recoil difference between 223 and 308 ?

R

rebs

New member
I have had an injury to my right shoulder and cannot handle heavy recoil, I find the AR 15 in 223 very comfortable to shoot, but I am thinking about a 308 in a bolt action rifle. I am thinking the AR 15 being a semi auto is softer shooting than a bolt action rifle like the Remington 700.

What is the difference in recoil between an AR 15 in 223 and a bolt action rifle in 308 ?
 
There are so many variables. The weight of individual guns and style of the stock are important. Also, what do you want to do with it? The 308 isn't bad in a heavy target rifle, but in a lightweight hunting rifle does not recoil that much less than a 30-06. If you want a hunting rifle and need light recoil consider 7-08, 260 or even 243. They will take deer just as easily as 308. The 308 might be a better choice if elk or bear are a possibility, as would the 7-08.
 
If you want a hunting rifle and need light recoil consider 7-08, 260 or even 243.
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+1

Thoes would be my choices as well, and you could throw in a .25-06 if it is going to be a hunting rifle. If your main purpose is target then the .260 gets my vote.
 
My wife broke her back in '03 while deployed to the sand box. She has three rods between her shoulder blades and can't take much recoil at all.

She can't shoot any of my 308s, She can shoot all my 223s (bolt and gas guns).

I built her a 243 on a Winchester Model 70 action and she has no problem at all with that rifle.

A lot of recoil can be taken care of with a good proper position, but that isn't always possible in some cases, like my wife's and I assume yours.

The short answer to your question is there is quite a bit difference in recoil between an AR in 223 and a 308 bolt gun.
 
My $0.02's worth - a lot also depends on the shape and structure of the butt of the rifle. I have a pair of Winchester 1892's in .357mag, both with steel butt plates, both used mainly as range guns and plinkers. The carbine stock is not bad at all, while the crescent moon shaped rifle stock can really leave a mark where the top of the crescent rests against the least padded portion of your shoulder. In contrast, a marlin in 357mag with a flat rubber butt is noticeably lighter on felt recoil. I now do actually use a lace up butt pad on my 1892 to deal with the top edge of that crescent steel butt plate.

So whatever you get don't neglect checking out the design of the butt stock and also adding a recoil pad of some sort if necessary.
 
I am a target shooter and after reading the posts I think I would be better off with a 223 bolt action rifle instead of 308.
I want an accurate rifle that I can put a decent scope on and shoot 1" at 100 yds and out to 300 yds.

What rifle would you guys recommend ?
 
I think that is a good move. A solid breech .308 will have nearly three times the recoil of a gas operated .223.

About any name brand .223 bolt gun will do fine at 100-300 yards and even farther. I have read good things about the Tikka T3. I have a well set up and accurate AR but it throws my match brass in the weeds; a bolt is a lot more convenient for anything but rapid fire.
You will still need to feed it good ammunition, MOA is not reasonable with the "imitation army surplus" sold at Cheapmart.
 
In the FWIW department, my Ruger 77 Mk II light sporter has been half-MOA from the git-go--even with the tort-liability trigger. I installed a Timney trigger and life got easier but not better. :) I bought it "like new" about a dozen years back. Prairie dogs at 300 yards (laser measure) are easy pickings.
 
I know that Art likes .243s, and so do I. They're great for varmints, with 4000fps bullets (55gr) up to over 100 gr for deer. They don't kick as much as a .308.
 
rebs:

In all of the didfferent calibers based on the 308 case if they are shooting the same weight bullet they will have about the same felt recoil. For instance, a 7-08 shooting a 140 grain bullet will recoil as hard as a 308 150 grain bullet. Take Kraigwy's suggeston and buy a .243.

Semper Fi.

Gunnery Sergeant
Clifford L. Hughes
USMC Retired
 
What rifle would you guys recommend ?
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If it's fun target shooting, you might consider trying CZ527 Varmint and Tikka Varminter. I shot both of them in .308 Win, but I hear they are good in .223, too. Many people praise the Tikka and I liked the ergonomics of the Tikka Varminter a lot. I had a CZ 527 in .223 Rem but the light barrel variant only and it was about 1 MOA (maybe better) with a good ammo IIRC.

A friend of mine had a Marlin - but again in .308 - and said he was surprised how consistently the rifle shot for the low price, so I think there is a chance they will be OK in .223. I did not shot this one though.
 
All my experience with .223 has been low recoil, easy to get back on target.
All my experience with .308 has been more recoil than a .223 but not horrible. You would most definitely feel a difference between the two but not so much that you wouldn't want to shoot it.
 
after the replies I got here I am going to stay with Clifford and Kraig and go with with a 223 or a 243. With my shoulder injury I have too much to loose to try a 308.

Thank you for the replies.
 
Just to put some real numbers up to consider I used this site to calculate recoil of some chamberings you are considering. I picked a load suitable for deer hunting. You could get slightly different numbers using lighter or heavier bullets and faster or slower velocities. At least this puts it into a perspective that is easy to see and not subjective


.http://www.handloads.com/calc/recoil.asp

I included a 30-06 just for perspective since since the 30-06 is considered about the upper limit that almost anyone can learn to tolerate. I can sympathise with your shoulder inury however. My 23 year old son is 6'2" and 250 lbs. But because of 2 shoulder surgeries earned while playing HS football he does not tolerate recoil nearly as well as I do.

If all rifles weigh 8 lbs you get the following recoil, with the loads I calculated


223, 60 Gr bullet @ 3150 fps----3.5 ft lbs recoil
243, 100 gr bullet @ 3000 fps---9.5 ft lbs recoil
260, 120 gr bullet @2895 fps----11.3 ft lbs recoil
7-08, 139 gr bullet @ 2900 fps---14.4ft lbs recoil
308, 150 gr bullet @ 2850 fps----15 lbs recoil
30-06, 150 gr bullet @ 3000 fps--19 ft lbs recoil

If you were using a lighter rifle recoil would be a bit more, a heavier rifle and it would be a bit less.
 
Per Chuck Hawks Rifle Recoil Table HERE:

Cartridge....(Wb@MV)...Rifle Weight...Recoil energy...Recoil velocity

.223 Rem. (55 at 3200)......8.0..................3.2...............5.1
.223 Rem. (62 at 3025)......7.0..................3.9...............6.0

.308 Win. (150 at 2800).....7.5................15.8..............11.7
.308 Win. (165 at 2700).....7.5................18.1..............12.5
.308 Win. (180 at 2610).....8.0................17.5..............11.9
 
Like the others said, weight is biggest factor followed by recoil pad, if for same caliber. I have a 308 bolt action that weighs about 10-11lbs, has a Hogue stock with the best recoil pad I have used. I can shoot it all day, but it has some decent recoil. I have a 308 AR style LR308 that weighs about 14lbs, has no recoil pad, recoil is definitely less than the bolt, but still has some recoil to it. My 6mm Rem, which is pretty much the same as a 243, weighs about 6lbs and it has worse recoil than the 308's.

Most bolt actions, with scope, are about 9lbs. If you go with a 9lb rifle, I'd go with a 243. If a heavy rifle, 308 would do.
 
Just acquired a Browning X-bolt White Gold in .243, it is about 6lbs. before scope. It is a super accurate rifle and beautiful besides. My recoil sensitive wife has just about claimed it for herself after yesterdays outing to the range. I have to admit, she can shoot that thing. She ran through 30 or so rounds with no complaints of recoil at all. It could be an idea for you.
 
No question in my mind that, out to the 300 yard max you say you're going to shoot, the .223 is the best choice. While those bullets will be less able to buck the wind, on a decent day they'll do as well as anything else.

Felt recoil is negligible in our .223 VTR, in a slightly heavier B&C stock.

What is the reason you're looking at a .30 cal for 300 yard target shooting?
 
I want an accurate rifle that I can put a decent scope on and shoot 1" at 100 yds and out to 300 yds.
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Go with the 223 for target work , still a lot less recoil a 243. Any of the heavy barrel 223s like the Remington 700SPS/LTR , Savage 12 series , Tikka or CZs just to name a few will do fine and should easily shoot less than an inch @ 100 yards.

I have a 700 SPS Varmint , 700LTR and Savage 12BVSS - all accurate shooters in .223.
 
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