"Recoil is more of a push than a smack..."

Hi, Ardent,
Which brand is your handpress? I am looking for reloading stuff, particular the Lee classic loader for 375HH. But I could not find any.

I bought 6 boxes of factory 375 shells. The idea is to gather some brass (120 rounds) for reload.
Can I use Large Rifle Primers (no. 210) for 375 HH MAG (I happen to have 1 brick of that)?
I also have 1 bottle of Hodgdon H4895 powder sitting around.


I have consistently had better results with 210s than 215s in the .375. Don't know why, quit wondering why a long time ago.
 
I shot 52 rounds of factory 375 H&H on the shooting bench (sitting).
Quite effective and fun to shoot. It started to hurt a little after about two boxes.

I still think the 375 H&H (Ruger no.1) is comparable with a 30-06 (win 70) in recoil department.
 
I've heard this stated about the .375 H&H magnum over and over. What other cartridges/loads would you say this description applies to?

"Recoil is more of a push than a smack..."

A meaningless statement. People think that a 375 H&H, because it's a larger bore than most people shoot and runs at modest pressures is analogous to a large truck starting off, as opposed to a small race car.

The 375 H&H sends a 270 gr bullet out at approximately 2700 fps, and a 30/06, a 180 gr bullet at about the same MV if the pressures are the same, so the recoil of the 375 H&H is 50% higher in a same weight gun. Yet no-one says that the recoil of a 30/06 is "a push rather than a smack".

Think people.
 
I have a BAR in 308 that feels like my shoulder is being cleaved with a cold chisel. It just sucks. Shooting Ardent's old 375HH 602 is much easier, although I wouldn't want to put more than box through it at one sitting.

Fit, stock design, and recoil pad are significant variables that would have to be eliminated before arguing the push/smack factor.
 
I have an H&R Handi-Rifle in 500 S&W in which I have fired a 700 gr bullet at 1550 fps. That should qualify as a "push", as the MV is so low (under 2700 fps), but I describe it as "violent". I would include my H&R Buffalo Classic in 45-90 shooting a 500 gr bullet at 1850 fps in the same way.

Recoil is either "low", "medium" or "high", and is measured in ft-lbs, not "push", "smack" or other meaningless terms.
 
I have an H&R Handi-Rifle in 500 S&W in which I have fired a 700 gr bullet at 1550 fps. That should qualify as a "push", as the MV is so low (under 2700 fps), but I describe it as "violent". I would include my H&R Buffalo Classic in 45-90 shooting a 500 gr bullet at 1850 fps in the same way.

Recoil is either "low", "medium" or "high", and is measured in ft-lbs, not "push", "smack" or other meaningless terms.

What's the matter, couldn't find lighter guns with worse stock design to torment yourself with? Run your numbers through a recoil calculator and take note of the recoil velocity. Your shoulder doesn't know how fast the bullet is going, but might notice how fast the gun is comeing back. Its bound to notice that the H&R BC recoil is close to double that of a 10 pound .375. It would be hard not to notice that it was focussed on a crescent buttplate.

Violent is probably an understatement.
 
"Recoil is more of a push than a smack..."

A meaningless statement. People think that a 375 H&H, because it's a larger bore than most people shoot and runs at modest pressures is analogous to a large truck starting off, as opposed to a small race car.

The 375 H&H sends a 270 gr bullet out at approximately 2700 fps, and a 30/06, a 180 gr bullet at about the same MV if the pressures are the same, so the recoil of the 375 H&H is 50% higher in a same weight gun. Yet no-one says that the recoil of a 30/06 is "a push rather than a smack".

Think people.

I have an H&R Handi-Rifle in 500 S&W in which I have fired a 700 gr bullet at 1550 fps. That should qualify as a "push", as the MV is so low (under 2700 fps), but I describe it as "violent". I would include my H&R Buffalo Classic in 45-90 shooting a 500 gr bullet at 1850 fps in the same way.

Recoil is either "low", "medium" or "high", and is measured in ft-lbs, not "push", "smack" or other meaningless terms.

And yet I find 325 grain .45-70 Leverevolution rounds far less jarring than 130 grain .270 loads. The former is a 'push' and the latter is a 'smack'.
 
I agree that there is something to it. The push versus smack thing.
But it's inconsistent as hell.
Like philthygeezer, I find the 270/30-06 harder hitting than the 45-70, but, it's not just because it has a bigger bore, as some big bores really smack a fella.

I've yet to see a reasonable explanation for the inconsistency, much less the actuality of the push vs smack.

Perhaps because there are so many variables in rifle, and cartridge makeup.
 
What levels do you load your 45-70 too?
My 45-70 is a custom 1886.
It's wearing a 28" Douglas premium octagonal barrel with minimal taper, and has a full length tube mag. Stock has a shotgun butt, with steel plate and is a tad longer than normal to accommodate my longer arms
It's heavy to say the least.
I have loaded it to levels I wouldn't post here. Lets say bottom end of 458 Win mag.
A friend tried a few in his Marlin guide gun, and froze his action temporarily.
Recoil from those loads was enough to cause the hammer to bounce breaking the sear, and has also broken the magazine retaining pin at the muzzle end of the tube mag.
Yet felt recoil is, to me anyway, not as jarring as that of my old 338WM, or most other high velocity center fire rounds.

(BTW that period of relative insanity has passed, no longer load to that level)
 
I agree that there is something to it. The push versus smack thing.
But it's inconsistent as hell.
Like philthygeezer, I find the 270/30-06 harder hitting than the 45-70, but, it's not just because it has a bigger bore, as some big bores really smack a fella.

I've yet to see a reasonable explanation for the inconsistency, much less the actuality of the push vs smack.

Perhaps because there are so many variables in rifle, and cartridge makeup.

Assuming one qualifies the smack vs push by comparing 2 identical rifles chambered accordingly, then I would say that there is another important aspect that has not yet been mentioned in this thread - time. How long does it take a smack load to reach its maximum energy? I'd bet it is less time than a push.
 
Assuming one qualifies the smack vs push by comparing 2 identical rifles chambered accordingly, then I would say that there is another important aspect that has not yet been mentioned in this thread - time. How long does it take a smack load to reach its maximum energy? I'd bet it is less time than a push.

It has been mentioned, it's the recoil velocity. The faster the velocity the short the time it will take to reach peak recoil ft/lbs. The recoil calculator link posted earlier does impulse (lbs/sec), recoil velocity and recoil energy ft/lbs.

The recoil velocity is very important. You are right, the higher the speed the sharper it feels.
 
Back
Top Bottom