Recoil vs. Bypass surgery

My thanks once again to one and all - especially for the encouraging words. I do handload, have done so for nearly 40 years now. Taming the 7 mag recoil with a milder load was also my first thought, but outside of 4895 I didn't know what else to try - (Trail Boss is too slow for what I want to do). I want to try some of the suggested loads here and I value the input. I have finished rehab (last week, as it happens). Saw my GP today for a check up. He shoots, unlike my cardio doc, and suggested I might seriously consider trading down to a 7-08. Also, my brother (an avid hunter) has both 243 and 7-08 and I have a standing offer to shoot either at any time. I see the cardio doc in April and it'll be May or June before I can really get started pickin' and choosin'. Finally, you were right about my wife. Her opinion is that having something to shoot is more important than a safe queen I can't - one of the MANY reasons I can't get along without her.

Again, gents - can't thank you enough. I read a lot here and post little, but I'm rarely disappointed with the responses.
 
Histed, I hope you are doing well. I had bypass done a few years ago. How bout that cough for the first few weeks. I still have numbness on the left side of my chest. The hog rings still twang from to to time. Had an X-Ray a few weeks ago to check the rings. My 308 is as far as I am willing to go right now. I would talk to your surgeon, not the cardiologist. Mine were 2 different doctors. I am sure you still recall the feeling that your collar bones were scraping together. You don't want to have to repair that again. If you screw up your sternum, it ain't a good thing per my surgeon. Good Luck, and good shooting. Take your meds!
 
That cough STILL hurts, Zack! I'm recovering from bronchitis and.... what's worse is sneezing. But you're right, I do need to talk to the surgeon. My guess is that he doesn't shoot either, since his home appears to have been India and they ain't noted for their firearms friendlieness. Great guy, even better surgeon, so it could be all good. Meds, diet, rehab and exercise. Another open heart surgery :eek: is NOT in my future if I can prevent it! :D
 
Histed, my cardiologist is Indian. He is an avid shooter. Good guy. He wouldn't give me the nod to shoot without the surgeon's OK. I had a few trips to the e.r. do to missing meds, and pushing too hard too soon. At 3 months, I was weed eating the yard at about 11:00 am without my morning meds. Bad Idea. Went down, thought it was the end. Similar thing about a month later. Had a stent put in on a bad graft at 1 year. No drama since then.
 
Histed,

I also had bypass surgery..quadruple on Nov 4,1997 at the age of 54.....tried to go PA buck hunting on the first day, but, well my buddy said he would take me, and I was ready to go but saner heads prevailed. Saw the surgeon during the first week and he gave me the green light for doe season. Carry nothing more than 7 pounds. Well just so happened that I had a 7 mauser ( 140 gr Sierra Pro Hunter on top of 50 gr of IMR 4350 ) that fit the bill. Took a lawn chair wth me....killed a doe about 8am. Never felt a thing. The followng August, I was in Northern Quebec riding in a freighter canoe with my beloved 7 Mag. Killed a caribou......140 BT over 66 grains of RL 19....again never felt a thing......since then, I have fired up to 340 Weaterby, Rem 8Mag, and my custom 7STW......the only advice I got from the surgeon, who was with then AL General in Pittsburgh, was.....walk until you can't anymore, stop rest and then get at it again. If the operation was successful, get out and get after it..don't be afraid..........Good Luck and shoot straight!!!!

thekyrifleman
 
I just don't like muzzle brakes

I had a Cervical Fusion in 2012 and shot my 30-06 a year later, which recoils about like my 7mm Mag. Did not like it. Got a Savage LH 16 in 260 and shoot 100gr Noslers without complaint. They also make it in 7-08. One other thing, I had no problems shooting my M1A Scout Squad, so you might consider an auto. Browning's BAR comes in 243, 7-08, 308. I owned a 308 when they first came out. It was amazing without a recoil pad with 150s. If you want to show off, they make a LH, too.
 
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Chest Crackers

histed, In '05 I needed a valve job and had to go to the chest cracker for that. I've been shooting any and all of my military surplus rifles as intended. No sissy pads, with full powered ammunition. 7.92x57 with 196g bullets in K98s of all kinds. 7.62x54R with 174g bullets in M44s, 303BRIT with 176g bullets and my M1903A3 and never had a worry or problem.
 
Guess I've been lucky. No problems yet at 76. Spent a night in the hospital about two weeks ago for a pneumonia related problem on a heart monitor because of chest pain related to the pneumonia. Apparently the old ticker is still working OK.
For many years I worked with a gentleman who'd had open heart surgery and he used three rifles and several shotguns. IIRC the shotguns were all 12 gauges. The rifles were a two Ruger M77s, one a .243 and the other a 6MM Remington. The third rifle was a Winchester M70 in 30-06. He only used the 06when he was lucky enough to draw a tag for elk.
I have matching Ruger #1B's in 30-06 and 7MM Rem. Mag., same scopes on both rifles and weight is within mere ounces of each other. I can't tell any difference in recoil with a top load 180 gr. bullet from the 06 and a top load 175 gr. bullet in the 7 Mag.
If you a stand the noise, you could put a muzzle brake on your & Mag. and add a Pachmeyr Decelerator pad. With really good hearing protection I believe that gun would feel like a 7-08 or 7X57 Mauser. I have data round here somewhere that makes the 7MM Mag. kick like a 7x57, 7-08 and .280 Rem. which I can pass on if you want to look at it.
Paul B.
 
Give it some time!

About 10 years ago I had a 5 way bypass 7 hours on the table -My Doctor was an avid hunter and reloader, his plan was to lay low, clean all your guns get all your reloading done-Everyday 5times a day raise your arms to shoulder level and move your arms back as if you were trying to touch your elbows together do this 10 times-when you can do this without pain at the incision site you are good to go-lay off the heavy magnums for a while-with in 6 months I was able shoot anything I wanted with no issues
good luck;)
 
Histed,

Many years ago, I shot a Weatherby Mark V in 300 mag. It had a muzzle brake, which made it feel like an -06 with 150 grain bullets. I agree with the suggestion to install a muzzle brake. They are not very expensive to buy and have someone install it.
 
Thanks again, fellas. As soon as I can get cleared by the surgeon and the flippin' weather breaks, I'm going to try some reduced loads in the mag. If that's uncomfortable, I'll turn her into a safe queen for now and borrow my brother's 7-08 or 243 for this coming deer season. All of the comments and encouragement are very much appreciated.
 
I had a heart attack and had a stent
installed. My doctor said no shooting
for 3 months and I was lucky,no
visible damage to the heart
 
Numbness in the left side

of the chest is probably caused by the surgeon removing the artery going to your breast (Mammary artery) to be used to construct the bypasses for your clogged arteries.

My heart surgeon, after "cracking" my breast bone, removed my left mammary artery and about a foot long segment of an artery from my crotch to within a few inches of my left knee. Made enough "tubing" to construct 3 bypasses for me.

Since I am left handed, I mount my rifle and shotgun to the left shoulder' and the numb area of my chest. Surgery was conducted late July (1997), so I didn't dove or deer hunt that fall. I went back to my normal hunting schedule the next fall.

My left chest area remained numb for several more years, but feels OK now.

In 2006 (9 years after 3X bypass) I bought a 270 WSM, and never had any problem with the recoil (150 gr bullet @ about 3,100 fps MV).

Recent test results showed, "All 3 bypasses look like they were just completed".;)
 
A few years back a friend of mine had a quad by pass just after buying a new '06. Of course that was the only gun he wanted to shoot. So I made up 30 rounds with the Ed Harris Red Dot load data. The recoil was more like a .223 than an '06 and he was able to enjoy his new rifle before his bones healed...

To sum up, where there's the will, a way will be found...

Tony
 
Reduced loads in the mag is lighter bullets, not less powder.
No chest numbness for me at all. Bit of it in my thumb. Vein taken from my wrist. Long gone now.
 
It sounds like most of us were very lucky. I have spoken to several people that had their bypass surgery done when the "harvest" of veins was as bad as the bypass surgery. My mc`tripple had them getting veins from my leg. Small, but deep scars beside the knee and at the crotch. More than one fellow heart patient had scars from crotch to ankle where they harvested parts for the job.

Those of you that just had a procedure done, I would listen to your doctor's advice only. One of the doctors involved told me he would boot me as a patient if I started smoking afterwards at any time. Haven't smoked since the attack. :eek:

I was told that handguns were OK 2 weeks after my second op, which was a stent.
 
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