Which kicks harder, 45-70 or shotgun shooting slugs?

[1911Tuner]

It depends.

How heavy is the rifle and how heavy is the shotgun?

What is the velocity of the projectiles?

What is the mass of each projectile?

What is the powder charge in each cartridge?

Is the 45-70 loaded with 70 grains of black powder or 40 grains of smokeless? If so, you have to add the mass of the powder charge to the mass of the bullet. If the bullet's weight is 420 grains, and the powder charge weighs 70 grains...that's almost 15% of the total mass, while the smokeless charge is less than 10% of the total.

What about the stock design? All else being equal, stocks with a lot of drop make recoil hurt more, giving the impression that it's more severe. If the stock directs it more straight back, it moves you further than the other one...again, all else equal.

 

[Maverick223]

Is the 45-70 loaded with 70 grains of black powder or 40 grains of smokeless? If so, you have to add the mass of the powder charge to the mass of the bullet. If the bullet's weight is 420 grains, and the powder charge weighs 70 grains...that's almost 15% of the total mass, while the smokeless charge is less than 10% of the total.

Good explanation, I have often wondered why the powder charge makes a difference in the recoil...that explains the phenomena very well...it also has mass. Thanks for the lesson.

 

[chute2thrill]

Recoil pads... My buddy has an old mossberg without one and slugs hurt... Another buddy has an 870 with one and its much more manageable... That little cushion goes a long ways...

 

[Newton]

After fitting a Remington Super Cell recoil pad to my 870, recoil is no longer an issue.

 

[scythefwd]

1911tuner,
The rifle will be about 8.5 lbs without scope and with bull barrel. I'm guessing standard factory loads, which are mentioned earlier. The shotgun is 7.5 lbs with the velocities mentioned earlier.

The shotgun doesn't have a buttpad, but I don't think it needs it. The rifle does have a pretty good pad... nice and squishy.

 

[H2O MAN]

I can't wait to find out...

My old HK/Benelli M1 S90 has a nice recoil pad and it still kicks like a mule with magnum loads, 00 and slugs are less violent.

My .45-70 Guide Gun has a real nice aftermarket recoil pad installed and it wil be a little heavier than your average Marlin GG.
I have several boxes of Hornady 45-70 Govt 325gr Leverevolution just waiting to be fired

 

[Maverick223]

My .45-70 Guide Gun has a real nice aftermarket recoil pad installed and it wil be a little heavier than your average Marlin GG.
I have several boxes of Hornady 45-70 Govt 325gr Leverevolution just waiting to be fired

Whatcha waiting for...get to blastin', a good ole .45-70 is a blast to shoot.

 

[H2O MAN]

My Marlin has not returned from Clements yet... I should have it in a week or two though...

 

[highlander 5]

My experience is with rifle/shotgun of equal weight and factory ammo the recoil is near the same,but with the upper end loads of 45/70 in a 7-8 lb rifle your in for some serious pounding. The Lyman reloading manual has a formula to compute recoil and the 45/70 with upper end loads recoil is in the 50-60 ft lbs of recoil assuming an 7.5 lb rifle. The only rifle I've found to tame such recoil is my Sharps Long Range Express and it weighs in at 13+ pounds. I've fired a Ruger No 1 in 45/70 with heavy loads (500 gr bullet at 1800 fps) and a No 1 in 375 H&H and the recoil was about the same and the 375 was heavier by at least a pound.