I ask this question here because I think target and precision shooting would be much more refined than most hunting situations. A friend tells me that with a regular bolt action hunting rifle in 270 and 308win at 100-200 yards, he can actually see his bullet hit the animal before he feels the recoil. He is a bigger guy and doesn't mind recoil. What are your thoughts? I know I cannot see mine and I really did not think it was possible. I can't argue the fact because I just don't know.
Strange Question about Shooting
- Thread starter gerard488
- Start date
Physically speaking, that's impossible. The moment the bullet starts accelerating, the gun starts accelerating in the opposite direction.
As mentioned above, it's all in your friends head. He's not PERCEIVING the recoil at first, but it's there even if his brain isn't telling him about it.
If I'm not mistaken It only takes about a quarter of a second for the bullet to get out to 200yds, so it's entirely possible that his brain is focused on other things and simply hasn't registered the recoil yet.
As mentioned above, it's all in your friends head. He's not PERCEIVING the recoil at first, but it's there even if his brain isn't telling him about it.
If I'm not mistaken It only takes about a quarter of a second for the bullet to get out to 200yds, so it's entirely possible that his brain is focused on other things and simply hasn't registered the recoil yet.
- Location
- Western Manitoba
I distinctly remember seeing the "caving in" of my first antlered elk's ribcage before I lost the sight picture - I was kneeling, range was probably about 150 yards, and the rifle was 338 Win Mag with Leupold M8-4x using 225 Federal Premium ammunition. That was the only shot fired at him and the only bullet hole was right in the centre of the "concave" that I saw - the bullet was recovered under the hide on the far side. I saw that as well on a decent 5x5 whitetail buck - I was shooting off hand - a Ruger #1 with M8-6x using Nosler 150 grain in 7x57 - range was about 125 yards - he was standing still, full broadside - a complete pass through. I do not recall seeing either bullet in flight, but I believe in those two cases I was seeing the "impact" on the rib cage...
After shooting many animals over decades of shooting , I have often seen the general part of the animal (where the bullet hit) move.
This is nothing special , but a normal occurrence. A person's perception in the timing of recoil vs, bullet impact may be varied
& not completely correct , but does it really matter ? It would be so close as to not matter.
This is nothing special , but a normal occurrence. A person's perception in the timing of recoil vs, bullet impact may be varied
& not completely correct , but does it really matter ? It would be so close as to not matter.
Trimmer 905
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
By the time you feel a recoil and hear the report,that bullet is already at the target. I've only ever heard the "smack" when it hits solidly and the animal drops.I'm not calling your buddy a liar,though. Perception to one person is altogether different for someone else.
Erickson5006
Regular
- Location
- Bonnyville Alberta
Your eyes will see the impact before recoil pushes you off target. But to pick up that detail and process the data before recoil and blast get ya is hard to believe.
The design/setup of the rifle plays a big part. Higher mag scope helps see what is going on... but only if the rifle recoils straight. Also I think a suppressor helps a lot to concentrate on the shot because of less recoil less bang. Rifles are funny, I sometimes don't see my strike from a 223 but the few shots from a 50bmg I did see my strikes. When plinking at longer ranges at rocks I just hold the rifle a bit different and can then see strikes, most times.
edi
edi
EJG has it right in the previous comment regarding the design and set up. I usually see the bullet impact before I even recognize recoil of any kind. As a kid, my mainstay was a 6mm Rem, so no recoil and I watched every bullet hit the coyote, deer, or elk. Same with my father's Husky 270Win. Now my main hunting rig is a Sako 85 Finnlight 270WSM with a Swaro 3-10 and I see the bullet impact with each shot. Even with my Finnlight 2 in 300WinMag and my 375H&H I can see the impact despite the greater recoil.
I have a rig however that I have not seen the impact, that being a Sako Bavarian in 30-06. It is a very accurate rifle that puts 190 Accubonds under a nickel but with the stock design the recoil hits me hard.
Aside from the rifle set up, another major aspect is the shooter's position. Not everyone pulls the butt tight enough into the shoulder. I have observed many very competent shooters that do not pull the rifle tightly into their shoulder and although they can shoot a tight grouping, they get kicked a bit by the recoil or barrel bounce and do not see their fall of shot.
I have a rig however that I have not seen the impact, that being a Sako Bavarian in 30-06. It is a very accurate rifle that puts 190 Accubonds under a nickel but with the stock design the recoil hits me hard.
Aside from the rifle set up, another major aspect is the shooter's position. Not everyone pulls the butt tight enough into the shoulder. I have observed many very competent shooters that do not pull the rifle tightly into their shoulder and although they can shoot a tight grouping, they get kicked a bit by the recoil or barrel bounce and do not see their fall of shot.
Very possible, I do it all the time on steel.
Easy to see the hit result, but you do feel the recoil at the same time.
if you look close you can see the same effect in hunting footage.
I would add though, likely it is psychological.
Easy to see the hit result, but you do feel the recoil at the same time.
if you look close you can see the same effect in hunting footage.
I would add though, likely it is psychological.
100% possible depending on how the gun is set up and how your friend manages recoil. I’ve got deer at fairly close range and watched the impact of the bullet. When shooting PRS you almost have to be able to see the impact of the bullet.
See the mpact in the scope? Sure, not that unusual at all.
But to suggest that the rifle, which accelerates backward much more slowly than the bullet does forward, will compress your shoulder and that you will interpret that as recoil before the bullet hits...at only 100-200 yards? I can't buy that.
But to suggest that the rifle, which accelerates backward much more slowly than the bullet does forward, will compress your shoulder and that you will interpret that as recoil before the bullet hits...at only 100-200 yards? I can't buy that.
The stock design and shooting position are factors as is the firing position and if there is a muzzle brake or not.
A stock with a low butt pad will have more muzzle jump than a stock with a high butt pad, kind of like an AR 15 or Cadex.
Another factor is scope magnification. If at a low zoom level you will have a wider field of view, so even after recoil you can still easily see the animal.
If the rifle is well controlled, not only can you see the animal get hit, you can see the bullet in the air during flight. You are not really seeing the bullet itself, you can see humidity condense momentarily by the compression wave in front of the bullet. Having said that, this is much easier to do at longer ranges when the bullet spends more time in the air, than at only 100-200 yards.
As for seeing the hit before recoil, that's BS. He's probably just got good follow through and just stays focused on his point of aim throughout the recoil. There is no shooter skill that will overcome the realities of physics.
A stock with a low butt pad will have more muzzle jump than a stock with a high butt pad, kind of like an AR 15 or Cadex.
Another factor is scope magnification. If at a low zoom level you will have a wider field of view, so even after recoil you can still easily see the animal.
If the rifle is well controlled, not only can you see the animal get hit, you can see the bullet in the air during flight. You are not really seeing the bullet itself, you can see humidity condense momentarily by the compression wave in front of the bullet. Having said that, this is much easier to do at longer ranges when the bullet spends more time in the air, than at only 100-200 yards.
As for seeing the hit before recoil, that's BS. He's probably just got good follow through and just stays focused on his point of aim throughout the recoil. There is no shooter skill that will overcome the realities of physics.
