Recoil Limit

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Thirty-five years ago I was lucky (unlucky?) enough to have the opportunity to fire a 4 bore rifle. 385 grains of 1F pushing a 2000 gr conical bullet. It had 240 ft-lbs of recoil. That's way past my limit today. I did fire it once more, months later, after my broken collarbone healed because I wasn't holding it right the first time.

Never again.
 
A 2 or 2 1/4 oz turkey load in a 8 lb 12 ga is about all that I want. A 338 with 250 gr hot loads or a 300 RUM with 200gr are not a lot of fun off of the bench either. I'll shoot them, but I don't like it.
 
Havent found it yet in a long gun, but then I havent shot as many guns as most. 1oz magnum slugs out of a 18" 6lb pump is fun. 30-06 is the largest caliber rifle I've shot and I didnt really see much difference than my .308, neither of which are as "punchy" as the above mentioned 12g.

As for handguns I've mentioned this before, a buddy once let me shoot his BA derringer with .410 slugs. We had a paper target stapled to a 4x4' piece of plywood. Shot it one time, didnt even hit the plywood and handed it back.
 
I’ve been shooting Steel Challenge and a Defensive League and it’s really changed my thinking about recoil and what I can handle and what kind of gun I shoot.

Previously, I could be accurate with basically any platform I tried and any of the normal calibers I shot. Of course, this would be at an inside range, shooting at a single stationary target, no faster than one shot per second and not starting from a holstered gun with a shot timer.

The two games I now play introduced high speed, multiple targets with a need for accuracy and in some instances movement into the equation. Kinda like real life, I suppose.

I’ve migrated to guns that absorb recoil better (heavier) and a single caliber in any new purchases. I use a 105 gr 9mm bullet for competition and a 147 gr for CCW and home defense. I’m investing in good holsters to improve comfort for iwb and owb with heavier guns and I no longer pocket carry.

Lightest (and smallest) 2 guns I carry these days are a P320 X Carry with a slightly worked trigger and a Staccato (STI) C Duo.
 
I had a 30/06 and a .50 muzzleloader didn't like the recoil, a .223 AR is fine. (I don't like hard kicking rifles)
I have a 12 GA Mossberg 590 - don't like shooting it very much, 20 GA Shockwave is fine, .410 GA Shockwave is fun.
I had a 44 MAG revolver did not like the blast or recoil, 38 snub aint enjoyable to shoot, neither was LCP380.

My normal EDC is either a Glock 23, 21SF, 20SF, or 35 - I do not regard any of them as producing excessive recoil, they are easy to shoot quick & accurate.

^ Subjective ^

Objective: Using 1911's to compare.
A 45 acp Golden Saber 185 +P in a full size 1911 is tolerable, about what amount of recoil is that?
10mm Handload 180 Nosler @ 1,228 fps / 603# KE - recoil energy 9.2 - PF 221
10mm Handload Nosler 150 JHP @ 1,402 fps / 655# KE - recoil energy 9.4 - PF 210
45 acp Winchester 230 Ranger T @ 915 fps / 428# KE - recoil energy 8.2 - PF 210
45 acp Remington Golden Saber 185 +P @ 1,157 fps / 550# KE - recoil energy 9.0 - PF 214

Subjectively the Glock 20SF has less felt recoil than a 10mm 1911, although a calculation might say otherwise. ;)
 
I used to bench shoot Remington 3.5" magnum 00bk from my h&r single shot. I don't anymore because a buddy wanted the gun more than I did. I also wanted his lightly sporterized enfield that he never used.
 
45-70 in a Trapdoor is an all-day load. Wouldn't touch one of them little lever guns. My 308 and 06 are fine, could shoot either all day. NO desire to try anything stouter.
My .50 cal muzzleloader is fine with 140 grains, off hand. Misery at most loads from the bench. My .62 is becoming relegated to elk season prep only, no more matches with that one. I am dreaming of a .40, with 40 grain loads....maybe a .36.
Nothing left to prove. At least that I can survive...
As to handguns, my 357 is a doll with anything I have shot out of it. 1911 is another all-day gun, except is costs too much to shoot all day. I usually carry a 9mm, just because I get over 2X the bangs out of a mag in it than the 1911.
I had a SW Airweight 38+P. Horrible - the cylinder release did a great job of abrading the skin off my thumb. Not as much a recoil issue as plain pain and blood (blood gets attention at the range, believe me). It went straight across for it's cousin made by Ruger. But no way would I want a 357 in a little revolver.
 
Haven't found my limit yet, but 20 rounds through a 450 Bushmaster AR had me looking for a better butt stock pad.....

Haven't shot anything more powerful than that or a Mosin, however. Never encountered a 45-70, 300 Win Mag, or other more-recoil inducing legends.

(Shotguns don't count, right?)
 
I am ok with .308/ ,30-06 levels of recoil. I have no real desire to shoot anything above that for a prolong time.
 
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