hunting load that doesn't hurt ur shoulder

[Lloyd Smale]

cant understand why a grown man is scared of a bit of a push on the shoulder. So much so they put names on people who believe that theres no such thing as to dead or to clean of a kill. If you cant handle recoil because of some physical problem or mental problem just own it and quit trying to make people who dont share your problem into some kind of macho ape. My dad is 89 years old and still doesnt have a bit of problem shooting his o6 with full power loads. Heck my grandaughter did with she was 12. the day an 06 is to much for me my hunting days will no doubt be over and ill be in an old folks home or dead. The people who need the real lecture arent the guys who go hunting whitetail with a 300 mag they can handle, its the guy that thinks hes somehow cool because he can get away with something underpowered. Ive killed 100s of deer and never saw one to dead from a magnum but have chased some not so dead ones shot by guys who shoot pea shooters and guys that fear recoil and flinch. But an o6 kicks to much. give me a break. 100s of thousands of our troups went to war with 06s and 308s and i never heard of a single one of them that were disabled because of it. Did here alot of uproar when they took them away and gave them 22s though.

[rondog]

Sorry to hear of your physical limitations, and don't want to change the subject - but how do you hunt with those limitations? I have a lot of lower back issues - facing my 4th surgery - and that's caused nerve damage that severely affects my quad muscles. I can walk OK on flat level ground, but any inclines or rough terrain is out. Not to mention lifting or carrying anything heavy.

Just curious......

[725]

The old Speer manual lists reduced recoil loads for most calibers and I have found them to be more than adequate for general hunting (accurate, too.). I use the mercury recoil reducers in some shoulder busters and they do help. The .30-06's little sister, .270 Win, is a fine game getter with much less recoil. Good luck.

[444ttd]

Sorry to hear of your physical limitations, and don't want to change the subject - but how do you hunt with those limitations? I have a lot of lower back issues - facing my 4th surgery - and that's caused nerve damage that severely affects my quad muscles. I can walk OK on flat level ground, but any inclines or rough terrain is out. Not to mention lifting or carrying anything heavy.

Just curious......

the worst part for me is that can't walk deep into the woods. i can go off of my polaris utv trail and go about 35 and 60 yards to my blind. i sit there till about 1/2 hour before dark. don't ask me about the 1/2hr, i just know!!!! my Army fanny pack (shoulder strap) can carry my knife, drag rope, butt out, and a thermos of coffee. the drag rope is for brother/sons. on my other shoulder is my rifle. and then there is a walking stick(cane don't cut it). the stand/blind consists of (weather treated) 4x4 uprights and 4"x4"x5' sills around me. and camo netting. i use a adjustable bar stool(s). the blind and the stools are brought in by my brother and sons.

my spots, back before i had the stroke, were way back in the wood and were uphill, both ways. they were about 45 to 1 hour walking in. when i'm cremated, i want my ashes scattered on them.

[444ttd]

The old Speer manual lists reduced recoil loads for most calibers and I have found them to be more than adequate for general hunting (accurate, too.). I use the mercury recoil reducers in some shoulder busters and they do help. The .30-06's little sister, .270 Win, is a fine game getter with much less recoil. Good luck.

i already have it. she has killed some deer fer me!!!!

270 win


140gr hornady sst with 270 win(reformed '06)


140gr sst


130gr nosler bt

[Lloyd Smale]

got to love a #1!!! Ive owned 4 1bs through the years and they all shot like that.

[Goofy]

Inclined to expand my earlier comment a bit with hope some might see a small light at the end of the tunnel. Firearms are tools, nothing more. It is up to the craftsman to employ it successfully and it matters not what tool is at hand. If one has a rifle that is a challenge to shoot accurately at 100 yards, shoot it as closer ranges. The pig picture I posted earlier illustrates what is possible with "reduced" loads. The box of ammo in the picture is CCI .22 CB Shorts, and I've whacked well over 100 hogs with that combo, nearly all shot at close range while still hunting. All it takes is a little patience, close proximity and a well calculated CNS shot. Perhaps it's a surprise that the CB Shorts penetrate better than .22 LR? Of all that I've put down with the round, only one required a second shot. Too, I have taken multiple pigs in one setting simply because they can't seem to figure out what that pesky noise is.

Enough about the pigs. While in Vietnam I witnessed and elephant killed by a single shot from a M16. And more water buffalo than I can recall. Even saw one put down with a 1911 Colt....one shot, flop.

So I dabble with cartridges many assume to be inadequate for various reasons, some of which are not my call. I don't hesitate because I don't happen to have a .460 Eargensplittenloudenboomer in hand.

I have .22's, RF and CF. .25's galore, 7mm, .30's out the whazoo and so forth. My favorite for all around hunting? An Ithaca 37 in 20 ga. I've put down more small and big game with that piece than anyone here could haul off with anything less than a semi rig. What I think is more important that FPE/Velocity is placement. If you can put it where it needs to go, at the range that presents, the cartridge is of secondary importance. If having a light recoiling rifle helps, do it.

Case(s) in point:
My .22 Short shooter:


The .22 LR:


The .250 Savage:


.257 Roberts:


The .30 Sneezer:


.45-70 w/Lord Black


My truck gun is a .416 Rigby.

[charlie b]

Which is why I like shooting cast bullets.





These were fired over 2yrs ago. Interesting that these days I use a 210gn bullet and 24.0gn IMR4198 gives the same performance. Am about to go and load up another 50 of them. Need to get up early and cast some more before the heat gets too much

[725]

444ttd - Very nice! A #1 in .270 is only a dream for me. Maybe one day.................

[Lloyd Smale]

I have .22's, RF and CF. .25's galore, 7mm, .30's out the whazoo and so forth. My favorite for all around hunting? An Ithaca 37 in 20 ga. I've put down more small and big game with that piece than anyone here could haul off with anything less than a semi rig. What I think is more important that FPE/Velocity is placement. If you can put it where it needs to go, at the range that presents, the cartridge is of secondary importance. If having a light recoiling rifle helps, do it.

That may be the case for you but i shoot a 7 mag every bit as well as a 243 and faced with a deer at 400 yards i know which id rather have in my hand. Brings up another point. Guys will call someone macho for using an 06 or 7mag on a deer but have not problem using a 12 guage to kill a bunny rabbit. Even your light little 37 with high brass field loads in 20 guage kicks as much as an o6. A 12 guage as much as a 7 mag. Matter of fact a 12 guage with 3 inch shells puts the 7mag to shame.

What you get in discussions like these are some guys that for one reason or another cant handle recoil. Most due to the fact they talk shooting more then actually shoot. A very small percentage have actual physical problems that dont allow it. So rather then admit they cant handle it because there afraid of it or dont want to put in the time to master a big gun they try to get a bunch of guys in the same boat to bash someone who can.

Like ive said before ive never seen a deer to dead. Ive never said to myself "that deer didnt run off far enough" or "geeze again i cant practice my blood tracking skills" I can remember many times out crop damage shooting when i had a small gun like a 6mm or my 300bo or a 250 savage that i had to pass on a deer that was to far out and would have been a chip shot for a bigger gun. Yup i could have shot them and took the chance on having to track a wounded suffering animal. So yup ive been in the field and said to myself "I wish i would have brought a bigger gun" I dont recall ever saying to myself "I wish i would have brought a smaller one" I dont ever remember telling myself "i would have placed that shot better if i wasnt so scared my shoulder was going to get an oowy.

Showing pictures of small groups shot with a small gun doesnt prove a thing. Ive shot sub moa groups with my 458 #1. Ive done it with 8 mags 300 ultras, 300wbys and just yesterday with a new 7 mag and a 6.5-300 wby. I know one thing. My gun collection would be awful light and my deer shooting awful boring if a 270 was the biggest gun i could handle. dont worry though ive heard it all before. back years ago when i first started shooting linebaughs people would say your just macho and a knuckle dragger. Then the big guns like 454s and 475s, 460s and 500s started appearing in inexpensive guns and everyone jumped on the bandwagon.

Truth be a good many of the bashers are just guys who cant afford to by many guns. I remember when the 44mag came out and everyone thought it was just crazy powerful. I even read about the same thing when the 357 was introduced. Writters complain that it kicked to much to be practical!!! Funny thing is today a 44 mag is considered a mid power gun. Hardly an over powered animal that takes a master to take advantage of. I could care less if you cant handle a big gun. Use what you want but i do take offense to the guys that claim im over compensating or im a knuckle dragger or there somehow better hunters because they cant do what i do. Id bet my house ive killed more deer in my life then anyone here. At least in the top 5 if not. I probably slung more jacketed bullets down range then all but the top 5 too and would guess im up there pretty high with cast handgun bullets too. Aint my first rodeo.

[GregLaROCHE]

You should consider a lighter projectile. They don’t kick near as much as heavier bullets. There are 30.06 loads for a 110 grain bullet. I used to have some 30.06 accelerator rounds. Not sure if you can still buy them. They had very little recoil. A lighter bullet going faster can give good results because of a higher hydraulic shock. Of course, bullet placement is always the trump card.

[charlie b]

It is all about what you like to do.

A good friend and his brother both loved big guns. .460 Wby was an everyday shooter and they had a .700 Nitro Express they liked to shoot. Both were shorter guys, under 5 1/2ft tall and 150lb. Neither hunted, they just liked to shoot. Had their own property just for shooting out to 1500yd.

I stopped hunting years ago and just shoot on paper. I also used to like 'thumpers'. BPCR and muzzle loaders out to longer ranges. I also went through a time where I liked heavy handgun loads and all of my reloads were at max.

Now days I don't like the recoil as much. Not due to medical issues or capability. Just my preference.

[Larry Gibson]

the worst part for me is that can't walk deep into the woods. i can go off of my polaris utv trail and go about 35 and 60 yards to my blind. i sit there till about 1/2 hour before dark. don't ask me about the 1/2hr, i just know!!!! my Army fanny pack (shoulder strap) can carry my knife, drag rope, butt out, and a thermos of coffee. the drag rope is for brother/sons. on my other shoulder is my rifle. and then there is a walking stick(cane don't cut it). the stand/blind consists of (weather treated) 4x4 uprights and 4"x4"x5' sills around me. and camo netting. i use a adjustable bar stool(s). the blind and the stools are brought in by my brother and sons.

my spots, back before i had the stroke, were way back in the wood and were uphill, both ways. they were about 45 to 1 hour walking in. when i'm cremated, i want my ashes scattered on them.

I suggest you simply use your 30-06. Get some, or cast them, 311041s or similar and load over 4895 with a Dacron filler. Loaded to around 1850 fps they will have less recoil than the 30-30 because the velocity is less than the 30-30, your 30-06 rifle probably weighs more than your 30-30 rifle and your 30-06 rifle is probably more ergonomically able to give less felt recoil than your 30-30 rifle. Start at 28 gr of 4895 and work up until the velocity is 1800 - 1900 fps or is as much as you can take.

Good luck, good hunting and my respect to you sir...

[444ttd]

444ttd - Very nice! A #1 in .270 is only a dream for me. Maybe one day.................

i bought it around 2006 for $300 at a gun show that i didn't know it was there. me and my dad were coming home from camp(weekend trout fishing) and then we seen a "pizza box" sign that said gun show ->, so we pulled in.

i looked around until the last row of tables. there were so, so many #1's. i wanted a 7x57 in #1 sooooooo bad, but it wasn't there. they were chambered in the 223 all the way up to 45-70, but no 7 mauser. anyway, i was looking at the 280 rem(made in the early '80s?) and the wood was exquisite. when i hear, "sorry, but that already sold". "but i have a 270 thats for sale." he handed to me and to be all honest, it wasn't fer me. and then he said "i'll take $100 off and its yours." i looked at the sale tag and it said $400, he'll take $100 off so it comes to $300........."sold" i say. i reach into my wallet and i find $200. i give the man $200 and i said "i'll be back with the money." so i go to dad and ask him if has $100 could i borrow it. he gives me $150 and i ran back to the seller. i gave him $100 and he gave me paperwerk. when that was done, he called up atf and when that was done, he handed me the 270 win in a gun sock. i later learned that the #1 was made in 1973.

[444ttd]

I suggest you simply use your 30-06. Get some, or cast them, 311041s or similar and load over 4895 with a Dacron filler. Loaded to around 1850 fps they will have less recoil than the 30-30 because the velocity is less than the 30-30, your 30-06 rifle probably weighs more than your 30-30 rifle and your 30-06 rifle is probably more ergonomically able to give less felt recoil than your 30-30 rifle. Start at 28 gr of 4895 and work up until the velocity is 1800 - 1900 fps or is as much as you can take.

Good luck, good hunting and my respect to you sir...

i've had an '06 (rem mountain rifle and 700 a, b and cdl) years ago. just recently, i bought a sporter arisaka type 99 in 30-06. i cleaned it up and it was put in my safe. there's a long line of(sporters) mauser's and krag's that "need" redone or built. i just use '06 and 180gr factory loads as recoil felt. my dad has a rem m760 in '06 with 180gr rem rn factory loads that i can use. i find that load to bearable. but i find(my late friend had one) that a 300 win mag with 180gr factory loads that i couldn't shoot more than 6 or 7 shots. my limit for shooting is the '06 with 180gr factory loads, tho i can do a 300 mag with 5 shots.

as of right now, my husqvarna m46 in 9.3x57 with 275wfn gc and 39.0gr of imr4895 is the ticket for deer hunting in my area. 30-40 yards is the shot i take. although i can take a deer at 150 yards(my limit for cast boolits). my son's range for cast boolits is 200 yards.

although my dad and brother call them "cowboy loads", they don't complain about how i put meat on the table.

30-06 type 99

[rondog]

the worst part for me is that can't walk deep into the woods. i can go off of my polaris utv trail and go about 35 and 60 yards to my blind. i sit there till about 1/2 hour before dark. don't ask me about the 1/2hr, i just know!!!! my Army fanny pack (shoulder strap) can carry my knife, drag rope, butt out, and a thermos of coffee. the drag rope is for brother/sons. on my other shoulder is my rifle. and then there is a walking stick(cane don't cut it). the stand/blind consists of (weather treated) 4x4 uprights and 4"x4"x5' sills around me. and camo netting. i use a adjustable bar stool(s). the blind and the stools are brought in by my brother and sons.

my spots, back before i had the stroke, were way back in the wood and were uphill, both ways. they were about 45 to 1 hour walking in. when i'm cremated, i want my ashes scattered on them.

Wow, kudos to you brother! At least you have someone to assist you! I'm totally on my own, unless I wanted to rent a place to hunt and hire someone to help me. I'd be better off hitting one with my truck.....

[444ttd]

It is all about what you like to do.

A good friend and his brother both loved big guns. .460 Wby was an everyday shooter and they had a .700 Nitro Express they liked to shoot. Both were shorter guys, under 5 1/2ft tall and 150lb. Neither hunted, they just liked to shoot. Had their own property just for shooting out to 1500yd.

I stopped hunting years ago and just shoot on paper. I also used to like 'thumpers'. BPCR and muzzle loaders out to longer ranges. I also went through a time where I liked heavy handgun loads and all of my reloads were at max.

Now days I don't like the recoil as much. Not due to medical issues or capability. Just my preference.

back when i first started starting reloading, my late friend/gunsmith let me shoot a 460 weatherby mag and i found that recoil is stout!!!!! then there was a 416 rigby that he had. he let me reload for it and shoot it. i had about 1500-2000 rounds thru the 416 rigby (400gr hornady rn and 90.7gr of imr4350/ 2300+/-fps) and the recoil was comfortable. i wish i had the money to buy it(custom 98 mauser magnum).