New to long range, recommendations please

[MR1 Fan]

I have a weatherby vanguard 7 mag, looking to get a muzzle brake. Right now I'm going to 1000 yards with it, right now I'm pretty spot on in 200-300 yds. Seems to be pretty accurate, but sometimes I can feel the recoil mess me up. Not bad for hunting but repeated shots it slowly gets to me. I would really like to get a muzzle brake and when I looked into it, I learned their rather expensive for what they are.

I have read for hours on this forum and such and I would really like to make the right choice. Maximum recoil reduction without throwing up a lot of dirt in my face (like it does now)...

I apologize if this is a "bad post" I'm new here and I have read so much but it seems muzzle breaks are real hard to find

 

[clint lawrence]

Re: New to long range, recommendations please

I feel ya on the recoil! i was shooting wm70 270 out to 500 but after 25 rnds or so felt like i was getn hit in the sholder with a pickaxe so i built a ar 5.56 into a precisson gun and am very happy can shoot all day without hurting! and love it!!

 

[DesertLefty]

Re: New to long range, recommendations please

BenelliFan,

First off, you're in the wrong forum. This section is for "semi-auto rifles". You should post this question under "bolt-action rifles" or even better yet in the general "equipment" forum. Maybe you can ask the Moderator to move it for you...

That said, hunting rifles are light because they're made to be "carried a lot and shot a little". The best way to reduce your recoil is to put on a big fat target barrel to add some weight. The fat barrel will also shoot tighter groups and not heat up so fast.

Double the weight of the rifle and you'll cut the recoil in half. Fully dressed out, the current Marine Corp sniper rifle system weighs something like 17 lbs! No fun to carry in the mountains, but shoots like a pussycat. [Anybody who knows the actual specs on this system feel free to correct me.]

Muzzle brakes are a mixed bag. They do help to tame the recoil, but greatly increase the muzzle blast and your dust signature. I recommend that you wear both foam ear plugs AND ear muffs with a magnum and a brake. My own ears never recovered from my (long-departed) .300 RUM.

YMMV,

Lefty

 

[MR1 Fan]

Re: New to long range, recommendations please

Ah, I apoligize for posting in the wrong forum, my bad I didn't even notice. It seems there are many people here real serious about long range shooting...well I would like to, my income doesn't really support it so I really enjoy shooting and 1000 yards doesn't seem like an extreme challenge so I doubt a barrel change will be feasible for a while which I'm okay with because most of my shooting is just fun and I cannot load my own ammo yet as I have no where to do it.

Thanks for the info, I apologize posting in the wrong section. Guess ill just keep reading the forums and trying to learn more. Finding parts seems to be kinda difficult withouyt catalogs and such so I guess ill look into it.

Things I am looking to get is that muzzle brake, a new stock (already got a bell and carlson picked out) and eventually some good glass. Meanwhile my dream gun for such shooting is the Cheytac 408 so I will actually probably save for long term to get something similar.

Typed on my blackberry curve...if there are mistakes...