Shooting prone with high powered rifles

[scatter]

I inherited a Browning Medallion 30-06 from my dad, which he had bored out to a 308 Norma Magnum (this was the 70's...Norma Mag and Win Mag were like Beta and VHS. Win Mag won).

I put a new Burris 3x9 FullField II on it and have been trying to sight it in (at $3 a round I might add, until I collect enough brass to reload them). We've got 26 acres and I'm in the process of building a couple of ranges and benches, but for now my best option for sighting is to shoot prone off my deck.

Holy crap.

I am not a newbie to shooting high calibers and recoil; I could shoot 12ga most of the day without a problem. Love shooting my neighbor's 50 S&W and my BIL's 50 Beowulf. But prone with this rifle? The angle is different. The impact is nearer the top of the shoulder, not in the meat like when shooting from the bench or off hand. I shot 6 rounds day before yesterday, and planned on doing 4 more today to dial things in, but had to stop after 2. It's like getting hit by a car.

So my question is, am I doing something wrong? Or does shooting heavy calibers prone just mean you're going to pay for it?

Girly man comments expected, but not necessarily welcome.

 

[dcmdon]

No, you probably aren't doing anything wrong.

to confirm this, can you please weigh the rifle/scope combo.

If its under 10 lbs. I'm guessing it recoils like a motherF$#er.

One option is to have the bbl threaded and put a brake on it.

 

[cockpitbob]

Get one of those recoil pad bras from Past. They help a lot.

BTW, I feel your pain. I inherited my granddad's sporterized 1917 Enfield re-chambered to 35 Whelen-Improved. With scope it weighs around 10lbs and after 7 shots I have a headache for the afternoon.

 

[knfmn]

Or make a heavy sand or rice sock and put it between your shoulder and the buttstock. It'll help

 

[scatter]

No, you probably aren't doing anything wrong.

to confirm this, can you please weigh the rifle/scope combo.

If its under 10 lbs. I'm guessing it recoils like a motherF$#er.

One option is to have the bbl threaded and put a brake on it.

The rifle, scope and leather sling are 9 lbs total. And your guess is correct.

 

[mac1911]

Yeah 20lbs coming into you at 8mph can't be fun....good for that one shot across the valley to take out that elk at 700 yards....
Defeats the purpose but when you begin to reload check out hodgdons website for reduced loads with H4895.
You then can at least shoot with some comfort?

 

[dcmdon]

Scatter,

There is no changing physics. F=MA which adjusted for this case is Force/Mass=Acceleration.

You have a relatively huge force. and relatively little mass. The acceleration (of the gun into your shoulder) is going to be large. Make the force smaller (weaker loads) or the mass greater , and the recoil will be less.

I have a Browning A-Bolt Micro in .308. It weighs 5.5 lbs bare and 7.1 lbs with a scope. It beats the crap out of me.

In contrast, I have a Savage model 10 in .308. with a 24" barrel. Its in an XLR aluminum chassis with a 50 mm scope on it. It weighs 13 lbs.

I can, and do shoot it all day. Prone. No problem.

Here's another thought. If you are shooting that elk across a valley, you are not going to feel the recoil.

For sighting in and load development have you thought of a Caldwell Lead Sled? I have one that I use as a gun vise but its great to use as intended. I've used it as an impromptu bench rest without any lead added and it works great. Throw a bag of shot or a box of bullets on the tray and it will knock the recoil down to manageable levels.

Once you start reloading, as others have said, reduced loads are the answer. Maybe its worth buying 50 pieces of brass.

Don

Sled:
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/394466/caldwell-lead-sled-solo-rifle-shooting-rest

Brass (wow this stuff is expensive)
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/1311334336/norma-reloading-brass-300-norma-magnum

 

[mac1911]

Scatter,

There is no changing physics. F=MA which adjusted for this case is Force/Mass=Acceleration.

You have a relatively huge force. and relatively little mass. The acceleration (of the gun into your shoulder) is going to be large. Make the force smaller (weaker loads) or the mass greater , and the recoil will be less.

I have a Browning A-Bolt Micro in .308. It weighs 5.5 lbs bare and 7.1 lbs with a scope. It beats the crap out of me.

In contrast, I have a Savage model 10 in .308. with a 24" barrel. Its in an XLR aluminum chassis with a 50 mm scope on it. It weighs 13 lbs.

I can, and do shoot it all day. Prone. No problem.

Here's another thought. If you are shooting that elk across a valley, you are not going to feel the recoil.

For sighting in and load development have you thought of a Caldwell Lead Sled? I have one that I use as a gun vise but its great to use as intended. I've used it as an impromptu bench rest without any lead added and it works great. Throw a bag of shot or a box of bullets on the tray and it will knock the recoil down to manageable levels.

Once you start reloading, as others have said, reduced loads are the answer. Maybe its worth buying 50 pieces of brass.

Don

Sled:
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/394466/caldwell-lead-sled-solo-rifle-shooting-rest

Brass (wow this stuff is expensive)
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/1311334336/norma-reloading-brass-300-norma-magnum

Almost cheaper to buy it loaded .....then reload.

 

[MisterHappy]

I took two shots with a Ruger No. 1, in .375 H&H magnum.

One trigger pull; my first and my last.

And, that was offhand.

The kick will be less horrible if you're standing. There's a reason that the Lead Sled was invented.

 

[dcmdon]

The difference in shoot-ability between 7 lb (total with scope) A Bolt micro and my 13 lb Savage is incredible.

I didn't know a .308 could recoil that hard. My .308 AR isn't much heavier, but the semi auto action spreads the thump out over a period of time in a way a bolt gun doesn't.

It doesn't really matter anyway. After 3 shots the browning's skinny barrel starts to throw shots anyway.

 

[mac1911]

I took two shots with a Ruger No. 1, in .375 H&H magnum.

One trigger pull; my first and my last.

And, that was offhand.

The kick will be less horrible if you're standing. There's a reason that the Lead Sled was invented.

I think recoil is better managed prone.... sitting at the bench how ever gives you little in the way of fighting recoil
Standing is,better than sitting at a bench.

Problem with these big guns.....where not really designed to shoot several rounds in one sitting.

OP for not much money you can contact Ken rucker and have one of his speed bump recoil reducers installed. Get the unit with adjustable pad for can't and cast and pitch and you can get that pad sitting correctly.

 

[dcmdon]

Wow. That's pretty cool.

 

[Steve Marshall]

You should know that you can make .308 Norma Mag. out of .300 Win. Mag. pretty easily.

Recoil- stock fit is important. The worst gun I ever shot, recoil-wise, was a 1917 Enfield. It drew blood. I bought it for $65 and sold it for $65. If the stock doesn't fit you properly, nothing will help.

If you want real fun, try shooting a .458 Magnum prone with the stock screw loose. Stupid is as stupid does. A replacement stock for an Interarms was very difficult to get in the 80's. That one got moved along too.

 

[Cabinetman]

Not as bad but close is to shoot a 91/30 or M44 all morning long. Guarantee a black and blue shoulder. Bolt action rifles love to leave that kiss there and, God forbid, you should have an optic that requires a 2-3" eye relief!

 

[scatter]

Not as bad but close is to shoot a 91/30 or M44 all morning long. Guarantee a black and blue shoulder. Bolt action rifles love to leave that kiss there and, God forbid, you should have an optic that requires a 2-3" eye relief!

Already learned that lesson the hard way. Had some nice scope rash on my forehead for a few days. For me, that's another thing that gets worse when going prone. Unless you're Gumby and can crane your neck back to about 90 deg, your forehead is going to be closer to the scope than your eyeball. And then the inevitable happens.

 

[Spanz]

they make a jacket that has a pad sewn into the shoulder area...that helps a little. And yes a recoil pad on the stock helps a lot too. It one thing to let lose and bring down an elk with a single shot in the mountains. Its a very different thing to shoot 20 rounds trying to site it in at the range! talk about the potential for developing a mean flinch!

I have seen "slip on" rubbery stock boots, that you can temporarily use at the range, and then slip off for hunting.

 

[scatter]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I tried it again today with a high tech, high speed, low drag towel between me and the buttstock. Tremendous difference. I could have shot some more but at this point I want to get the barrel zeroed in cold, and I'm within 1/4" at 70 yds.

I think a lead sled is in my future, and maybe a padded shooting vest once I get to reloading and determining OCW for this rifle. I'm still shooting $3 factory ammo at this point, and accumulating brass.

 

[thormx538]

One option is to have the bbl threaded and put a suppressor on it.

FIFY

May require relocation.