Recoil on an 06

[RodR]

125 grain helps and it works awesome on deer. 50 rounds? Holy raspberry Batman, lol as stated shoot less but more often. 30-06 is a great caliber

I was living on past experience and had always shot the 06 because of the bullet diversity.. and yeah 50 was a little over the top..

Thx!

[Skillet]

When I am shooting a lot, or have one shot that triggers a nerve in the shoulder, I use a sissy pad. 

It really helps! 

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1002531259?pid=699899

I have this same pad. It's been referred to as my "Kotex" at the range  , but it's all in fun.  I last used it getting a 375 h&h zeroed in, and was very glad I had it.

[hunter399]

I also can relate to your situation,sounds like some pretty good advise so far.

If I was to shoot 50 out of my 7 mag ,my shoulder would hurt . My shoulder starts to hurt at 20.
It only takes one shot out hunting,maybe two
I do believe my shooting improves with smaller calibers.
So just keep in mind ,that it happens to everybody.
Sounds like a good excuse to buy another gun...

[RodR]

I also can relate to your situation,sounds like some pretty good advise so far.

If I was to shoot 50 out of my 7 mag ,my shoulder would hurt . My shoulder starts to hurt at 20.
It only takes one shot out hunting,maybe two
I do believe my shooting improves with smaller calibers.
So just keep in mind ,that it happens to everybody.
Sounds like a good excuse to buy another gun...

I dont get to go as often as I would like so if im going im gonna let loose 100+ rounds at the range. I actually enjoy a little shoulder bruise from it the next day though. Guess it'd be different for me if I could go more often. I miss where I lived in SO and you could use your rifle to cut down a small tree off your front porch and no one cared.

I hear you!.. I grew up in rural SW Idaho and we'd go jack rabbit hunting, pistols, shotguns, 22-250, 22's and 06's.. The population one year was so bad the rancher would give us ammo money because they were decimating his hay crop. It was rather freakish... like working out and sore muscles, would bring a smile a few days later.

[RodR]

If you are going to be experimenting with different bullets, and different bullet weights, I would recommend that you acquire some ballistic charts.  You will find differences in the ballistics between the 180 gr. and the 165 gr. are negligible.  However, the 150 gr. is a dog ballistically, and the 125 gr. is even worse.  In fact, at 300 yards, the retained energy of the 125 gr. falls below what is considered the minimum for humane kills on deer and bear sized animals.

Have fun, and stay safe.

Thanks Igor,  I appreciated your earlier comment on practicing on the gun you're going to shoot, other than the extreme to a 22, which my brain and body knows, not much trouble with a 22. But then again I've not shot one since my 50 round day..

[Igor]

Thanks Igor,  I appreciated your earlier comment on practicing on the gun you're going to shoot, other than the extreme to a 22, which my brain and body knows, not much trouble with a 22. But then again I've not shot one since my 50 round day..

You are welcome, Rod.  I'm glad that some of my comments made sense to you.  You will get lots of comments and opinions here, and it can be a little overwhelming.  Sounds like you are on the right track to finding what you need. 

Take care.

[Rob]

When I am shooting a lot, or have one shot that triggers a nerve in the shoulder, I use a sissy pad. 

It really helps! 

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1002531259?pid=699899

Thank you Rob,


I assume that you do not use this in the field and do you feel that it interferes with the the parallax? My scope is very precise and was a difficult to acquire the target. Appreciate the link. Frankly I didn't feel much of a difference from 180 to 165, so with my skill set take the 180 as I'll likely need as much lead as possible in my target..

Rod

Rod

Only at the range, and only when shooting big-bores or if a smaller rifle hits that one specific nerve in my shoulder!   (probably the one I damaged shooting big bores from the bench without a sissy pad!)

I have yet to even register recoil when hunting in the field.  I am usually so focused on my shot, and so excited/hit with buck fever that I don't usually even remember the shot.

[RodR]

When I am shooting a lot, or have one shot that triggers a nerve in the shoulder, I use a sissy pad. 

It really helps! 

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1002531259?pid=699899

Thank you Rob,


I assume that you do not use this in the field and do you feel that it interferes with the the parallax? My scope is very precise and was a difficult to acquire the target. Appreciate the link. Frankly I didn't feel much of a difference from 180 to 165, so with my skill set take the 180 as I'll likely need as much lead as possible in my target..

Rod

Rod

Only at the range, and only when shooting big-bores or if a smaller rifle hits that one specific nerve in my shoulder!   (probably the one I damaged shooting big bores from the bench without a sissy pad!)

I have yet to even register recoil when hunting in the field.  I am usually so focused on my shot, and so excited/hit with buck fever that I don't usually even remember the shot.

Although I've not hunted game in many years, I'm a better shot in the field than at the range, at least on the opportunities I had... I have 64" moose antlers in my rec room.... it was a beast. I was 26 in the Brooks range. It was once in a lifetime, at an early age. Funny thing was I had a chance to shoot a caribou a couple of days later and I was so exhausted from 13 3 mile hikes the previous days. I couldn't summon the energy!

Thanks for you assistance..

Rod

[Rob]

Sounds like a good story!  You should post that with photos in a new thread

I was hunting with a buddy of mine a while back.  We were fortunate to each take 5-10 animals in the span of a few days.  He was mostly a target shooter with a little hunting on the side.  What he came to realize was that Minute of deer is a much bigger target that what he was shooting for on paper.  i.e. with a 8 inch heart/lung target, there is more margin of error than what he was use to with driving to sub-MOA groups.  Which is good because field shooting generally increases group sizes 2-3x over bench shooting due to odd angles, odd shooting positions, weather, buck fever, etc

[thinkingman]

As Jrebel says
A muzzle break will reduce recoil, but at the cost of your hearing, LOL

Seriously they do help, just know, no one will love you at the range.

If a Weatherby 30.06 (very decent rifles) is giving you recoil issues, it might be time to look to a .243 or similar round.

PS: 50 rounds out of a hunting rifle is a lot to handle in one range visit.

Yup.
Get a brake if you want to damage your hearing and everyone around you.
50 rds is a pretty long session for a hunting rifle.

[bearpaw]

I don't like breaks either, I suffer hearing loss because of them. I like the option of loading some 110ish to 130ish grain Barnes, an 06 will shoot them with the speed and flat trajectory of a varmint rifle, the bullet stays in one piece, hits hard, goes all the way through, kills like a charm, very little recoil because of the light bullet! A good option to consider?

[konradcountry]

Don't brake it. Way too loud and ruins the nice crack of the 06. Just get the recoil pad.

I agree with the guy that said to get a 7-08. You can get a Ruger American on gunbroker for around $450.

I shoot mine offhand a lot better than an 06. In fact I don't normally take a shooting stick when hunting with it.