The first bolt action rifle I ever bought was a Browning A-Bolt I (the original A-Bolt) Stainless Stalker in 7mm Rem. Mag. in about 1989.
Back then, I was very much into the numbers hype - you know, velocity, energy, bullet drop, etc., and the 7mm Rem Mag looked King to me. Only the .300 Win. mag. had "better numbers."
Keep in mind that I was about 19 years old, and I had never shot a 7mm Rem mag. The only rifle I shot was my dad's wood stocked Remington BDL in .30-06. People told me that the 7mm Rem Mag kicked more, and the name "Magnum" at the end of the cartridge name obviously would confirm that.
Well, I took that gun to the range and it kicked much more than what I thought. Looking back, it was the biggest mistake I ever did. Why? Because that is when I started my flinching problems. Granted, it actually started with my dad's .30-06 because it had a metal butt plate, but it obviously continued with the 7mm Rem mag.
Then, I took the 7mag hunting and shot a doe at 50 yards with it. Would you believe that, at the impact of the shot, that little 65 pound doe did a complete 180 degree turn when the bullet hit its shoulder. The meat was so jellied up that the shoulder meat was worthless.
So lesson learned. What did I do? I went back and bought the same gun in .270 Winchester. Guess what? My flinching problems were already imbedded in my mind from the 7mag. I shot the .270 much better, but I remember flinching quite a bit.
So then what did I do? Well, I thought about getting a .243. I remember reading magazine articles about youngsters learning how to start hunting with a .243. Also, many people in Texas used the .243 because the average shots were under 100 yards, and the deer were generally under 120 pounds or so.
However, rather than buying a .243, I got a muzzle brake on the .270. George Vais, a Greek guy in Houston, was the original owner of the VAIS muzzle brake. I loved that muzzle brake because it reduced the recoil significantly, yet it was not as loud as what I thought it would be. Then, I got another Vais MB on the 7mm Rem mag, and it also reduced the recoil significantly.
I have since purchased another type of MB called, if I remember correctly, an MB from Answer Products up in Michigan. The quality of the installed brake is flawless, and the MB is VERY effective. In fact, this MB reduces recoil better than the Vais. However, this MB is VERY loud, and I can't stand it. I took a few shots at a hog some years back without hearing protection, and my ears were ringing all night. I hated it. The point I am trying to make is that, unless it's a Vais brake, I don't want one installed in my guns.
Even then, I have to admit that MBs are great because they reduce recoil, yet you still get the benefit of the "good numbers." Again, the only negative is the noise. Keep in mind that the Vais MB is not quiet, it is just much quieter than other MBs.
In tying all this together, the added benefit of the reduced velocity loads is that you can shoot a gun without needing a MB with the increased noise. The trade off is that you have reduced power. But remember what I said about my 7mag. When shooting deer the size of dogs within 100 yards, and even 50 yards, you don't need such a gun. With the reduced loads, I could have used the 7mag and not destroyed as much meat (although I could have similarly accomplished my goal by not shooting at the shoulder). But still, you get my point. You can use a big gun with smaller loads for smaller game, yet use standard loads for bigger game.
I think that the new reduced recoil loads are a good idea. I don't think that people are going to clean the shelves, but I still think that it is a good idea.
Zachary
