Thread: How to manage recoil?

I would take Makros offer. Some Tikkas kick like absolute bastards because of stock shape and material, you might have one of those

I use a Tikka T 3 lite 7mm rem mag with no suppressor or brake and when shooting game I don't notice recoil or noise.
I feel for you with your injury sorry to hear that.

I find holding the riffle as tight as I can into the shoulder helps but with an i jury like yours I would look at dropping down to a smaller calibre.

You would be supprised how far some of the smaller calibre riffles can shoot and yet knock over deer etc. I know a guy that only uses a 22 250 and he shoots more deer than anyone I know and it doesn't kick.

I could be out of line and slightly away from the topic saying this but if its that bad to shoot, I'd question how you can shoot accurately at long range (you say it's your long range hunting rifle). In turn if you can't shoot it accurately at long range then for ethical reasons you shouldn't be shooting animals at long range either.

Anyway... If you follow the advice here, I think you can reduce the felt recoil drastically. I think you will be surprised how much a difference a limbsaver can make, and probably your cheapest option. If that's not enough I'd go with a dpt supressor aswell. If I was in your position I'd be inclined to accept a little bit more weight in the rifle when carrying it to make the actual shooting more pleasant.

Originally Posted by Dusty Fog

if youre right handed can always change to your left

NZ tried that with the government and look how that turned out!

myself i would look at dpt and maybe change to a laminated or timber stock. I know what its like having a shoulder injury but lucky for me the other shoulder.
My ten year old shoots my rem mag with factory 165gr and doesn't complain about the recoil. Laminated stock and dpt

Wear a carrier harness / vest, any stiff webbing running over your shoulder spreads recoil nicely.

sell it too me.... Problem gone.

sorry couldnt resist.

On a serious note , I went through the same thing with a Niko under over 2 3/4 shotgun. After heaps of advice from here and a trip to turners sports in Feilding , a limb saver was fitted and hey presto .The recoil was absorbed. I was lucky enough to catch the tail end of duck shooting after being down and out from the shotgun hammering my shoulder black and blue.

I have a mate who has a destroyed collar bone, he can shoot his 308 with 178g no problem if sitting or standing but lying down it gives him a beating. Just the angle of where it sits in his shoulder.

For shorter range shooting (up to 150-200m), you can load the 308 with 30-30 type projectiles at 30-30 speeds, recoil is a lot less than full-power 308 loads but still drops animals very effectively.

110 barnes or 125-130grn projectiles do drop 308 recoil way down...seriously WAY down.....if you go 110grn route you are nearly turning it into a 243...... recoil should actually be less.....
decent recoil pad,the fatter the better...and hold rifle firmly,you know its going to shove,so OK its going to shove...sight picture,breathing,trigger control,breath in,half breath out..squeaze off..yeah that DIDNT hurt...do it again.
sitting on bench is better than prone for recoil as your body can move back..prone not so much.

Originally Posted by r87mm

Biggest way to reduce recoil is reduce bullet weight. Recoil pad, technique, brake etc all good recommendations. Bullet weight will make them all more effective by a lot. Maybe look at the 130gn weight? Still get you out pretty far/ with in practical 308 ranges anyway.

2nd that, after reconstructive shoulder-surgery, I went down to 110gr in .270 and all was good. No suppressor, Brake OR recoil-pad (I didnt want to cut it for LOP) I also discovered how devastating 110gr is. Best-kept .270 secret out there

Out of interest, was it better with the titanium in or out ? I have the option of having it removed, but would rather have the pain I'm used to dealing-with, than something worse. Mine was in 9 pieces and they tell me its all joined back together, which they werent really expecting. As someone else said, I also hold the stock against shoulder/lat/ribs, work it around until you feel safe/confident. Also, try a tennis-ball, in a sock, over your shoulder and work it against a wall. Unknots things and lessens migraines, pain etc. Works .You may regret moving to 6.5, you'll never want to look at your .308 again..

confry...is an old world herb that grows like stink in alot of gardens...it was referred to as knitbone by the oldies in the know.....quite good in a tea... better than any green tea I ve tried thats for sure...and it works....

I remember Remington do a managed recoil round in popular calibers,not a long range option but I used them in .270 years ago for bush hunting,pretty sure they will have a .308 option.

yip a 125grn softie......