30-06 kicking my butt

[concrete dog]

Before i start i will warn you i deffinetly am not a rifle guy i don't have barley any knowledge on ammunition for rifles. I purchased this rifle because i want to start doing some target shooting at around 200 yards for fun every once and awhile, i understand i didn't need a 30 06 for this but it was on clearance at bass pro and figured why not. im not concerned to much about ammo prices unfortunately i don't get out a whole lot with my work schedule

I purchased a savage rifle last year in 30-06 from bass proshops the guy at the counter said he was gonna do me a favor and give me a deal on some ammo scince i bought the rifle he sold me 2 boxs of Remington corelokt 220 grain.(i feel maybe he had to much of an odd load and pawned it off on me)

I am 5'9 240lbs i am fairly sturdy person but when i shot these things i thought i was going cry(a little exaggeration) but really it hurt. i deff only shot maybe 10 and went to shooting my handguns.

I know people are gonna say why a big caliber gun for shooting or get a 22 but i just want to find a bullet that will let me shoot it fairly comfortably does the smaller grain bring the recoil down? i noticed that that seems to be on the higher number for grain when looking up that caliber. not sure if that is necessarily the deciding factor on recoil.

i know this is long winded for a simple question but ive been at work 18 hours a day for the past week and feel like ive been released back into the wild lol so i have diarrhea of the mouth.

Thanks for your help
Dan

I always thought my 7mm had way less kick than my 30-06. I just hated to sell it. Could not get rid of the 30-06 fast enough lol

 

[bdybdall]

I'd guess that technique is part of it, but those 220 gr rounds aren't helping either.
Get some 150's to play with, or even some of these.
Remington Managed-Recoil Ammo 30-06 Springfield 125 Grain Core-Lokt

Now you've gota good idea. You might also take up reloading and load up something a little less robust until you are more comfortable with your gun. See Andrew at Profire and he can set you up.

 

[dans4420]

reloading

Reloading is something i may be interested in if i find that i like shooting the bigger calibers especially i know it will help with cost of ammo and also give me something to do as a hobby at home. alot of you are telling me to get off the bench and shoot so i will try this next time i go out.

 

[dtkw]

I have a recoil pad on mine and it's a dream to shoot. I can shoot all day without any pain on my shoulder. Just curious, do you exercise a lot? I used to do a a lot of push up and built up my upper body muscles. I have no problem shooting a 300 Win magnum too. Didn't hurt a bit at all.

 

[dans4420]

no i do not exercise i usually work 6-7 days a week most being 16 hour days i like to think this is why i dont but even when im working less im just lazy lol

 

[Broom_jm]

Reloading is something i may be interested in if i find that i like shooting the bigger calibers especially i know it will help with cost of ammo and also give me something to do as a hobby at home. alot of you are telling me to get off the bench and shoot so i will try this next time i go out.

Let me tell you a tale of two '06 rifles. One is a Smith-Corona Model 1903A3, which is an old, military-issue, bolt-action rifle. It has an aftermarket wood stock of generous proportion and the full-length original barrel. I had a PAST recoil pad installed on it and the gun weighs in at over 9 pounds, with scope and 5 rounds of ammo. I can shoot this gun with little or no discomfort for about 20 rounds or so, then it starts to bug me a bit.

I also have an H&R Handi-rifle in '06. It has a short, light contour barrel and since it's a single-shot, there is no magazine full of cartridges to weigh it down. It has a recoil pad, but one of lesser quality and the total weight is a full 2 pounds less. I can not shoot this gun without discomfort, even one time...with factory loads. I shudder to think how it would feel to run 220gr loads through it.

Fortunately, I'm a handloader. I stick 125 grain bullets on top of a reduced charge of H4895 powder and cut the recoil energy of those 30-'06 cartridges by at least 60%, from what you're dealing with. They become downright pleasant to shoot. My wife hunts deer with the 03A3 every year, up in Michigan. My 15 year-old daughter has shot the 03A3 with 150gr factory loads and just smiled. The H&R is tolerable with the light loads and still a handful with the 150gr factory stuff.

Now, here is the real scoop on FELT recoil: Don't let anyone tell you yer a sissy cuz it hurts. The truth of the matter is that most folks can only tolerate up to around 20 ft/lbs of felt recoil before they start to lose their shooting form, because of the pain of recoil. The shape and design of your stock, your shooting form and position, and the loads going through your gun all contribute to the amount of recoil you FEEL.

Even from the bench, you can mitigate felt recoil by using a higher shooting platform and taking a more erect, upright position during the shot. The lower you get and the more you are leaning forward, when you shoot, the more you'll feel the full effect of the recoil. Also, there is nothing in the world wrong with using a lead sled, or other recoil-absorbing shooting rest, until you get used to your gun.

If you live on the south side and would like to shoot your rifle with some reduced recoil rounds, send me a PM and maybe we can get together to load some up for you.

Jason

 

[Rayne]

I would suggest doing an Appleseed and learn some marksmanship skills, meet some great people and learn some history.

I wouldn't think a 30 06 should have hurt that much if being shot correctly. You are asking questions at the right place, INGO will help you out.

 

[THard6]

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003ZE4J4Q/ref=asc_df_B003ZE4J4Q2305519/?tag=becomcom00718-20&creative=394997&creativeASIN=B003ZE4J4Q&linkCode=asn]Amazon.com: Girdle Panty with Silicone Butt Pads and Tummy Control: Sports & Outdoors[/ame]

This may be another option for you

 

[netsecurity]

I have a recoil pad on mine and it's a dream to shoot. I can shoot all day without any pain on my shoulder. Just curious, do you exercise a lot? I used to do a a lot of push up and built up my upper body muscles. I have no problem shooting a 300 Win magnum too. Didn't hurt a bit at all.

I don't think exercise or being tough, or flinching has anything to do with it. I once shot a 300WM that had less recoil than 223, but it had a bull barrel and a weighted stock. A standard Remington 700 in 30-06 has a lot of kick, as others have confirmed. The weight of the gun (mass) is the biggest factor in recoil, and it sounds like you are comparing heavy barrels, apples to oranges.

 

[peberly400]

Sell or trade it for something a little smaller? Savages are also easy to rebarrel from what I've heard

 

[netsecurity]

I'm not selling my 30-06 just because it packs a punch. It is a superb long range "sniper"/hunting rifle. Slap a butt pad on, wear a padded jacket, buy 115gr ammo, get a good scope, and enjoy extreme accuracy at its finest!

I once put 3 shots through a dime size hole (all touching in triangle shape) at 200y with my Remington 700 and 115gr bullets. I won't be selling it just because it kicks. I wouldn't mind a bull barrel though...

 

[whitetailbowhunter]

like has been said.. i would recommend you try out the 150 g and if that still has to much recoil then try out the managed recoil 125g Core lokts! That should work, and if not, then it is probably the technique..

 

[red_zr24x4]

I had a Savage 110 in 30-06, and it kicked like a mule also. I think it was because it was just so light with the cheap synthetic stock it came with.
You might want to look into getting a Bell and Carson stock or any other stock maker that would be an upgrade. Something with a little more weight to it.
I'd also look into reloading, you can make some very accurate loads that wont beat you up.

 

[Yeah]

First time I've seen a 110 described as 'so light'. Makes my day.

For the OP: long before you start culling what little performance a 30-06 has to offer, consider better technique and, failing that, a stock that fits you.

 

[dans4420]

Thanks for all the info i never thought to much about the stock keep that in mind and thanks thard made it 28 posts without a smartass comment lol its all good

 

[netsecurity]

Anyone know the weight of a savage110 vs Rem700, synthetic vs wood? My 700BDL feels pretty light but the synthetic is surely lighter, but I'm thinking it shouldn't be that big of a difference.

I still think OP just wasn't prepared for the 30-06 cartridge. It is what it is. It's like the 357 of rifles, and you know a lot of people say the 357 pistol kicks too much, yet that is what makes it a useful hunting round.

If OP expected this rifle to a one size fits all rifle then I think he just needs to understand this is for long range, infrequent shots. Most people end up buying a 223 for frequent mid range shooting. And they buy a shotgun, and a pistol to cover all their bases. What I'm saying is that the 30-06 is the "big gun", not for casual shooting so much.

 

[dans4420]

I see what your saying and i probaly knew this from the start i have pistols shotgun and i am in the middle of building an ar15 so im gonna get some low grain bullets and man up because like you said im not gonna go out htere and shoot 100 rounds of it if i like it alot i would possibly get a new stock but honestly the gun was well under 400 so maybe if i enjoy the long range big caliber i will just invest in a nice gun already set up.

 

[hotfarmboy1]

I would suggest doing an Appleseed and learn some marksmanship skills, meet some great people and learn some history.

I wouldn't think a 30 06 should have hurt that much if being shot correctly. You are asking questions at the right place, INGO will help you out.

Here is the answer to learning your correct positions and techniques. A few weeks ago I was running my 30-06 with plastic butt plate and 180 gr loads in prone position using the sling as taught at Appleseed. Not only was I hitting the target with almost every shot, my shoulder wasn't the least bit sore. And that was going through a box at a time both times, no problem. The 06 is a great all around high powered round, definitely underestimated by most. Stick with it, learn, and practice and you will be fine.

 

[Broom_jm]

Anyone know the weight of a savage110 vs Rem700, synthetic vs wood? My 700BDL feels pretty light but the synthetic is surely lighter, but I'm thinking it shouldn't be that big of a difference.

I still think OP just wasn't prepared for the 30-06 cartridge. It is what it is. It's like the 357 of rifles, and you know a lot of people say the 357 pistol kicks too much, yet that is what makes it a useful hunting round.

If OP expected this rifle to a one size fits all rifle then I think he just needs to understand this is for long range, infrequent shots. Most people end up buying a 223 for frequent mid range shooting. And they buy a shotgun, and a pistol to cover all their bases. What I'm saying is that the 30-06 is the "big gun", not for casual shooting so much.

The weight of a M110 Synthetic is still going to be sufficient to keep recoil reasonable, presuming the stock fits the shooter well.

The '06, with 220gr loads, is not a good choice for someone's first high-power rifle. As has been stated repeatedly, the 150gr bullets would be much better. I have never heard of someone referring to the '06 as the 357 of rifles. I don't know that there is any correlation or comparison between the two, other than to say both are very useful, in their respective roles. The 357 is a very good self-defense cartridge and the 30-'06 is a very good big-game hunting cartridge. As far as hunting with a 357 Magnum, most folks think of it as a marginal cartridge...the least powerful handgun round one might use. The '06 does not fit that description...not even close.

"Most people" is a difficult perspective to quantify. For folks that live, shoot and hunt in Indiana, your comments about the 223 being bought for frequent mid-range shooting might be accurate. There are plenty of shooters outside of Indiana who shoot a bunch of 223 ammo, but there is a big distinction to be made, here: Where "real" rifles can be used for hunting, lots of people shoot guns in the 30-'06 class, and considerably more powerful rounds, on a regular basis. I do not own a 223-chambered rifle, but shoot hundreds of rounds of high-power stuff every year.

I guess what I'm saying is that the '06 is not necessarily meant for infrequent shooting or for long-range shooting. In fact, it's not really a popular choice for shooting at truly long range, and there are plenty of guys out there putting hundreds or thousands of '06 down range every year. There is no reason the OP cannot become acclimated to his rifle and shoot it quite a lot, particularly if he switches to a lighter bullet/reduced load.

 

[Hookeye]

My hunting bud shoots 180's in a 760 Remington. Claims they hurt.
I had a same model 760 and shot a couple of boxes of 180's and thought them no big deal.
I'm a little taller and thinner than my bud.

Folks that have more meat/fat between them and the gun seem to get hurt more.