Hello and 1st question from new member

C

Charles Johnson

New member
This is my 1st post, so I thought I'd describe myself a little. I've owned several firearms for the last few years and I've held a FL concealed weapon and firearm license for a couple years now. I have more experience with handguns than rifles, but I have some experience with a SIG SHR970 with synthetic stock in .308 and to a lesser degree an older Winchester in 30-06.

My 1st question is: my favorite local gun shop has an SHR970 with walnut stock in 7mm Rem Mag that they have marked down to $500 from $550. I believe this is a pretty good deal since the SHR970 in the .308/synthetic stock was $500 also. I'm wanting a more powerful rifle and I love the smooth action of the SIG :). I'm wanting to get the most accurate cartridge and may hunt with it in the future. My most immediate concern is having a fun, accurate rifle to build my skills with.

Now I know the 7mm Rem Mag will have considerably more recoil than the 308. I have put as many as 60 rounds through the 308 before it got to my shoulder. THis is with the original recoil pad. However, the 30-06 turned my shoulder red after just 3 rounds. I'm not sure if the 30-06 had a recoil pad. How does the '06 compare to the 7 Rem Mag in recoil? Will I have any problem compensating with after market recoil pads?

For the record, I love powerful weapons :):cool::) and I don't think I'll have any problem. But I want to ask the experts before I go overboard.
 
Welcome to TFL. You'll find lots of great info here.

You'll have better luck getting answers if you
give more specific info as the subject of your post, such
as the type of rifle you want to research.

For example, you could have used

"SHR970 $500 - good price?" as the subject.

As far as your specific question, I have no idea.
 
It is difficult to give a very precise answer to your question because perceived recoil varies so much between shooters. Also, different rifles absorb recoil differently depending on the overall weight of the weapon and the stock type of each. There are probably other variables that don't readily come to mind, too.

Having said that, I will say that I have shot both the 30-06 and the 7mag a lot. I haven't really noticed a lot of (perceived) difference in recoil between the two.

I load my own ammo, and the difference in powder charges between my .06 and 7mag is about 20% more powder in the 7. I can't say, however, that there is a 20% greater recoil with the 7 -- I just don't know how to measure that in real world terms! I do know that when I am shooting from the bench, it doesn't take long for me to start flenching during a session with the 7. There is more bang there than I enjoy experiencing a lot of! In the field, though, I had just as soon shoot either.

Hope that helps.
jbgood
 
Welcome to TFL! I do indeed hope we can be of help to you, and hope you'll be able to pass along bits and pieces of your own knowledge.

Anyhow: A .308 will be a lot cheaper to do extensive shooting. Lots of cheap ammo available, and much of it is well made and accurate.

A 7mm Mag does have more recoil than an '06, for a given weight of rifle. Not a whole bunch, but some. The weight of the rifle makes a big difference. My own '06, fully loaded and with scope and sling weighs about 9-1/2 pounds. The recoil, even with 180-grain bullets, is not at all disturbing, but the critter weighs about 50 pounds at the end of ten or twelve miles of walking-hunting. I've shot 7-1/2 pound 7mmMaggies from a benchrest, and it's not a lot of fun. Shooting at a deer or elk, however? You'll never notice the noise or recoil.

If you're "honing your skills" at a target range, I'd suggest the .308 in lieu of the7mm. For hunting in Florida, where the majority of shots are within 200 yards--and often within 100--I don't really see the point of any magnum cartridge.

Rather than suggest any particular cartridge, I'd suggest you do some more thinking about your uses, both in skill-honing and hunting.

FWIW, Art
 
Welcome aboard!
I have to agree with the previous replies... the price of 7mm mag ammo will bleed you dry if you intend to do a lot of shooting, compared to cheap milsurp 308 or even UMC (that's Remington no-name plinking MC ammo) 308 or 30-06. 308 can handle 95% of hunting done in NA, perhaps short of elk, bison, brown or polar bear... what are the odds you go out pursuing these species in the next 5 or 10 years?
IMHO, get something dirt cheap to shoot, and shoot a lot!:)
 
Thanks for the info. After lurking for a while I've seen how there are so many knowledgable, cool people on TFL. I can't wait until I have the experience and knowledge that y'all have. Thanks again!

So the consensus is that 7mm maggie has a little more recoil than '06. Sounds good to me. Also everybody agrees that 308 would be better when I do alot of shooting. I guess it's good the .308 was my first rifle :). Before buying the .308 SIG, I was very tempted to go for a Ruger in 300 Win Mag. But the advice of many shooters I talked to, and the smoothness of the Sig, changed my mind.

I plan on making regular trips to the range with my experienced father in law (who has the '06 I mentioned), so, with his help, I think I can unlearn any bad habits I've developed and become proficient with the 7mm maggie. Hopefully I can zero my next rifle in fewer than 60 rounds :o (had never done it before and had noone at the time to help, plus the scope started 4 feet off at 100 yards). Besides, at the range, I like starting big and then going down. That .308 will feel real light after the 7mm :).

As far as the odds of hunting big game soon, I wouldn't be surprised. 4 years ago I never expected that I'd own and love guns the way I do now. If Jacksonville takes the same downward liberal turn as Miami, I will probably move somewhere closer to where the big game is!
 
Hello Charles...

I have read, but not independently verified, that the 308 Winchester (7.62 NATO) is intrinsically MORE accurate than the 30'06 (the exact reason escapes me now), however, the '06 is one of the most accurate ctgs ever made having millions of dollars of development in the service rifle shooting arena. The '06 still does a fine job in military matches and it's going on 100 years old.

If you are an average guy going for accuracy (not a wildcatter or benchrest fanatic) you just can't beat a 30 caliber bullet. They have had the most work done to them in this country.

I would stick with your 308 for all the reasons Art and the other guys mentioned. HTH
 
Sighting In

With a bolt-action rifle, I've found that there are some shortcuts to the sighting-in process, particularly starting from scratch with a new rig.

I set the rifle on the sandbags with the bolt out. I "good eye" through the bore onto the 100-yard target. I keep fiddling with the crosshair adjustment until it looks about as good as I can get the alignment.

My first shots are at 25 yards. Dead on at 25 is roughly a couple of inches high at 100 yards with most rifle/cartridge combos. Roughly. For a target, I just use a cardboard box with a sheet of typing paper. On the paper, use a magic marker to make one horizontal line and three vertical lines a few inches apart; plenty good for the job. (I'm cheap.)

Just remember that it takes four times as many clicks at 25 yards than at 100 yards.

Most non-magnum cartridges, if two inches high at 100 yards, will be dead on at 200 and six inches low at 300. That's close enough to reality for hunting purposes.

In the 100-yard shooting, I fire a three-shot group, and then move the group-center to where I want it. Allow a little cooling-time between groups. When you think you're fully happy, go away for 20 minutes or so, and come back and check the zero one last time.

For hunting, the most important shot is the first one from a cold barrel. :)

Hope this helps,

Art
 
Thanks Art! Just sent that off to the printer. I'll be needing it next weekend!

When I zeroed before, I started at 100 yds. The shop bore sighted for me - it was off by about 4ft. I finally had to watch the dirt kicking up to find where it was hitting. I never thought about looking through the bore, duh!
 
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