The brutality of recoil is dependent upon the mass of the propellant charge. A magnum case containing let us say, 66.0 grains of powder, is going to have you asking yourself why did you not go with that standard case and its 44.0 grains of powder. I had a nineteen-pound rifle that used powder charges as high as 70.0 grains. Its weight helped to tame the recoil, but a long afternoon in the desert eventually got me to begin flinching after dozens and dozens of rounds. I had a nine-pound rifle that fired 250-grain slugs of .358 inches in diameter. Its powder charges were 60.0 to maybe 67.0 grains. It kicked so hard, I had to put it up after only about twelve rounds...
Looking at sub 6lb factory rifles - need thoughts!
- Thread starter PredatorSlayer
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MagnumManiac
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PredatorSlayer
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Those of you shooting these ultralight guns without a brake - what would you compare the recoil to? (I know its subjective, ball park it for me). I Have owned a lot of different rifles - 10lb 300 rum shooting 215s, 9lb 300wby shooting 190's. 9lb 7mm rm, 9.5lb 325 wsm...
what would I be looking at here with a 6.5lb scoped 280ai or 7mm08 or 6.5 creed?
what would I be looking at here with a 6.5lb scoped 280ai or 7mm08 or 6.5 creed?
James Todd
New Member
I have a Barrett FC in 270win. Love this gun. Fit and finish are the best I have seen from a factory gun. I have a NF NXS 2.5-10x42 on it, and it comes in just over 7lbs. It shoots factory ELD-X 145gr under .5 moa. All around awesome gun. Waiting for July to use it on a sheep hunt. Good luck with choosing your gun. I know it's hard to narrow it down.
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Agreed. I have a plain old bone stock tikka T3 7mm-08 22" barrel. It's a tack driver. Consistently .5 moa out to 500 yards and just recently I shot a cloverleaf at 200 yards with it. It's boringly accurate. Recoil is very very light.
My Creedmoor at 7.5lb no brake is easy to shoot with mild recoil.
My 30-06 at 7.5lb no brake shooting 215s isn't bad to me but most wont like the recoil and you can't spot shots.
My 338 winmag at just under 7lb no brake shooting the 230 eld'xs is pretty hard on the shoulder after 20rds but not a big deal for 1 shot when hunting. I'm pretty recoil tolerant but the win mag is to much for most at this weight.
Out of those 3 when short range (400yd or less) deer is on the menu I usually go for the creed.
PredatorSlsyer - I shoot my Kimber in 260 Rem without a brake. I've made no modifications of any sort from it's factory setup. My goto reload is a 100gr Barnes TTSX over a charge of Varget. The lightweight bullet helps keep the velocity up and recoil less than it would be with 140-160gr lead core bullets. I do give up downrange performance compared to the heavier bullets but I don't consider this my long distance rifle.
Recoil is not an issue for me. I mostly shoot on the ground using my pack as a rest, occasionally sitting, and almost never off a bench. After a box of 20 rounds I'm still good to go. My 9 lbs 308 Win with 168gr bullets seems to have more recoil not that it's a particularly hard kicking rifle either. I traded off my 9lbs 300 Win Mag as recoil with 200gr bullets wasmore than I liked, only good for 8-10 rounds before I started flinching badly.
Hopes this helps.
Rich Coyle
Well-Known Member
First I didn't read past your original post. I purchased three Weatherby Mark V six lug rifles used. I think I paid about $1,200 each. They weigh 5lb 14oz. Factory triggers can be adjusted down to 20 oz by a gun smith.
Backcountry sports
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I have a 6.5x55 Swede Fieldcraft. Love the rifle and will buy a Fieldcraft again.
COBrad
Well-Known Member
My NULA is chambered in .284 Win. I'm shooting 160 gr Accubonds. Recoil is no problem. I used to shoot a 6 lb .338 Win mag and 250 grain bullets. That rifle had a little radial brake on it and recoil was not bad. It was a custom and I would still have it had not the workmanship been so poor.
villagelightsmith
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I had a 338 WinMag in a lightweight Husky, pencil barrel. That thing would knock your animal down and drag you to death. Next was a 5 1/2# 3 1/2" magnum in 12 bore. It broke the stock against my shoulder. Somewhere along the way I picked up a quite light 16" 375 JDJ, a little Contender with a hollow stock with a brake ... something I really should have known better. I fired it 3X. The second shot was because I simply could not believe what had happened with the first. The 3rd shot was pretty much for the same reason ... maybe I'm a slow learner ... but on that one I forgot to put my plugs in and my ears on. My doctor called it "acoustical trauma" and offered me no sympathy at all.
Now people wonder why I put big sissy-pads on my .17's. Just ... had enough, thanks!
Seriously, a small-ring Husky-Higgins in '06 with a cushy pad is now my go-to dragon-slayer. With NO DANMED BRAKE! It's light enough to pack and it kicks like a baby rabbit.
Now people wonder why I put big sissy-pads on my .17's. Just ... had enough, thanks!
Seriously, a small-ring Husky-Higgins in '06 with a cushy pad is now my go-to dragon-slayer. With NO DANMED BRAKE! It's light enough to pack and it kicks like a baby rabbit.
Rifleman513
Well-Known Member
I've got a Montana in 280 AI and it's quickly becoming my new favorite. So far in the last year its taken 2 bulls, a whitetail and mule deer. 6.89 lbs ready to go and shoots exceptionally well. I ordered the brake from Kimber and its pretty tame, w/o it is a little more rough. A friend has a 30-06 Ruger American and kick is pretty similar with no brake.
