What is harder on the body, rifle or pistol recoil?

[Brian Pfleuger]

With that rifle, You have a softer buttplate guiding the force over a much larger area and through padding on your shoulder that doesn't exist on the back of the hand.

The other side of that argument is that when you shoot a handgun you've got several "hinge" points/pivots that can and do move but when you shoot a rifle you are essentially just taking that shock into a (relatively) immobile part of your body.

When I shoot my Encore, my wrists, elbows and shoulders all move. When I shoot a 12ga, I just get kicked in the shoulder.

Apple to apples....

I have an Encore Pro Hunter 15", stainless, chambered in 7mm-08 and topped with a Burris scope. Total package weighs in around 7.5lbs. My uncle has a Browning X-bolt also chambered in 7mm-08 and topped with a Sightron SII Big Sky scope, which weighs in at a nearly identical 7.5lbs. I have, more than once, shot the exact same ammo from those 2 guns on the same day. Both factory and handloads.

I, personally, would MUCH rather shoot my Encore.

 

[briandg]

True, brian, it isn't spread about your shoulder like it would if you had a sand bag over it, but it still is spread out some, and if you're holding well, it's not directly whacking into bone or tender structures. I have had my shoulder repaired a couple times, and seriously, i don't get shooting pain most of the time, just an ache if I fire my twelve gauge. the thing that hurts me is moving it.

When I fire something bigger, it gives me a headache because of the jolt to the neck.

I agree with some of the other posters as well that the plan should be to retire the heavy hitters to only occasional use and move down to lower recoil. Especially if there is some sign of problems already.

 

[Brian Pfleuger]

I have that same problem. My shoulder will ache for 2 days and I get an instant headache. Never bothered me when I shot at a deer but sure did sighting the damn thing in.
Every time I shoot my .243 I remember that God forsaken 12ga and am so glad I don't have to use it ever again.

 

[mete]

Oysterboy has it ! with bent elbows the recoil will bend them more -acting as shock absorbers ! And if the gun moves in your hands each shot will have a different point of impact !!
Pistols -save the wrists. Heavy recoil with heavy rifle cann get you eye problems , neck problems ,shoulder problems .
Do you really need heavy recoil ? There are many who hunt all the African animals with a 375H&H rather than a 600 nitro !!
There are many who hunt deer or larger with a 44mag with hard cast SWCs -no expansion needed , and max or less velocity is all that's needed. Forget the 500S&W.