I shot a .300 RUM last year and I really don't see what all the fuss is about with regards to recoil.

quote:

Originally posted by ELKampMaster:
For the life of me, I cannot find any complaints about recoil from the original poster who has used the 300 RUM to harvest his earlier elk.

Given the original poster appears not to have a problem with 300 RUM recoil; your apparent personal preference for light recoil is really a bit non-relevant.

Given that the original poster was asking for opinion on using the .270 for elk I believe that any observation made is relevant.

The only complaint I have about the recoil is not about what it does to my shoulder (I guess I'm mentally prepared for that), but the muzzle jump has, at times, prevented me from seeing the hit and the animals reaction to the hit. Perfect case in point is my largest buck of the 2004 season, A nice 10 point that netted 143 2/8". At the shot (only about 125 yards @ last light) the recoil prevented me from seeing what happened at impact. I was hunting the edge of a corn field and he was in a crowd of, oh, 15 deer. At the shot, nothing but butts headed for another zip code and I never picked up where "he" went. Long story short, I methodically went up and down every row of corn that night within a 500 yard radius of the shot. Finally found him roughly 150 yards from the stand to my left. No gripes, just a casual observation and reinforcement of the need to follow up every shot of course.

FYI: its at the gunsmith as we speak getting the muzzle break threads taken off and the length cut back to about 26 or 27". The guides at my elk hunting spot don't allow a muzzle break anyway for obvious reasons.

Thanks for all the opinions folks...they are appreciated.

quote:

Originally posted by Hank H.:
FYI: its at the gunsmith as we speak getting the muzzle break threads taken off and the length cut back to about 26 or 27". The guides at my elk hunting spot don't allow a muzzle break anyway for obvious reasons.

I don't know what the "obvious" reasons might be but if I were spending my dollars on a guided hunt I'll be damned if any guide would tell me I couldn't use a brake. He certainly would not get my business again. Whats the big deal with a brake anyway? I've spent the last 6 years on a busy range as range master and I have not gone deaf yet. If you're stupid enough to stand there without ear protection while someone is shooting whether it be with a brake or not then you ought to be deaf. Jim

Jim, do you hunt with hearing protection?

quote:

Jim, do you hunt with hearing protection

And do you also expect the guide to wear hearing protection during the entire hunt?

quote:

Originally posted by Whitworth:
Jim, do you hunt with hearing protection?

At the crack of the shot of course I'm using ear protection and what the guide does is entirely up to him/her.

Given the possibility that it would only take ONE instance of a misguided or careless or inconsiderate client torching off a braked rifle with the guide in a compromised position (a client the guide may well know nothing about) to effectively end a guides career (can't hear effectively any more)....

I can fully understand and appreciate a guide having that rule, and.... if someone insists on a braked rifle and then chooses to take their business elsewhere because of a "no brake" rule, then it is probably a good outcome for ALL parties concerned.

Certainly the right of the client to insist on a braked rifle.

Certainly the right of the guide to say "no way."

Smart guide IMHO.

quote:

Originally posted by ELKampMaster:
Certainly the right of the client to insist on a braked rifle.
Certainly the right of the guide to say "no way."
Smart guide IMHO.

Well thats kind of the way I see it.
In the first place I can't afford a guided hunt but if I could I would damn sure spec the rifle out and not the guide.
In the second place I don't shoot such big unruly beasts that require the use of a muzzle brake so it's kind of a moot point.
As far as a guide being in a "compromised" position at the shot I don't much imagine the brake would make a whole lot of difference if the muzzle is resting on his shoulder. Anyone that would put himself in a compromised position with a virtual stranger operating the rifle will have a short career anyway.
Am I correct is assuming that you are a guide in Colorado? Do you have a "No Brake" rule with your clients?
Like I said I can't afford a guided hunt so I have no idea what percentage of guides would have such a rule. Is it a fairly common practice? Jim

I've shot Howitzers without ear protection and I can still hear. I am smart enough to realize it wasnt a good idea.
When they wanted rounds downrange they wanted them right then not later.

Wasn't this thread about a 270?

Pegleg, LOL, I don't remember what this thread was about!

Hey Jim,

From what I can see, the "no muzzle break" rule is quite common on guided hunts. I can't speak for every guide and outfitter in the country but the ones that I have talked to, hunted with, swapped lies with...the overwhelming majority will not allow muzzle brakes for the simple reason that a snap shot would scramble the eardrums. I know...I've seen me do it.

One of the guys I guided took a quick shot at a whitetail and the muzzle brake was about a foot from my ears....it has caused permanent hearing loss in my right ear to the tune of 50%-60%, plus a constant ringing. Thats the reason they insist on capping off the muzzle brake.

Now, if it were in a fenced area....nope, ain't going there...gosh, can you believe the traffic on that thread?!

Hank, I'm sorry that you had a client that stupid and inconsiderate. But I gotta say that a foot from your ears it made no difference whether or not that rifle was sporting a brake. Damage to your hearing was a result of his stupidity and the brake only contributed minimally. It's a shame you can't upload a common sense file before you take someone hunting.
I ain't going there either on the high fences thing. Jim

Hey Jim, 'preciate the comments...you may be right about the foot from the ears not being a factor...the dang thing was a 300 Win mag.

To this day I can still "feel" that something is wrong in the right ear. This is in addition to the ringing and deafness. Sort of like the feeling you get when your ears are stopped up with sinus problems. Gosh, I would not wish this on anyone but Osama Bin Laden.

Its hell being ugly, deaf, and broke....

Hank, I too have a severe case of tinitus. Sometimes I can't even hear the voices in my head. To many years of not using muffs. What's irritating is the fact that nothing can be done about it unless you have a budget like Bill Gates. However my hearing loss is quite selective. It usually strikes when the wife is droning on about something exciting like getting her nails done.
You're right about it being Hell to be ugly, deaf and broke but I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy it! Jim

AND - remember the 270 Winchester is a great ELK Cartridge. Capable of taking BULL ELK from 50 to 650 YARDS with a 100 grain hollow point of very light construction loaded with a very light charge of powder.......

A big damn right to Jim and AI22-250.

Have a great day, and remember to never step in anything soft...those are the words I live by.

HH,

Still going with the 300 RUM, right?

Yeah....300 RUM it will be...will take the 270 as a backup.

gonna take some wire snippers too....just in case I see some high fences on the way out there!

Oh hell...here come the flames from Texas again. Me and my big mouth.

Yes and a torch, chainsaw, and whatever else you need.

...there are still laws on the books down here that can get you jail time for just having a pair wire clippers in the saddle bags or the glove box of your vehicle...if'n you can get to the jail house still alive...we take our private property laws a little more serious than most folks I guess...OBTW don't ever cross a fence 'round these parts if'n the post has been painted purple either..metal signs for some of our fence lines that can measured in miles are too expensive, an people rip them off to patch holes in the barn roof's... so the Ledge passed a law that sez a purple post is as good as a no trespassing sign...just so ya'll know...an only sumbody from Louisiana would paint their house purple anyhow.