I just had my shoulder rebuilt and will have to lay off shooting my favorites for awhile (about 2 years).  My favorites have included the 243, 25-06, 7mm STW, 338 Win Mag, 35 Whelen and 458 win mag.  I may be able to shoot the 243, but the rest are probably out of the question.
Having missed deer and elk season this year due to the surgery, I would like to be able to go hunting next year.  I am therefore soliciting your sugestions on lighter recoil rifles. I would like to hunt both deer and elk next year.
 
I just recently traded for a 6.5 x 55 hoping that it might fit in the light recoil category. If anyone has any other suggestions I would really like to hear them.  
 
Thanks, NUMBERFARMER

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to disuade you from buying a new rifle in any way shape or form. But, I think that you could easily continue to use your 338 after a proper healing time. If you have the rifle fitted with a mercury recoil reducer and use light loads with a 185gr Barnes XLC XBT you should be in good shape. By the same token the 25-06 would work too. Just work up a load with a 120gr Partition and you're good to go. And if you add the same mercury recoil reducer it would not kick at all. And that is a much cheaper alternitive to a new rifle.
 
 Now to the origional question. There aren't many low recoil rounds that I would use for elk. Maby a 7X57? It's go no recoil and it would work great for deer and will handle an elk as long as the range isn't extreme.

I've heard a lot of good things about the 7mm-08 and it's pretty light on the recoil.

I'm totally with M1Garand and Hunterbug. The 7mm-08 and 7x57 are excellent choices.
 
Here's a novel idea though. How about a 30-30? Sure, your range is a bit smaller but many hunters continue to swear by them and if you desire a bit more range consider the 7-30 Waters. The waters would probably work best chambered in a single shot(like a Contender) or a bolt gun. That way you can use premium spitzer bullets.
 
And if you really want to experiment think about picking up either an Arisaka in 6.5x50 or a Mannlicher Schoenauer in 6.5x54, a cartridge renowned for making it easy to obtain accurate shots because of it's very low recoil.

Numberfarmer,

You can probably have the rifles you own & like to shoot recoil compensated at the muzzle, and add one of the high tech recoil pads on the market today, & just keep on shooting them. Cheaper than getting new guns...LOL.

The muzzle brakes will amaze you. It does make the blast louder, but, hey, no gun is quiet huh?

Good luck, & keep us posted

I do have a 30-30 that is a Marlin 336 but it seems to kick worse than my 25-06.  I suppose it has something to do with the way it fits me.  Thanks for the input to date and keep it coming.  I know very little about the 6.5 x 55, but I assume it would at least be a viable deer rifle.  Many people have indicated that they are very accurate and the recoil is light.  Would anyone care to enlighten me on this calibers capabilities as well as other options?  Thanks again, I appreciate your input.

Numberfarmer,
 
There will be no shortage of people to sing the praises of the 6.5x55 here, they'll be along shortly.
 
Have you considered trying to shoot from the other shoulder. It will feel very uncomfortable at first but a couple of days at the range and you'll be shooting like old.
 
One other way of reducing recoil is to download your cartridges to lower velocities. So without having to buy a new rifle, just download your current ones.  Velocities of around 2300ft/s is all one needs for shots out to about 200 yards and you will also be amazed at the difference in meat damage.
 
My "low recoil" rifle is a lever action in 357 Magnum.  158gr at 1680ft/s. This is only a close range load though (about 120yards max for me).
 
Last option, personally I don't like them but it would be perfect in your circumstance, use a "handgun".  Either one of the heavy handgun loads (say a 454 Casull) or a rifle load in a Thomson Contender.
 
We'll follow your reports with interest.  Hope that shoulder heals quickly.
 
Regards.
 
C

Thanks for the encouragement. Prior to hunting season I did practice left handed shooting with a couple hundred rounds. I didn't notice much problem shooting, but I was terribly slow at reloading. I do have a 44 mag in the old ruger semi auto that might work for deer but would limit any shots I might take at elk. I hope to start shooting again left handed in another 2 months. I just wonder what one of those big bullets from a 44 mag would do to an elk. I don't think they are legal for deer or elk hunting in Colorado out of a rifle. I will need to check that out. Good point on loading lighter loads as well.

I have a Swedish friend who loves the 6.5, he claims to have killed many moose with that caliber, but he's married to his cousin so who really knows? Course, if my cousin looked like she does I might marry her too! Wowza
 But seriously, what you need to do is get a muzzle brake put on your 338. I have that caliber in a rem 700 with a brake by JP and it has ZERO kick, that is ZERO ZILCH NADA ZENZEN NAI KICK. In fact, the gun almost seems to move forward when fired. It resembles the baffle on the end of a abrams tank, smaller though of course.

I know the places that NumberFarmer lives and hunts and he needs to be able to reach out a little bit. The 357 Mag in a rifle isn't legal here for anything larger than a coyote. The 44 Mag in a rifle I think barely makes the minimum with a 240gr FP but again your range will be very limited. I like either the 7X57 or the 7mm-08 loaded with a 150gr Barnes X at around 2600. Not a powerhouse load but it'll do the job if you have good shot placement and a reasonable range. If you add a mercury recoil reducer and a quality pad you won't even feel the kick.

I would look in to the .260 remingtons, I got one a couple of years ago and I love it. It has no kick and I have dropped 5 big deer in there tracks with it. They are an awesome caliber. I have also heard of people killing elk at about 300 yards with them. They are similar to the 25-06 or the .308.

6.5 x 55 all love to shoot heavy for calibre bullets it actually has greater down range energy 308 Win. It seems with this calibre the heavier the bullet the better the ballistics.....most use good mauser actions and lock down tight reload it for sure....make sure it has at least a 22 inch barrel....mine had a modified minimum spec length in Canada of 19 1/4 inches......just sold it and it killed it's first 4 x 4 White tail buck for him this fall....nice caliber....not much recoil difference than any of the guns you listed with the known exceptions 7mm & up etc. Fantastic deer gun.

Your getting a lot of good advice.  One thing to be cautious of is if you want to load a light load
in a rifle that it is NOT simply a matter of using less powder.  It is entirely possible to create a load
that will actually detonate if the powder charge is too light!  Research it a bit and find the correct
powder for a really light load.  Another way to lighten the recoil is to use the lightest premium
bullet for the cartridge you are going to shoot.  Recoil is proportional to the mass and velocity of
the bullet.
 
I have shot the 7x57 Mauser and it is a low recoiling round in a normal weight rifle with factory
loads.  It is not loaded heavily by the factories to allow for some of the older and weaker rifles.
 
Another way to help is to spead out the affect of the recoil over your sensitive shoulder.  Consider
using a PACT recoil shield or padding under your jacket while you are hunting.  I have used a piece
of the foam camper pads for a recoil reducer.  It is a bit awkward but it works.
 
The muzzle brakes are an excellent way to reduce recoil a lot.  But bear in mind that they are
LOUD and could deafen you if you don't use ear protection in the field.  It only takes one loud blast
and you can be deaf or partially deaf forever.  I know, it happened to me.  Huh, huh, speak louder!
 
Have fun,
 
Old Elk Hunter

NUMBERFARMER,
 
I think that the suggestion of using a handgun was a really good one. Some of the single shots are capable of fine accuracy and can fire any of a number of good elk cartridges. I can't imagine how a rifle could be easier on the shoulder than a handgun is.
 
I am going to toss up a conrtoversial suggestion. Consider an AR-15 with two upper reciever/barrel groups. This was talked about estensively in another thread. The rifle absorbs recoil like no bolt gun can. It has a very big recoil spring and buffer assembly built into the stock. The AR is light, easy to carry, and the use of a pistol grip may be better for your shoulder than holding a conventional stock.  I would suggest using a 7mm for deer and maybe the 458 SOCOM for elk. However, if a 25-06 is too painful, the 458 might also produce too much recoil for you. I suggest you see if you can find one of these rifles to try out before you decide on a final solution.
 
Sorry, guys, but we accidentally found one more reason for using an AR as a hunting gun.

Better yet, what about the AR-10? It's bigger than the AR-15 but it too reduces recoil like no "standard" hunting gun can. It is available in:

• 22-250 Winchester
• 250 Savage
• 243 Winchester
• 35 Remington
• 300 Savage
• 257 Roberts
• 284 Winchester
• 358 Winchester
• 308 Winchester
• .450 Marlin
• 7mm Winchester Short Magnum
• .270 Winchester Short Magnum
• 300 Winchester Short Magnum