[Marshall Stanton]

With Idaho Moose season less than two weeks away, some range time has been mandated for me and some rifles of choice.

My first choice for this hunt is a .58 cal Muzzle-loader, an older CVA Mountain Rifle that shoots like a million bucks after being lapped.

Here's the point of my observations. After doing some range work with the .58 BP gun, I also warmed the barrels on a couple of center-fire rifles that will potentially go along as backup/longer range weapons on the hunt.

I did some serious shooting of my .375 H&H Ackley Improved, using our .377"-255g Spitzer Gas-Checked bullets and a VERY stiff load of IMR 4350. This rifle is 8.3 lbs in full dress ( a ver lightweight Sako, pre-Garcia gun), and it backs off that load pretty hard, even with it's Kick-Eze pad.

Then, shooting a Ruger KM77MKII, in .30-06 Ackley Improved, using some 180g Barnes-X again with a stiff load of IMR 4350 in fire-formed brass, I did some more shooting. However, this Ruger seemed to buck and jump more than the .375, and hammered my cheek even harder as well.

The stocks of both guns fit me pretty well, and being the earlier design Ruger Zytel Stock doesn't have a cheek-piece either. I'm scratching my head over this one.

Running the numbers on the recoil-calculator, the .375 Ackley should have been the punishing monster of the day, but it was pure pleasure in comparison to that mule-kicking Ruger '06 Ackley... go figure.

It was the first time that I'd had both side-by-side at my range, and a real eye-opener at that!

Ideas?

Thanks to all,

God Bless,

 

[kdub]

Marshal -

Although I love my Rugers, that Zytel stock of theirs has always been known as a real kicker! The '06 AI really shouldn't have much more rear thrust than, say, a 7mm Mag, as I'm sure your calculations indicated.

I would put the blame squarely on the darn'd plastic stock some design engineer for Ruger really goofed on.

 

[Marshall Stanton]

As you say, must be the stocks. I'd much rather shoot the Sako 375 Improved than the '06 Improved in terms of shooter comfort.... there's a strange dynamic there.

 

[Gunnut45/454]

Marshal
Could it be that cause the AI shoulder is so accute that it causes a sharper pressure spike?
Just a thought. Good luck on the Moose hunt -got the draw ?

I'm getting itchy to-daughter doing her first muley hunt this year! We got general tags so we will not be limited to where to hunt, but it will be mostly 39-36.

 

[Roman Knoll]

Unpleasant felt recoil is quite often a combination of stock and rifle weight. I have .375 H&H heavy and well stocked, which I can shoot all day and enjoy it. My light Ruger 77 International in .308 is not so nice to me with stiffer loads.

Once I was shooting Ruger No1 in .375 H&H along with Krieghoff Hubertus in 7x65R. I had no problems with .375H&H, but after five shots with Hubertus I had to give up. My cheek was bruised as well as my shoulder. Hubertus is a very light single shot, with steep butt and thin comb. 7x65 R should not be worse in recoil as plain 30-06 or .270 but the rifle design made it impossible to shot.

Knowing, bullet weight and velocity as well as powder charge and weight of scope and the rifle, I calculate recoil using my QLOAD software. It is sometimes an eye opener.

Roman