Am I a weakling? 44mag
- Thread starter Polish-Jack
- Start date
Not a weakling. So many factors influence recoil and its management. As previously mentioned, loads, grip materials and shapes, your hold, stance, whether you're seated or standing, and the list goes on, all affect felt recoil. I am a slim, 135lb woman and I have a Ruger 44 magnum and used to have a 454 Casull. My 6 foot, 260lb, weight lifting son-in-law finds my 44 magnum uncomfortable and he is definitely NOT a weakling. How you hold/grip a lesser calibre gun may work ok, but if it's not the proper grip, you will feel it with the 44.
Don't give up - you CAN master it.
shortrange
Member
- Location
- Sofa, usually. . .
I have Hogue grips on all my pistols including my S&W 629. Makes a huge difference if I put in some range time. I'm a big guy so it wasn't so much recoil as comfort. If you are hurting yourself shooting then it has more to do with how you are holding the gun. There are lots of videos on YouTube that can help with that. You aren't a weakling, you just need to change how you hold the gun.
No, Polish-Jack, your are not a weakling. Harry Callahan is not a monster. Only a movie character. And Clint Eastwood is not especially well known for his skills with big Magnum revolvers - in true life.
Now, brace yourself for what I am about to tell you. For me, all those claims about being able to master/control the Big Magnum revolvers are only valid if the shooter is using full Magnum loads in TRIGGER COCKING mode - usually called "DOUBLE ACTION". Repeat: TRIGGER COCKING MODE ONLY, for all the Big Magnum revolvers - at all times. Range: 25 meters at least. Better yet: 50 meters. Six (6) inch target - 80% hits on the target, at least. No bench ! No B-E-N-C-H. Add some time pressure as you go along through the years.
I cannot even remember clearly when was the last time that I used a "Double Action" revolver in single action mode (thumb cocking). Many decades ago. I have never owned any single action revolver. None. Never will.
And no, I do not control Big Magnum revolvers in TRIGGER COCKING ONLY. I don't. And moreover, I am never lucky enough to meet those shooters who have "mastered" the Big Magnum revolvers (.41 Magnum and up).
And by the way, a .357 Magnum revolver (158 gr. bullet/1200 fs) is not a Big Magnum revolver.
Handgun shooting is NOT easy.
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Get yourself a S&W 500... After a few rounds of that your 44 will feel like a 22. In all seriousness though the most comfortable shooting 44 Mag I own is the 4.2" Ruger Redhawk that comes with the hogue grips. Some people complain about the trigger on the Redhawk but for me its the easiest trigger to shoot stout 44 Mag in DA as you can slowly pull it back and pause it before the hammer drops.
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Falconflyer
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
So your saying none could ever "master" a Blackhawk... that's disappointing as I used to really like my Blackhawk and though I was pretty good with it!
I know what your trying to say and I agree that double action shooting is far more difficult but frankly I don't agree that should be the benchmark.
I know what your trying to say and I agree that double action shooting is far more difficult but frankly I don't agree that should be the benchmark.
- Location
- Nova Scotia
I disagree. I hate DA, my hands are small that I have to change my grip, so I'll never be able to shoot accurately. Shouldn't be the only factor in "bench mark"
Well, it is for me. To each his own. Have you ever heard about an old guy named Jerry Miculek ? It is generally recognized by all people involved in firearms that Jerry Miculek is the best living "revolver man" on planet Earth.
Question: does Jerry Miculek shoot in TRIGGER COCKING MODE (so called "Double Action") or thumb cocking mode ? Where exactly did he - Jerry Miculek - place the benchmark ?
Learning to shoot double action is a skill that is transferable to lighter set or "cocked" triggers.... it's a bit like swinging two bats around warming up and then stepping up to the plate with a single bat ready to hit a homer.... 
Dryfiring double action revolvers and pistols with some snap caps is a great way to strengthen and smooth out your trigger pull.
That said there is something about a single action revolver that takes me back to a simpler time, even the loading and unloading is more enjoyable in a range or casual shooting environment too me. There are some guns I might not be as fond of but I'm no gun bigot that's for sure.....
Dryfiring double action revolvers and pistols with some snap caps is a great way to strengthen and smooth out your trigger pull.
That said there is something about a single action revolver that takes me back to a simpler time, even the loading and unloading is more enjoyable in a range or casual shooting environment too me. There are some guns I might not be as fond of but I'm no gun bigot that's for sure.....
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- Location
- Nova Scotia
Big difference he shoots more in a week, then most of us does in several month. But he doesn't shoot magnums mostly, mainly target loads. PPC shooters shoot DA. But those loads are very light.
Tough shooting silhouette that way. But Id like to see it. - dan
Falconflyer
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Not trying to start an argument, I'm simply saying that I don't agree with your benchmark. And yes I've heard of Jerry Miculek and recognise him as an outstanding pistol/revolver shooter but frankly I couldn't care less what his benchmark is because he's way above an average shooter.
You are right. Dry firing has to be practiced on a frequent and constant basis. Otherwise, it will not be useful.
Colonel Jeff Cooper. American Pistol Institute. Gunsite, Paulden, Arizona.
And I can drop the capital letters if you wish, now that you have taken note. Sure, I can. It is still trigger cocking mode. Anyway.
I've been wondering the same thing and also wondering why he made up his own name for Double Action (DA). lol
- Location
- Nova Scotia
Agreed. Unrealistic goal, for a avg shooter. While Jerry is a excellent fast shooter, if we are talking about accuracy. There are master class PPC shooters that would outshoot him.
This ^ I have a 629 5" Classic and the full rubber grip was terrible. I switched to the Hogue Tamer and it was much better even though the back of the frame is exposed.
