Low recoil for bigger game

[forrrresty]

I currently have a Sako .338 Win Mag and a Remmington 700 sps 300wsm for hunting rifles. I'm living in SE AK and I cannot find ANY 338wm and there's also a pretty small selection of 300wsm rounds in town as well. Also I've torn and damaged my right shoulder. After a few rounds, it really gets aggravated from these calibers too.

I'm looking for something with MUCH less recoil and readily available. I've been down the research rabbit hole and I just keep looping back to damn there is sooo much controversy. I've never shot anything under a 300 besides a .22 so I'm unfamiliar with the recoil of anything else. All my friends and family have .300s.

I'm leaning towards a .308 or .270 as it's one of the most common rounds and finding ammo can be a real pain. Open to other caliber recommendations. I'm not sure what make and model though? 750 price range. Any suggestions are much appreciated. This gun will be used for pretty much all big game in Alaska except brown bears. Anything from high Alpine to dense costal rain forest.

Since I haven't bought glass in years either any scope recommendations would be appreciated even though I have a couple vortex sitting around.

 

[Rooggvc]

6.5 Creedmoor/260 for Deer, Elk, and whatever else.....

Seeing that the 223 thread is such a success, I thought maybe I would start one for the Creedmoor/260. Seems like people are asking a lot about using them and various bullets, especially for elk. I've used mine for the last few years almost exclusively. I have some pics of bullet damage, albeit...

rokslide.com

6mm /.243 hunting success on Big Game

With the success of .223 and 6.5 threads on big game, thought I’d throw this one into the mix. Show and detail your results harvesting big game (deer, bear, elk, moose, African game) using 6mm/.243 cartridges. Please detail bullet, MV, impact velocity, and whether hand load or factory ammo.

rokslide.com

.223 for bear, mountain goat, deer, elk, and moose.

DON'T HAVE TIME TO READ 176 PAGES? HERE'S THE CHEAT SHEET. “Bullets matter more than headstamps.” “Spent primers offer the supreme tutorial”. I’ve read it here and elsewhere online. It got my attention. I started digging and asking questions and listened. The 77gr TMK delivered by a .223...

rokslide.com

Some food for thought above.

From starting down the questioning path you are on about a year ago. This is were I have ended up.

An Easy Button would be

Rifle: Tikka
Caliber: 6.5 Creedmoor of 6mm Creedmoor
Projectile: 140 ELDM or 108 ELDM
Scope: SWFA 3-9, 3-15, 5-25 or Trijicon Tenmile

(I am currently running a Tikka 22 Creedmoor shooting 88 ELDM's with an SWFA 5-25.)

Good luck.

 

[TaperPin]

The 6.5 prc is super popular and very close to the 270 - at least down here there’s probably 10x to 20x the selection for it vs the 270.

 

[forrrresty]

The 6.5 prc is super popular and very close to the 270 - at least down here there’s probably 10x to 20x the selection for it vs the 270.

I've never really looked any stocking in any 6.5 rounds. There isn't a ton of ammo options in 270 but there is always something at least

 

[HandgunHTR]

If you are limited to factory ammo that you can buy off the shelf (not order from the internet), then the .223 may not be the best option. Not many places carry the heavies that make it shine.

6.5 Creedmoor and .308 are both really good choices.

 

[The_Jim]

Can you just install a muzzle brake on that rifle? My braked 300WM is far more pleasant to shoot than my non-braked 308.

 

[Jimss]

I would agree! Buy a muzzlebreak/suppressor!

 

[BjornF16]

I'm leaning towards a .308 or .270 as it's one of the most common rounds and finding ammo can be a real pain. Open to other caliber recommendations. I'm not sure what make and model though? 750 price range. Any suggestions are much appreciated. This gun will be used for pretty much all big game in Alaska except brown bears. Anything from high Alpine to dense costal rain forest.

Back up a moment...how about giving a little more info.

What ranges do you anticipate shooting? That should help determine a suitable cartridge/bullet.

 

[Macintosh]

since you are in AK and I imagine that makes buying online a virtual no-go? Id just walk into the places you buy ammo and count the options with suitable hunting bullets per caliber, and pick a standard cartridge that is among the ones with most options. This clearly varies a LOT regionally so I wouldnt trust anyone who doesnt live where you live to give advice on availability—example, the guy above saying 6.5 prc is more common where he lives than 270, around me it’s 10:1 270 vs 6.5prc.
Then pick a rifle/optic.

 

[Weldor]

Have been shooting 308 for about 40 yrs, had a back surgery go south could'nt handle 338 wm recoil anymore. That said, I have not had any recoil problems with the 308, I suppressed it a few years back day and night. The 270 is great option to, long action vs short. Seen plenty of my pards drop Elk, bear , deer with both. Recoil tables show they are about tied up.

 

[MountainSide]

I've hunted in Alaska for over a decade with a 270 and 308, after shifting away from a 338 win mag and 375 Ruger for big game. After seeing moose, brown bear, and caribou taken with much less powerful cartridges (223s are employed a lot around here), I just didn't see the reason to continue to beat myself up, and use more powder...I can load a lot more 308 than 375 using the same type of powder. If you're looking for one and done, 270 and 308 can serve you well. With that said, I've also taken caribou with a 223, and moose with a 243, which are MUCH lighter recoiling cartridges than you have, might balance out your collection, and are fun to shoot.

 

[LongWayAround]

I'm in the camp of being happy to admit that I don't like recoil. Specifically from large rifles. I don't enjoy shooting them and don't shoot them well. I am fully committed to hunting with smaller rifles until I find a reason not to. For now, if I were to buy a larger cartridge than I currently use, it would be no more than the 6.5prc.

Without knowing where the OP is located, it's hard to speculate about availability. If you're anywhere other than "off-grid," it should be no trouble to order ammo if there is not a retailer nearby.

 

[hiker270]

For sheer ammo availability the 308, 270 and the ever faithful 30-06 should top the list.

 

[Marbles]

Honestly, get a 308. Ammo is easy to find and while there are cartridges that will work with less recoil, coming from a magnum the 308 will be fine for you.

The 270 would give you a longer effective range, but a 308 gets you passed 400 yards throwing a 180 gr AccuBond. With a good bullet, I would have no problem taking a big brown with my 308.

For glass, it depends on your budget. I like my S&B Klassik 3-12x42 with illuminated reticle. Not cheap, but seeing as we don't have legal shooting hours in AK, the low light performance is nice. The 2.5-10x56 would be another great option if a large objective does not bother you.

If money is a consideration, an SWFA 6x or 3-9x.

If you're anywhere other than "off-grid," it should be no trouble to order ammo if there is not a retailer nearby.

Ordering ammo outside of the contiguous 48 is difficult. The problem is that it cannot be shipped air cargo and barge shipping is expensive unless talking about thousands of rounds. It is the same in Ketchikan or Anchorage. So, you either find it locally, or have people flying in to visit bring you a few pounds.

 

[forrrresty]

Back up a moment...how about giving a little more info.

What ranges do you anticipate shooting? That should help determine a suitable cartridge/bullet.

200-300 yards at most

 

[forrrresty]

Went by the local store to look at round selections. They had 5 boxes of 300wsm left and haven't had any 338wm in at least 10 months. They had an enormous selection of .308 slim pickings on .270. I was honestly surprised by the amount of 6.5 Creedmoor they had, almost as much as .308. Asked the guy if he thinks it's just a fad and he said he's seen more and more people buying them lately with a lot of positive things to say.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Went by the local store to look at round selections. They had 5 boxes of 300wsm left and haven't had any 338wm in at least 10 months. They had an enormous selection of .308 slim pickings on .270. I was honestly surprised by the amount of 6.5 Creedmoor they had, almost as much as .308. Asked the guy if he thinks it's just a fad and he said he's seen more and more people buying them lately with a lot of positive things to say.

If I was living in SEAK and wanted a lighter recoiling rifle for black tails and goats, I’d probably get a 6.5 creedmoor.

I have a tikka 6.5cm with the whole SWFA/sportsmatch thing. That rifle is ridiculous, I have like 5 hand loads that shoot incredibly well out of it. 124g hammer hunter, 140g eldm, 130gAb, 240gAB, 150g ABLR, that gun just dosent seem to care. Be an awesome goat/blacktail/SEAK rig.

 

[49ereric]

308 win for a any woods hunting with a 150 grain.
I prefer 180’s but more kick

 

[tony]

7mm-.08, .280AI

I only have a 6.5 CM, .270 and .45/70 and shoot factory. I think my .270 is a little more "snappier" then the .45/70.

I want one of the above, maybe a .308

 

[BjornF16]

200-300 yards at most

I’d get whatever has the most plentiful ammo where you’re at…6.5CM or 308 Win.

Most any cartridge with an appropriate bullet will do.