I will ask the ar members for some advice

I have a lot of 180 grain tsx bullets and ammo in 308 30/06 and 300 win mag.

Kind of my go to bullet for African Plains game.

What would be the difference in recoil from shooting this same bullet in a 308 30/06 or 300 win mag? I am trying to figure out a recoil - killing power/capability trade off.

The question arises from the purchase of a second blaser k95 barrel (first one is 6.5 creedmoor) - the gun is light - 5.5 pounds - maybe 6.5 with a swaro z3.

Thanks

Mike

Mike
IIRC, the 30-06 has about 17.4 felt foot lbs of recoil in a 7 1/2 rifle and the .300WM has about 27 felt ft lbs. That's off the top of my head.

quote:

Originally posted by Hogbreath:
Mike
IIRC, the 30-06 has about 17.4 felt foot lbs of recoil in a 7 1/2 rifle and the .300WM has about 27 felt ft lbs. That's off the top of my head.

Thanks Rick

This is exactly what I am looking for

Same projectile (bullet) from three different cases and their relative recoil.

Might make sense just to get a 308 and shoot 180 grain tsx for least recoil in light rifle.

Mike

You shoot bigger bore stuff right? Try the 180 in the .300 WM and see what it feels like. It won't be as bad as you reckon.

quote:

Originally posted by Hogbreath:
You shoot bigger bore stuff right? Try the 180 in the .300 WM and see what it feels like. It won't be as bad as you reckon.

Shoot it all the time in the r8.

I am just worried in a 5.5 pound k95 recoil will be an issue.

Mike

That's the figure but they vari according to rifle weight..technically I can't tell any difference between the 308 and 30-06 and only a little more in the 300..Your loads can make a minor difference. Probably best not to overthink the problem..use what shoots best in any gun..

I like 150 gr. monolithics in the 308 (sav. mod 99), 180s or 200s in the 30-06 and 200s in the 300s..that gives me 3 calibers, not 3 duplicating each other.

quote:

use what shoots best in any gun..

Try different bullets, bullet weights and powder charges and find the load each gun likes best/performs with best.

I feel that many folks frustrate themselves by overthinking the issue.

Each rifle from my experience, is as much an individual as humans are when it comes to bullet weights and powder charges.

My .300 Weatherby really does great with both 165 and 168 grain TSX Barnes, and nothing I hit is going to notice that 12 to 15 grain decrease in bullet weight.

If I do my part of the job, the rifle and shells do their part.

If you are shooting the Blaser you can probably manage springing for a couple boxes of TSXs in different weights. Get the .308 and see if 150 or 165s shoot good. The 15 grains of weight will not make much difference with the TSX from a penetration standpoint. If you can't kill it with a 165 TSX the 15 grains doesn't matter, you need a bigger circle.

The K-95 weighs next to nothing. It won't be bad.

Matt

I’m going to go around your question a bit. The use of a 180 grain TSX (because of it’s length)in a .308 Win. would seriously hinder the cartridges performance. You would be using up a lot of available powder space. In the .308 Win., because of it’s small case capacity, you would be much better served with a 150 grain TSX os TTSX....while potentionally giving somewhat less recoil!

I believe you will be pleasantly surprised with the performance of the 150 in the .308 Win. memtb

I think you will find that the 180 TSX will take up quite a bit of the case in a 308. They are much longer than conventional bullets and even the cup and core 180s crowd out the powder in the 308. I would look at the 165gr or smaller in the Barnes line of bullets.
I ended up trading my 180s to a friend for some loaded ammo because I wasn't satisfied with the results in the 308. I had the 180s for my 300 Win and never got around to using them all up before I sold the rifle.

Thanks for all the comments and insights

I ordered a 30/06 barrel. I was told by a friend at Blaser that he shot the 300 win mag and the recoil was not bareable to him.

I will get the 308 when I order the blaser k95 attaché in 2019.

Mike

This Fall I hope to pick up a Kimber in 308 as a potential grandkids rifle for use in Africa. This thread has been useful. The Kimber Hunter weighs in at 5# 7oz. Scope, either a Nikon 2-7 or the Inline 3-9 will bring the rifle up to 6.5-6.7#. Might knock an inch off the stock for kids'comfort. I remember my son using a 14" 270Win Featherweight 3.5 decades ago and struggling a bit, but he dropped small and medium game with it cleanly.

On loads, Barnes reports some good velocities with the 308.
For excample:
168TTSX with a 24"barrel and CFE223 powder is listed at
48.5C and 2877 fps.

When I compare Hodgdon's data for the 168 TTSX, also 24" barrel,
Hodgdon lists CFE223 at
45.0C and 2664 fps with a low pressure of only 49800psi.
That is about 10,000psi (yes psi, not cup) below a more normal max.

The 200fps difference between the Barnes and Hodgdon listing is reasonable when we consider that there is a difference of 3.5grains of powder.

My question to you all with experience with the 308 is,
was it difficult for Barnes to stuff 48.5grains of CFE223 into the 308Win and the 168TTSX?

3.5 grains is a fairly large difference, over 7%.

Well, the Hunter is only a 22in barrel, so knocking off 50 fps for the barrel and another 75fps for "bragging rights", I am wondering about a potential result around 2750fps (+/-50fps per rifle). Does that sound reasonable? Trajectory 2"high at 100 would drop -7.4". Pretty nice for cutting one's teeth as a hunter.

I've stayed away from ball powders in my other rifles, but the 308 seems made for a powder that compacts well. Temperatures in Tanzania tend to vary between 60-100F., so there shouldn't be a problem with cold weather.

Stock fit and design are the key to felt recoil.

I had 2 308s that weighed the same but had very different stock dimensions. One left me wanting to shoot more after 200 rounds and the other had me quitting after 50.

That said, I personally don’t get along with 300WMs too well. Inside 300 yards they offer no real advantage over a “06 and the less recoil there is the more confident in my shots I become.

Just my opinion,
The words magnum and light rifle are seldom compatible.
A guy i worked with was having trouble getting his 300 Weatherby to group. Asked if i would meet him at the range and see if i could do better.
i said sure., When he showed up with a Featherweight MK 10 in 300 Weatherby, i told him he was on his own. However, if it was An accumark or full weight rifle, i would give it a go.
I say go with the 30,06, 180 grains are to slow in the .308 to me, i like 2800 ish or more from most and bullet. ...tj3006

I expect 2650 FPS in a 308 with 180 gr. bullets. about 2800 plus FPS with a 150 gr. and 2700 FPS with a 165 gr. bullet..with certain powders I can get this in my 99EG Sav, and almost that in my 99F..and in about any bolt action..I can get about 50 to 75 FPS more in a fwt. mod. 70. The 300 H&H and 300 Win mag gives me a couple of hundred or more FPS all the way around..

My favorite load and only load in the 300 H&H is 200 gr. nosler partition or Accubond at 3000 FPS, a max load in both my 300s but the 300 Win gives me a 100 FPS less with the same results on game...

When we had those calibers I used to load 130's in the 308, 165's in my grand daughter's 30-06, and 180's in the 300 Win. After my son hurt his shoulder we dropped down to 165's in the 300 Win. All three Loaded with either tipped or plain TSX killed whatever they hit. I wouldn't be afraid to shoot an elk with the 308 and 130's so I guess that works for the rest of them as well.

quote:

Might make sense just to get a 308 and shoot 180 grain tsx for least recoil in light rifle.Mike

Yup...that makes sense...but to shoot 165 TTSX makes even more sense as the 180 monometal robs the smaller .308 case of powder capacity.....the 165 will kill all the plains game you aim at and have a better tradjectory and even less recoil to boot.

IMO ther 180 Barnes should be reserved for the larger cases such as the .300 Magnums and even the .30-06

quote:

Originally posted by vapodog:

quote:

Might make sense just to get a 308 and shoot 180 grain tsx for least recoil in light rifle.Mike

Yup...that makes sense...but to shoot 165 TTSX makes even more sense as the 180 monometal robs the smaller .308 case of powder capacity.....the 165 will kill all the plains game you aim at and have a better tradjectory and even less recoil to boot.

IMO ther 180 Barnes should be reserved for the larger cases such as the .300 Magnums and even the .30-06

I’ll go a little farther...the 180 and heavier mono’s should be saved for the larger magnum cases! memtb

I agree, if one likes the monolithic bullets, you can always go lighter without sacrificing penetration, but some go too far for sure and that just doesn't work..I always felt like 150 monolithic eguiled the 180 cup and core for instance, and might be fast enough to give you a small amount of trajectory...