I am wondering what the proper technique is for shooting a heavy caliber rifle. I am going on a Calif. hog hunt with a buddy next week and he is bringing along his 375 HH bolt action, I believe a M70. Since I have not shot anything more than a 300 winchester mag. I do not want to get more banged than necesary.

Paul C

Leaning into the gun while standing helps

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28_3vDj6VQg

...and just for fun

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8DFOwPuC9A

Paul... Here is the technique to use.. send me an email and I will show you wiht a video clip of control...

This was taught to me my by Ph, when I told him I was buying the Ruger in 458 Lott...His exact words were " you won't get the snot kicked out of you..."
It is isometric exercises and it works..
My forend hand pushes the rifle into my shoulder...my pistol grip hand pushes it away from the shoulder...The rifle is against the shoulder just like a firm handshake...The hands are holding the rifle with a crushing handshake...Your arms are flexed and tensed, just like showing off your muscles...When fired your arms take the recoil like shockabsorbers...
This takes practice to perfect, but I can tell you from experience the rifle only goes up about 6 inches and is right back ready to fire is a sec...I fired 14 shots in an hour and no bruising or soreness face or shoulder...I did have a video clip of me firing three rapid fire shots at 25yds and they were all inside of a 6inch circle in 6 seconds...Wife shot it with camera...
I have a 990 decelerator pad and I use those hand wrist strengtheners to get grip strong..

See you all in Dallas


Mike

You may easily discover that the 375 is more pleasant than the 300. A lot of the larger bores (which start at the 375 in my opinion) have more of a push than a snap. I prefer the push of a big bore over the snap of some of the faster calibers. The Ruger Express 458 Lott is an absolute baby to shoot...very smooth due to a very good stock design and lots of weight...too much weight I think.

My experience is that the 375 is no more abusive than a 300. Feels like a 20 guage to me.

Retreever is absolutely correct. however, when shooting hogs, I guarantee u wont feel the recoil, its only when you are shooting from the bench that u feel it. Solutions: Caldwell lead sled, pachmayer external recoil pad, or shooting offf shooting sticks while standing.

Comparable to a 20 guage is making me feel better about bumping up from a 300Wby to a 375HH. I never noticed the kick from a 12 guage too much, for whatever reason, and always thought it was less then my 300. But after seeing my PH try my rifle resting the forend off the back of his front hand (his main gun was a 458)and getting a cut from the scope, I just always thought the jump to a 375 or higher was going to be much more.
Probably just thinking too much about it because the first time I was handed a larger caliber/guage as a teenager, recoil never entered my mind and was just excited to have a bigger gun.

quote:

I never noticed the kick from a 12 guage too much

The reason is that you are shooting at a moving target and so focused on the target. Same reason that a big bore, 45 cal produces only enough recoil to let you know the rifle has fired when there is game in your sights.

A 375H&H is a pleasant round to shoot at game.

JPK

I was just talking about this today with a hunting friend and the subject of auditory exclusion came up. Ever notice that your ears don't ring when you are shooting at game? Same thing happens in most self-defense shootings. It's not that you aren't damaging your ears but something about the adrenaline keeps you from noticing it. It's the power of your mind to shut everything else out...like tunnel vision. The same is true of recoil when shooting at game.

Go out and shoot some 12 Ga heavy turkey loads, or hot sabot rifled slug loads from the bench.

You'll enjoy the reduced recoil of a 375 H&H after that.

My approach to shooting any heavy recoiling gun is to pull it in tight to me with both hands, and I make sure my face is snugged down tight to the stock. That way when the gun jumps, I go with it. If you are not holding the gun tightly, it will jump back and hit you - hard!

Having said that, I agree with most posters here. If you can shoot a 300WM comfortably, you can manage a 375 H&H. The recoil is probably more on the 375, but the recoil characteristics are different, and the jab of the 300WM is replaced with the thump of the 375.

Never tried a shotgun from a rest/prone, just have done more shooting that way with a rifle. I agree a slug or goose round would have more punch, especially with a lighter shotgun (have a Browning 2shot auto).
Always taught to lean into it and have a tight grip. Excited to move up to 375HH and put it to the test. Thanks for the confidence.

Would you guys say a 3.5" 12-gauge turkey load kicks more or less than a .375? I've shot them out of my 870 Wingmaster (I'm not sure how much it weighs, but I would guess in the area of 7 lbs.) off of a bench to pattern them, would this be similar to a .375 at least?

I find that using a sling when shooting, wrapped into a "hasty" sling position really reduces the initial jolt alot. It helps with muzzle rise as well.

My .375R is more pleasant to shoot than my .300WBY (a sharper, faster slap). 3.5" Turkey loads in a light shotgun kick considerably harder, but perhaps partly because of different stock design. Go shoot it and have fun. You will be pleasantly surprised. It's a nonevent.

I don't enjoy long sessions at the bench with my .375, but in the field, she's a puppy. Firmly into the shoulder, cheek firmly on stock and have at it all day long. A well-fitted stock helps a lot, too.

Don't do this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MOpQeQgEO8&NR=1

Copidosoma, that is a video from Saeed's range.

I didn't feel that much difference between my 300 and the 375. Just make sure the scope mount and eye relief are reasonable. My nastiest scope kiss occured snap shooting at a large running boar, when hunting outside of Coalinga, Ca.

I shoot the big bores just like I do the .222.

I pull it into my shoulder with both hands snugly and squeeze the trigger, I am not a contorsionist and to hold one otherwise effects accruacy by setting up muscle spasms and being made of pumping blood and ragged nerve ending I try to keep everything relaxed and simple, and roll with the punch. Works for me.

I think a .375 and 12 ga turkey loads feel very similar.

I shoot a Wby Vanguard in 300 Roy and also a Win. M70 in 375H&H. To me they are the same. That's with the 300 having a new decelerator and the 375 having a rock hard factory pad. The only real difference is the 300 is more violent, as in, faster and more muzzle rise. I have to hold the bottom of the stock when on the bench to keep it from jumping off and landing on the table. The 375 is a pussy cat, just a little muzzle rise and a big push back.

I also shot a friend's A-Bolt in 338 Win. Mag. It was more uncomfortable to shoot than either of my rifles, IMO.

You'll love the 375 once you shoot it a few times. It's become my favorite rifle to shoot.

David

P.S. I would much rather shoot the 375 or 300 Roy than my SBE II with 3-1/2" turkey loads.

I agree; my Tikka T3 338 is certainly less pleasant than my Sako 375, even though both rifles weigh about the same and have comparable recoil pads. I also agree with the other posters that I never feel my %)% when shooting at game, but I dont shoot it off the bench at all; zero over sticks

quote:

Originally posted by x2mosg:
I shoot a Wby Vanguard in 300 Roy and also a Win. M70 in 375H&H. To me they are the same. That's with the 300 having a new decelerator and the 375 having a rock hard factory pad. The only real difference is the 300 is more violent, as in, faster and more muzzle rise. I have to hold the bottom of the stock when on the bench to keep it from jumping off and landing on the table. The 375 is a pussy cat, just a little muzzle rise and a big push back.

I also shot a friend's A-Bolt in 338 Win. Mag. It was more uncomfortable to shoot than either of my rifles, IMO.

You'll love the 375 once you shoot it a few times. It's become my favorite rifle to shoot.

David

P.S. I would much rather shoot the 375 or 300 Roy than my SBE II with 3-1/2" turkey loads.

turn your body closed to the target
pull the rifle back with your forward hand
push down with the read hand
bunch your shoulder/chest as a pad
allow your body to turn with the shot, slightly, as the rifle lifts

this is how *I* do it, and it works for me