downsizing bullet to reduce recoil

[bnsafe]

Has anyone legit went from say a 165 grain bullet to a 125 grain bullet and if so how much did it actually affect felt recoil.
For reference I have shot 308s over the last few years and love them cause I am a 1 gun guy. I went with a tikka and stockys this year to reduce the weight of the gun, but paid a price in recoil. NOW, before anyone questions my manhood I can and do shoot it fine.
However, I have severe cervical stenosis and since Ive changed to this combo it actually hurts my neck when I shoot. I love the looks and combo of the gun, its a joy to carry, shoots lights out. I currently use nosler 165 grain ballistic tips for deer size stuff and have some trophy grade 165 grain accubonds for out west stuff. The velocities are the same per the box (yes I would resight) so shouldnt be to far off to go back an forth. I stocked up on ammo a couple years ago and have enough to last me the rest of my life. I obviously feel no recoil when I shoot at deer, but, the neck hurts right after and later.
So, I am thinking about trying the 125 grain nosler ballistic tips in this rifle, or, buying a 243 or poss 6 creed next year (if I can find a decent rifle at a decent price point). Buying the 125 grain ammo is alot cheaper than buying a new rifle tho. Or, I can just suck it up, have my son in law check zero yearly, and go shoot a shell or two each year, buy a t1x for playing and move on.
OR, I could buy some 77 tmk and shoot my AR, but I hunt public land by myself with some unreal hills and want them down asap after shot.

 

[hereinaz]

Has anyone legit went from say a 165 grain bullet to a 125 grain bullet and if so how much did it actually affect felt recoil.
For reference I have shot 308s over the last few years and love them cause I am a 1 gun guy. I went with a tikka and stockys this year to reduce the weight of the gun, but paid a price in recoil. NOW, before anyone questions my manhood I can and do shoot it fine.
However, I have severe cervical stenosis and since Ive changed to this combo it actually hurts my neck when I shoot. I love the looks and combo of the gun, its a joy to carry, shoots lights out. I currently use nosler 165 grain ballistic tips for deer size stuff and have some trophy grade 165 grain accubonds for out west stuff. The velocities are the same per the box (yes I would resight) so shouldnt be to far off to go back an forth. I stocked up on ammo a couple years ago and have enough to last me the rest of my life. I obviously feel no recoil when I shoot at deer, but, the neck hurts right after and later.
So, I am thinking about trying the 125 grain nosler ballistic tips in this rifle, or, buying a 243 or poss 6 creed next year (if I can find a decent rifle at a decent price point). Buying the 125 grain ammo is alot cheaper than buying a new rifle tho. Or, I can just suck it up, have my son in law check zero yearly, and go shoot a shell or two each year, buy a t1x for playing and move on.
OR, I could buy some 77 tmk and shoot my AR, but I hunt public land by myself with some unreal hills and want them down asap after shot.

I have a little bone spur from a whiplash accident. I don’t like recoil either.

If you can, get a suppressor. Maybe it will tame it back to tolerable.

Really, get a .223, 22ARC, or 6ARC. It’s not just bullet size but also the amount of powder you shoot. Burn less powder AND shoot a smaller bullet.

Trust the process. If you put the right bullet in the right spot, they can’t run off because their lungs are gone. Making a bigger hole in the wrong spot isn’t really going to help. Relying on bigger holes is tantamount to admitting either we don’t trust our shooting or we don’t trust the bullet.

It is ironic that shooting a smaller bullet is a way to improve and trust our shooting more.

I went through the process myself, so I am not dinging you. It’s reality. Look at the thread and you’ll see others that weren’t sure until they tried it.

 

[Tod osier]

Has anyone legit went from say a 165 grain bullet to a 125 grain bullet and if so how much did it actually affect felt recoil.
For reference I have shot 308s over the last few years and love them cause I am a 1 gun guy. I went with a tikka and stockys this year to reduce the weight of the gun, but paid a price in recoil. NOW, before anyone questions my manhood I can and do shoot it fine.
However, I have severe cervical stenosis and since Ive changed to this combo it actually hurts my neck when I shoot. I love the looks and combo of the gun, its a joy to carry, shoots lights out. I currently use nosler 165 grain ballistic tips for deer size stuff and have some trophy grade 165 grain accubonds for out west stuff. The velocities are the same per the box (yes I would resight) so shouldnt be to far off to go back an forth. I stocked up on ammo a couple years ago and have enough to last me the rest of my life. I obviously feel no recoil when I shoot at deer, but, the neck hurts right after and later.
So, I am thinking about trying the 125 grain nosler ballistic tips in this rifle, or, buying a 243 or poss 6 creed next year (if I can find a decent rifle at a decent price point). Buying the 125 grain ammo is alot cheaper than buying a new rifle tho. Or, I can just suck it up, have my son in law check zero yearly, and go shoot a shell or two each year, buy a t1x for playing and move on.
OR, I could buy some 77 tmk and shoot my AR, but I hunt public land by myself with some unreal hills and want them down asap after shot.

There are recoil calculators on the internet. You fill in the bullet and powder weight and velocity and gun weight and it will tell you how much it will be reduced.

 

[bnsafe]

thanks guys, Im leaning towards using my ar 15 with the tmks next year. It has a match grade chamber an 1:8 twist so should be ok. Ive read the thread an saw the pics, cant argue with real world results. I just have always been a you cant kill them to dead guy. I can only shoot to 125 yds ish maximum anyway. I just hate to not use the tikka, it truly is a joy to carry and hunt with. Yea, I could buy a 223 tikka, but explaining that to the wife prob isnt worth the effort after buying a gun, explaining why I needed a diff stock, then buying a trijicon for it.
If I show up opening morning deer season next year with a 223 I may be ask to leave, LOL.

 

[Pickettpuncher]

I’m guessing you reload, you could use that 125 and slow it way down and reduce recoil quite a bit. I’ve shot some 125/130s in 308, but they were hot. Don’t remember recoil being just terrible, but I don’t have a neck issue either. Also, been 10 years since I’ve done it

 

[Choupique]

leaning towards using my ar 15 with the tmks next year. It has a match grade chamber an 1:8 twist so should be ok

That's for sure what I'd do. Screw a scope on it, buy some of that black hills TMK ammo if you don't reload, and go kill stuff. If it has a flash hider, replace that with a muzzle brake for even less recoil.

That's my plan for next season. Not that I don't trust the interwebs, but I need to see this for myself.

 

[5MilesBack]

A few years ago I started playing around with some 85gr TSX bullets for a .270 Win. I was amazed how much less the recoil was, to the point that I can keep the scope on target after shots. That's significant. They're traveling almost 4000fps, but way less recoil.

 

[Choupique]

They're traveling almost 4000fps

Have you killed anything with them yet? That oughta vaporize a deer

 

[5MilesBack]

Have you killed anything with them yet? That oughta vaporize a deer

Not yet. I might try them on an antelope next month though.

 

[willfrye027]

I went that route in my 30-06. 165 and 180gr were just too much for me in a lightweight gun. Went down to 150s and it was fine.

However the next thing I did was downsize in caliber so that I could shoot a bullet with good BC and less recoil.

But yeah, going down in weight is certainly noticeable.

 

[jimh406]

You also need to pay attention to the bullet construction when you reduce the weight. Not all bullets are made for big game. All else being equal, less bullet weight is less kick.

 

[bnsafe]

nosler loads the ballistic tip 125s up in factory, thats what I would go to. hornady and hsm have custom lites in 125 but they are loaded way down. The nosler box says 3100 fps, hornady and hsm are more like 2600 ish

 

[IrkedCitizen]

You can always buy a new barrel for your Tikka. 6 creedmoor would be my choice. Black Friday is here and there will be deals to be had. I know Patriot Valley Arms is doing a prefit barrel sale as well as Carbon6.

Buy a vise and action wrench and you can swap back and forth between them if you feel the need.

 

[BryanL]

I downloaded some 125 nosler BT and SST for my kiddo to shoot. Got speed down to 2,300 fps. But in all honesty, going with a bolt .223 and shooting was significantly better for so many reasons. There are some good recoil calculators out there that help give an idea of the reduction from just 165 or 180 down to 125 in 308 loads. I picked up a featherweight Model 70 pre-64 in 30-06 and with 180gr, I was quickly reminded how unpleasant full load 30-06 is in a lightweighter weight rifle (7.5lbs). My shoulder generally tells me 150gr feels better to shoot than 180, but 55gr 5.56 is even better. I was a one or two gun type, but now I have a 6.5, .308, 30-06, and .223. You can also smack a limbsaver air tech recoil pad on that helps a ton!

 

[Macintosh]

The reduced recoil loads are lighter bullets and lower velocity, and they still kill just fine out to the range where reliable expansion velocity goes too low. My wife has killed several animals with 7mm08 reduced recoil loads using hornady sst's, they kill just fine. Ditto with the 125gr reduced recoil 30-06. Just plug in the numbers and find the range where that bullet goes too low in velocity, and if that range is acceptable to you you are in business.

 

[bnsafe]

Thanks guys, I havnt decided what to do yet. Again, I dont want anyone to think I cant handle the recoil of a 308, it just hurts my neck.

 

[Rich M]

Thanks guys, I havnt decided what to do yet. Again, I dont want anyone to think I cant handle the recoil of a 308, it just hurts my neck.

Im thinking to drop from 150 gr to 125 in 3006.

Actually got a 350 Legend to hunt with and want a 300-400 yard bullet w lighter recoil than 06 w 150 gr.

Id drop to 125 and shoot 2500 fps if yer just deer hunting. That should be more comfortable.

 

[Pharmseller]

Thanks guys, I havnt decided what to do yet. Again, I dont want anyone to think I cant handle the recoil of a 308, it just hurts my neck.

I tried this route with my dad years ago when his age started affecting his recoil tolerance of his 30-06. I reduced the velocity of his 180 gr load, then dropped down to 150 gr, then reduced the velocity of that load. Nothing was significant until we transitioned into the 7mm-08.

Long story short, changing bullet weight didn’t do much. Changing cartridges did.




P

 

[KenLee]

It will definitely reduce felt recoil.
I can tell the difference between 140 and 120 gr nbt in same 7mm-08.
Big difference between 180 and 150 nbt in 300wsm.

 

[Jason Snyder]

Physics are physics. Use less powder and a lighter bullet out of the same gun and recoil will be reduced.

Try something in the 120-130 grain range and use H4895. I loaded reduced loads in a 30-06 using this combo for my daughter when she started hunting.