Hunting Rifle and Caliber - Disabled

[RC20]

While I am not disabled, I took my hits over the years working heavy labor and ultimately ended up with a blown disk and a protruding one.

No more motorcycles (no so much the cycling but getting up on stands and a drop which happens time to time) , 25 lbs weight limitation if I want my back to last.

Bicycling is approved and I peddled a lot before, have to watch it now as I can get into serious trouble in the winter on my route.

I do the best I can with what I got handed. Others have it worse, I can at least manage most things using my brain and different approach over just using force.

I count myself fortunate, been enough times I could have been killed or severely injured.

[RC20]

If you go with Savage, consider a Boyds stock (other fits may be as good, just expeicened with the Savage fit)

Other than some rear tang relief the two I have were a perfect fit.

I think the plastic stocks are ok but I don't like the looks of them.

While I am partial to Thumb holes they have other types as well.

https://www.boydsgunstocks.com/product-configurator/

Check out the options, you can build quite a setup if you want.

Get the thickest pad they offer (couple of choices) and don't be afraid of the lightweight types.

I have one on a 30-06 (stock came with the receiver and I was after that stock type) with a Shilen barrel and its my most consistent shooter.

[USAF Ret]

I just did some research on stocks. Pretty amazing how the line of the stock makes such a huge difference as well as recoil on the cheek making you flinch. What I was reading is that the sloped comb makes recognized recoil much worse. I owned a Savage in 7MM-08 a few years back and kicked like an old 30-06 I used to own. Just looked at the stock on the 16 and it is sloped. My HOWA is straight inline with the Hogue. Thanks for the information. That has to be a huge consideration.

[RC20]

Your welcome.

We all bring bits and pieces to the table and help others get where they might want to go.

[USAF Ret]

After doing a lot of research on the Savage stocks, yet again I am drifting. It sounds like the Weatherby S2 has a great stock. I love the action on my HOWA, so I might be going with that. I want the Weatherguard, but I cannot find a 6.5 Creed in stock anywhere.

[Dranrab]

Welcome to the forum and thanks for your service. I had total shoulder replacement surgery and my shoulder is still bad. I am recoil sensitive as well. I have a Ruger ultralight 7mm-08 and manage the recoil just fine. The Savage with the rebate is a steal. Good call!

[ms6852]

Here is a table that Chuck Hawks has on recoil depending on rifle weight, and caliber of rifle. Hope this helps. Thank you for your service!
http://www.chuckhawks.com/recoil_table.htm

[jetinteriorguy]

Recoil wise the 6.5 is very manageable. Even though I don't suffer from any injury, I have very bony shoulders. No extra padding to help, but I can shoot 50 rounds of 140gr bullets from my Savage 12FV and not feel any problems. Now, granted this is a fairly heavy varmint profile barrel so I can't directly relate to the effects of a lighter barrel, but I can tell it's still going to be pretty manageable. And, box stock I've even shot a couple of 3/8" five round groups out of it. But generally I can keep 5 shots in a 5/8" to 3/4" group no problem. Not bad for a $219.00 rifle and 63 year old eyes.

[Picher]

Just want to mention that Managed Recoil ammo is available for the .270 Win, which can be used when beginning to sight-in, but you need to check with 130 grain hunting loads, to assure correct zero.

The .270 Win is a great longer-range hunting cartridge and ammo is readily available about anywhere, including Walmart and Dicks. A great rifle is the Tikka T3 lite. The stock design minimizes felt recoil, but a thicker recoil pad might make it even better.

[Fischer]

Love my 6.5x55 swede. Accurate, reliable, and VERY soft on the shoulder.

[Wrought]

If your're looking at the vanguard s2 i highly recommend the .257 weatherby magnum or a 25-06 in a different gun. Theyre a dream to shoot, they shoot flat, and are proven elk and mule deer slayers. The ammo can be a little expensive for the weatherby. I have a 7mm-08 and full power loads are on par with .308 loads, i can hardly tell the difference when shooting them. A 6.5 creedmore would be a good choice but its trajectory is different, at 300 yards the .257 will have dropped less but after 600 yards the 6.5 will be above it. If you're into handloading you can the load smaller denser barnes bullets and push them faster for devastating effects. I wish you great success.

[USAF Ret]

Well, I am kicking myself. Looked on Bud's last night and they had a Savage 11 DOA in 6.5 for $366 ($266 after rebate). Not back up to $540. As much as I like Weatherby and HOWA, I should have pulled the trigger.

[USAF Ret]

Originally Posted by Wrought

If your're looking at the vanguard s2 i highly recommend the .257 weatherby magnum or a 25-06 in a different gun. Theyre a dream to shoot, they shoot flat, and are proven elk and mule deer slayers. The ammo can be a little expensive for the weatherby. I have a 7mm-08 and full power loads are on par with .308 loads, i can hardly tell the difference when shooting them. A 6.5 creedmore would be a good choice but its trajectory is different, at 300 yards the .257 will have dropped less but after 600 yards the 6.5 will be above it. If you're into handloading you can the load smaller denser barnes bullets and push them faster for devastating effects. I wish you great success.

I had a Vanguard in .257 Weatherby years ago, and it had some stomp.

[Wrought]

That was a very good deal there might be more during income tax refund season. It definitely has some authority, maybe the .25-06 would be better it doesnt quite have the zap of the weatherby but the animals cant tell the difference. Go with what your'e confident in

[Wrought]

You can always throw a limbsaver butt pad on it too ive got one on my .270 it tames it down really well.

[USAF Ret]

Originally Posted by Wrought

That was a very good deal there might be more during income tax refund season. It definitely has some authority, maybe the .25-06 would be better it doesnt quite have the zap of the weatherby but the animals cant tell the difference. Go with what your'e confident in

Good ole tax season. Uncle Sam eats my lunch. I wish he would leave me the money to spend on a nice rifle.

[Stats Shooter]

I read this whole thread and it's as if the .270 win has died?

The .270 with a 130 gr Partition is flat shooting and a common elk Rifle in Colorado. I have elk hunted Colorado over a dozen times. My parents live there, I lived there for a while too.

Here were the common elk rifles by guys who bagged them regularly, including me.

300wm
7mm mag
270 win
30-06
338 win mag (a few)
7x57

300 yards is a good limit, and the maximum point blank on a 130 gr Partition is about that far.

With your disability, the 7 mag, 300 win mag, and 338 are out. But at 300 Yards, the 270 will allow you to just point and shoot. Plus, if you want to you can load 150 gr Partitions for some better knockdown power.

[Don Fischer]

Whatever yu get, get something that doesn't need after market product's of reduced reciol loads. If Elk is on your adgenda, I'd first look at a 6.5CM or even 260 Rem. If you reload I'd start with the 260 Rem. A 130gr bullet will work very well on even an elk and there's also 140+ gr bullet's.I have shot two elk with my 6.5x06 and 140 gr bullet, ripped the earth right out from under them. If elk is on the list, I wouldn't drop down so far as the 25-06. Problem for me is the bullet weight's. While killing elk isn't all that hard with a 25-06, it simply run's out of steam for me. Same with the 243 even to a greater extent, 243 is legal for elk hunting in Oregon. No doubt in my mind it would work but I have better.

If from the 26 cal you go up, the 270 can be problem for people with physical problems. Same with the 28's but the 7mm08 sounds t be very easy on recoil. Have head very few complaint's about it's recoil. Case size, think case size. 243, 260 and 7mm08 are all on the 308 case. I have read where the 6.5CM is on a 30 cal wildcat case but people say you can reload them with the 308 case also, I would not try it! Couple other's you might consider are the 6.5x55 and the 7x57. But for recoil I'd still go with a 250 cal.

I have the 6.5x55 right now and it is very comfortable to shoot. I've also had several 7x57 and they also are comfortable, for me that is, I don't have your problem. Strongly suggest you don't get some thing that may need after market items to control recoil and on't get something you need reduced recoil loads for. I don't know a lot about reduced recoil ammo but strike's me that if you have 270 using 130gr reduced recoil loads, if they make them, your way ahead of the game to simply get a smaller cartridge that use's regular factory. If you want a 30-06 but can't take the recoil, don't get reduced recoil loads, get a 308!

[Stats Shooter]

I don't know a lot about reduced recoil ammo but strike's me that if you have 270 using 130gr reduced recoil loads, if they make them, your way ahead of the game to simply get a smaller cartridge that use's regular factory. If you want a 30-06 but can't take the recoil, don't get reduced recoil loads, get a 308!

Don makes a good point here...... since you can already handle a .308's recoil, just get a hunting purpose 308. It is very versatile and has no problem dropping an elk.

I think sometimes folks try and reinvent the wheel with less common cartridges when the best solution is right in front of them.

Wyosmith suggested an auto loading .308.....I have an AR 10 with a muzzle brake. Between the recoil absorbing of the action plus the brake I can literally let it free recoil using just my hand on the grip!!

Put a 3x9x40 on it and you have a 300 yard deer/elk Slayer! And with your disability, an autoloader will help you not need to quickly work the bolt!

[USAF Ret]

So, with all of the great information here I am thinking about just getting a HOWA barrelled action from Brownells and buying an aftermarket stock. Are those usually just drop in? I know that there are free floating, pillar, bedded, etc. I don't know how to do all of that, so I guess a smith would be the best route if I chose that?

[USAF Ret]

Well, could not pass up on it. Bud's dropped the price again. Got a Savage 11 DOA in 6.5 Creed (thanks to the suggestions in this thread) for $276 after rebate with a Bushnell scope. Thanks everyone!!

[Wrought]

Congratulations! Hope you have fun with that baby

[USAF Ret]

Originally Posted by USAF Ret

Well, could not pass up on it. Bud's dropped the price again. Got a Savage 11 DOA in 6.5 Creed (thanks to the suggestions in this thread) for $276 after rebate with a Bushnell scope. Thanks everyone!!

Checked this morning and the price was back up to $560. Whew!!

[Sure Shot Mc Gee]

Seems like the rifles suited for the big game you intend to hunt OP._ Minimum recoil poundage is in the neighborhood of 10-12 lbs. _It would benefit you because of a shoulder disability to hand-load your own cartridges._ Certain rifle Powders do have some forgiveness in regards to PSI /Cup pressures which has a effect on felt recoil.

As far as the 25-06 Rem._When hand loaded it can achieve {nearly and in one case betters} the velocity in certain weight bullets the 257 Weatherby uses.

25-06_is quite often re-guarded as the poor-boy's Weatherby. In saying that. The OP should have a idea as to what extreme velocity's a 1/4 bore 06 is capable of. As I recall as little as 25-fps to as much as 150-fps difference between the two in velocity in regards to the most popular bullet weighs used. (87 & 120s) And too having accuracy equal too and sometimes better than a 270 Winchester.

Frankly:
All this commotion over the newer 26 cal cartridges and their capabilities. Really!!? __I get a chuckle being a owner of rifle calibers on both sides of those 6.5s short throw bolt'ers.
{25-06 & 270 Win) Sporting Cartridges by design. Both American born with American parentage's been around a long time for good reason. "They shoot"

Can't say the same reputation will apply to those other two Russki offsprings? (Creedmoor & Grendel.) One last thing OP.

Its a fact. The bigger the caliber the better results you'll see when hunting Big Game. Especially so when it involves blood tracking in non-snow areas. Good luck with your choosing.

[ThomasT]

The .270 with a 130 gr Partition is flat shooting and a common elk Rifle in Colorado. I have elk hunted Colorado over a dozen times. My parents live there, I lived there for a while too.

I noticed the .270 didn't get much mention in the thread. My bud hunts with a Winchester featherweight loaded with 150gr bullets and it kicks as hard as my 30-06.

I ended up with 2 boxes of Remington Express 130gr bullets and shot a few from his rifle. Boy howdy what a difference from the 150s. If I had known a .270 was that pleasant to shoot I would have never wasted my money on a pip squeak .243. I gave him the left over rounds and its what he hunts with now.