# Rifle Caliber For Youth Hunter?



## madmike22 (Aug 29, 2007)

Rifle Recoil Table
By Chuck Hawks



For an expanded version of this table showing a great many more calibers and loads including British, European, wildcat, obsolescent American and proprietary calibers, see the "Expanded Rifle Recoil Table" on the Tables, Charts and Lists Page.

For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction; that is one of the physical laws of our universe. This means that the momentum of a rifle's reaction will exactly equal the momentum of the bullet and powder gasses ejected from the barrel. In the shooting sports we call that reaction recoil or "kick." It can be measured or computed empirically, and has been for this recoil table.

But perceived recoil, what the shooter feels, is a highly subjective matter. It is influenced by many factors. One of the most important of these is the fit and shape of the rifle stock. A good recoil pad can help soften the blow to the shooter's shoulder. Gas-operated semi-automatic actions reduce apparent recoil by spreading it over a longer period of time. These sorts of things cannot be accounted for in a recoil table. Also, please understand that there are dozens of loads for any given bullet weight in any cartridge that will produce the same velocity, but a different amount of recoil. So the figures in any recoil table should be taken as approximate. Never-the-less, the table below should give a reasonably accurate comparison of the recoil of most popular rifle cartridges.

It is worth remembering that the majority of authorities agree that recoil of over twenty foot pounds will cause most shooters to develop a serous flinch, which is ruinous to bullet placement (the prime component of killing power). Fifteen foot pounds is probably about the maximum recoil energy most shooters feel reasonably comfortable with, particularly at the shooting range, where most serious marksmanship practice occurs.

While recoil energy determines how hard the blow to the shoulder feels, recoil velocity determines how abrupt the blow to the shoulder feels. My subjective impression is that, with a well designed stock, recoil velocity above about 10 fps begins to feel like a sharp rap on the shoulder rather than an abrupt push.

I estimate that fifteen foot pounds of free recoil energy and 10 fps of recoil velocity represent the approximate upper limit of the comfort level. Above that recoil becomes increasingly intrusive. Also, the effects of recoil are cumulative. The longer you shoot, and the harder the rifle kicks, the more likely you are to flinch. These are good things to remember when comparing rifle cartridges, and at the range.

In the table below rifle weight is given in pounds, free recoil energy is given in foot pounds, and free recoil velocity is given in feet-per-second. All recoil values have been rounded off to one decimal place.

The recoil energy and recoil velocity figures are taken from various sources including the recoil nomograph in the Handloader's Digest 8th Edition, various online recoil calculators, the Remington Shoot! program or calculated from the formula given in the Lyman Reloading Handbook, 43rd Edition.




Cartridge ([email protected]) Rifle Weight Recoil energy Recoil velocity 
.17 HMR (17 at 2550) 7.5 0.2 n/a 
.204 Ruger (33 at 4225) 8.5 2.6 4.4 
.22 LR (40 at 1165) 4.0 0.2 n/a 
.22 WMR (40 at 1910) 6.75 0.4 n/a 
.22 Hornet (45 at 2800) 7.5 1.3 3.3 
.222 Rem. (50 at 3200) 7.5 3.0 5.1 
.223 Rem. (55 at 3200) 8.0 3.2 5.1 
.223 Rem. (62 at 3025) 7.0 3.9 6.0 
.22-250 Rem. (55 at 3600) 8.5 4.7 6.0 
.220 Swift (55 at 3800) 8.5 5.3 6.4 
.223 WSSM (55 at 3850) 7.5 6.4 7.4 
.243 Win. (75 at 3400) 8.5 7.2 7.4 
.243 Win. (100 at 2960) 7.5 8.8 8.7 
6mm Rem. (100 at 3100) 8.0 10.0 9.0 
.243 WSSM (100 at 3100) 7.5 10.1 9.3 
.240 Wby. Mag. (100 at 3406) 8.0 17.9 n/a 
.25-35 Win. (117 at 2230) 6.5 7.0 8.3 
.250 Savage (100 at 2900) 7.5 7.8 8.2 
.257 Roberts (120 at 2800) 8.0 10.7 9.3 
.25 WSSM (120 at 2990) 7.25 13.8 11.1 
.25-06 Rem. (120 at 3000) 8.0 12.5 10.0 
.257 Wby. Mag. (120 at 3300) 9.25 15.1 10.3 
6.5x55 Swede (140 at 2650) 9.0 10.6 8.7 
.260 Rem. (120 at 2860) 7.5 13.0 10.6 
6.5mm-284 Norma (140 at 2920) 8.0 14.7 10.9 
6.5mm Rem. Mag. (120 at 3100) 8.0 13.1 10.3 
6.5x68 S (140 at 2990) 8.5 16.8 11.3 
.264 Win. Mag. (140 at 3200) 8.5 19.2 12.1 
6.8mm Rem. SPC (115 at 2625) 7.5 8.0 8.3 
.270 Win. (130 at 3140) 8.0 16.5 n/a 
.270 Win. (150 at 2900) 8.0 17.0 11.7 
.270 WSM (150 at 3000) 8.0 18.9 12.3 
.270 Wby. Mag. (150 at 3000) 9.25 17.8 11.1 
7x57 Mauser (139 at 2800) 8.0 14.0 10.6 
7mm-08 Rem. (140 at 2860) 8.0 12.6 10.1 
7x64 (154 at 2850) 8.0 17.9 n/a 
.280 Rem. (140 at 3000) 8.0 17.2 11.8 
7mm Rem. SAUM (160 at 2931) 8.0 21.5 13.2 
7mm WSM (160 at 3000) 8.0 21.9 13.3 
7mm Rem. Mag. (150 at 3100) 8.5 19.2 12.1 
7mm Wby. Mag. (140 at 3300) 9.25 19.5 11.7 
7mm STW (160 at 3185) 8.5 27.9 14.6 
7mm Ultra Mag. (160 at 3200) 8.5 29.4 n/a 
.30 Carbine (110 at 1990) 7.0 3.5 5.7 
.30-30 Win. (150 at 2400) 7.5 10.6 9.5 
.30-30 Win. (170 at 2200) 7.5 11.0 9.7 
.300 Sav. (150 at 2630) 7.5 14.8 n/a 
.307 Win. (150 at 2600) 7.5 13.7 10.9 
.308 Marlin Express (160 at 2660) 8.0 13.4 10.4 
.308 Win. (150 at 2800) 7.5 15.8 11.7 
.308 Win. (180 at 2610) 8.0 17.5 11.9 
.30-06 Spfd. (150 at 2910) 8.0 17.6 11.9 
.30-06 Spfd. (180 at 2700) 8.0 20.3 12.8 
.300 Rem. SAUM (180 at 2960) 8.25 23.5 13.6 
.300 WSM (180 at 2970) 8.25 23.8 13.6 
.300 Win. Mag. (180 at 2960) 8.5 25.9 14.0 
.300 Wby. Mag. (150 at 3400) 9.25 24.6 13.1 
.300 Ultra Mag. (180 at 3230) 8.5 32.8 15.8 
7.62x39 Soviet (125 at 2350) 7.0 6.9 8.0 
7.62x54R Russian (174 at 2600) 9.0 15.0 10.4 
.303 British (180 at 2420) 8.0 15.4 11.1 
.32 Spec. (170 at 2250) 7.0 12.2 10.6 
8x57 Mauser (170 at 2360) 8.0 12.9 n/a 
.325 WSM (180 at 3060) 7.5 33.1 16.9 
8x68 S (150 at 3300) 8.5 25.3 13.9 
8mm Rem. Mag. (200 at 2900) 8.5 32.9 15.8 
.338 Marlin Express (200 at 2400) 8.0 16.2 11.4 
.338-57 O'Connor (200 at 2400) 8.0 19.2 12.4 
.338 Federal (210 at 2630) 8.0 21.9 13.3 
.338-06 A-Square (250 at 2500) 8.5 28.2 14.6 
.338 Win. Mag. (200 at 2950) 8.5 32.8 15.8 
.338 Win. Mag. (250 at 2700) 9.0 33.1 15.4 
.340 Wby. Mag. (200 at 3100) 10.0 29.6 13.8 
.338 Ultra Mag (250 at 2860) 8.5 43.1 n/a 
.357 Mag. (158 at 1650) 7.0 4.7 6.6 
.35 Rem. (200 at 2050) 7.5 13.5 10.8 
.358 Win. (200 at 2490) 8.0 20.9 13.0 
.35 Whelen (200 at 2675) 8.0 22.6 13.5 
.350 Rem. Mag. (200 at 2700) 8.5 22.3 13.0 
9.3x62 (270 at 2550) 8.5 33.3 n/a 
9.3x74R (286 at 2400) 8.25 34.3 16.6 
.375 Ruger (270 at 2840) 9.0 41.3 17.2 
.375 H&H Mag. (270 at 2690) 9.0 36.1 16.1 
.375 Ultra Mag (300 at 2800) 8.75 53.2 n/a 
.378 Wby. Mag. (300 at 2900) 10.25 71.1 n/a 
.405 Win. (300 at 2200) 8.0 30.6 15.7 
.416 Rem. Mag. (400 at 2400) 10.0 52.9 18.5 
.416 Rigby (400 at 2400) 10.0 58.1 19.3 
.44 Rem. Mag. (240 at 1760) 7.5 11.2 9.8 
.444 Marlin (240 at 2400) 7.5 23.3 14.2 
.45 Colt (255 at 1100) 8.0 4.0 5.6 
.450 Marlin (350 at 2000) 7.0 37.2 18.5 
.45-70 (300 at 1800) 7.0 23.9 14.8 
.45-70 (405 at 1330) 7.5 18.7 12.7 
.458 Win. Mag. (500 at 2100) 9.0 62.3 21.1 
.458 Lott (500 at 2300) 10.0 70.4 21.3 
.460 Wby. Mag. (500 at 2600) 11.25 99.6 n/a 
.470 N.E. (500 at 2150) 11.0 69.3 20.1 
.50 BMG (647 at 2710) 30.0 70.0 12.3


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## codybear (Jun 27, 2002)

I checked by box of Remington 50% .308 reduced recoil core-lock loads and they are 120gr and like I said earlier, with those loads it has LESS recoil than my .243... These loads only drop an extra 1" at 200 yards in comparison with a standard 150gr .308 load... Once she gets used to the recoil, you can then bump up to a standard 150 or 180gr load so now you will have a set-up she can grow into.. You also have to consider ammo prices, the rarer it is, the harder it will be to find and the more it will cost. I was picking up boxes of .308 at Dunhams for under $10 about 2 months ago.. With all that being said, its probably the most versatile set-up you will find and the only reason its not being recommended in all the above posts is because they didnt try it or were un-aware of the reduced recoil loads that Remington makes......

CB


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## tjays (Nov 5, 2004)

My son is 11 and he has been shooting his Ruger 257 Robert since he was 10. He handles the gun very well and shoot accurate. This is the same gun my mother hunted with for 10-12 years and never had a buck walk away they all hit the ground.


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