What's your recoil limit???

[jyo]

Well, after years of shooting heavy .44 mag loads, I moved up to the .454 Casull in a 6" FA revolver---a whole new learning experience with full-power FA factory ammo (not just pulling the trigger, but actually hitting your target all the time)---then one of my customers (I managed a gun store at the time) purchased a FA .454 "US Marshalls" model with a 3" barrel and no ejector rod housing---he said he couldn't hit nothing with this gun and we went to the range so I could try it. I loaded up 5 rds of 260 grain FA factory ammo and fired at a target 10 yards away (off-hand, Weaver)---well, each shot was an "event" in such a short barrel, light gun. Still, all the practice carried me thru---a nice tight 1 1/2" group, right at point of aim. He handed me another 5 rds and said "Do that again!" I handed the ammo back to him and said "Thats it, I really don't want to shoot that little beast again." I had enough! Thats my recoil story.

 

[Pyro]

Shooting 3 inch magnum slugs out of my old H&R Topper before I had any type of rubber recoil pad on it. Wow, after every shot I had to sit down for a break. That thing would rock my world and you could never hit the target with it, even shooting at the bench. All in all fun though, shoots much more accurately with regular 2 3/4 slugs.
Eventually those rounds caused the metal to weaken around the foregrip retention spring and now when you shoot anything higher then birdshot the foregrip falls off into the dirt. Nothin a little duct tape can't fix.

 

[Prosser]

There is a point where heavy recoil can cause nerve damage that NEVER goes away. I pray none of you ever find out what that is. Recoil wise, it's around 40-50 ft lbs, with a recoil velocity of 30-60 fps.

 

[Pete D.]

Took me to page five of this thread to realize that it was started four years ago. Too much turkey, I guess.
"on a regular basis".....that is pretty subjective...and limits me to the guns that I own. I shoot a Ruger .44 SBH fairly regularly and have no problems shooting through a box of cartridges.
Now....I have single shots - a Contender and an Encore - in .45/70 and .500 S&W respectively. Those are both thoroughly unpleasant to shoot. I've gotten used to the .45/70 but the 500 (600 grain bullets at 1300fps) remains in the "not fun" category.
Pete
PS - There was an earlier comment about Howdah pistols.....20 ga, SXS, BP.

"Howdah" pistols which were invented by English hunters for lion hunting!

Not lions, tigers. A "howdah" is the basket that rides upon an elephant's back in India. The howdah pistol was invented as a last ditch defense for tiger hunters riding the elephant in the event that the tiger decided to climb up the elephant and share the howdah with the hunters. Maybe have lunch with them.
P

 

[jad0110]

Long arm: My dad's 12 ga 20" side x side coach gun. After a couple of shots from the shoulder I can take no more. We both mostly shoot it from the hip, and it is amazingly pointable from that position.

Handgun: Don't know for sure, I've not found my limit. The heaviest kicking handguns I've shot are a 2.5" S&W Model 66 .357, a 2.25" Ruger SP101 and a Ruger Redhawk 5.5" .44 Mag. I assume for me the upper limit would be a J Frame .357 (steel) or a .454 in a 5"+ barrel length. I don't care to try out a flyweight magnum or .500 to find out.

 

[Carl N. Brown]

For the modern and vintage military pistol matches, I can handle sixty rounds for score of .45 ACP or 7.62x25mm.

I did fire a .500 S&W revolver that belonged to friend of my son; I stopped after 3 rounds: although I had hit a basketball sized rock at 60 yards, I knew I lacked the nerve to try a fourth shot. In fact the 3rd shot was trying.

So my limit is somewere between 60 rounds of .45ACP and two rounds of .500S&W.

 

[Redneck with a 40]

If the revolver is ported, I'd shoot a 44 magnum. Otherwise, full house 357 mag is plenty for me, especially in a non ported revolver.

10mm is the stiffest semi-auto round I want to deal with.

 

[FIVETWOSEVEN]

I like 9mm, I like .45, I do not like .40 S&W. I'll still shoot .40 and anything else you hand me unless its just plain unsafe.

 

[Tony50ae]

For me about 40 rounds of 50ae through my desert eagle is enough! I could shoot more but by then the flinching starts.

 

[Greg Mercurio]

Unknown at this point. I shoot a Super Blackhawk with full power loads regularly and played with various grips until I understood why Ruger designed them the way they did. If you allow the pistol to roll up in recoil, felt recoil is much less than the rubber or target grips that made it more of an event. With factory grips, it's easy to shoot all day, one handed and let it ride. I don't recommend 2 handing as it changes the way the gun recoils and makes it less comfortable to shoot.

I also shoot a TC in calibers from .223 up to .375 JDJ without issue although I do limit exposure to around 20 cannon sized rounds per session. The mid range calibers like .30 and .357 Herrett are no issue at all. Custom grips help a lot here. Recoil is stout with the larger calibers, muzzle flip and rotation is far less than you would assume. The .375 JDJ barks, bites and really gets your attention.

 

[Clark]

in May 2000, I was shooting 460 Rowland loads 185 gr in a 20 ounce Patriot P45 [now Cobra], with stock springs.

I got a flinch of punching my shooting shoulder forward with each shot.

I had the same shoulder push on any pistol.

I made a 42 pound triple recoil spring assembly, and the flinch went away.

 

[Rockette]

.357 Magnum from a Ruger SP101 in the 2-inch barrel is just about my limit for comfort. I can place shots accurately with that, but follow up shots aren't as quick.

 

[CTI1USNRET]

The worst recoil I ever experienced from a long gun was an H&R Pardner 12GA, shooting turkey loads.

It's funny though, that no pistols, not even full power 500 S&W, have ever bothered me.

I shoot my Vaquero 45 Colt loaded to 44 Mag power all day long. It's fun. (but I do get a sore social finger)

 

[Stevie-Ray]

Right now, a Glock 29 with Double Tap loads is about it for me. I have a Ruger Redhawk and it was never bad, but I just don't shoot it anymore. Just don't care for revolvers. Also have a T/C Contender in .45-70, fully Magnaported, that just plain hurts. I haven't shot it for a lot of years and don't really plan to.

Long guns, my new 12 ga shotgun will be a handful.

 

[atlanticfire]

I have a 500 and love my full house loads, but for a comfy long day at the range my long 629 (44) is about the max. If i want to shoot all day I use the 45lc.

 

[roguesam]

Full power loads in a 4", .44 Magnum Mountain Gun was enough for me about 10 years ago. Since then, I have acquired a Magnum Research BFR in 45/70, with a 7.5" barrel. Not trying to sound macho, but it really is not uncomfortable with even Buffalo Bore 350 grain rounds. More push & roll, than sharp recoil. Also picked up a new S&W 2.65" 627PC, and full house load range sessions are pretty routine. Glad to have the big, N frame for taming that recoil, an Airlite would seem scary!

 

[mooner]

The heaviest recoiling gun I have shot is my S&W 442. After 50 rounds I decide I have had enough. I would be very interested to see how this compares with a 44mag in a full sized gun.

 

[Quaamik]

Recoil tolerance is more of a state of mind in most cases.

I used to have no problem with heavy .45 colt loads, .44 magnum, .45 win mag and .50 AE. I only shot the heavy .45 Colt with regularity though, as I didn't own the others.

Then I bought a used .45 win mag. The first time to the range the sear failed and the slide hit me in the mouth as the gun came back (luckily there were only two rounds left in it when the sear failed). After a trip the gunsmith I got it back and went to the range again. After the second magazine when a left the slide close on the empty chamber after firing, the hammer folowed.

Now that it has been fixed I cannot shoot it without flinching. It's like I'm waiting for it to go full auto again. And it affects me the same even when i only load one at a time.

 

[rhodco]

I don't really understand the purpose for hand cannons. I would subject my arm to the punishment if my life depended on it, but practice would be costly and miserable for me. I would much rather have a weapon that I can be accurate and proficient with. The only way that will happen is through training and practice. Knowing myself, I won't practice with something that hurts to shoot.

Seems to me like using a sledge hammer to drive nails.

 

[Nushif]

After shooting a bit more, I think I've kinda settled on the 9mm being my favorite round from pretty much anything I've shot it from. this included my 92D, my Kahr E9 and my Taurus 905. I can pretty much comfortably shoot 9mm all day.
The 10mm is a bit of a different story, though. I recently put 100 rounds of that down into paper in one sitting and while fun it was akin to the "fun" in a hard workout. but after a while one gets used to stuff like that, so I think my limit really is something on par with the 10mm.
While liking the bigger revolvers, they don't give me the same fun factor as a large semi-auto. For instance the .45 Colt is nowhere near as fun as the 10mm, while feeling kind of similar. To me the feeling of a slide slamming back is a bit more pleasant than the "snap" of a revolver.

 

[OrangePwrx9]

Oh, great a Lazarus thread! Gotta get on it.

44 Mag. is pretty comfortable for me, but not something I enjoy shooting regularly. A little practice and they're going where I want. I normally shoot 240s over as much W296 as the book allows.

The upper limit, among what I own anyhow, is a Super 14 TC Contender chambered in .35 Rem. Normally that's loaded with a 200 gr. Hornady RN and enough H322 to give around 2150 fps. 5 rounds from that thing is all the fun I can stand. I can't shoot it accurately offhand, but do pretty good from a rest....with practice. Took several deer with it out to 100 yards but rarely shoot it anymore. The .35 Rem. is an ideal deer caliber out to 150 yds. or so, but I wouldn't trust my aim in the Contender beyond 100.

Dunno how guys shoot those .45-70 Contenders.
Bob

 

[cobblestone]

RPG's....


Or 460 sw, Sustained shooting 357.

 

[BlindJustice]

To put this in context I'm approaching 60 and have not a bit of interest
firing a model 29 though I had no problem with a .44 mag 30+
years ago.

Still carry a 1911 .45 ACP - Range sessions with the 625 5" bbl.
and 617 is a warm up for the bigger N-frame.

WIth the MOdel 60 3" Bbl. 357 Mag - I'll fire 50 or more
rounds of .38 Special but the small J-frame even though it's
all stainless steel - one cylinder full of .357 Mag full house
loads and that's all for the day with .357 Mag

CZ 75B in 9mm Luger no problem just bang away til I'm out
of ammo.

R-
=

 

[minutemen1776]

Like many, my favorite round is 9mm Luger, as its recoil has never been a problem for me. I can also shoot .40 S&W and .45 ACP without complaint. Mid-sized .357 Magnum DA revolvers (e.g. S&W Model 65 or Ruger Security-Six) push my recoil limit when full-power loads are used. I also once had a .44 Magnum Super Blackhawk, and its recoil was just too much to shoot with any comfort or accuracy. I think I'm going to try a .357 in a Blackhawk next. For my own recoil tolerance level, that may be a good combination. We'll see.

 

[Kristensdaddy]

I shoot mostly light 38 spl so when I move up I know it. I can take about a box of 44mags. I have a T/C encore pistol in .270 win. maybe because of the weight of the gun or shooting it from sandbags, it really is better than the 44mag.