is it just me? why all the "magnum" rifles with very low round count.

[Spitpatch]

So what I'm getting is that magnum is just a marketing tactic, it doesn't necessarily mean something specific.

Correct. It implies more "power" than a "standard" cartridge. But, in the case of the .256 Winchester Magnum (our little buddy in the lineup photo third from the left), he inherited his last name from his Dad: (The .357 Magnum).

Rather than being pretentious, the little .256 Winchester Magnum came by the designation honestly.

 

[VanceInWA]

Don't want to jump in just for the sake of being a contrarian, but in all honesty I find the larger caliber rifles pretty fun to shoot, even exciting. Granted, I keep 'em down to 20 or fewer firings at the range (which is a clue for the OP). The 338 WM is a wonderful round, but the 375 Ruger and 416 RM are also faves. I guess the 358 Win also gets classed as large caliber (since caliber refers to barrel diameter), but its recoil makes it a comparative pussycat, and very, very fun to shoot with a Browning BLR 81.

 

[Martini_Up]

agreed, the big-bore magnums aren't for everyone. I have a .338 win that I am considering selling because the ol shoulder just can't take it these days

Just ask your Dr. to do the same thing with your worn out shoulders as he did your knees.

 

[PORSCHE928S4]

I have a 338wm that recoils like a 308 but only zeroed it and check it every year before hunting season . I see no need to waste ammo that is hard to find now .

 

[Mikej]

Just ask your Dr. to do the same thing with your worn out shoulders as he did your knees.

Ahhh, if only.....

 

[bionic knees]

my .338 Win sits most of the time now, my shoulder just won't take the pounding. even the recoil from my .270 short mag isn't a lot of fun. I find myself drawn to the .308 and .257 Bob more and more. if things go as planned I will be getting a full shoulder replacement next fall, we will see what the future brings. I am not ready to sell either of the mags just yet.

 

[bionic knees]

I have a 338wm that recoils like a 308 but only zeroed it and check it every year before hunting season . I see no need to waste ammo that is hard to find now .

how much does your .338 weigh? I have both and there is no comparison.

 

[tac]

If your like so-called magnum cartridges, then take a minute or so to research the old English term for what we'd now call a Magnum cartridge - the words are Nitro Express. Back in the days of black powder double rifles, used primarily in Africa and India, an upgraded cartridge in black powder would be called a Black Powder Express, like the one I'm shooting here. The normal load for that is a 500gr bullet on top of 150gr of fine black powder.

This babied-down reload is still pushing out that 500gr bullet at a tad over 1650 fps.

After the invention of nitro propellants in the early 1890s, and their introduction into game cartridges, the term became converted to Nitro Express, with cartridges up to the mighty Holland & Holland .600 NE becoming commonplace. Well, commonplace if you could afford the cost - a best gun from any of the British makers, most of whom are still going strong, would cost you the equivalent of at least $75K these days for a cooking/no-frills basic piece.

 

[Member 34319]

3" magnum SBS for sale, low round count.

 

[3MTA3]

If your like so-called magnum cartridges, then take a minute or so to research the old English term for what we'd now call a Magnum cartridge - the words are Nitro Express. Back in the days of black powder double rifles, used primarily in Africa and India, an upgraded cartridge in black powder would be called a Black Powder Express, like the one I'm shooting here. The normal load for that is a 500gr bullet on top of 150gr of fine black powder.

This babied-down reload is still pushing out that 500gr bullet at a tad over 1650 fps.

After the invention of nitro propellants in the early 1890s, and their introduction into game cartridges, the term became converted to Nitro Express, with cartridges up to the mighty Holland & Holland .600 NE becoming commonplace. Well, commonplace if you could afford the cost - a best gun from any of the British makers, most of whom are still going strong, would cost you the equivalent of at least $75K these days for a cooking/no-frills basic piece.

Any day I learn something new is a good day. Thank you for making today one of those.

 

[Mikej]

If your like so-called magnum cartridges, then take a minute or so to research the old English term for what we'd now call a Magnum cartridge - the words are Nitro Express. Back in the days of black powder double rifles, used primarily in Africa and India, an upgraded cartridge in black powder would be called a Black Powder Express, like the one I'm shooting here. The normal load for that is a 500gr bullet on top of 150gr of fine black powder.

This babied-down reload is still pushing out that 500gr bullet at a tad over 1650 fps.

After the invention of nitro propellants in the early 1890s, and their introduction into game cartridges, the term became converted to Nitro Express, with cartridges up to the mighty Holland & Holland .600 NE becoming commonplace. Well, commonplace if you could afford the cost - a best gun from any of the British makers, most of whom are still going strong, would cost you the equivalent of at least $75K these days for a cooking/no-frills basic piece.

In the second vid. The slow motion part. I like the delay between lightin' that puppy up and the slo-mo visual of the shooters shoulder dislocating. Mmm.

 

[Catfishmoon]

I personally am not a fan of very-significant recoiling firearms (rifle or pistol), but it does appear people react very differently to recoil... I watch most Hickock45 videos (he is probably about 70 years old currently) he seems to be comfortable and accurate with large caliber rifles and even large caliber, small frame, pistols....

 

[tac]

Try THIS baby out -

Yours for $350K.

 

[tac]

I personally am not a fan of very-significant recoiling firearms (rifle or pistol), but it does appear people react very differently to recoil... I watch most Hickock45 videos (he is probably about 70 years old currently) he seems to be comfortable and accurate with large caliber rifles and even large caliber, small frame, pistols....

You DO know that Hickock45 is 6ft 8in tall, don't you? He can hold a basketball in each hand without any problem.

 

[PORSCHE928S4]

how much does your .338 weigh? I have both and there is no comparison.

I will have to put it on a scale it is a Tikka T3 with 24in barrel added a Sako muzzle brake and a B&C stock has DNZ rings and a Swarovski Z5 on it .I am coming up with 7.5 lbs

 

[Catfishmoon]

You DO know that Hickock45 is 6ft 8in tall, don't you? He can hold a basketball in each hand without any problem.

I do know that (the 6'8" part).. I am younger, probably 5" shorter and 40# heavier than Hickok45, doesn't mean I enjoy or accurately shoot "magnum" firearms.
While basic physics indicates that a large frame person can absorb more recoil than a smaller framed individual, there is more too it than that.
I think a correlation would be in boxing where some fighters are better able to absorb punches without falling down, some are actually renowned for the ability, "an iron-chin".

 

[kmk1012]

Magnum rifles are more fun to shoot off hand than prone or off of a bench! That's why I love magnum revolvers

 

[gmerkt]

My brief romance with a heftier cartridge was with a .300 Win Mag. I got a "deal" on it. It was an older Win. Model 70, circa 1970-something. skinned up a bit but very sound. Bore like new, as you might imagine. I already had a similar rifle in .308 Win, even same vintage, same black foretip on the stock. Neither of these rifles were built with a recoil pad, nor had they been added. I bought a box of factory ammo, next time I went to the range, I fired it off to the tune of four (4) shots. I was done. The last shot, I thought the rifle was going to leap out of my hands. After that, I quickly found a new home for it. The .308 is still here. I've had surgery having to do with my right clavicle, my tolerance for heavy recoil has never been the same since.

I should add, when I fired the .300 Win Mag, that little black foretip on the nose of the stock backed out on the two dowels that are supposed to hold it in place.

 

[Ura-Ki]

I find recoil to be highly subjective! Some rifles you would assume are going to hit you hard, and they don't, where others wouldn't seem all that bad, and they are terrible! I had a .30/06 that kicked worse then any magnum I had ever shot, the stock looked purty but obviously exacerbated felt recoil, we all know that cartridge kicks, but it's not all that bad! Meanwhile, my .375 Magnum which kicks like a mule ain't nearly as bad as you would think, despite its 55 pounds of recoil energy! The stock on that one is a nice shape and the recoil pad is thick! Believe it or not, the nastiest one is the .500 Jeffrey, but it's not so much the recoil as the stored energy converted to velocity, think of it as a very hard shove rather then a punch, it still rocks you back on your heels, but doesn't dent your shoulder, it's quite fun to shoot, and puts smiles on the faces of everyone who puts on their man pants and gives it a try! My Ruger Hawkeye's in .338 Win Mag are almost the exact same felt recoil as the same rifle in .30/06, just louder due to the porting which is a joke, it's like having a loudner on the muzzle, it does nothing for recoil! My New Mauser 7 mm Mag is a whole nother animal, recoil is fierce, but manageable, that's one that I need to spend more time working on, I carved my own stock based on a proven design of my own that I have used before, and it should attenuate felt recoil better, but for some reason, the big 7 has a whole different kind of thump, so I need to play around with recoil pads or add a brake to it, which I would rather not do!

 

[bionic knees]

I will have to put it on a scale it is a Tikka T3 with 24in barrel added a Sako muzzle brake and a B&C stock has DNZ rings and a Swarovski Z5 on it .I am coming up with 7.5 lbsView attachment 1208367

maybe it is the brake that makes the difference?? I just weighed mine, it came in at 8.8 lbs. Ruger 77 wood stock tang safety Leupold 3-9x40 recoil pad looks similar.