Punishing recoil!

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JasonYuke

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I have to admit as the age increases so does the tollerance for flet recoil and to boot some guns are just no fun to shoot but it needs to be done to learn teh rifle and load. I tried a paste recoil shield that helped, but did you ever have a gun that makes your whole head feel like it wants to explode. Well I have a couple and I shot them both today for a few reasons, one i need to and the other was I need the info for my ballistic cards. The loads are developed and i need to figure a few thing about them.

However my question is I am sure big recoil is not good for you , just wondering if there is any long term effects of punishing recoil. I have heard of guys hurting there eyes, and pulling tendons in arms and shoulders.

I shoot alot of magnums, most of the guns I own are magnums, I also shoot some thumpers and today was not exception. By far out of all the rifles I own, 416 rigby, 378 wbys, 458 wm, and the rums which or puppy dogs, nothing beats me up worse than my Mashburn built on a M-70 its ported, but when it breaks not only the recoil is stiff its the violent jump, it hurts from your teeth to top of your head. I guess when you launch a 225 grain bullet o35 cal over 3300 fps ( todays avg) that you should expect:runaway:

I just want to make sure I am not hurting my self from the inside out...
 
I heard that there can be some issues with the Retina's..... but I am not a doctor to confirm it.... I am sure there is no positive side to excessive recoil.
 
I don't shoot guns anymore that aren't fun. My .280 will easily take down the biggest game we have here in Ont. In fact, probably the hardest kicker I have any more would be a 348 & it's only shot rarely! Perhaps you should think about the fact that if a guns not fun to shoot..why bother, there's lots of calibers out there to amuse oneself without the pain :)

I once had a gun that a friend shot & commented on the muzzle flash, I didn't see any :runaway:
 
Heavy recoil - enough to cause a bruise - can cause a debilitating condition called Traumatic Myositis Ossificans, which is the growth of bone cells within muscle. Not just calcification, but bone growth in a primitive inflamatory resonse. It is painful and limits range of motion.

It is not common, but it is out there. I have it in the muscles around one of my hips caused by a heavy hit.

Because I have developed it on one area, I have always shyed away from land cannons for that very reason.
 
Obtunded said:
Heavy recoil - enough to cause a bruise - can cause a debilitating condition called Traumatic Myositis Ossificans, which is the growth of bone cells within muscle. Not just calcification, but bone growth in a primitive inflamatory resonse. It is painful and limits range of motion.

This is exactly what the surgeon told me was part of the problem with my right shoulder two weeks ago when I had rotator cuff surgery.
I must say you did a better job of explaining / clarifying it than he did.
Obtunded....you're in the wrong field, there is a place in modern medicine for you !!...:D
Click to expand...
 
Another reason why the .375 H&H is King, and the 9.3x62 in mini-King - they can stop even the biggest game without detatching your retina.

I should add that the bigger stuff with lower velocity doesn't jump that much, it kind of gives you a loving push. This is why the .378 is quite violent. But why do you need a big, high velocity bullet?

I was looking at the 130gr TTSX in .308" and considering Gatehouse's wisdom. He is right. Any of the "regular" .300 Magnums would be more than enough for all North American game at even very long ranges.

Barnes even gives a load for the .270 Winchester and 110gr TTSX that is listed at +3500fps out of a 24" barrel. That would give you a +-3" PBR of 332 yards!

As Batrell showed us the TSX is a great performer - he shot and cleanly killed a deer with a 45gr TSX out of a .221 Fireball. I'm almost thinking a good load in a .257 Roberts using 100gr TSX bullets is all a fellow needs for his non-dangerous North American big game needs.
 
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I did not say I minded recoil,,, I was just concerned about my body. I went through 2 and a half boxes of magnum primer last year alone... that is not counting my target guns, or my hunting rifles.

If poor health is a result of violent recoil, I want to enjoy this sport longer than the ending it on poor decisions and shooting thumpers for fun.

Some guys ask Why the need, there is not need, I just like big guns, and big wild cats.

Do i hunt with them, not much but its nice to roll a bear or moose with heavy gun but 99% of the time i hunt in any province with the old standards cals and cartridges of 6.5, 270 308, 30-006, 300 wm or wsm, and the 7mms, they are my hunting cartidges like most of the guys on hear, they recoil light and are managed well on the shoulder, and no as 1899 said you do not need big speed to kill, the manufactures have given us lots of tools to apply our old standard cartriges on any Game and I will say World wide!!! bullets have never been constucted his well and the choices are unlimited.

I like to collect and shoot big fast cartridges, thats what its all about personal opinion and thats where i get my kicks, no pund intended!!! to me a 416, 470 NE , 378, or a 350 mashburn is just something special that you do not get to see on many ranges..

regards
 
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I have permanent damage in my rotator cuff, (scapulitis), and long term tendintis pain from shooting, archery, and industrial wear and tear.
it's not fun, it hurts, and the only thing I can do is not work as hard, go physio regularly, and keep away from big guns.
For a while even laying prone holdin a rifle would send pain through my shoulder.
Only lately I have found a 12 gauge that I can actually shoot with goose loads that does not hurt, but is a 9 pounder with 34" barrels, recoil reducers, big azzed pad, and ported chokes. Usually i shoot a 20.

I shoot smaller calibers like the 6.5X55, and only shoot heavy target rifles in 308, no light ones.
At one time I could accurately fire even large unbraked guns like the 338 Lapua, 340Weatherby, etc.
I can't anymore so don't.
Brakes simply rattle my teeth so I stay away from them also!
A big magnum won't do damage to you if it fits properly, and you don't fire it like a plinker!:D
Cat
 
Hi Jason, I've notice a huge hole has appeared in my battery after selling the last 458. Other than a 4570 GG I've got nothing between the 375 and 460 WBY. If you want to sell anything that fits in there please PM. Ya you can kill them with itty bitty guns but why? As far as recoil. yes I've been going to physio for months for my shoulder but thats a snowboard injury from last winter. Thats my story and I'm sticking with it.
 
Blame it all on the .378 Weatherby. I've never shot anything so obnoxious, and recoil doesn't bother me at all as a rule. My .45-70 can generate up to 60 ft/lbs and it's a piece of cake compared to that damned .378 I tried. No more. The stock sucks and the thing tries to decapitate you at a speed that's shocking. It's the velocity and the angle of the recoil, just plain no fun at all. .458 WMag is a hoot, 416 Roy was fun too, but not that bloody .378.
 
not trying to cause undue concern but a co-worker I knew died shortly after (kind of during) taking a moose down. While shooting he felt a lot of pain and moved the gun more onto his chest to shoot. Don't know for sure the cal but think it was 30-06. He was found along with the moose both in the process of dying by another person who finished the moose off and tried to help the shooter
He died of an anurism of an artery around the heart which I suspect was triggered by the rifle recoil. Probably a condition that was existing,waiting for the right moment.

In my opinion, not a bad way to go.
 
They are fun to shoot, once and a while.

I sold my 375 H&H Ackley for this reason, it was a great rifle, shot tight groups, and was fun, but I didnt shoot it much because it would beat you up after 10-15 rounds. I sold it and picked up a 12ga and a 243 which get shot alot more.

You guys are crazy shooting your big bores (458/460's ect)off the bench with no pad or anything on. :D
 
I have a good friend that shoots .416 Weatherby, .416 Remington Mag, .458, .460 Weatherby and .510 Wells all day at the range. Off a bench, no pad! A few of the rifles have heavy target barrels on them, others are standard magnum contours, and one Weatherby .460 has a muzzle break.

I have no idea how he has managed to work up his tolerance level to handle recoil as well as he does, he hasn't even developed the slightest flinch!

Mabye it was the four bore he took a shot with, everything else must seem like a gentle push now!:D
 
i think people that shoot many rounds regularly from really heavy-recoiling calibers for 'fun' are asking for it. look at football players. - they are a mess as early as their 30s. the human body is not meant to take bone-jarring impacts like that on a regular basis.

if you look at virtually any occupation, youll find that repetitive exposure to something and/or repetitive motion, impact, etc inevitably leads to health issues down the road... even from innocent things like typing on a keyboard or sitting in a truck cab. it would be naive to think that you are doing no harm to yourself by firing a rifle that literally rattles your teeth and bruises your shoulder.

not saying people shouldnt do it -- life is all about doing what you love, and many fun things we do eventually take their toll. just KNOW what you are getting into so you can decide if its worth it to shoot that .577 T-Rex or perhaps step down to something in the .30-06 class :)
 
I had a small problem with my retina semi-detaching from the recoil of 3.5" slugs outa a shotgun. (used to be my favourite)

Now I only use 2 3/4" of slugs and 3" in steel shot. My .270 win is the biggest thing I will shoot and almost all of my range work is now done with my .223 and my .17 hmr. I just love the little calibers, I can shoot them all day and enjoy it. This is also a reason for me getting into handguns. Bigger calibers bot no recoil problems. Since adopting the route of "less pain" my retinas have reattached themselves and my optometrist says I'm good to go with no permanent damage.

I do have a flinch with the .270 that I am trying to get rid of. I think I'm just recoil sensitive even though I'm 6'1" 240lbs.
 
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