Recoil of .44 Mag N-frame is equivalent to ?

[robertsig]

I'm mostly a handgun guy looking to beef up my rifle collection, so I post this out of naivety.

I took the opportunity to rent a S&W .44 Magnum at my local range and bought a box of 20 cartridges. After shooting 6 rounds, I was already starting to hurt...but fought through the pain and finished the box of 20. I own a couple guns in .45ACP and .357 Magnum. I can handle them better, but the .357 would certainly wear on me after awhile, but not as quickly as that .44.

So based on your experience, what would an equivalent rifle be in recoil to somebody who can't quite handle (or doesn't want to) a .44 Magnum? Yah, I'm sure I could fire a loaded .45-70 once or twice if my life depended on it, but I'm looking to see what rifles to buy to enjoy shooting.

I do not hunt, and have no real "need", but when did that stop any of us, right?

 

[Lloyd Smale]

im sure alot of the discomfort you experienced shooting a 44 handgun was because of the grips. I shoot alot of handguns up to the 500 linebaugh. I dont have a problem with recoil. But N frames with factory level loads will get on me after a while. I detest rubber grips on a handgun but find that houge grips seem to help it alot. Anymore if i want to shoot full power 44 loads i do it in my rugers. My N frames for the most part get 1000 fps 250 grain loads. that load will kill alot and is easy on the hands. Personaly i just as soon shoot my 4 inch 500 linebaugh bisleys with full power loads then shoot an n frame 44 mag with factory loads. try a ruger 44 bisley and youll find that the 44 isnt the animal you think it is.

 

[ligonierbill]

My brother used to shoot a H&R Handy Rifle in .44 mag. It was a pussycat, and that gun does not have a forgiving stock. Put a big hole through a PA whitetail, though.

 

[madcratebuilder]

Recoil is mind over matter. I don't mind so it doesn't matter.

Seriously, grips can make a big difference. You want to have a good grip on the revolver but don't try and fight the recoil. Allow your arm to bend at the elbow.

Start off with lighter loads and work up to the hotter and heavier bullets. It's been over forty five years since I first fired a .44mag and I still remember it.

 

[spaniel]

A) You can't compare pistol and rifle recoil. Two different beasts.

B) Felt recoil in a pistol depends on a) weight, and b) grips. Get a set of the Hogue grips for the 500SW X-frame, which will fit the N-frame. It will be a big departure from what you experienced if you were shooting the 629 with wood grips or even rubbers that left the metal backstrap biting into your hand.

I have a 329PD, which is about as abusive of a 44Mag as has every been made. With rubbers that expose the backstrap, I only made it through 3 rounds of full-power 44Mags before I cried uncle. Once I put the X-frame grips on, I can shoot a box or more with no issues if I want...though I usually load up some moderated loads for paper punching.

 

[Salmoneye]

After shooting a 10" .45-70 barrel on a Contender for years with heavy hunting loads, my Super Blackhawk seems tame...

 

[B.L.E.]

A) You can't compare pistol and rifle recoil. Two different beasts.

I agree. The fact that you can or can't take the recoil of a .44 Mag revolver without flinching does not translate in your ability to take the recoil of any particular shoulder fired firearm.
I seem to be able to take more recoil from a pistol than from a rifle. My hand gives way but my shoulder resists making a given recoil hurt more.

 

[PawPaw]

Yah, I'm sure I could fire a loaded .45-70 once or twice if my life depended on it, but I'm looking to see what rifles to buy to enjoy shooting.

Rifle recoil and handgun recoil are two different beasts. You take the recoil of a handgun in the palm of your hand. You take the recoil from a long gun in the pocket of your shoulder.

I'll guarantee that you could shoot my .45-70 all day long. That one cartridge can be loaded mild or wild and what many people don't appreciate is the fact that that cartridge was designed to be run mild. I load a 405 grain lead bullet and push it out at about 1300 fps, well within the old black powder specs. The recoil isn't bad at all, not nearly like the newer high-speed cartridges.

Most folks consider the .30-06 from a bolt rifle as the top that the average person can handle on a repeated, regular basis, but stock design and firearms design is everything in recoil management. Yesterday I shot about 40 rounds of .30-06 from my bolt gun and about 30 rounds of .25-06. My shoulder knows I was shooting, but it wasn't painful.

However, if you've never owned a rifle, I recommend a good .22LR. It's the basic learning/teaching tool in the art of riflery. Everyone should own one good .22LR.

 

[B.L.E.]

Comparing pistol and rifle recoil is like comparing jalapenos to radishes. They are both hot but in different ways.
I knew someone who could eat the hottest jalapeno peppers like candy but when he bit into a homegrown white radish, he couldn't run to the water faucet fast enough. We still laugh about it today. It's a different kind of hot.

It's the same with pistol recoil and rifle recoil. Being able to handle the recoil of a .44 Magnum doesn't guarrentee you can shoot a .30-06 all day without flinching, or vice versa.

 

[dalegribble]

since you mentioned 44 mag revolvers and 45/70's i will give you my take on each. i have a 7 1/2" ruger redhawk in 44 mag. i also have a 4" taurus model 44 in 44 mag. the redhawk has a wooden grip, the taurus has a rubber grip and a ported barrel. the 4" taurus revolver is much easier to shoot for longer periods. it is as accurate as the loger barrel ruger as well.

as for the 45/70. i have a model 1895 marlin lever action rifle as well a a pederosoli sharps rifle. the sharps is much easier to shoot for longer periods of time because it weighs 13 lbs.

in one case you have a smaller lighter? (not by much) revolver that is more comfortable to shoot because of the porting and the grips. with the rifles shooting the 45/70 the heavier, longer barrel sharps is much easier to shoot than the shorter and lighter marlin lever gun. life is about choices.

 

[Slamfire]

If you want to shoot N frames in 44 Magnum consider putting on a set of Hogue X grips on it. That was the only way I was able to shoot my N frame.

Ruger Superblackhawks with their curved grip do not hurt as bad.

Since the load is distributed to my hands, I have no way to compare recoil. However recoil in my Marlin M1894 hurt more till I removed the hard plastic buttplate and put on a rubber pad.

 

[chewie146]

I'd say mid-hot .45-70 in a handi-rifle. If you're looking at the .44, bigger is better as far as recoil goes.

 

[Ozzieman]

I have multiple 44 mag rifles and a lot depends on how they fit you.
I have a Marlin 1894 and it doesn’t fit my shoulder well and 20 rounds starts to get uncomfortable.
On the other hand I have a Ruger 77/44 which fits my shoulder very well and shooting HOT hand loads all day including 330 GR lead is fun.
Comparing one with a 45-70, not even close. Granted you can load down (and I have) 45-70’s to 44 mag levels but you’re talking very hot 44 mags.
The Ruger compares to a bird shot 20 gage.
The Marlin, M14??? Maybe a little less but again that’s me, and therefore meaningless.

 

[sc928porsche]

Everyone is a bit different. I have found the the SA pistols are the most comfortable for me. DA's and Bisleys seem to be more uncomfortable. Once you have found out which style is the most comfortable, then its time for some good grips.

 

[Picher]

The DA grip was designed for less powerful cartridges and it does pretty well up to 44 spl, but the .44 Mag (and more powerful cartridges) in a S&W 29 or similar DA drives recoil straight back, which in time, causes arthritic wrists and elbows, probably worse in the stronger-gripping shooters. That's not a good thing macho-friends!

Rubber grips help reduce felt recoil a bit, but bending the shooting arm elbow creates more shock absorption.

Single-actions use the force of friction to tame the hotter cartridges. By allowing the handgun to rotate vertically, recoil is re-directed into rotary motion and friction against skin (preferably leather glove) spreads recoil energy over time and distance. The rotation also reduces distance to reach the hammer spur for cocking the next round. Sam Colt did it right!

Firing a single-action with rubber Pachmayr grips stops the rotation, resulting in greater felt recoil. That's a mistake I made early-on when I was in the handgun silhouette game, but those grips came off quickly.