Stop whinin' about recoil!!

Howard,

I just picked mine up today. Mine is a 629 with a 3" BBL. I swear, my whole arm kept vibrating all the way to the car. That's some recoil on that gun. Isn't it great?! I'll have to try your method next time I go shooting.

I have no compaints about the gun, but I would like to retain the ability to sign my name on the way out of the range.

[Edited by Tankist on 01-24-2001 at 08:11 PM]
 
Tankist,

Yeah, they are alot of fun aren`t they...

I am not really used to shooting more than a box of .44Mag loads at a time, so I guess that I really am not a RECOIL MASTER NINJA, (lol..) but I do love the "WHABOOOM" and snap of a good full house load! :D

Just gotta LOVE IT !!!

Howard
 
Riverdog:

I believe it is you that needs to do the research. When Gold shots (injections) don't help and you have constant pain only then can you speak with authority. While some drugs help, there is no miracle drug for arthritis.
 
Not Braggin, Just Sayin...

Y'know, looking back I think the worst kicking gun I ever fired was a K-frame .357 with checkered wood grips. The thing torqued up so bad that it broke the skin on the web of my thumb, right where the checkering started, after about 75 rounds. The thing was about as unpleasant to shoot as any gun I've ever handled.
I was only 20 then, and 11 years later I've moved up a lot in the world of recoil. .357 Max, .44 mag, .454, .50, .440.... I've even blown up milk jugs one-handed with the .45-70 barrel in my Contender. I've shot everything but the Linebaugh, and that's next. Sure, range sessions get expensive (the .440 CorBon is about $1.50 a shot with factory ammo), but I love it.
The first handgun I bought was a Beretta 92FS, one of the original "wondernines". After two years I was thoroughly bored with it. Sure it held fifteen rounds and with a few extra clips you could lay siege to a small village, but it was like shooting a .22...just "pop" and it's over.
I love recoil. I like the reactivity of the gun after the trigger is pulled, like motorcycle enthusiasts love the feel of all that power beneath them. It soothes my soul. It's drawn blood, sure, but I love it nonetheless.
And the "gelly gloves" were made by either Pachmayr or Hogue, and I'm leaning toward the former...don't have 'em with me at the moment. Nice thick leather with open fingers, and there's a layer of silicon gel sewn in the web of the thumb, across the top of the palm, and on the second digit of the middle finger -- RIGHT where the trigger guard gets ya.
 
Glucosamine & Chondroitin

These nutritional supplements were discussed at 1911forum.com.

Most who used the formula notice results. I take some every day (I'm 45) to avoid cartilage and soft tissue loss in the joints. As someone noted, exercise or work can also do a lot to beef up the arm and wrist muscles and get the joints used to flexing.

None of these, of course, will reverse the effects of severe or chronic arthritis. Those shooters afflicted with hand or wrist problems that effect their shooting have my sympathy. I don't expect to be able to shoot the mountain gun for fun forever.

Regards to all.
 
I don't know what it is...

... but some guns just get undeservedly evil reps for recoil. My .44 Mag Bisley Vaquero, while not a "snubby", is no heavy-barreled, ported target piece, either. It doesn't bother me to shoot it. It does, however, draw attention at an indoor range...

Several autos with evil reputations, from the 10mm G29 compact and the pocket-sized G33 in .357SIG to the Desert Ego handcannons in the various magnum calibers and .50AE, turned out to be fun, rather than "punishing". Obviously recoil is a very subjective thing.

Ironically, one of the most punishing guns I've ever fired was an old J-frame with the "splinter" stocks and 158gr +P Treasury "Q-loads". There was nothing to hold on to, and it took a good-sized divot out of the knuckle of my "traffic finger"; yet this is a gun often recommended to beginners since a .357 Magnum, .45 Auto, or compact 9mm might "kick too much"...
 
First off, Fat man, I wasn't upset, just pointing out that some of us have REASONS for avoiding the really punishing recoil guns. I still shoot some pretty stiff loads in the M29 and 625, but I pick the days that I shoot those loads a bit more carefully now. Riverdog, I take glucosamine daily, it does help, a little. I think you'll find that it helps with certain types of arthritis more than others. Mine is osteo-arthritis (inherited - it is only going to get worse) and the bone structure itself is going in the joints. Dietary aids for soft tissue don't help much. As far as recoil, obviously the bigger bore guns (heavier bullets at higher velocity) have more total recoil. But felt recoil can be the gun as much as the cartridge. Most unpleasant guns I've ever shot were both chambered in .44 Special (not something I normally consider a heavy hitter in the recoil department). The old Charter Arms Bulldog just flat beat your hand up (and I didn't have arthritis then!). Lately I tried a S&W 296 (Ti .44 Special) and found that about ten rounds was all I really wanted to shoot in the beast. I suspect frame shape and size had as much to do with the problem as cartridge. I know that my .45 Colt and .44 Mag loads produce more actual recoil than those 200 grain .44 Spec. loads did, but they don't bother me nearly as much in my N frames as those pocket (?? is an L frame really "pocket" sized??) guns did.
 
I have small hands and I will not shoot a 4" 29. I do have 41 mags, all 4"ers, and can shoot full power thru them DA though my scores drop from Master to Expert. Far as not trying to "control" and letting it recoil, again, my hands are small. I take a death grip and relax til it quits trembling. I apply bandaids to the web of my hand BEFORE shooting ( blood does such nasty things to bluing ).

As far as "go with the flow", I had one of the first Contender 14" barrels in 35 Rem. in the state. Well, I shot it that winter and spring, and headed for the first shoot of the summer. Weather got a bit warm, and about the fourth shot, when everyone had noticed where the cannon was on the line, a little sweat got between my hand and the smooth stocks. Next thing I know the thing looks like it's coming straight back at my nose, but misses and goes flying past my ear as I manage to grab the barrel just before the front sight. And don't ask me how I snatched it out of the air. I don't know and I never thought it could be done.
 
My father had to give up .357mag SW66 in favor of a USP45 because of arthritis. I, personally, came to view 9/40/45 autoloaders as a reasonable compromise. I have yet to see anyone who can fire heavyly recoiling guns fast and accurately. FWIW, Ragin Bull in 454 was interesting but not pleasant. SW342Ti was outright painful to the point where five rounds of target ammo made my hand numb.

To hell with it! I would rather have a Walther PPK in .32 than in .380 as I know I won't practice enough with the sharp 380 recoil and my accuracy will suffer enuogh to waste the advantage of a stouter round...

Similarly, a 9 Luger gun would be more useful to me than a 45-70 of the same overall size...guess which caliber is more condusive to practice and shot placement!

As for liking recoil...to each his own but I prefer accuracy and hands that don't tremble to that.
 
I don't like flinching.

I too have found that heavy recoil affects accuracy, slows recovery and induces flinching (lots of people flinch and don't know it, all they see are lousy groups). .357 Mags are no problem in a big enough gun such as a 6" Ruger GP-100 and .44 Mags are no problem in a M-29 if you download them to about 240gr/1000fps -- at that point they feel fine. But I really prefer .45 ACP at 230/850 out of a Glock 21 -- nice soft recoil with a good follow-up shot and an okay group. And I don't have arthritis. :)

Bob C. tried to send you an email ... bad address?
 
The best thing to do about recoil is ignore it.

If you do start to notice that it's hurting, change your grip placement, or your gun grips. If that doesn't work, try a different gun.
 
A friend and I took my FA Model 83 454 Casull and two .357 Mags (S&W Model 27-3 and Performance Center 686+ 3" compensated bbl.) to the range last month. The 454, shooting Winchester 300 gr. bullets, has EXTREMELY stout recoil. Without the Pachmyer target grips, the standard form fitting "cowboy" ones allowed the weapon to recoil in an exagerated upward roll slamming the second knuckle of the middle finger of one's shooting hand into the rear of the trigger guard. I have since affixed the Pachmyers to eliminate the problem.

What was so interesting is that one can generally only shoot the 454 comfortably for only about 25 rounds. And that's OK. Once we had our adrenalin thrill with it, we switched to the .357's. What heretofore had been cartridge with what I thought to be substanstial recoil was now like shooting a .22 rimfire! Both of us were slamming the 10 ring with multiple shots. It's almost as if the 454 was a cure for flinching when shooting any lesser caliber. Amazing.
 
its all personal perefence

I think its mostly body and hand size. think about it. Those huge black guys I am sure can handle and conceal DE's but smaller people need smaller guns. I do believe that people can help them selves alot by practising. but there is a limit in there somewhere. I am 6.3 at 140 pounds I am very lanky. Big arms can handle big calibers. I would be very scared to shoot a 45.70 in a pistol at all. there is no sense in making yourself deal with a HUGE Caliber if there is something very close to it with less kick and its big assness does not matter to you. if you look closely at 9mm.40 and 45. you will see that they have the same strenght measurements. take a look at black-hills.com . They all range from 300 to 500 foot pounds to 700 to 1400 fps.
I can get 9mm bullets that go faster and hit harder than 45. I think its alllllll personal perefence. i would rather be skilled in 380 or 9mm than to have a 44 trapped to me that I am hesistant to use. People who say that 9mm is no good for self defense because of over penatration should not use 357 or 44 mag either because they are even faster at the pretty much the same bullet width.
If you are concerned about over penetration you should use a 45 or 38 or sloe 9mm. I dont need a big gun to feel maucho
 
ergonomics plays the biggest role in recoil for me. I shot a couple friends .380's, a jennings and a cz, and both of them hurt me because they did not fit right. I hated to admit that the makaroz we were shooting as well felt a helluvalot better.

going with the flow is probably the best method of recoil comphensation, I remember seing pics of this old shotgun instructor standing on one foot with a benelli 12 gauge in hand and 4-5 shells in the air. Students of his regularly went several hundred rounds of 00 buck in a day with no complaints of bruising or soreness.

As a big ape, I have suffered massive bruising from just a box of .30-30's, shooting how I was taught, stiffening up and pulling the rifle hard into my shoulder.

shooting my snubby .44 was painful at first till I started relaxing and not stiffening up my arm. I found that a stiff arm made the wrist take most of the force, and that hurts. It also seems that certain grip shapes, not just the padding on them, allow the arm to be in a more comfortable position....kinda like using a hammer, if you try an hammer all day when using the index and middle finger, or top of the hand as the main point of contact, or grip, it hurts more sooner, than if you grip mostly with the bottom half of your hand....More and bigger muscles are actuated by gripping more with the bottom of your hand than the top..don't ask my why. (take a movesmart class, I had to for the railroad).

For the arthritis guys, I have it too...what I like is them hot wax things they sell at wallyworld. melts the wax and you dip your hands in it, feels freaking awesome and loosens things up well. That and motrin.
 
Uh, I don't think a person's color will affect how he handles recoil big daddy 9mm :barf: and I've seen smaller people handle heavy recoil very well while larger guys didn't like it. Its a matter of personal preference and other, physical factors. Think about that some night when you have some free time in your cave. :D
 
I had a buddy who wanted a ported barrel for his beretta 92 because the recoil was too much for him....it was hard to keep laughing when he complained about it. Normally I say shoot a bigger gun for a while then go back to your carry weapon, it should feel lighter then.
 
I agree with yekimak, that ergonomics make all of the difference. I refuse to even shoot a 1911 that doesn't have a beavertail. Cuts up the web of my hand every time. And yet I've fired many thousands of rounds from 1911s that have been modified or come from the factory with a suitable (for me) grip.

I own and shoot regularly two M500s, so handgun recoil isn't a problem for me, the arms, wrists and elbows serve as superb shock-absorbers. Heavy recoiling rifles are another matter. I don't like being punched in the shoulder or the side of the face, so I've given up and sold my hard kicking rifles. No point in doing something you don't enjoy, right?
 
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