3000 fps or so. Which I am confident this kills elk, I used a 156 at 2940 to take two elk this year, one at 840 and another at 865. I would just feel better with something a little bigger for her, especially since we hunt in grizzly near country at times too.

So a question I have, the supressors that mount onto qd brakes, does the brake help reduce recoil at all or since it is contained and can't vent the gasses, does it not really make a difference from a direct thread? Direct thread is the only supressors I have toyed with, that and one that mounted onto a flash hider. Is there any way to supress a 8.5-9 lb rifle sending a 215 bullet around 3000 and have recoil be light, as in about like a .243 or 7mm-08? Or is it gonna have some recoil?

I have experience with all that you've mentioned above and suppressed alot bigger stuff. ive shot literally 1000's of rounds suppressed on my hunting rifles from 22LR to my 375 Cheytac and honestly I hate shooting without a good suppressor on my rifles!! And on a side note im with you wanting a bigger bullet no matter who its for.
1. the suppressor QD brake acts as a sacrificial baffle in that when suppressor is screwed on that brake now becomes the first hardest impact of the collected gases.
2. if you build a 9 pound rifle with a 13oz suppressor give or take the recoil will be more drawn out if that makes sense...you shoot a 338 norma mag broke and when you shoot it the recoil is not a lot but its there and sharper, where as a suppressor its collected and more push is involved.
3. honestly I think a 30 cal say 300 WM 215@2950 suppressed isn't that bad at all and for shooters who hate brakes because of the blast they will enjoy it more and not notice the "push" of a suppressor because there is a lack of blast! I think youll be surprised at how much more fun it is for her without that major blast every time.
4. I would say build her a 300 whatever run the 215 and get a thunderbeast ultra what ever size you want with Qd brake. I have several of these and I can honestly say they are worth every penny and probably the best suppressors ive ever used or been around!

codyadams said:

So a question I have, the supressors that mount onto qd brakes, does the brake help reduce recoil at all or since it is contained and can't vent the gasses, does it not really make a difference from a direct thread? Direct thread is the only supressors I have toyed with, that and one that mounted onto a flash hider. Is there any way to supress a 8.5-9 lb rifle sending a 215 bullet around 3000 and have recoil be light, as in about like a .243 or 7mm-08? Or is it gonna have some recoil?

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I can help with a small portion, once you screw the can onto a QD brake, now it is part of the can, it cannot do double duty. Take tbac's QD compared to direct thread, the direct thread just has the brake glued into the can.
Now I have a friend, good size guy, 5'10", 250, shoots a 17-18 lb win mag, he tried his ultra 9 30cal can on his rifle, 215 at 2960, he has a tougher time spotting shots, of coarse the recoil doesn't hurt, but rifle is tougher to handle. Another friend lent him a 338 magnum can, made a world of difference, and he shot the system well. Now he is back to the 30 cal, and will be buying a brake in the interim as it seems like it may be close to a 2yr ordeal getting a magnum can.

300 ss or 300 max would do all of what you want it sounds like.

Idaho Trecker said:

300 ss or 300 max would do all of what you want it sounds like.

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So will a standard 300 win mag

Cody, Here is a thought. 300WSM on a long (3.4"?) action. WSM is pretty soft for a 300 and very efficient. I had a 28" Abolt for a while that was that heavy and unbraked. Kicked less than a light rifle in 7-08 I had. Using the long action and throat and seating the bullets out should get you close to 2900 with a 24" barrel. Using a longer barrel would make it pretty clumsy for a girl I would think. Another thought would be the same gun with a 190ABLR. Good long range BC and it would be a great bullet for that cartridge. Would get the velocity up enough to help with wind drift. This bullet is a little soft in a RUM up close, as I have found out, I suspect it would be perfect in a WSM. She would notice the difference in recoil. And it might out perform the 215

First, light 300wsms still kick pretty good
Second, my wife has shot most of my rifles and chose to take the 28 nosler with eh5 on her elk hunt. She tried the edge, 300rum and a 7-08ai. I said no to the 7-08ai I didn't see you mention that caliber.

You can definitely mitigate recoil by going to a chambering like the 300SS or WSM, the recoil impulse is so different and less powder is less recoil vs a long action 300. I don't find a suppressed 300 with a 215 in the 2900 fps range bad at all. You might consider a 270 WSM with a 170 Berger, my wife really liked mine, enough she would burn up any ammo I had loaded in short order and it's a definite step up from a 6.5 even with the 156 you can see the difference when they touch down.

bigngreen said:

You can definitely mitigate recoil by going to a chambering like the 300SS or WSM, the recoil impulse is so different and less powder is less recoil vs a long action 300. I don't find a suppressed 300 with a 215 in the 2900 fps range bad at all. You might consider a 270 WSM with a 170 Berger, my wife really liked mine, enough she would burn up any ammo I had loaded in short order and it's a definite step up from a 6.5 even with the 156 you can see the difference when they touch down.

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There are also no flies on the 7WSM loaded long with 180's. Decisions Decisions.

I would bet a suppressed 300wsm or 300wm will have more recoil than your Norma mag and the barrel jump will be considerably more despite the 10+oz hanging off then end. Been down that road. Suppressors are nice to shoot but they aren't a good muzzlebrake. I'm honestly torn between a suppressor and a brake. I'm not sure the suppressors lack of noise is enough of a benefit to choose one over a brake. To get the same overall length you give up a good deal of velocity and you lose the ability to spot shots. Suppressor need covers to control the heat waves coming off the brake too which adds more weight.

If you build her a 300wsm with 215's at 2900+fps and run a brake it will be about like a 243 without a brake and spotting shots are relatively easy if you don't get too whimpy on the barrel contour. There is a noticeable difference in recoil between a 300wsm and 300wm so if your trying to keep the recoil down as low as possible that is something to consider. R-26 in a 300wsm will get you 300wm H-1000 velocity. Anything else will give up velocity in the 300wsm. Many of the BR guys are running R-23 now and it's kind of between H4350 and R-26 for velocity. My 26" 300wsm with R-26 and 215's runs 2960fps.

Idaho Trecker said:

300 ss or 300 max would do all of what you want it sounds like.

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This is what I was thinking when I first read it. Especially since he's already dabbled with the 270 sherman some. Which, as bigngreen said, a hot rod 270 such as that, the ss or the wsm with 170 bergers would suit well with a brake or suppressor for mild recoiling lightish rifle as well.

codyadams said:

So I just finished up my light .338 NM build, came in perfect just at or under 9 lbs as I planned. Only issue is....my wife wants to take it now ha ha. She loves the way the EH-1 handles, she likes the weight, and she likes the overall feel, just doesn't like the arctic camo pattern and wants a more standard camo. No problem, that can be done. But now the issue is building everything else for her, so she can have the perfect rifle.

But here is the hard part. She is pretty new to shooting, but she is good at it, we just haven't had much time due to nursing school to practice. But if I dope the rifle properly, she makes the hit. She isn't very fond of the muzzle blast from my brake though. The solution of course is to get a supressor, but here is the other side of that. We shoot a lot of elk, and most of our elk are shot at long ranges. 703, 710, 713, 810, 840, 865, and 910 just in the last 3 years for our elk.....so I would really prefer to build her something around a 30 cal 215 Berger around 2950+, but that introduces significant recoil for a relatively new shooter that I don't want developing bad habits, and while a supressor reduces recoil, I am doubtful if it would make it "new shooter" friendly in a 8-9 lb rifle, so a rifle like this would need an efficient brake.

The other option is go with a supressor, but limit it at a 6.5 using the 156 around 3000 fps or so. Which I am confident this kills elk, I used a 156 at 2940 to take two elk this year, one at 840 and another at 865. I would just feel better with something a little bigger for her, especially since we hunt in grizzly near country at times too.

So a question I have, the supressors that mount onto qd brakes, does the brake help reduce recoil at all or since it is contained and can't vent the gasses, does it not really make a difference from a direct thread? Direct thread is the only supressors I have toyed with, that and one that mounted onto a flash hider. Is there any way to supress a 8.5-9 lb rifle sending a 215 bullet around 3000 and have recoil be light, as in about like a .243 or 7mm-08? Or is it gonna have some recoil?

Click to expand...

I would do a 300wm for the 215 9 twist I shoot a 9 1/4 lb 28 inch with a brake no trouble at all but a thunder beast is a good way to go also. and I will run 50-70 rounds through my rifle a day with no trouble at all off of a bipod

If your not interested in anything other than 30 cal, I agree that the 300wm is obviously a great option.
I'm sure you know that you can run with or even out run the 300 wm with a big 7 and shoot plenty of bullet for elk at those ranges and do so with significantly less recoil.
180 class 7mm's @ 3000ish make for pretty good elk medicine.
I don't think you'll get what your asking for, an 8-9lb rifle with a suppressor shooting 215's @ close to 3000 is going to recoil quite a bit harder than a .243 or 7mm-08.

A 160-180 class 7mm bullets at 2900-3000fps will do what you are asking of it. 700-800 is plenty doable.

280ai, 280 Sherman, 7rm. A couple others as well.