Recoil Calculations

[cdoc42]

Does anyone know where I can obtain information regarding the foot-pounds of recoil energy for common rifle loads such as 120gr 25-06, 150gr .270 win, and others?

Cardiothoracic surgeons who are not shooters have a difficult time clearing a shooter who has had open heart surgery for firing a rifle. It takes up to 8 weeks, generally, for the chest to heal sufficiently, but it would be helpful to know if a given recoil force on one shoulder in 4, 6 or 8 weeks represents threat to the healing sternum.

Any info would be helpful.

 

[slammedsi]

http://www.chuckhawks.com/recoil_table.htm

 

[TNT]

I can tell you a .454 Casull coming out of a 16 barreled rifle is a a$$ kicker

 

[hardworker]

not being a doctor, looking at those numbers does me no good in giving out advice on this matter.

My suggestion, if my doctor told me to wait 8 weeks I'd wait 8 weeks. Spend that 8 weeks learning how to calculate the recoil of a firearm using integral calculus, taking into account powder burn rate, barrel friction, pressure curves etc. Then I'd post my results on here and show my work.

 

[Alaska444]

Are you really wishing to shoot in less than 8 weeks after surgery? Not smart my friend and I am a doctor. If you have ever seen someone with a sternum that hasn't healed, (Nonunion) it becomes a terrible disability to them. I have seen a couple of folks with this condition over the years.

http://www.inspire.com/groups/heart-bypass-surgery/discussion/sternal-non-union/

In some cases, the operate again to close the sternum exposing the patient to a painful recovery and the risks of a second surgery. Go hunting next year and give it up for this year. Be thankful that the heart surgery has given you a new lease on life and don't push it. Medical complications even from simple surgeries can easily end in death or other outcomes, none of which you would enjoy.

 

[Cowboy_mo]

Sounds to me like excellent advice from Alaska.

Also Slammedsi is "spot on" with the Chuck Hawks page!

 

[eZero]

just finished my new website that does just that. check it out at http://www.shooterscalculator.com

here is an image of various loads:

 

[Hook686]

http://www.handloads.com/calc/recoil.asp

 

[oneounceload]

Here, just fill in the blanks:

http://www.10xshooters.com/calculators/Rifle_Recoil_Calculator.htm

 

[FrankenMauser]

Don't forget - from the lb-ft numbers and know rifle weight (7 lbs in the examples provided by eZero), you can also extrapolate the recoil velocity. The velocity can be much more useful than energy figures.



As for shooting post-heart surgery, I'm with everyone else:
Let it go, until the Doc tells you you're ready. This isn't a finger injury, or sprained ankle you'll be aggravating; it's much more serious than that.

If you absolutely have to shoot (I'm guessing you have a hunt planned), see if you can get cleared for a handgun.