Manage heavy recoil in revolvers

[41mag]

over the decades my fondness for the sublime nuances of revolver performance has led me away from those loads/calibers that augment my flinch response and other poor accuracy factors;

I shot 308FL IHMSA for years with no regard for recoil, and the stoutest 44 mags as well.
Gradually I discovered different and more satisfying if not wimpier load recipes.

Recently at a bowling pin match someone brought their S&W 500 to the line. 5 pins, 18 shots. Zero hits at 45 feet. Don't know what the point was. It was brutal just watching.

 

[Joe13]

over the decades my fondness for the sublime nuances of revolver performance has led me away from those loads/calibers that augment my flinch response and other poor accuracy factors;

I shot 308FL IHMSA for years with no regard for recoil, and the stoutest 44 mags as well.
Gradually I discovered different and more satisfying if not wimpier load recipes.

Recently at a bowling pin match someone brought their S&W 500 to the line. 5 pins, 18 shots. Zero hits at 45 feet. Don't know what the point was. It was brutal just watching.

That's funny right there!

Agreed, while I enjoyed the hot .357 rounds it was just as fun shooting .38sp.

 

[crstrode]

Years ago I used a .458 Winchester Magnum to shoot in IHMSA silhouette unlimited pistol competition. Yup - this was a 14-inch pistol.

I never made it halfway through through a round of steel chickens before the flinching began. The 458 belonged to a friend and world-class IMHSA shooter by the name of Bill Bartram. He would break out the big guy and after a shot or two jaws would drop all the way down the line. Only youngsters like me had the vinegar and lack of brains to shoot the damn thing.

The only silhouette pistol trophies I ever took home were with a T/C Contender in 30-30.

Some shooters cannot be tamed - even a .454 pea-shooter.

 

[The Heretic]

over the decades my fondness for the sublime nuances of revolver performance has led me away from those loads/calibers that augment my flinch response and other poor accuracy factors;

I shot 308FL IHMSA for years with no regard for recoil, and the stoutest 44 mags as well.
Gradually I discovered different and more satisfying if not wimpier load recipes.

Recently at a bowling pin match someone brought their S&W 500 to the line. 5 pins, 18 shots. Zero hits at 45 feet. Don't know what the point was. It was brutal just watching.

Now there is an idea; maybe I will take up pin shooting again with the .460V

With a stout .45 LC or moderate .454 Mag load, it would be quite controllable between the comp and the weight.

 

[thorborg]

I shoot 45-70 regularly. I bought this gun new before they were even in the stores and have put hundreds of rounds into paper.
Primarily 300 gr in hot hand loads.
First, I wasn't thrilled with the factory rubber grip as I couldn't get my pinky on it. I made a series of wood grips that were larger and longer starting out without, then with, finger groves.
Decided I was trying to maintain too much control so lightened up and let er roll. That worked great but hard to maintain grip. Third gen; cowboy plough style with the heel flared made it easy to maintain grip. The roll, or flip, while obviously adding to sight picture loss time, it in return, enhanced the single action as it put the hammer spur lower to get a quick thumb on to cock so I figure it came out a wash in time.
(Big caliber revolvers are not in my opine, fast action combat guns)
I then enhanced it with a leather front strap strip for extra grip and stop the finger guard cuts. Then a leather back strap strip with a knob at the top for the thumb crotch which cushions, adds grip, and positions the grip at the right spot for effective roll and stops upward slip.
Even a 140 pound woman friend shoots it without issue albeit her muzzle flip is a little higher (nearly straight up) than mine. Nonetheless without flinch or pain.
Now 405 gr mild loads, were too much for me, if more than a 1/2 dozen, and no more than a couple hot.
Unfortunately,I acquired a large batch of laser cast 405 gr I wanted to use up so I sent it in to Magnaport to have a screw on applied. I was impressed. Now the 405 gr hot loads shoot like the 300 gr hot loads.
My recommendations; let it roll some, play with grip shape to fit your hands. Magna port.
Oh, and the red dot beats the Leupold hand gun scope I had on it hands down for me. Some day I'll get around to shortening the rail.

 

[pinne65]

Back from three outings at the range and I'm happy to report that adding more muscle as well as using a glove seems to be helping.

 

[Silver Hand]

I never read The entire post.

If you are shooting a 454 consecrate on the first shot, after all what ever is after you it is now dead or this is a very bad dream.

MAKE THE FIRST SHOUT COUNT And then remember where the second shot usually goes.
What ever it is, after either one of these spent rounds
should you take the time to remember where they hit you have no worries.
Silver Hand

 

[Lilhigbee]

Thorburg I too like my BFR in.45-70. I haven't modified it, just shot it. usually loads between Trapdoor and Lever-action levels. Shot bowling pins with it a couple of times. Five pins in four shots once!! I guess it scared one of the pins off the table. Most pleasurable shooting is 100 yards off bags. Really surprises people how accurate it is.
I guess it is the hotrodder in me that likes rifle-caliber handguns. Handgun caliber rifle?? Meh!!

 

[HB of CJ]

Pachmar (sp?) hard black rubber grips. Old Charter Arms Bulldog .44 Special. About 26 ounces with 200 grain Silvertips. The wrap around grips helped greatly. Felt recoil to me one handed is about the same as the S&W 629 Mountain Gun in .44 mag.

After a 200 round handgun training refresher course, I switch to my SA XD T .45 auto. About 39 ounces loaded. About one half the perceived recoil. Ouch. Bruised hands are fun I guess. One big bruise for 4 days. Both hands sore for a week.