Low recoil deer rig for friend with cancer

[TX Badger]

This is not necessarily a long range topic, but I like the pragmatic advice I usually get here. I have a build project that I am taking on for a friend who had cancer in his jaw. He has had the jaw rebuilt and cannot take any recoil on it right now. He tried hunting with a handgun this year but was not happy with it. Here is my strategy. What am I missing?

1. Heavy gun, but not too long as it will be used in box blinds where long and heavy is cumbersome. I'm thinking heavier stock so it balances and a light varmint barrel. He is recovering well other than his jaw bone so he should be able to handle the weight.

2. Serious muzzle brake. I am working off the Precision Rifle Blog test for the most recoil reduction.

3. 6.5 Creedmoor or 25-06. I can run 100 gr partitions in 6.5 or 110 Accubonds in .257 and load them down for less recoil. This will give the option to be loaded up in the future when he recovers. Please do not tell me I should look at a 243 win. This is for an adult shooting large WI whitetails. While I know he could get away with it, I see no advantage. I thought about 6.5x47, 257 Roberts and some others but, long term, convenient factory ammo would be a nice option as he doesn't handload and I live in a different state.

4. Stock considerations. I am thinking of a tactical stock that has an adjustable cheek insert (like the adjustable Manners or Bell & Carlson). I would remove the insert leaving a large notch. Then add a cushioned sleeve/pad toward the back of the notch to establish some sort weld, but recoil would move the gun back and away from the jaw bone. I was also looking at a minimal drop from the center of the bore to the butt so recoil would be more straight back and have less rise/cheek slap.

OK, what have I not thought about? Are there glaring mistakes in this plan?


Thanks,

Chris

 

[FatBoy...]

I might consider 6BR as well. 6BR with a 90 -95Gr bullet, that stock and barrel, a Little Bastard (or maybe a big Bastard 4 port) a would feel like a gas operated pellet rifle. 26" barrel will put you in the 2800fps range. Maybe 2730+ with a 24". The LB brake WILL deafen you, and everyone around you, but it's works very well.

 

[TX Badger]

I might consider 6BR as well. 6BR with a 90 -95Gr bullet, that stock and barrel, a Little Bastard (or maybe a big Bastard 4 port) a would feel like a gas operated pellet rifle. 26" barrel will put you in the 2800fps range. Maybe 2730+ with a 24". The LB brake WILL deafen you, and everyone around you, but it's works very well.

I bet that would be a sweet shooting gun, but I am trying to stay .257 or bigger so he will have heavier bullet options in the future. Yeah, those are 2 of the lead contenders for brakes. Howard Leight impact sports will be included as part of the kit.

 

[Creedmoor shooter]

Well out of those 2 the 6.5 creed will recoil less that's for sure. Performance at medium range is similar with the creed taking over at about 400-500 yards. Will use less powder and have less muzzle blast and better barrel life. I would look into the terminator brakes. I've been watching videos on them and they look sweet. Not sure how far he'll be shooting but a 308 would also be a good option.

 

[TX Badger]

I should have mentioned that he is not a long range shooter and hunts entirely in a wooded area. 200 yds will be the max. I'll check out the terminator brake. Thanks

 

[turkeyfever]

I hand load a reduced recoil load for a 300 Win Mag. You don"t even know that you are shooting it. Very easy on shoulder and cheek. I have killed Whitetails at 200 yards with my load. Hornady and Remington both have reduce recoil loads.

 

[257Tony]

6.5 Creed even in a lightweight gun with a good brake is very very light on recoil. In a 10 lb rifle setup it would be negligible.

 

[ozzyshane]

I have a 300BLK for my 12 year old daughter in a ruger .Or the other is a 6.5 Grendel in a howa mini action .Thanks Shane

 

[benchracer]

I should have mentioned that he is not a long range shooter and hunts entirely in a wooded area. 200 yds will be the max. I'll check out the terminator brake. Thanks

For a 200 yard max, I think you are WAAAAY overcomplicating this. If he has an AR, set him up with a 6.5 Grendel upper. If he doesn't have an AR, or doesn't like them, buy a CZ527 in 6.5 Grendel. You won't need to download. You won't need a brake. You won't need to handload. Factory 123's @ 2500 or so will do everything that your friend needs done in a short package of reasonable weight. If padding is needed for his cheek, there are easy options for either the CZ or the AR. For the CZ, you can mount the scope in higher rings and go with something like this:

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/4...it-20-no-loops-model-buttstock-cover-neoprene

For an AR, there are many skeletonized stocks with padded cheekrests available.

 

[MudRunner2005]

I normally don't hunt deer with semi-autos, but for this circumstance, about the perfect deer rig would be a custom built AR15 chambered in 6.5 Grendel. Virtually no recoil, and effective to 500 yards on deer.

 

[Garycrow]

My deer rifle is a borden alpine in 6.5x47 Lapua shooting 100 gr. ttsx's at 3100 fps. The kick is minimal, you can see the hits through the scope and it's very accurate, it'll easily reach out to any distance I can shoot on my hunting property. Bullet weight is the biggest driver of recoil, a 6.5 Creedmoor with a 100 TTSX would be about like my 6.5x47. My rifle weighs about 7 lbs., make it 10 lbs. with a heavy stock and put a muzzle brake on it and you'd be looking at essentially no recoil. The 100 TTSX will poleaxe any deer of any size on the planet, it punches far above it's weight class.

 

[Tikkashooter]

Run a soft bullet like a hornady 140 eld-m/amax out of 6.5 creed at about 2400-2500 fps in a short barrel with a brake . Will hit deer like a ton of bricks and have almost no recoil

 

[Boomer81]

I know this will be met with derision by some and a lecture about ethics which there are no ethics in killing but that's a whole other ball of wax. But where I'm at 55 grain and up .223 is legal. Get some black hills 77 grain or hand load em and go. 200 yards and under with right placement shouldn't be a issue. Guys using mk12s with 77grains have had 800+ yard confirmed kills on humans.

 

[muleystalker]

If you want to stay above 6mm and want a good selection of factory ammo you already stated it, the 6.5 creed moor and a short HV barrel and brake. But if you are looking to shoot 100gr bullets you may want to think about a 6mm Dasher with a HV barrel loaded with the 115gr Berger's and you wouldn't need a brake, but could still put one. That thing would hit them like a hammer at 200 or less and no recoil at all. In fact know you have me thinking, I have a brand new action sitting in the safe, a new manners EH5A and a barrel sitting there, a short heavy barreled Dasher would be the ****! The 6mm Dasher is an addicting round, It's one of those rounds that makes you want to laugh the first tim you shoot it, it shoots so good. 115gr Berger hunting at about 2900- 2950fps would thump those deer at 200 yards, the 6.5 creed moor shooting 100gr isn't going to do it any better,just more powder and recoil. Just a thought