I used to have a 300Weath at 9.25lb which I enjoyed very much with abslute maximum loads(81-83gnIMR4831/180gn), it had BrownPrecision stock and average quality thin rubber pachmyer pad.
Now Iam considering the 340 with a weight around 9.5lb scoped. but would like to tame the bite a bit cause I intend to run the 275gnAframe@2700 and above. The recoil calculator gives me a 42.ftlb recoil figure for the 2700fps figure.
Question: what methods can I employ to reduce that figure and felt recoil. And what sort Of reduction can I expect from that 42. ftlb figure
Can I get it to 7mmRemmag figures?(27ftlb)

What Recoil Pad is best?
Mercury recoil reducers any good?
Which Synthetic stock is best?
Which muzzle break is most effective?
Can you have Magnaporting done on a barrel in combination with a muzzle break outfront of it?
Any other Methods?
I am prepared to combine any or all of the above methods if it siuts me, and if it proves more effective than I expect, I may even go to the idea of a .375/338Lapau wildcat or reduce the weight of the 340 to 9lb or less.

I would think just a good brake would do it.

A buddy of mine has a 340 wby with the factory brake. It kicks less than a 30-06 but is the loudest rifle I have ever heard.

There has to be a quieter brake than that one that is still effective on recoil.

I'm not particularily recoil sensitive so take this for what its worth. Off hand or in field positions the recoil of the .340 is not bad. Off the bench it is getting to the point that you need to increase your mental and physical concentration. I use a PAST shield or an Answer Products recoil eliminator shield and find either one works well. Brings the felt recoil of the .340 below that of the .300 Wby. in my opinion. In fact I almost always use either one for almost all of my shooting of of the bench, even down to the .270 class of cartridges. I don't like muzzel brakes, but that's me. I'm not sure how they affect recoil velocity and that is the component of the .340's recoil that gets annoying. Magna-Porting may help with muzzel rise. Sitting at the bench so that your torso is more upright rather than leaning into the rifle helps you to roll with the recoil as well.

I have a Brown Precision stock on my .300 Wby.. It is a light and trim stock that that has my rifle with scope at about 8.25 pounds. I had a Rimrock that I never used. It was very well made, but its dimensions didn't work with mine. Now that McMillan has a classic styled stock for the Wby. MkV I think that I'll get one for my .340.

I have the 338 Rem Ultra Mag and I have a brake for shooting on the bench that I can take off for hunting.I had a screw protecter made that I can screw on when I have the brake off
for hunting. And when hunting sometimes I use the Past shoulder pad to reduce the recoil. I say sometimes because it all to what load I'm shooting weather I need it or not.

.340 recoil isn't that bad - I never even notice it when hunting. I have a 15 year old 120lb. nephew that thinks its fun to shoot.
Shooting off a bench would wear on me a bit so I bought a Past recoil pad that you wear (sweet) and I think I could shoot till the barrel fell off and it wouldn't bother me a bit.

I have found shooting the 338WM and 416 Taylor that the recoil isn't what makes me flinch it's the noise. I guess I'm noise shy. If I forget to bring my plugs I start cringing by the 3rd shot. I don't really know of any others who have this problem but for me if I whear plugs and muffs my shooting really improves. Just something to think about before you go the way of ports/brake. Bruises heal, hearing never comes back.

I don't know of many people who do use the murcury tubes but those few do love them. Only complaint is it adds the weight in the wrong place, the butt. However, most 340Wbys have long barrels so it may actually help ballence things out.

I have a 340 weatherby alaskan. Had our local gunsmith put on a brake....I recomend if you get one that it's ported straight out the side and not back at you like alot of factory brakes.
It doesn't kill my ears the way a factory brake does.
I'd say mine kicks like a 30-06/7mag--with a good trigger I don't flinch at all.
Otherwise my next step would be a limbsaver or deccelerator recoil pad.

I'm not a fan of brakes but I do prefer MagnaPorting if you think you need a brake. A 9.5# .340 isn't going to be too bad, get a good recoil pad, a 1" Pac. Dec. as a min. Recoil reducers are ok too, but will up the weight. I also never liked the Wby. stock design. The only .340wby I have shot was a McMillan stocked rig, right @ 9.5#. Very managable off the bench, it was MagnaPorted.
For bench shooting, I use a Past recoil shield for just about anything over a .280. It just makes shooting a lot of rounds more comfortable.

I have a muzzle break on my 8.5lb 338 RUM. Its not bad at all. I have had several muzzle breaks now all made by Homer Strickland of Accuracy arms here in anchorage, AK. He angles his cuts out away from the shooter so they are not much louder than an unbreaked rifle for the shooter. I woudn't want to be slightly in front of and to the side of the rifle though.

THe past recoil sheild also helps alot as does the limbsaver recoil pad.

here is the break on my rifle

I would rate it at least 60% reduction in felt recoil with no muzle jump. I had another one on a tikka T3 in 338 win that took the most savagly recoiling rifle I had ever shot into a comfortable shooter. One of the best parts is that I took my rifle to him on monday, and picked it back up tuesday night.

I ran a box of 250 gr Partitions through a 6.5 lb .338 win mag with a muzzle brake, and found the recoil to be similar to my 6 lb .300 WSM shooting 168 gr bullets. They are loud, but really effective. I use one on my 7.5 lb .300 Jarrett shooting 200 gr bullets at 2980 fps, and find recoil to be less than that of a similar unbraked '06 shooting 180 gr bullets. I am a fan of brakes.

My .340 Wby has a Weatherby Accubrake and the recoil is about like a 30-06. You should always use hearing protection when shooting, regardless if your rifle is braked or not. If you take the brake off your rifle, more than likely your point of impact will change. If you take it off, shoot it enough to know where the new point of impact is. Good shooting.

My point of impact with or without my brake on my 338 RUM or my 375 H&H is the same because it is threaded on the outside of my barrel.

Unless a brake is integral to the barrel, I believe they are all threaded on the outside. It is the weight of the brake on the end of the barrel, and the effect that has on barrel harmonics that affect POI.

Woodjack,

I am not a big muzzle brake fan, as I don't like the blast at the range even wearing muffs and I surely don't need it when hunting. I believe, and this is just MHO and from experience that with a proper rifle weight, correct stock and LOP, and proper scope set up (eye relief) that a MB isn't needed on any medium and indeed most big bores.

I shoot an unbraked 338 Lapua TRG-S, a couple of 416 Rigbys and 458 Lotts. With the proper LOP, recoil pad (I LOVE Limbsavers) and scope set up you shouldn't have to worry about scope cut, which is MY biggest flinch inducer. I can take a hit to the shoulder but don't mess with my eyes/nose

I would suggest you set up your 340 with a good pad and proper LOP, and the scope for max eye relief. Try this out and see if it's in your comfort zone. The 340 Weatherby is a great round...try Barnes TSX 210s and 225s and also the NP 250s.

Since you can shoot the Weatherby 300 well I can see no reason that a well sorted out 340 should cause you undo concern. Recoil is VERY subjective, but with your experience I think you will love the 340

John

woodjack-sounds like the making of a fun project. The 340 happens to be one of my fav's for sure. I'm on my 4th tube and I just keep going back to them.

Are you gonna have this put together or are you looking to buy a factory action and tube?

If building I would go M70 or 700 and then I would put on a 4.5 weight Schneider. Cut it to 25" and shoot it as is at first. If it had more barrel jump than you appreciate then have it magnaported. IME you want the weight of the gun to be in the tube, and a tube that will go in and around .7 at the muzzle will do you quite well with a 340.

AS for stocks if you wanted the gun a bit heavier I would go McMillan. It sounds like your goal is about 9.5 lbs. To me that is just too heavy for the kind of hunting we do. But a 340 that heavy is very easy to work with. If you're going that heavy so as to reduce recoil then I would honestly just go to a 338 and a rifle that was about 8 or 8 1/2 all up.

Now if you decide to go a bit lighter with your rifle then I would take a very hard look at the Bansner. One heck of a good stock and it is no doubt the way I would go. Although there is no flies on Brown and they've treated me extremely well over the years.

Personally I am no fan of brakes, too loud and not something I care to be around anymore. The last time my buddy rebarreled his 30/378 he got rid of the accurbrake (by Wby) and he just shoots it as is.

I find the brakes to be very effective and helpful for working up loads on the bench but I will not use them anymore. I feel that a person should practice with a gun the way he hunts with it. And I want no part of hunting with a brake!

As for the comment that you don't feel the recoil while hunting that is true. However, I would never have a person use a rifle with that thought process in mind. I am a firm believe in practice practice practice. And it is under practice where you form good or bad habbits. And to me a person who pracitces with a brake and then takes it off for hunting may just be thinking about what is gonna happen when the round goes off instead of concentrating on the shot.

I am a fan of magnaporting as I tend to hold a rifle quite lightly and let it recoil very freely. The porting helps to keep the glass off of my noggin.

About recoil pads I've used the Decelerator for years and am very happy. I've never used them but I do hear good things about the new Limbsavers.

What type of hunting are you gonna be using this rifle for?

Honestly I would encourage you to if you're gonna hunt it serious to build it much lighter. I would set 9 lbs all up as a max goal but that is just me. I've had them as light as 8.25 all up and as heavy as just under 10.

On a side note I've found that the 33's are about the easiest rounds out there to get the to shoot with excellent accuracy. I would also go without the freebore, unless you felt like you may go with factory rounds from time to time.

Good luck and let us know how it works out.


Mark D

quote:

What Recoil Pad is best?

I use nothing but Decelerator pads on all my rifles. They just work the best in my opinion.

quote:

Mercury recoil reducers any good?

I use C&H Research brand mercury recoil reducers on all my “heavy kickers’ from .340 Weatherby to .450 Rigby. Do they work? YOU JUST BET THEY DO!!! Save yourself some money and try a mercury reducer from C&H Research and you’ll see for your self. You don’t end up with an ugly blob full of holes or a bunch of holes in your barrel that will increase the level of the muzzle blast significantly. Do your ears and the ears of those around you, FORGET THE BRAKE IDEA!!! Lawdog

Woodjack,

The 340 Wea is one rifle that has so much muzzle blast and noise, that putting a brake on it shouldn't increase the noise but will improve the recoil. Put a removable brake on so it can be removed during hunting.

Dak

ah Dakota--a big time BS to that one, you brake a 340 or anything else and it's blast is gonna go up big time!!!

Obviously you've not been around 340's and or brakes much-eh.

Mark D

Muzzle breaks suck. I tried them, didn't like them. Too loud.

My suggestion, trade it for a .338!! In actual field performance, the difference is so small that its not a real consideration. The animal never knows the difference, but your shoulder will.

We call em "Ear Breaks"...

I've shot a 340 for about 20yrs I also dislike
muzzle breaks the best thing a did was put on
a gentry's stock I don't know if they made them
themselves or if they are even still in bussines
they used to be in boseman montana. on a side note i shot a friends 30-378 weatherby mark 5
and was impressed with the lack of recoil and accuracy its the only rifle with a muzzlebreak
that I enjoyed shooting

Ummm Leave it in your gun safe and use your 30/06?

"Best Recoil Pad?"

I'd have to say the Sims, May not be the prettiest but it certainly works.

As far as stocks go seems to have more to do w/ design than the actual brand name.

Good Luck

Reloader

I don't understand why everyone is so against muzzle breaks. The muzzle break that I have on my 338 RUM doesn't noticably increase the noise or muzle blast. I wouldn't want to shoot it a lot without hearing protection but the occasonal shot shot at game doesn't bother me. The holes on my brake angle forward to direct the worst of the blast away from the shooter. My 338 RUM kicks like a 270 with the brake. I have a friend who has a muzzle break that is three large holes side to side thru the barrel, that one is a lot louder than normal but still not as bad as an unported 454 cassul revolver shooting standard loads.

Guns are loud, its something you have to deal with. MY 338 was loud before, and still is but it doesn't kick nearly as bad anymore.

Woodjack
I Have a Win 70 Safari Express 416 rem mag, that kicks less than A 243 win.
I have a Knoxx Rifle recoil sys in the factorry wood stock, and a KDW muzzle break. The break is removable with out the break the recoil is less than a 30-06.
The 340 wby should be no problem.
You can also buy a complete stock based on the Houge stock.
Give this Try it will amaze you.
Dr B

http://www.knoxx.com/index2.html

Dr B - I have been looking at their stocks for a while now, but never found anyone using the rifle version. Does it have the same LOP as the normal Hogue stock? Are there any accuracy issues with the butt end not being firmly attached to the rest of the stock? Are there any problems with cheek pinch or irritation from the sliding stock? How does it handle wet/snow/cold/etc? I have the standard Hogue stock on one of my rifles and I like it a lot.
thanks.

quote:

Originally posted by Thebear_78:
I don't understand why everyone is so against muzzle breaks. The muzzle break that I have on my 338 RUM doesn't noticably increase the noise or muzle blast.

Guns are loud, its something you have to deal with. MY 338 was loud before, and still is but it doesn't kick nearly as bad anymore.

The reason YOU don't notice the increased sound level is it has been directed away from the shooter. Why not stand off to the side while someone else shoots your rifle? Then you will see what we are talking about. And while you may not believe that those occasional shots at game doesn't effect you, they are doing damage to your hearing little by little. Just ask your Doctor. Lawdog

As stated in my first post about it, I admit I wouldn't want to stand to the side and slightly in front of the rifle while its being shot, but luckily the only thing in front of me when I shoot is whatever I'm shooting at. When at the range I try to be considerate and sit well away from other people. Even unbraked rifles are lout from the sides.

While I admit that little by little my hearing may be damaged by shooting afield that could be said for any rifle you shoot. No gun is quiet enought to not hurt your ears even the lowly 22lr. If you want to hear loud try shooting a 454, 500 S&W, or other magnum revolver, much louder than any braked rifle. I stand by my observation that GUNS ARE LOUD.

If I listened to my doctor I wouldn't get to do anything fun anymore.

I have a Sako TRG-S in 338 Lapua. Shooting it off the bench before getting a muzzle brake was akin to being sucker punched. I didn't flinch so much as that the rifle just wore out my ass in about five rounds. Had a guy in Montana put on a nice muzzle brake. Recoil is not that bad, but I won't shoot it unless I have ear plugs and muffs in place. Shot a deer with it sans protection and thought I had gone deaf. Turned a good part of the deer mushy. I really think it is a silly round. Good for talking shop or killing runaway Buicks, but really absurd. However, I would like to wear out a few zebras with it.

Captin
I have never shot the facory compstock, mine is on a wood win 70 stock. They ell a gunsmithing kit that you can add to your stock, you will need some skill to install as they supply no info on various modles. They do have general instructins with pictures. From mmy experince any would stock should work fine. I have not installes one in plastic yet. Mcmillian will install on any of their stocks.
I'm not sure about the LOP on the Houge stock but I belive you can order the length you want.
The stock does recoil around 1" so you need a scope with a 3" or more eye relif.
Accuracy is not affected the bullet is gone before the recoil is transmited to your shoulder. Also the spring is very srtong so you can hold the stock aginst your shoulder a tight as you want..
I'm having McMillian stock a Sako M995 laupa for me as oon as I can get it shiped.
They will add the recoil system to a houge stock that you already own. Including the houge stock on Remingtons New 700 XCR. I'm trying to decide wich one I want first the 338RUM or the 375RUM, either one should be great for Alaska.
Good luck let me know what you do on this.
Dr B

390ish,

I don't believe the 338 lapua is a silly round, any more than I think the 338 RUM or 338-378 is a silly round. Do you NEED such a cartridge? Probably not but that also applies to many rounds available today. I like the 338 Lapua for its performance, availability of great brass (Lapua) and most importantly it is different from the masses Seriously, don't judge a cartridge based on your experiences shooting it off a bench, or one deer (a good premium bullet like the Nosler Partition or esp the Barnes X won't turn your deer to mush).

Recoil tolerance varies from person to person, and most importantly with the shooters experience with heavier recoiling rifles. I too have a Sako TRG-S in 338 Lapua and when I first shot it I thought it was pretty harsh. After years of shooting bigger bores(416 Rigby and 458 Lott) the Lapua is no big deal, and my Lapua (unbraked) has become my go to deer and elk rifle. When one becomes used to the recoil it is no big deal. Going from an '06 or 300 Win the Lapua will seem bad, but believe me with proper rifle set up and wanting to "get er done" it can be accomplished.

I admit I'm a rifle crank, and like having rifles a little bit different from the norm. For the casual shooter/hunter the "upper 338s" AREN'T worth the difference in performance. For those of us who like a little bit extra and are willing to become acclimated to them they can be good tools

John

One saturday afternoon some guy showed up at the range with a model 70 BOSS in 270. Wasn't long before the benches around him cleared out, myself included. That about sums up my opinion of brakes.

That oppinion might change if you were sitting behind the gun instead of next to it!

I wouldn't use a break.

I would use a kick eeze pad and breako-

If this doesn't work then think about another stock design. Maybe a thumbhole or a classic stocked rifle.

Basner's and McMillans stocks are superb. McMillans thumbhole will take away a ton of recoil, as long as it's not too light.

In reading this thread a second time, it strikes me funny that in regards to recoil I have received far more punishment from an M1 shooting a hi-power match, and a 12 gauge shooting trap, than I have from a 338 UM. Not that all don't bruise, they do, however I didn't hurt for a week shooting the big rifles sans brake.

quote:

Originally posted by Thebear_78:
That oppinion might change if you were sitting behind the gun instead of next to it!

Not in your, mine or anyone else's lifetime. It's sitting next to your rifle that really lets you know what it sounds like. Lawdog

I don't know about you buy I shoot my rifles from behind. What good is a rifle it you just set next to it. Do you pull the trigger with a string? I'm not sure how that works.

I'm less concerned with how it sounds or even how it looks, its how it shoots that matters.

We all have ways we like to deal with recoil. I don't mind the muzzle brake, it works plain and simple. Whatever side effects it may have its up to the person shooting to wiegh the pros and cons. Your different stock options are another one, so is adding weight. For me the muzzle break is what works best. I don't want my rifles to weigh any more than that have to and the muzzle brake adds the least weight with the most recoil reduction. We can all agree to disagree on this one. Like them or not muzzle brakes are going to be around for a while, because they work.

quote:

Originally posted by Thebear_78:
I don't know about you buy I shoot my rifles from behind. What good is a rifle it you just set next to it. Do you pull the trigger with a string? I'm not sure how that works.

I'm less concerned with how it sounds or even how it looks, its how it shoots that matters.

I don’t want some shooter sitting down next to me at the range and blasting my eardrums/head off with his/her brake equipped firearm. It’s uncomfortable and down right painful. And I don’t want my hunting partners/PH/guide standing behind me when shooting at game either. I try to be considerate of others around me. Lawdog

To tame "felt recoil" ---- eat.

Barstooler