# Recoil relief- help



## danol (Jun 10, 2006)

Gentlemen,

I have a pre 64 Model 70 30-06 that is a beautiful shooter. My issue is that I now have an impinged right shoulder and the recoil from the 180 grain is now causing me to flinch due to the shoulder pain. QUESTION: 
will a 125 grain provide recoil relief? If so, can you ballpark me a % of lessened recoil?

May sound like a stupid question but I buy rounds off the rack, sight the gun in 3-4 weeks before deer season, wipe it down when the tags are filled and wait til next year. Tried some research but havent found an answer.

Thanks for your help,

Dano


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## Sgrem (Oct 5, 2005)

Depends on weight, length of gun etc. Type of recoil pad.....just gotta go try my friend....too many variables....I would say significant. I shoot 123 grain in other calibers that feel like a .223. Hope that helps.

I have an old box of 140 grain 7mm mag bullets that say 50% less recoil. Not sure what they comparing it to.


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## coogerpop (Sep 3, 2009)

danol said:


> Gentlemen,
> 
> I have a pre 64 Model 70 30-06 that is a beautiful shooter. My issue is that I now have an impinged right shoulder and the recoil from the 180 grain is now causing me to flinch due to the shoulder pain. QUESTION:
> will a 125 grain provide recoil relief? If so, can you ballpark me a % of lessened recoil?
> ...


Muzzle break,Magnaport,recoil pad,reduced power loads,and final choice....New rifle in a different caliber....all will reduce recoil.


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## CHARLIE (Jun 2, 2004)

Yes 125 gr is gonna kick less than 180. May not be accurate in 30 caliber. But depends on what you are loking for.


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## Fordzilla06 (Oct 14, 2010)

Thread the barrel and but a silencerco harvester suppressor on it. Your arm and ears will thank you.


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## Bottomsup (Jul 12, 2006)

Deer season will be over by the time he gets a tax stamp for a suppressor but they do act as a muzzle break. If your just shooting whitetails I would get a smaller caliber. Never lost a deer with a 22-250. Only thing else that hasnt been said is to add weight to the gun. Some hollow out the stock and fill with lead.


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## Bone Cruncher (May 22, 2006)

I have a Winchester Model 70 pre 64 30/06 just like what you are talking about and I love this gun, but it kicks like a horse. What I finally did was buy a shooting vest and sewed in an Outers rocoil pad with that gel insert. I didn't want to alter the rifle because it will devalue the piece drastically. This vest has works very well on my Winchester 405 and it's earlier cousin the 40/72 that I cherish. Both of these lever guns kick like mad,especially the 40/72 with the crescent butt plate. The vest makes these easy to shoot and it won't interfere with you shooting/hunting. You can put this vest/pad combo for a very reasonable price and they last.


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## SmithEC (Jul 31, 2009)

That business with the vest sounds like a good idea.

I would think that the lighter projectile might reduce recoil significantly.

I know that you're talking rifles. My experience with 10mm handguns, though, has been that the lighter projectile provides for significantly reduced felt recoil.

The bottom line is something like this:

I will shoot 200gr XTP HPs at 1250 fps out of a Glock 20sf because I shoot those rounds with that handgun only from a supported position.

From a 1911 in 10mm? 125gr at maybe 1400 fps. Shooting that is not too much different than 115 grains or so out of a 9mm Glock.

I'd sure try it. Try that and the vest.

Or maybe duct tape a pillow to your shoulder. Use the Scotch brand from Lowe's. That stupid "Duck" tape from WalMart will not hold up.

.


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## jtburf (May 26, 2004)

Simple answer yes it will reduce felt recoil a great deal and still kill deer in Texas.

My wife shoots a 308 with 130 grain 2500fps and she weighs a 115

It's a great approach to making a load more shoot able.

John


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## twang56 (Nov 21, 2010)

Less expensive and quick fix: Managed recoil ammunition, Simms slip on recoil pad on rifle stock and Past Super Mag Plus recoil pad shield on you. Start with the two pads and you may still be able to shoot the 180s.


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## danol (Jun 10, 2006)

Thanks for the feedback, I will pick up some 125-130 grain and give it a try. Likely grab the padded vest as well. With teh dinged up shoulder it has really affected my accuracy- NOT THE GUNS- mine. I sound like a weany but knowing that nerve pain is coming with each squeeze makes me pull off. I have other calibers- 6MM remington, 223s etc. It's a sentamental deal as I told my pop each hunt he'd be tagging along. It was his and he's been gone for 10 years. Hate him to miss this season!!!


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## THE JAMMER (Aug 1, 2005)

You didn't say what you are hunting with it. makes a big difference. I have the exact same gun, built in 1946 (year I was born), and shooting 168 barnes ttsx is very manageable. It drills 130 gr barnes triple shocks, and you might try the nosler 125 gr accubonds. If you are strictly off the shelf, try the managed recoil, as stated before. That's what so great about the 30-06- most versatile cartridge ever made.


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## BrianJ28 (Apr 22, 2008)

*Lighter loads will do it*

Definitely try lighter ammo! I had to run quite a bit of factory ammo thru a Ruger M77 MKII in .30-06 (newer model) before I found a load with accuracy I was happy with. That round happened to be Hornady 125gr SST's and I will tell you that even though reducing recoil was not my original intention, it really made a significant difference. Limbsaver makes a great recoil pad, also. I think between those 2 things you will see an appreciable reduction in felt recoil without devaluing the rifle any.


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## Bird (May 10, 2005)

Ok, so assuming a 7lb rifle and using load data from the Lyman manual along with the free recoil formula, the approximate values of free recoil in ft/lbs for the 180gr and the 125 gr bullet are: 26.2 ft/lbs and 19.2 ft/lbs respectively. So you are looking at roughly a 26% reduction in recoil. Might be enough for ya or just get another rifle in a smaller caliber. Muzzle break or even better would be a suppressor. A can will cut half the recoil and almost all of the noise. Yes you will have to have the barrel threaded, yes cans are fairly expensive and yes you will have to wait 6 months to get it.


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## danol (Jun 10, 2006)

*it worked*

Guys,

thanks for all of the feedback. Took the easiest route, Hornady 125 SST. Threw 10 rounds down range, no pain whatsoever and once i got zeroed in my last 3 rounds were touching at 100 yds.

I appreciate the feedback, recommendations and education.

Dano


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## Reloder28 (Apr 10, 2010)

Recoil is affected by stock design. If you don't want a new stock put a muzzle brake on it. That'll tame it. 

I shoot a 300 WSM with full loads with no muzzle brake. It does have a custom stock that weighs but 20 oz. Recoil pad is 1/2" & does not bother me in the least. I shoot it a lot. 

Recoil is all about stock design.


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## Bottomsup (Jul 12, 2006)

Stock design can change how much the gun comes straight back verses how much it rises which can change perceived recoil but does not change the amount of recoil.


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## patwilson (Jan 13, 2006)

Not to high jack the thread; but has anyone ever used something like this?
I searched for reviews and most were positive. Very affordable too...

Clamp on muzzle brake.

http://wittmachine.co/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=69&products_id=180


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## spurgersalty (Jun 29, 2010)

sgrem said:


> Depends on weight, length of gun etc. Type of recoil pad.....just gotta go try my friend....too many variables....I would say significant. I shoot 123 grain in other calibers that feel like a .223. Hope that helps.
> 
> I have an old box of 140 grain 7mm mag bullets that say 50% less recoil. Not sure what they comparing it to.


Old thread, I know. But, no, it does not depend on any of the first 3 criteria you mentioned. 
He specifically asked about a different bullet weight or cartridge make-up. NOT, changing guns, configuration, or even buying a new gun. 
The gun is the constant, the remedy is either of which falls in between or lesser than a bullet of lesser mass at the same speed, or a bullet of equal mass at slower speeds.


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## Sgrem (Oct 5, 2005)

He also asked about ballpark percent of lessened recoil which could hinge on those factors. That "percent" of felt is what I was referring to. For example A heavier rifle could kick bad with heavy grain and not so much with reduced loads.....whereas an ultra light custom mountain rifle may still be bad with both. The percentage of felt recoil depends on those factors which weren't spelled out in the op.


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## spurgersalty (Jun 29, 2010)

sgrem said:


> He also asked about ballpark percent of lessened recoil which could hinge on those factors. That "percent" of felt is what I was referring to. For example A heavier rifle could kick bad with heavy grain and not so much with reduced loads.....whereas an ultra light custom mountain rifle may still be bad with both. The percentage of felt recoil depends on those factors which weren't spelled out in the op.


Wrong, you are still talking different rifles when he specified a certain rifle(the constant to measure by) to work with.
It is the same thing as a laboratory experiment in a controlled environment.
There is a constant. The rifle/weight/muzzle config./recoil pad are all a part of that.
The variations are the rounds and their makeup....ie powder and bullet mass/design.


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## Sgrem (Oct 5, 2005)

So you believe the percent of perceived felt recoil to be directly linear.
I do not think the percentage of perceived felt recoil is directly linear between the the two sample rifles I mentioned when going between heavy loads and reduced recoil loads.


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## spurgersalty (Jun 29, 2010)

sgrem said:


> So you believe the percent of perceived felt recoil to be directly linear.
> I do not think the percentage of perceived felt recoil is directly linear between the the two sample rifles I mentioned when going between heavy loads and reduced recoil loads.


No, I never said anything of the sort. He has a specific rifle that he has a question about. Same weight and designed rifle(no modifications). He only asks about different cartridge makeups to lessen recoil.
You pose a completely different scenario. In your scenario, yea, I could agree with some mods to the gun and changing bullet weights.
BUT, that was not the question posed to us.


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## Superman70 (Aug 13, 2014)

No need for 180 grain log rollers for white tailed deer. 125 grain or even 150 will kick a whole lot less. Then again dad is tagged out and he shoots a 223 with 55 grain hollow points. He says its not a deer gun but you can't prove it and its easier on his joints.


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## Superman70 (Aug 13, 2014)

OK this is from Chuck Hawks web site.Chuck is a western big game guide freelance author and has worked for leupold if I remember correctly.
180 grain 3006. Has 20.3 ft lbs of free recoil
140 grain 270 has 17.1
100 grain. 6mm has 10.0

This means that a 3006 with a 125 should have about 13 or 14 pounds of free recoil in an 8 pound rifle. And a pretty 64 with steel rings and a 3x9 scope will weigh 8 pounds or really close to it.

If you want to check chucks work look in rifle or hand loader magazine


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## CHARLIE (Jun 2, 2004)

Didnt read all the post but you ever try shooting left handed ??


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