reducing recoil

DriftingOkie

DriftingOkie

New member
I have a Weatherby Vangaurd chambered in 30-06 and I was wounding if changing the stock would help to reduce recoil? It have the original plastic stock on it and the recoil is pretty tough. My son is wanting to go Elk hunting next year and that is the gun he is planning on taking but he hates all the recoil.
And what stock would you suggest?
 
Most of those plastic stocks are pretty light so I'll assume the overall rifle may be a little on the light side. Lightweight rifles, depending on caliber and bullet weight, can often feel pretty heavy on recoil. Any stock that adds weight to the overall gun should help felt recoil and if that doesn't work, you can always look into having a muzzle brake installed. Unfortunately, the downside to adding a muzzle brake is they make the gun louder and add a little bit of length.
 
Adding weight to the rifle will help reduce felt recoil. Ergonomics of the stock can also reduce felt recoil. Another option might be trying a lighter bullet but of all copper construction to help stabilize it (lighter bullets made of lighter materials are longer than their lead counterparts therefore a longer bullet may he needed to stabilize in the same twist).
 
I'm not really recoil sensitive but the 30-06 seems to kick the crap out of me too. If you wanted to go on the cheap side, you might fill the stock with Rockite. It will add some weight to the stock and its cheap. Another thought is a Boyd's laminate stock. It will add some weight and you have choices of a recoil pad. And another thought, is a slip on recoil pad made by Sims. They work well and can be bought at WalMart for about $20.00. Then theres the muzzle break that B23 mentioned but they will set you back a little more than any of the other ideas I mentioned.
 
Another way to reduce recoil from a 30-06 if you hand load is to use reduced loads. Both H4895 and IMR 4895 behind a 150 grain bullet would still make a good elk round. You lose some velocity for long range shooting, but you still have an elk reliable cartridge that a young shooter can handle recoil-wise. And far more elk are killed at 100 yards or less than are killed at farther distances. Heavier bullets translate into more recoil and aren't necessary to kill an elk.

You might check Hodgdon's web site for some specific loading guidance.

If you have a need to hunt with full house loads, use the reduced loads for practice where he will notice less recoil and feel more comfortable with the 30-06 while practicing. Once hunting, instruct him to still solidly pull the rifle back against his shoulder like when he was practicing from the bench, and with the adrenaline load he'll feel when he sees an elk, a full house load won't bother him at all.

Just a suggestion.

You might also check on a Kickeez recoil pad. They are far superior to anything you'll find on a Vanguard or just about any other factory rifle.

https://kickeezproducts.com/shop/
 
Reduced loads and a Kickeez pad is probably the cheapest and best way to go. A lot of the guys that shoot skeet at my club use the Kickeez pads. They work!
 
The slip on pad is made by Sims/Limbsaver and they work. One draw back is they add length and for a youth that could be a problem.
 
I put a Terminator T1 brake on my Kimber Montana in .308 so I could more easily see the impact of my shots with a "less-than-firm" grip on the rifle. The brake works wonders, but my ears don't like the brake, even with earplugs in.

I have a suppressor "in jail" that also has a brake on it. I know that adding the suppressor will also reduce felt recoil because of the brake and the additional weight. Switching to a heavier stock would also reduce the felt recoil.
 
Reduced handloads or simply buy the Reduced Recoil Ammo from Remington or Hornady and sight in Your Rifle.It usually only drops an inch at 100 yards with the Reduced Recoil Bullets and the recoil is like shooting a .243 Rifle.I use them in my Remington Bolt-Action 30-06 and they are 125 grain bullets.
 
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Due to bullet jacket thickness and toughness, a 150 grain 30 caliber bullet is as light as I'd want to tackle elk with. But that's just me.......

Hornady specifies their reduced loads ammo as being suitable for deer. Remington probably never thought about bullet limitations for end users. Just get it to the store shelf
 
I have a S&W / Howa 1500 that I think is the same rifle as yours. Mines from about 1982 and was the light wt one. Anyway, I bought a box of Hornaday 150 gr #3031 bullets, and still using a Lyman 44th manual I tried 42gr of 3031, the first load listed,it shot good and never looked back. I have someones plastic stock, Bell & Carlson I think as I broke the wood it came with. Anyway, that load is pretty mild and doesn't kick. I killed a 4x4 and a 4x5 back in the late 90's one shot each, though pretty close in the timber. This was in the Flattops, near Meeker, staying at Sleepy Cat. Maybe the Remington Corloct would be a better bullet. I noticed the recoil when I tried 180 gr but find 150's fine.
 
Lighter lead free bullets will recoil less due to the bullets lighter weight and they perform as well as the heaver lead core bullets. A lead free 150 grain bullet is typically a bit longer than a 180 grain lead core bullet.

Barnes VOR-TX ammo is available in 150 grain lead free Barnes TTSX bullet which is rated for CXP3 game. Avoid Hornady Superformance ammo. It is loaded hotter than regular ammo and recoils significantly more.

On the bench and in the field wearing a heavy jacket with layers underneath will significantly reduce recoil as well.
 
Wear a padded jacket when practicing. The kick wont be noticed when hunting. Back in my teens on my first elk hunt I was shooting hornady light magnum 3006, they must have crammed the powder into those with a press but it's not noticed when you've got an animal in front of you.

I was justing shooting some winchester 150gr all copper deer season bullets that werent too bad.
 


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