A question for all you manly men target shooting an M40

[Rainier42]

Ok, first time out with my M40 commemorative yesterday to zero scope and see how well she shoots. 25 rounds later my right shoulder feels as if I've been kicked by a mule. Yes, had the butt in the pocket of my shoulder, leaned into the rifle and had a good cheek weld. So what's your all secret to be able to shoot this one regularly?

 

[AK Sgt Maj]

If you shoot with a sling, a tight sling, the recoil will not beat you up at all. The recoil just pushes you. We learned that in Army Infantry basic, with the M1 rifles in 59 and you can shoot all day like that.

 

[kraigWY]

Don't know what to tell you, I don't like recoil in my old age but I have a Rem 700 308, not an M40, a bit lighter but I can shoot it all day without problems, Same with my Model 70 target rifle in 308, and of course my M1A.

I don't even have problems with my surplus rifles in '06 with their steel butt plates,

I think maybe a work on positions my be an answer, kind of hard to tell without watching your shoot.

 

[Mike]

It may not be the answer you may want to hear but you'll probably just have to get used to it. Unless you modify the rifle with a brake, heavier stock, etc. the recoil affect is not going to change. You can try a shooting coat or thicker shirts but with summer coming I doubt that's the direction you want to go.

 

[Rainier42]

Will look into shooting with the sling. I can tell you that I have not had this issue with any of my other rifles ... M1, M1A1, Savage PC10 in .308, etc. Each of these I can shoot all day. Also, my hand loads aren't particularly heavy ... 40.5gr of H4895 behind a 168gr Nosler HPBT.

 

[Cartman]

I've had these in a couple of trap guns. Work great. Get an experienced guy to install.

Hart Systems, L.L.C.

 

[Stranded Yank]

[MENTION=44959]Rainier42[/MENTION],

I don't really have an answer either... I find my M40 Build very comfortable to shoot... and I am shooting a pretty hefty load - 43.6gn of AR2208 behind a Nosler 175gn CC which is clocking about 2710fps over the chrony... I put 50 rounds down range on Saturday will no ill effect... I have never shot the rifle from the bench... I prefer to shoot prone off my ruck while I do not use a rear support of any type, I use my off-hand to grasp the rear sling swivel in the web of my thumb and push the stock into my shoulder... other positions I use an M1 sling.

Here is a photo of my set-up...

And the results at 100M...

Full story here... Range Report -4 May 2013

Hope that helps...

 

[trilogymac]

I'm 54 now and shy away from hard kicking rifles. In that rifle, I would find a 155 AMAX load somewhere in the middle of the powder charge range. Thats what I did for my SSG69 PIV because it is lighter than the heavy rifles I usually shoot. Hot 178's to mild 155's is a big difference in recoil.

Not sure what you are trying to accomplish with the rifle but for my use, it worked well.

Hope this helps.

 

[eodcam]

Damn VN M40 will kick the Crap out of you, shoot some 175's out it! My Model 70 with 208's is nice compared to the 40!

 

[29aholic]

Kind of a pussy way around it but I used to use a small sandbag between the butt and my shoulder. I load 42.5gr H4895 with a 168 Nosler Match.

 

[trilogymac]

Kind of a pussy way around it but I used to use a small sandbag between the butt and my shoulder. I load 42.5gr H4895 with a 168 Nosler Match.

Pussy? There ain't nothin pussy about not wanting to get the crap beat out of you if you don't have to. I've used that trick a bunch! Works great for a long day of testing. Good suggestion.

 

[Stranded Yank]

I must be brain-dead or something... I shoot in a T-shirt... don't feel a thing!

 

[29aholic]

Pussy? There ain't nothin pussy about not wanting to get the crap beat out of you if you don't have to. I've used that trick a bunch! Works great for a long day of testing. Good suggestion.

Thanks, I learned it the hard way. I lost a target shoot years ago due to recoil. Was shooting an older 700 Varmint 308 with the mentioned load. The course was 10 shots at 100 and 200 respectively one shot per bull. I cleaned the 100 10 for 10 with 10 X's, but by the time I hit the 200 yard board I was flinching like a bitch. Ended 200 with 10 for 10 with 4 X's. X at 100 was the size of the ball on a ballpoint pin, 200 wasn't much bigger.

 

[Mike Radford]

I shoot with a slip on butt pad and do not care what anyone thinks. I shoot an average of 150 rounds of 30ish cal. rifle ammo(54r, 06, 308, 303, 7.92) most everytime I go to the range, sometime more like 200. I do not have a need for pain.

 

[seanh]

replace the butt pad with a nice soft rubber one. Or, get a Past recoil pad http://www.battenfeldtechnologies.com/past/catalog.asp?family=past-recoil-pads

you can also get a thin silicone rubber mouse or keyboard pad and do the same thing as the Past pad.


don't have the specific rifle you've got but have shot plenty like it...never seemed to bother me.


Were you shooting of a bench or prone/bipod? For me, recoil seems more off the bench than when shooting prone.

 

[BobC]

My brother has a Remington 700 Mountain Rifle in .270. This is a very light rifle that recoils quite vigorously and he always had trouble shooting it off a bench. Every year he would come to me to sight it in for him.
A few years ago we came to the realization that the problem was his being a little recoil sensitive and his shooting bench being to low causing him to lean into the rifle so that his body would not move to help absorb the recoil.
We raised his bench about 3" and it help immensely. He can now sight in his own rifle. It is nice to know that your tougher than your little brother

 

[wilecoyote]

the suffering, on shooting, belong to the receiving end ONLY_ to gain something on the line of sight,presbyopia taught me to modify iron-sighted rifle stocks with one-inch rubber pad, glued inside a removeable strings-secured buttstock _ the buttstock is suede, therefore don't slip or move, once firmly placed on the shoulder_ the report at the shoulder of a 200grs. 8mauser with that is really very mild_ on scoped 700, the original stock has been lenghtened with some portion of swimming pool black flip-flops and again, beside fitting better to my arms, the moderate recoil of this .308 is now absolutely negligible_ seen in use the P.A.S.T. with good results from a friend shooting .338LM, by the way_

 

[T-Snipe]

Say Rainier,
How about getting a slip of recoil boot for the stock to cover the metal plate which is a bit unforgiving. That would be a quick to ad padding.

 

[M40_A1]

Install a heavy, straight taper target barrel, solid fiberglass McMillan HTG stock with Pachmayr Presentation recoil pad, throw on a 2+ pound Unertl scope, and get that bad boy up around 14 pounds. That's what they did to most of the M40s in the 1970s, and it seemed to tame recoil just fine!

 

[Stranded Yank]

[MENTION=34518]M40_A1[/MENTION],

I was just thinking that with extra weight in the A1 spec... the recoil must be reduced to nearly nothing... one day I will build an M40A1 spec build...

 

[Redmanss]

[MENTION=34518]M40_A1[/MENTION],

I was just thinking that with extra weight in the A1 spec... the recoil must be reduced to nearly nothing... one day I will build an M40A1 spec build...

M40A1s still had a decent kick, but the recoil on the A3 suppressed was so light that the first time I shot one, I thought I had a squib until I realized I just watched my own vapor trail go straight through the target.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Limbsaver slip-on pad. Many of my rifles wear them for recoil management, as well as LOP extension. There's no advantage to recoil tolerance, all you do is tire yourself out, and tired shooters have accuracy issues.

 

[cattle buyer]

Pour a small amount of white vinegar on each sock, that will keep the ants off your legs and away from your candy ass .... LOL I shoot a mod 70 target in a low comb sporter stock, the metal butt plate will black and blue your shoulder after 20 rounds. I started slipping a foam rubber pad in my shirt if Im gonna do a lot at the range.. very best

 

[onethousandmeters]

I used to own a JRA 1903a4, and shooting 150gr Prvi rounds did the same thing to me after about 40-shots. I ended up putting on a suede stock pad that had padding on the rear to protect my shoulder. At the end of the first day shooting it, my entire right arm was numb. 3 weeks later, after I thought I'd healed, I tried a feather-weight .308 that was my father's and after the very first shot, my right arm went numb again. I have NO tolerance for pain anymore, so I'd recommend some padding or a different butt-plate, IMO. Good luck, and that's a GREAT rifle, BTW! Thanks for sharing the pics.

 

[Devious6]

I wear this when I'm going to put a lot of rounds downrange. It's a repro of the old USMC shooting jackets and works like a champ. I shoot a lot of 7.62X54r - use Soviet 91/30 PU snipers for the VS matches - with a pretty heavy load to push out to 1000 yards and I am very pleased with how well this works.

 

[Mike Hull]

I wear this when I'm going to put a lot of rounds downrange. It's a repro of the old USMC shooting jackets and works like a champ. I shoot a lot of 7.62X54r - use Soviet 91/30 PU snipers for the VS matches - with a pretty heavy load to push out to 1000 yards and I am very pleased with how well this works.

You can get reproductions of those here:https://sites.google.com/site/madebymcron/home

 

[Devious6]

You can get reproductions of those here:https://sites.google.com/site/madebymcron/home

Yup. I forgot to post the link. Mary made one for me, my son and I also had one made in pink for my wife.

 

[msiebert]

Here's how you get over it....go buy an old but nice 1903 Springfield. Then find an old Unertl scope and have it installed. Now take some 30-06 ammo to the range and get that flat hard ass metal buttplate right up nice and tight to your shoulder. About 150 rounds in one session should do it. Trust me on this one when the pain stops you wont feel/worry about an M40 ever again.

 

[OFIS]

If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball

 

[Rainier42]

Hey guys ... have been traveling a bit for work so haven't had much of a chance to go through everything here. Thanks to everyone who responded ... will sift through and try out what you all are suggesting.

 

[Red_Beard]

With summer coming up, adding clothing is a rough option, so I would look into one of the slip on pads mentioned above. If you don't want to lose the period aesthetics of your rifle, There are tons of light weigh, mesh shooting vests that many of the shotgun guys use. If it is good enough to tame a 12 gauge, it should handle the .308 well enough for those extended range sessions without you getting overheated.

 

[Devious6]

This is a picture of my Dad in July 1946 at Parris Island. The shooting jacket I listed above is very close in design but actually lighter weight material and works well with a t-shirt underneath. To me, this is a much better option that the slip on buffers and not only cushions the shoulder but also the elbows. Just my own $.02.

 

[judgedelta]

I shoot a lot of different rifles with no problem, but I've got a left hand Mod. 70 in 30-06 that will make me cry after about a dozen rounds (I've heard the part about soaking my socks in kerosine to keep the ants off my candy ass). A Past strap-on pad helps a lot. I haven't thought about raising up the bench, but that may help too. I'm shooting off of a B & D workmate... Keep trying, you'll find something that helps.

 

[Sharpsman]

Sounds to me like you need to stick with the .22 LR!!