Managing Recoil

BIGREDD

BIGREDD

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Having had several shoulder surgeries over the years I am very conscious of recoil and methods of recoil management.
I think a discussion of recoil management would be beneficial to the young and not so young alike.

I just read a short piece in the latest Petersons on recoil, a very interesting and thought provoking article by #### Metcalf entitled "Self Medicating"!
It touched on various methods of recoil management including, recoil pads, rifle fit, sight position, muzzle breaks & porting and the mental discipline needed to relax when shooting.
He opened the article quoting old adages... "If a guys having trouble handling recoil, he's probably packing way more gun he needs" and "Magnum loads are no cure for lousy marksmanship; mostly they just make it worse".

I take a holistic approach to recoil management... I do everything I can to avoid it when shooting for fun. Recoil pads, stock alteration and muzzle breaks, recoil absorbing clothing when hunting and shooting vices for the bench.
What about you guys? Am I missing something? My shoulders are not getting any younger that is for sure.;)
 
I have one of the Past recoil shields, and find it great for working up a load at the bench. I too have had shoulder surgery and never want to go through that again, so I take it easy. I sold my .45-70, and now hunt mostly with a .30-30, and a 8x57 that is not loaded too hot, and has a very good recoil pad.
 
I shoot darn near everything wearing a past these days.
reducers in some of my rifles, redcoil pads on everything I can put them on
( not on the Snider, Hwaken etc.) and a lot of black Powder.
My rifles are generally a lot smaller calibers than in the past.
Cat
 
Yeah if your gonna do it... do it with style.:cool:

I was just thinking about a problem that we had with a T/C Omega a couple of weeks ago. It is a thumb hole stock version and Chilly had his glass mounted very low to the barrel. The high comb on the stock was not conducive to a low scope configuration and the recoil was exaggerated by having to lean into the stock and then having it smack your cheek.
The Omega was less fun to shoot because of the recoil and this was not a design flaw nor is the rifle an extreme recoil-er. But a simple thing like scope height can sure affect felt recoil!:eek:
 
I think a correctly set up shooting bench so the rifle/gun is at the correct height is one of the most important factors in managing recoil at the range. To have the butt of the rifle fit comfortably in the sweet spot of the shoulder and not on the muscle on the upper outside part of the arm is essential in managing recoil. If the rifle/gun is not held correctly then it hurts the shooter and BINGO it is Flinch City and your the mayor. A stock which correctly fits the shooter is huge in managing recoil.

I put a recoil pad on every gun except the model 1894. Also, as stated before, bigger does not mean better. If you don't shoot because of the recoil then you should do something to reduce the recoil or down size.

The shooting jacket is a very good idea but I question whether this pad in the shirt will effect the "length of pull" thus effecting "eye relief" if one is using a scope .The key to consistency in shooting , in my opinion, is keeping everything the same whether in the field or on the range.

If one can be comfortable shooting at the range and achieve a smooth trigger pull then in the field under hunting conition it will be a piece of cake because we all know that when shooting at an animal you would swear the rifle/gun had no recoil. :)
 
Shoot left, or right, which ever is best to take care of the pain. :)
I shoot left and right in Archery without a problem. And have started collecting left bolt rifles now. It makes for a fun challange, to see which side is more accurate. :D
 
I've got a 45/70 Guide Gun, limbsaver recoil pad & an integrated muzzle brake. I can shoot it all day without aches and pains. :)
 
I would say this really is just an issue for the rifle range, off the bench.
If excess recoil is a problem then I'd suggest use of a Past shoulder pad or something like the Caldwell Lead Sled.

I have a Benchmaster shooting rest. The Benchmaster is aluminum so it will only take away some of the recoil; but it helps reduce it some. After shooting the .458 Lott and the .416Rem off it yesterday, my shoulder has a modest bruise in spite of using it.

The Caldwell Lead Sled has a tray that you can fill with lead shot or sand bags and takes away virtually all the recoil from what I understand.

But ix-nay on the rake-bay!! ;)
 
What is your issue with breaks and ports Demo... have you suffered auditory rape at some point in your shooting carrer?:confused:
If you fire a vented barrel under a roof or if you stand directly beside one or in the general vicinity like at the range you will notice the noise... even with hearing protection. But I have shot lots of breaks and use one regularly on my coyote rig and it is not an issue when you are behind the rifle shooting in the field.
We should be wearing hearing protection even with unported guns so the whole objection is really a moot point... :eek:
 
i have a decelerator on my .303 and that has made a noticable differnce in felt recoil i might invest in a brake down the road my 99 still has the plastic butt plate and feels about the same as my .303 now, the 12 gauge has the hard rubber winchester pad which is soon going to be swaped out with the softest comfyest recoil pad i can find LOL it kicks like a bull with 2 3/4" slugs 2 shots put a bruise on my shoulder and yes the stock was fitted to me LOL
 
A big part of recoil is the noise and weight of the gun. Today's rifles are going more and more lightweight with still hard hitting calibres. I can shoot 20 rounds through a 8.5 lb 300 WIN or 25 from a 30-06 of the same weight.
I have come to the conclusion if I can't kill it with a 300 WIN or equivalent, I will have to adjust. Any more giun than that just isn't fun for me.
I hate brakes, my hearing is sensitive and still good, at the range I wear custom made plugs under muffs. I know too many guys who respond huh! when you ask them a question.
 
martinbns said:
I know too many guys who respond huh! when you ask them a question.
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lol i am one of those guys but not because of shooting more due to engines and straight pipes and heavy equipment LOL i still wear ears at the range and sometimes plugs in the bush
 
BIGREDD said:
What is your issue with breaks and ports Demo... have you suffered auditory rape at some point in your shooting carrer?:confused:
If you fire a vented barrel under a roof or if you stand directly beside one or in the general vicinity like at the range you will notice the noise... even with hearing protection. But I have shot lots of breaks and use one regularly on my coyote rig and it is not an issue when you are behind the rifle shooting in the field.
We should be wearing hearing protection even with unported guns so the whole objection is really a moot point... :eek:
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Auditory rape: Chainsaws... rock concerts/music... shooting without muffs when I was young... :eek:

It is my opinion that muzzle brakes are appropriate for military autos, where rapid fire shooting and rapid target acquisition is critical, dictates the use of one. I completely agree with the purpose of a brake on an assault rifle or a sniper rifle, where the shooter has got to be able to stay on the target. Much less important for us civilians.

Magna-porting, to tame recoil to me says the person is using too heavy a caliber, or they have not properly acclimated themselves to recoil. It is amazing to me, how many times someone comes along and says how they're going to get a .300 Mag or a .338WM or a .375H&H and they talk about immediately putting a brake on the thing.

BOSS is another animal; frequency tuning the barrel basically. I don't really know about that... sounds like a wonderful technology...

There might be competitive shooters that also benefit from brakes if they are shooting in rapid fire events and this I would also understand.

Understand that i am not denying the practical advantage/application of brakes; I know what they do. It's only some reasons for using them that I disagree with.

Number one crime to me is somebody buying a larger cal, like a .338WM or a .375H&H and automatically thinking they will require a muzzle brake to handle the thing.

You use a brake due to chronic shoulder problems. Again that is different and I can see merit there.

I think it is very important to learn how to handle heavier calibers. I think that too much emphasis is put on recoil, so that most people get extremely tense at the prospects of shooting some "cannon". Cripes I still remember my brother calling my .30-06 a cannon years ago...

IMHO magna-porting is unnecessary if a person goes about training themselves to handle the heavy cals; work up to the bigger stuff or use .

As I said in my first post, at the rifle range the use of a Past shooting pad or a cradle like the Caldwell Lead Sled will reduce the recoil so much you will not require a brake and then when hunting (in my case anyway) I pretty much am not aware of recoil or the muzzle blast or anything...

Later, Demo.
 
We should be wearing hearing protection even with unported guns so the whole objection is really a moot point...
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Although I always wear muffs at the range I have hunted without hearing protection for over 30 years.For most of that time I have used magnum cartridges from the 257wby to the 300 ultramags,and my regular hearing tests at work,show my hearing to be normal.However a fellow club member suffered some permanent hearing loss after firing a single shot from a braked 300win mag while hunting.His ears rang for several hours after the shot,and comparing his hearing tests before and after the incident prove that he did suffer permanent hearing damage from that one shot.It should be noted that he had hunted for many years without a brake,and his hearing tests had always shown his hearing to be normal.So no,the extra noise directed to the shooter by a brake is not a moot point.
I actually owned a browning rifle with the boss myself for a brief time.I fired a single shot while hunting and my ears rang for a couple of hours,something that has never happened before or since.Luckily for me,my hearing tests showed no detectable hearing loss as a result.However,I took that as a lesson learned,and sold the rifle very soon afterward.Now I use other methods such as past recoil shields to reduce recoil at the range.If I can't handle the recoil without resorting to a brake,I don't want the rifle.
 
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BR, you have covered the bases. Beyond making the rifle super heavy, the other changes, muzzle brake-recoil pad-stock style, cover the rest of known recoil control aids. The clothing pads are a great new addition except they can change length of pull and distort how you would normally shoot.

When I walkabout hunt, I almost always have a backpack on so cut down my stocks to account for the heavier winter clothing AND that strap. Makes a big difference in how you hold and thus recoil with the rifle.

Raising the scope height is a great way to reduce cheek slap. Super low mounts really do nothing to help you when you are shooting in anything but the prone position (even then I don't like). Get the ring/scope high enough so you shoot with your head upright (better vision too). You are not so scrunched down and your shoulders will be able to roll with the recoil better.

Big plus is that the buttpad is more fully on your shoulder with a higher scope mount. This reduces recoil somemore. Slope the checkpiece down towards the action (ala Wby) and cheek slap is all but gone.

The next way is to use all this wonderful bullet tech to our benefit. We really don't need to use super heavy bullets anymore for grass eater hunting. We also don't need to use magnum cartridges.

What we do need is better marksmanship from the average hunter!!!!!

Smaller cartridges like the 308 family WITH quality bullets will do the same thing out to 400yds as a cigar case magnum. Recoil is about 1/2. Take that a step further and reduce the bullet weight but increase its tenacity, recoil drops even more.

Today, a 260 with 120gr TSX or bonded bullet at 2900fps will kill any NA grass eater cleanly at twice the distance 90% of hunters shoot. Even in a 6.5lbs rifle, that is not going to recoil much.

Now the 6.8SPC and purpose built bullets are cleanly taking all manner of deer at moderate ranges. With recoil similar to your SKS but with a trajectory flatter then a 308, inside 300yds, how much more horsepower do we really need?

We have come from the magnum craze days where boom and flash was perceived to be necessary to kill. The invincibility of power. So bigger was better. Now there is a swing back to the ideals of the late 19th/ early 20th century where effeciency and accuracy/marksmanship matter.

Getting older wiser and more sore tend to do that.

With new tech, accurate rifles, and better optics, hitting a 2'X2' target at 200yds is childs play. You don't need a cannon if you do your part.

Jerry
 
DEMO said:
I think it is very important to learn how to handle heavier calibers. I think that too much emphasis is put on recoil, so that most people get extremely tense at the prospects of shooting some "cannon". Cripes I still remember my brother calling my .30-06 a cannon years ago...
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That is probably one of the most overlooked aspects of recoil... proper stance and mental preparation!:cool:

mystic said:
We have come from the magnum craze days where boom and flash was perceived to be necessary to kill. The invincibility of power. So bigger was better. Now there is a swing back to the ideals of the late 19th/ early 20th century where effeciency and accuracy/marksmanship matter.

Getting older wiser and more sore tend to do that.

With new tech, accurate rifles, and better optics, hitting a 2'X2' target at 200yds is childs play. You don't need a cannon if you do your part.
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well said Jerry!:)
But I cannot dismiss the Magnums off hand... nor can I dismiss the use of a muzzle break for faster aquisition and lessoning of recoil. Two ounces in wieght and two inches in barrel length is a small price to pay for a second or third shot at a sheep stealing coyote and his girlfriend! ;)

mystic said:
What we do need is better marksmanship from the average hunter!!!!!
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I would argue that a muzzle break or any other recoil device when applied properly can make you a better marksman...:confused:
 
It comes down to shooting what you can shoot accurately whether that be a large capacity magnum or a much smaller capacity non magnum.Don't assume that because you can't accurately shoot a large capacity magnum,or require a brake to do so,that all other shooters are the same.Many of us can shoot the large cased magnums quite accurately,and can do so without resorting to using a muzzle brake.
 
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