I'm struggling to make a decision on this and could use some input.
My wife shot a synthetic .270 last weekend as a test and it was a bit much. I've considered a muzzle brake on my 30-.06 but am scared to do that. 7mm-.08 seems like a possibility and I hear a few people say .243 is reasonable. I borrowed a .243 and will try it this weekend but don't have access to a 7mm-08 to try.
Anyone feel like throwing their hat in the ring?
I was also thinking of a recoil pad on the .270 and telling her to tough it
Telling her to tough it out, that she has to use a certain gun because you do, or that a certain caliber doesn’t have as much recoil as she thinks after she’s shot it are all super common statements made to new shooters/wives/girlfriends etc.
I started shooting a few years ago when I decided I wanted to go on my first elk hunt. I shot a 223. I loved it and I wanted to practice and go to the range. In fact, I shot about 300 rounds in preparation. I actually had options of what rifle I wanted to take on the hunt-243, 308 win and my pipsqueak 223. I shot them from all different positions-not just laying prone with a bipod and a sand bag. I made the most and best hits with the 223. So I decided I wanted to take it for my hunt (especially considering I was hitting at 440 yds more consistently with it than I was the 243.) I did a lot of research-some on here-about whether or not a 223 could kill an elk. I decided that it could-based on shot angle, placement, and ammo. If you think about it, shooting an elk with an arrow creates a smaller wound channel than a 223 and yet still is successful. With good bonded bullets in the 223, you will get complete penetration through an elk’s chest.
I learned how to run the 223 by myself. I learned marksmanship so I didn’t flinch when the gun went off (I even see the flash now which is really cool). I learned where to place shots depending on how the animal was standing. Point being I didn’t have to think about running the gun when it came time to go on the hunt.
After shooting the 223 for a while, I decided I wanted something that could be used for everything. While the 223 can work for elk it’s probably not the best option. I was deciding between the 243 and the 6.5 creedmor. I went with the 6.5 creedmor because I can get good quality ammo virtually anywhere. Im also getting into long range shooting, and just started with a 308. Even now, 15-20 rounds in I’m putting on my shoulder protector with both the 6.5 creedmor and the 308.
Point of the story-if I had been forced into something with what I considered a lot of recoil I probably wouldn’t have continued shooting or hunting. I made a decision, with guidance, on what I was going to take on the hunt. I owned that decision and it made me confident.