Its official, I'm a flincher!

I have to work hard to shoot a rifle to a reasonable standard. Included in that is a real sensistive shoulder. This is psychological not physiological.

My small stature wife uses the same rifles that I do. We use muzzle brakes on a 6.5 and 30-06 and there is no recoil issue. However, that is not a complete answer - as the muzzle blast is increased and can be a worse problem.

However, recoil is reduced significantly - to the extent that a sight picture can often be maintained. This is great for encouraging follow through.

Everyone else seems to have picked the key issues, iI would comment -

1. Simmons scopes have notoriously short eye relief. I would not fit one to any rifle with more kick than .243. Your friend may not take kindly to changes if the rifle suits him. For your own rifle - and you will get this problem licked - I would recommend Leupold - they seem to have a generous relief and a good useable range. Though I can hear Col. Cooper wispering Scout Concept!
2. You Americans are built of stern stuff. Over here the .270 is acknowledged as a kicker and the muzzle blast recognised. Very few well advised people would start out with that calibre as a choice - particularly in a sporter weight rifle - and expect comfortable bench performance.
3. Fit is nearly as important as with a shotgun. A comfortable rifle will be used and handled. That builds confidence and so on. Fit is not hard - saw or pack out the stock and tape up the cheek piece. Head position - particularly the cheek fit is the key area - but an over long or short stock will impact on that.
4. Flinching is fear. Knowledge defeats fear. Read Shots at Big Game by Craig Boddington and The Art of the Rifle by Col. C ( don't worry about his view on recoil ).
5. FRom reading the former, you may well conclude that a 7mm-08 calibre rifle is worthy of further inspection. Ballistcally, no live target will tell the difference over the 270.
 
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