Punishing recoil!

Shooting heavy kickers off hand should not be an issue provided the stock fits you and that the sights are high enough that you no not need to mash your cheek down on the stock. As your position lowers the felt recoil impulse becomes stronger culminating when you absorb all the recoil energy into your body by shooting prone and slung up. Very few of us need to master a stopping rifle, but if the desire is there it is achievable. Even my bear gun is a general purpose hunting rifle that I can shoot from any position including prone and slung up, although in this position it can snap my head back in an unpleasant fashion if my cheek is too tight on the stock.

My rule is not to shoot beyond the point of discomfort. If that means taking a break after 3 rounds, then thats what I do. However, if I cannot manage 3 rounds, the rifle is too much for me. I have not encountered this often provided the rifle has fit me well and has been equipped with a decent recoil pad. I have been hurt with a low number or rounds from a Mosin Nagant carbine, a .50 Hawken, a .375 H&H, and a .45/70, but in every case the cause can be linked to a stock design that was unsuitable for me. I am quite happy with things like my .375 Ultra, a .416 Rigby, and hot loaded .458's. A .585 Nyati or some such fire breather might take the joy out of regular marksmanship drills, but such a piece is for very specialized work, like teaching teenagers that they aren't as tough as they think they are. Shooting long strings is never going to be required with such a rifle.
 
Boomer said:
I have not encountered this often provided the rifle has fit me well and has been equipped with a decent recoil pad. I have been hurt with a low number or rounds from a Mosin Nagant carbine
Click to expand...


pretty much proving that stock fit, and recoil pad, make all the difference.
a stock Mosin is brutal. put on an aftermarket stock and a grind-to-fit Limbsaver and it becomes a pussycat.

what exactly is it about the Mosin stock ergonomics that makes them so unpleasant to shoot? it cant be the steel buttpad alone, since my M-305 has one and that has never bothered me.
 
manbearpig said:
pretty much proving that stock fit, and recoil pad, make all the difference.
a stock Mosin is brutal. put on an aftermarket stock and a grind-to-fit Limbsaver and it becomes a pussycat.

what exactly is it about the Mosin stock ergonomics that makes them so unpleasant to shoot? it cant be the steel buttpad alone, since my M-305 has one and that has never bothered me.
Click to expand...

Yes, but the Mosin's steel but plate is curved. Mother Russia must have hated her own troops. A gas operated rifle like your M-305 will eat up much of the recoil as well.
 
With a limbsaver and a slide over the shoulder absorber recoil becomes manageable. The slide over the shoulder one by limbsaver makes a 45/70 500 gr bullet a joy to shoot as well as it does a tikka t3 300 win mag. Cabelas has a good one as well.
 
Last edited:
manbearpig said:
pretty much proving that stock fit, and recoil pad, make all the difference.
a stock Mosin is brutal. put on an aftermarket stock and a grind-to-fit Limbsaver and it becomes a pussycat.

what exactly is it about the Mosin stock ergonomics that makes them so unpleasant to shoot? it cant be the steel buttpad alone, since my M-305 has one and that has never bothered me.
Click to expand...

my mosin carbine doesnt fit all that well ethier, its not terrible off hand but from the bench after 5 shots you shoulder is sore....:mad:

the only gun i have with more recoil is my 12ga coach gun firing 3" Remington Buckshot....those Remington slugs and buckshot seem to kick like no other shells....
 
Boomer said:
My rule is not to shoot beyond the point of discomfort. If that means taking a break after 3 rounds, then thats what I do.
Click to expand...

I wish I knew that when I got my first 30-06
One day I shot 100 rounds in about 3 hours. It hurt every time but I kept on shooting. In the evening I noticed a large bruise on my shoulder. It took 3 weeks to heal but I can still see the outline, the skin is a little darker where it used to be.
I guess a blood vessel in my shoulder ruptured. The bruise migrated halfway down my arm before vanishing.
Now I only shoot 20 round tops with long pause between groups of 3 or 4.
 
Last edited:
I have owned quite a few firearms that have considerable recoil.

I have also shot some guns that have much more recoil, bit I don't own them. Why? It's simple...I dont' need them and I dont' need the added recoil.

I stand firmly behind the idea that a 30-06 class cartridge, with good bullet, can cleanly take any animal in north america, if the hunter is up to the task. That doesn't mean the 30-06 class is a GREAT choice for grizzlies, nor does it imply that it is great for really long range shots on game. That stuff is specialized.

Bottom line with recoil - if it hurts you- Gp dpwn in cartridge and use a good bullet. There is no shame in this.

The more I learn about bullets and game, the more I think a 7-08, good bullets and alot of practice is the answer to most questions....
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom