Recent shoulder injury makes 30-06 recoil from my 7.5 # rifle too painful to endure (REALLY severe!) and prevents shooting left handed as well, because the same injury makes my right arm useless for support... even if the old dog could learn a new trick. Surgical option would ruin this year's hunting season (They say 4 months recovery). SOOO ... I have just two options for deer hunting this year: (1)Shoot and puke. (2) Find an endurably soft recoiling 250 - 300 yards deer cartridge/rifle combo. Considered ordering new, 26 in hvy bbl with muzzle break, in 6.5 x 55, for my Encore ... but I'm told the wait is 12 weeks or so - too long. I'd like the rig to be comfortably totable... say 8# more or less. What would y'all look for?

Thanks --

Remington Classic 700 in .250-3000 Savage. No need to carry around a lot of weight, shoot it with Partitions and take home the bacon. Accurate mostly, very mild recoil, I don't need to promote it as its track record says it all. If you hand load it gets better, 100 grain bullets rule.

Install one of the new more advanced recoil pads. An 8oz mercury tube in the stock. And wear a Past Recoil sheild over that shoulder while hunting.

Plus after all that if you still need less recoil while you are healing. Try out some of the lighter weight low energy factory rounds now available. Like Remington's Managed recoil 125 gr corelokts.

You might actually enjoy shooting that 30-06 again after that.

I hate putting a gun away because of an injury. It's like persecuting and old friend for something that wasn't their fault.

I knocked both shoulders out of their sockets in a serious car accident two years ago (among other much more serious injuries). Digital Dan may appreciate the fact I was crosseyed for 15months. And yes, I could still shoot straight cross-eyed. It was six months before I could even put my own shirt on or tie my own shoes. Now I can still shoot my 300 WBY, 30-06 and Hunt turkeys and ducks with 3 1/2" in 12ga loads. Muzzle brakes, mercury tubes, recoil sheilds and the newly available reduced loads are wonderful things when you really need them

Part of my own personal therapy for rebuilding shoulder strength was to shoot a low poundage recurve for awhile. At first I didn't even shoot. I was just working on drawing it and letting back down. This really helped my shoulders. And my self esteem.

270 winchester with 130 grain anythings

I would say look at a .243rem...but my favourite deer round but will certainly get the job done..

Regards,

Pete

what the big guy said and use kick eez reccoil pad...click on the review...the guy is disabled and shoots with it...it is sorbathane and to feel it is to be convinced

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=847495

Limbsaver pad - the same folks making the Remington 'R3'........excellent absorption

AND the managed recoil loads OR go to Hodgdons youth load recommendations - usually made up with H4895.

That will provide shooting to 250 and less recoil than a .243win!

C'mon - you love that '06 - don't put it aside.

rgds Ian

No Plea

In your situation I would try to find a 257 Roberts. With the 120 Nosler partition at a little over 2800 fps it will handle most any deer/antelope hunting situations inside of 250 yards easily. It has a little more poop than the 250-3000 already suggested and more bullet weight than the 243 with no noticeable increase in recoil. Mine started as a Remington Mountain Rifle and with a Rimrock stock it is very handy and shoots nicely.

The 257 roberts and 7mm-08 would both be fine choices.

quote:

Originally posted by MARK H. YOUNG:

In your situation I would try to find a 257 Roberts.....

This one gets my vote as well.

Maybe look for something like a 6x45mm or 6mm BR, in a full-sized rifle? There are .243 Winchester varmint guns with heavy barrels that I'd think would be pretty mild, also.

I've got Osteogenisis Imperfecta.........Brittle bone disease. I'm short and just weigh 125 pounds.So I can't take much recoil. I shoot a 30/06 and here is how......Add weight. A harris bipod adds a pound. I took the hard pad off and put on a very thick soft one. Drilled out a space in the butt and filled it with lead. I shoot 125 grain Nosler BTs with a very light load of 40gr of H4895. The recoil of this load is about exactly what a 6.5x55 will put out, maybe less. I have no trouble shooting this load and it killed my largest 9 point buck in his tracks at 265 yards 4 years ago. At the lower velocitys the 125 gr Nosler BT is a very good deer bullet in my experiance. Now if your just wanting to get a new rifle thats fine......I've been known to do that myself! Another option is a .243 with the 85 gr nosler partition. Loaded light it should be a gentle push out of a heavier rifles.......Good luck and keep us updated. FNMauser

I think the 270 Win. might still kick too hard for your needs.

I suspect you'd be well-served with a 6.5X55, 260 Rem., 257 Roberts, 7mm-08 Rem., or 7mm Mauser........

AD

Any round that is rated @ about 46,000 cup should serve you well @ 250 yds with minimal recoil. That would include the 7X57, 257 Roberts, 6.5X55 (that would be my choice) 250 Savage and also the 300 savage. They (300 S) can still be had in abundance in the great model '99 LA.

If you handload you could simply make some reduced loads for that 30-06 and acomplish the same thing.

Far be it from me to attempt to goof up someones "reason" to buy a new firearm, but consider this:
Why does one "HAVE" to shoot a deer 250-300 yards away? Not attacking, just wondering.

When the 250-300 is a requirement then the following might apply.

IF one were to look back in the reloading section forat Seafires Blue dot loads for various calibers, one of them JUST happened to be the 30-06. It is funny because he brought that out just as a co-worker was touting the Remmington "Managed Recoil" line of ammunition for the 30-06. Ok, lets see Seafires loads are with 150 grain Remington Core-Lokt bullet, I have 130grain Hornady SSP, and 125 Nosler BTs. The bullets weigh slightly less so velocity should be slightly higher and pressures equal or less (YES, THAT KINDA THINKING CAN GET ONE INTO TROUBLE).
Ok, Remingtons loads are rated for 200 yards and I NEVER shoot that far, but may just stumble across that some day.

Both of these bullets have been used in pistol rounds that would be at least as fast as I will be driving them and the users harvested deer from close up to way far out, so the bullet is likely able to handle all but end of barrel shots.

I shot a bunch of them last year in development and did not think about the recoil since it has been several years since I touched off a full power 06 round. This week I have been working on some medium to full power loads in a model 70 want-to-be with 22" barrel, a "plastic stock" and NO metal floorplate, can you say LIGHT.

All of that to say, after 25 or so full power 150 and 165 grain loads on the bench this morning, I shot 3 of the MODIFIED Seafire Blue Dot Method "reduced recoil" loads and recoil was close to NON-exisistant. You may want to see if that will solve your problem.

It may NOT be as effective as a new rifle and a reduced load in a 7-08, 308, 243, 260, 7X57 or other nifty caliber you do not presently own!

Of course a new gun is the most practical solution!!

Oh, cut one of the "Managed recoil" bullets and a Hornady 130 SSP bullet in half, place the halves back together mis=xing one from each bullet. ONLY difference I notice is the cannelure!

Thanks, gentlemen! Lots of good ideas here. That particular 06 likes em hot and long. I shoot moly coated 180 gr Woodleighs at a controversial velocity. After a gazillion tries, that particular load is the Holy Grail for this rifle. But now, I do happen to have another 06 that seems to like the little ones -- 150's and 125's. May try that rifle with some managed recoil loads. And I've got a 308 R700 that might work, too. I'll put on the Past recoil shield and under that, wear the Browning SHooting shirt with an insert ... and all 3 of the rifles mentioned have one inch Decelerators.
Might install a mercury reducer too. Or, I might just have to have another rifle. Maybe two. .. one for back up.
Again, thanks all.

-- No Plea

.260 Remington!

I think the .260 would be about right in your situation. Better by far than a .243 using 120gr bullets w/ recoil about the same.

My vote:

243 with Barnes 85 gr TSX.

Well I can recommend first hand the .257 Roberts and the .243, both shoot very accurate and kill animals better than you think they should, 85 Barnes X and 100 grain spitzers in the .243 and 100 grain bullets in the .257 and you are set for Deer and Antelope well beyond your 250 yard limit. My ex-wife shot several deer and Antelope with the .243, my current spouse shoots the .257 incredibly well and my son has been shooting itty bitty groups with the .243 since he was 10 years old. The 250/3000 deserves a look as others have mentioned. I'd stay away from light guns in the 260, 7mm-08, and 7x57, 270 range because you'll end up with nearly the same recoil you are getting out of the '06.
Never pass up an opportunity to buy another gun by using reduced loads in the 30/06!

quote:

Originally posted by Westman:
My vote:

243 with Barnes 85 gr TSX.

This is the exact thought that I had.

quote:

Originally posted by MARK H. YOUNG:
No Plea

In your situation I would try to find a 257 Roberts.

I second this recommendation.

Ruger has made this caliber in the Ruger 77.

Another vote for the 260 rem. Load it up with 120gr tsx bullets and you're set.

Cheers

If you want a new rifle for your injury the 260 or 7mm08 would work great for the range you mentioned. If you really like your 06 you could get a gunsmith to add a muzzle break on it and a decelerator pad and it will feel like a 260 or less. My 300SAUM has a break on it and has less recoil than the 7mm08 that I shoot.
By going with a break you still have an old friend in your hands and no need to work up new loads and sight in a scope.

Far be it from me to suggest a man NOT get a new rifle (in which case I'd suggest a 6.5x55 or 7-08 with a decent wt to it, mostly in the barrel).

BUT add a top quality recoil pad, cut back on the bullet wt to 150s, and have a hi quality muzzle brake installed (and buy a pair of ear muffs and plugs to be used simultaneously) and you'll have the same situation recoil-wise as many of the smaller calibers suggested. When your shoulder heals, just take the brake off.

Opps, Dwight said the same thing I did. He's right.

I would get a 243 with 100 grain bullets.
You might test fire a 260 and see if you can handle it, but a 243 will kill deer/antelope to 350 yards with out problem.

I shoot an 06 with 130gr hornadies and it recoils a lot more than my 6mm rem with 90gr BTs or my 243 with 85gr speers.

243 or 6mm all the way! Factory 243 ammo is pretty soft (100gr at 2,750fps in many cases) so you don't need to bother loading. Standard sako synthetic 243, zero at 200yards and you've venison in the chiller.

quote:

Originally posted by akpls:

quote:

Originally posted by MARK H. YOUNG:

In your situation I would try to find a 257 Roberts.....

This one gets my vote as well.

Add one more vote to the tally. I love my .257 Roberts. After rotator cuff surgery in 2004, it was the only comfortable thing I could shoot for awhile. I handload for mine, but I can't do a whole lot better than the Federal Premium 120 grain Nosler Partition for accuracy. Try it and you'll like it.

No Plea
Have you considered removing the butt stock from your Encore..installing a pistol grip and 15 inch tube in something like 7-08 or 260 Rem.? Makes a real good 250 yard deer rig and won't hurt the shoulder at all!!

shortgun

I love the .257 Roberts for the very reasons mentioned above.
My wife shoots it very well and she's realativly small. With 90gr HPBT or the 100gr bullets it is a deadly combo on deer. Light recoil even with the factory pad. Nate

I would have to reccomend the 6.5x55 in any brand of bolt gun you favour.

CZ 527 modified to take the 6.5 Grendel.

I would take a different tack. Buy a 416 Rigby. Load it warm with 400 to 450 gr loads and at least 105-118 gr of powder. Shoot a couple of range sessions with as many rounds as you can shoot. You will find that when you go back to your 30-06, your 30-06 has been visited by elves and been made recoilless. It is amazing what kind of magic a 416 Rigby can do. You have had some other good advice above. Good hunting.