Was at the range, decided to do some shooting while resting the rifle on a sand bag at the front and the stock's butt pulled directly to my shoulder at the other end. It's a 30.06, and surprisingly the recoil was so painful I developed a horrible flinch by the fifth round. I know that shooting from a bench makes the recoil more felt, but I'm quite shocked that it was that punishing. Free hand I'm not bothered by anything short of a 458

Anyway, looking for recommendations of good recoil reducers that don't cost much. Hopefully $40-$50 max. Saw some slip on gel pads on Amazon, but no idea how good they are or if there are better alternatives.

throw a sandbag between you and the gun when on the bench

Rather that make a permanent alteration to one rifle try changing your form first.
I like to stack my sand bags up fairly high so that you are sitting up as straight and tall as possible. When you fire the rifle pushes you back and you don't feel it as much, also buy a PAST recoil shield, they are a recoil pad that you put on your shoulder, very effective.
Make sure you are holding the rifle tight to your shoulder and face to the stock.
Take a .22 rifle to the range and shoot a few shots with the hard kicker then a few with the .22. Helps avoid that flinch or what ever bad habit you are developing.
I see some guys at ranges with a bare minimum of sand bags and they are practically laying on the bench it rather bad form. when they touch it off it smacks them. If you are more upright you roll with the recoil.

Exactly. Sit as upright as comfortably possible, and use a PAST recoil pad. I use a PAST recoil pad when shooting my 9.3x64 on the bench. Makes a huge difference.

Im guessing your letting the rifle just sit on the bag and squeezing or jerking the triggr..pull the gun tight into your shoulder as you may be giving the gun a one inch run at your shoulder, a properly stocked 30-06 should not bother you, nobody has ever been injured from recoil alone that I know of..it mostly mental, but if your hurting then the rifle is out of control IMO, but I'm not there to observe..May need a different stock, and you can always use a muzzle brake, they sure do work, and be sure to get a thread protector and then shoot the gun without the brake from time to time and in time it shouldn't bother you without the brake.

Brian564, Your $40-50 budget pretty much limits your options to DIY work.

Check with Brownells. They carry everything that you are asking about.

Some manufacturers have recoil pads that may fit your rifle, otherwise a new pad will have to be ground to fit your rifle. A Limbsaver, Decelerator, or KickEez pad will cost between $40-50, without being fitted.

I fit Limbsaver and KickEez pads on most of my rifles and shotguns.

A slip-on pad will increase the length of pull of your rifle.

Brownells also carries in-stock recoil reducers. They basically need a 7/8" diameter hole in the buttstock of your rifle. They cost between $50-70, plus installation.

They make both mercury and mechanical recoil reducers. I don't know which one is best, or if they are any better than just adding an equal amount of lead weight to your stock.

I have recoil reducers in several of my shotguns and two of my rifles. At least one of my reducers is mercury, the others are mechanical. The reducers that I have are Edwards, Beretta, and Dead Mule. All of them did reduce the felt recoil of the firearm that I put one in.

Having a muzzle brake installed on your rifle will do the most to reduce felt recoil, however the brake will re-direct the sound waves from your muzzle, so the muzzle blast will be louder for the shooter and for people beside the shooter. A good muzzle brake can reduce up to 50% of the felt recoil. Having a muzzle brake installed on a rifle costs around $200.

I had KDF muzzle brakes installed on two of my rifles. My .300 Weatherby with a KDF muzzle brake, an Edwards reducer, and a Limbsaver pad kicks less than my .308 Win.

You might build a table that you take apart to move and slips together to use. Make it so it sets on top of the benches at the range but to use you stand up.
Maybe use c-clamps to secure it to the bench.
Leo

When I was preparing for one of my moose hunts, load testing was kicking the snot out of me. I cobbled up a little cradle to rest the rifle with lumber and bought bags of lead bird shot. Lead is a lot heavier than sand. But it's OK to use a sand bag under the forearm.

I bought a 25 pound bag of shot and stacked it between my shoulder and the recoil pad which was a soft lace on.

That was the end of the recoil. The rifle could barely move the lead bag and the softness of the shot absorbed the kick.

I spent $10 or $15 for the lumber and around $25 - $30 for the shot back then. It took me a couple of hours shop time.

Here's lead shot in 25 pound and 50 pound bags. Now $40 and $70. One bag of shot should keep you in budget.

https://www.google.com/search?...ead+birdshot&spell=1

Everybody has great suggestions but I will comment further.
I personally don't like muzzle brakes, way too tough on the ears and bystanders in my opinion.
I hear the suggestion about putting a bag of shot or a sandbag between your shoulder and the rifle but doesn't that jack up your eye relief and shooting form?
I do as I stated above stack sandbags high so you are more upright and not leaning so hard into the gun and take a break and shoot lighter calibers in middle of hard kicking shooting sessions. Like 22 rimfires, .223's or .243's.

Snell:

We are on the same song sheet. To get into the nitty gritty of appropriate hold, configuration, result, effect, recoil I definitely agree that the rifle should be held in a fashion that rocks back the shooter upright as opposed to too low a hold that will transmit back into the shoulder that it too horizontal causing punishing impact force onto the body.

I also agree that muzzle brakes et al recoil reducers are undesirable in the range. My range prohibited them.

As to the set back from scope focus due to additional space with the lead shot bag, yes I does, Obviously.

I have some half moon scars on my forehead and some bleeding visits, dripping down my nose, over the years, to Doctors.

I'm a pretty big Guy - 6"-4" 241 pounds and long arms so I don't have a problems with my Mickey Mouse creation to beat recoil.

It works for me and my friends at the range do not have any problems or comments.,

I also have a shooting recoil vest that works for me:

https://www.google.com/search?..........0.YGZFnVl8o1I

Get a .250-3000 for your bench and light game. When you need the 06 for something bigger have a husky 18 year old sight it in for you. Take only one verification shot and than go hunting. roger

Get yourself an Evoshield shirt. Works wonders.

I have added Ken Rucker's hydraulic "Bump Buster" recoil reduction system to my .375 H&H, 9.3x62, and .30-06. You can dial in the amount of recoil adjustment and also adjust LOP. Pretty effective. Adds a slight amount of weight, but well worth it.

Some cheap and very effective fixes.

1. Buy a Limbsaver slip on recoil pad for the range (about $30) It will make a huge difference

2. Get a PAST recoil pad and have it sewn into your shooting vest (if you don't have one a cheap one can be had for $30 or so)>

You won't have any more issues with recoil from the bench, you won't have modified your rifle either.

With bigger kickers I often sight in from a sitting position. It is surprisingly accurate, and a lot less painful to boot.

Great suggestions people. I will go with the Past, which is now sold as "Caldwell"

I have a slip on pad in my range bag. This one is the best so far and has not split like the dark colored ones.

When shooting from the bench hold the rifles forend with one hand.

Brian, the biggest asset of a recoil reducer is it's weight. depending on whether you have a wood or synthetic-stocked rifle, you might add 1/2 to 1 lb of buckshot into the buttstock to tone down recoil a bit. You can hold it in with that spray foam insulation for a temporary fix, or Acraglass for a permanent application.

quote:

Originally posted by Brian564:
Great suggestions people. I will go with the Past, which is now sold as "Caldwell"

Limb saver make a strap on pad which is quite a bit thinner than the Past model, yet just as effective, I wear one all the time at the range. FS

You can shoot a .458 off hand but not a 30-06 off the bench?? That makes no sense to me! and I have shot both for many years..

But never the less, I think you need to drop down to probably a 7x57, it will kill anything a 30-06 will, without the recoil..

When I broke my collar bone I had to lay off shooting for awhile. Once the Doctor gave me the all clear I went out and bought a PAST recoil pad so I could shoot my 300WM from the prone. It sure took the pain away from the heavy loads. I still use it when shooting my heavier recoiling rifles from the bench. It has made shooting the 375 Ruger from the bench manageable and allows me to shoot 20+ rounds without issue.