Softest Shooting Big Bore Stock and Pad?

B

black mamba

New member
For building a custom large bore bolt rifle, say 458 Win Mag on up, what is the softest shooting stock and pad combo you know of?

I'm not particularly recoil shy, and I hate muzzle breaks and mercury doodads, but I want a nice light big bore for hunting, and I like to shoot a lot at the bench, working up loads. I have heard that the new generation of soft, airfilled recoil pads are really effective, and that some of the synthetic stocks actually reduce recoil, too.

So what is the best combo?
 
what is the softest shooting stock and pad combo you know of?
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I want a nice light big bore for hunting, and I like to shoot a lot at the bench, working up loads
Click to expand...
OK, light and soft recoil do not typically go together. Then you said synthetic, and that changes the equation. A Kevlar-graphite stock will flex to absorb or dampen some of the recoil. Having said that, the 458 WinMag generates a healthy amount of recoil (OK, an unhealthy amount). Shooting a 8 lbs 458 will be rough on you, and off the bench it just might cripple you (a slight exaggeration). Sorbothane recoil pad or not, it will rock you. I would consider even a 9 lbs 458 to be a lightweight big bore, and would probably recommend going up to a 10 lbs rifle with the Kevlar-graphite stock and a sorbothane recoil pad. Having said that, I once built a sub-6 lbs 338 Win Mag rifle for a customer going on a sheep hunt in AK. He got back from his hunt and had me add a muzzle brake, said it kicked a bit.
 
Surprisingly, my Rem 700MLR in .338 Lapua is quite bearable. It has a muzzle brake plus it is a little heavy. I have put 20 rounds through it at one sitting with no soreness...
 
Well that is a two edged sword. The softest big bore I have EVER shot was a 50 bmg with a great muzzle brake and limbsaver pad. I guess it didnt hurt the rifle weighed 34 pounds.

Mypoint is, if you can stand it, use a muzzle brake. With something this powerful it helps tremendously. I shoot the 50 30-40 times per session, and never have any discomfort.

You can get a lightweight big bore hunting rifle, but I seriously advise a good brake and pad. I love my limbsavers, but there are many others that are as goid or probably better.
 
If you're handloading, you can safely load the .458 down to .45-70 velocities with no problem. As others have said, recoil is a function of rifle weight among other things and lighter rifles generally have more felt recoil than heavy rifles. A good recoil pad helps, but physics won't be denied.
 
Kick-Ez makes a good recoil pad for heavy recoiling rifles. As for stocks, many of them will do. You do want to make sure that there isnt too much "drop". Once in your hands, you will have to adjust the LOP to fit you with the new pad installed.
 
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