Does a 12 gauge have more recoil then a 30-06?

Answer 1

Does a 12 gauge have more recoil than a .30-06? Depends, but the quick answer is... Yes. I've owned 12 gauge pumps with more recoil than my .458 Winchester Magnum.

Perceived recoil is a function of load, gun weight, gun design and recoil suppressors (recoil pad, compensators, etc.) My .458 has a very heavy barrel, 23" long and so it 'holds it down' better than a light weight 12 gauge barrel. You take a single shot twelve without much weight on the front, or a twelve gauge pump with light weight composite stock and it is going to get your attention when you shoot it!

The .30-06 does not have terrible recoil unless it is very light. Twenty pounds of felt recoils sounds right for the '06 while the .458 has approx. 63 lbs. of felt recoil For comparison the .460 Weatherby Mag. has about a hundred pounds of felt recoil.

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Answer 2

I'd say the 12 gauge has more recoil, but shotgun recoil always felt different to me than center fire rifle recoil. Either way, if you are accustomed to using a 30-06 you won't have any problems with a 12 gauge. If you're worried about it, grab a pad or get a tactical stock with a recoil spring in it. I've got a knoxx stock on my 12 gauge that absorbs atleast 50% of the recoil. Recoil is what makes shooting guns fun though!

Answer 3

having shot both many times I believe that my 30-06 has more recoil than my 12 gauge shotgun. However my shot gun is a semi-automatic and some of the recoil is absorbed by the automatic. If your are shooting a double barrel 12 gauge it may kick more than my auto. I still believe in general my 30-06 has a lot more kick than my 12 gauge. I know which one I would rather shoot 100 times.

Answer 4

Your question leaves out too much. The answers you get obviously point this out. 30-06 blows away 2-3/4" 12 gauge shells in recoil. How do I know this? I have a "soft shoulder" (unbroken-in) and a 12 gauge shotgun is peanuts to even a .308Win.

Answer 5

Yes.

No.

Yes.

No.

There is not a definitive answer that can be drawn from your question. What 12 gauge are we comparing to what .30'06?

E.g. A 3inch magnum shell, with a 1 1/4oz slug @ 1400fps fired from an Rem 870 will have more felt recoil than a 150gr .30'06 military round fired from an M1 Garand.

E.g. A 2 3/4dr eq. 1oz extra light target load fired from a competition trap gun, will have less felt recoil than a 200gr .30'06 big game hunting round fired from a Ruger M77.

There are too many variables at play.

1. Projectile weight.
2. Projectile velocity.
3. Firearm weight.
4. Firearm action. (gas-op, bolt, lever, falling block, pump....)
5. Any padding on the firearm's butt.
6. Your sensitivity to recoil.

All of the above play into your felt recoil - most specifically, the type of round you are firing, followed closely by the action of the firearm (gas-op kicks soft and less than a bolt, for instance), followed by the weight of the firearm - the heavier it is, the more recoil is absorbed by the gun.

Answer 6

A 30-06 has about double the mechanical recoil (approximately 20 pounds of "felt" energy depending on bullet and weapon weight) of a typical 12 guage.

Most 12 guage shot guns come in around 10-13 pounds of felt recoil.

By the way, most average, recreational shooters can only handle around 20 pounds of felt recoil without developing a flinch.

Answer 7

depends on the gun (does the shotgun have a recoil pad or stock) and ammo Buck shot or slug (12 gauge 2 3-4 or 3.)
10 Gauge has a punch.

Answer 8

Lots of good (and some bad) answers here. My personal experience is:

My 30-06 shooting 165 gr bullets has more kick than my 870 super mag EXCEPT when shooting 3 1/2 inch turkey loads. Those turkey loads pack a huge wallop, easily more than the 06. In the same catagory with my 300 win mag shooting 180gr bullets.

Answer 9

too many varibles in this question:

A light gun kicks harder. My 870 3in Express will kick hard on Turkey loads. But not so much on 2 3/4 High brass loads. It is a light gun.

My brother-in-laws Semi 30-06 with 150 gr bullets kicks hard. So hard in fact. I no longer shoot it.

If I had to make a choice from the question: I would say a 12 ga. with 3in Shells kicks less with a 28in Barrel. Shorten the Barrel and you have a BEAST...

I cant shoot my 24in 870(shotgun) barrel because of the KICK...I created a BRUISE that lasted 9 days with 3in turkey loads. No I was firm in my shooting...tight around shoulder


Thanks

Answer 10

they are fairly close. it really depends on the ammo, and the gun. usually shorter barrels will give more recoil, along with heavier, and hotter ammo. a 12 gauge with 3" buckshot, or a slug will kick harder than a .30-06