Taming Heavy Recoiling Firearms?

[Camohunter]

Didn't read through all the pages of replies but a good recoil pad helped me shoot longer and be more comfortable.
My old Rem 721 in 300 H&H had a really old pad on it that was hard as a rock. A new quality recoil pad made a big difference and I can shoot many more times now with no discomfort.

 

[Tlock]

My $.02

After reading six pages about recoil complaints, I feel some odd reason to chime in.
I have never been bothered by recoil. I have to assume I'm just lucky. I weigh about 190 pounds.

One of my favorite shooters is my Remington 700 - 5R - Gen2 - 300WM. I have been known to blow through 150 rounds in a session with no ill effects. I usually handload 220 grain NCC's because I like the high BC. And at age 70, I not a strong as when I was young.

I shoot 300 grains out of my Christianson Longe Range Mesa 338LM. With the factory brake, I don't really notice the recoil.

My hunting rifle is a custom lightweight 30-06 with no brake. I can shoot it all day long. No problem.

I did shoot a 300 Weatherby once. A hunting rifle with No brake and a steel but plate. That was not pleasant.

The second picture is a Remington 700 - 223 with a Tupperware stock that I bedded & floated from front to rear. It started as a 4 MOA rifle. After load development I was shooting 1/2 MOA, shooting coins @ 214 yards

View attachment 2135237 View attachment 2135250

Ive just never seen a use personally to go blow threw 150 rounds of big bore ammo at one time. Just like practicing archery, a few shots more often than alot all at once. Fatigue plays a factor on being consistent

 

[Bobbygun]

Ive just never seen a use personally to go blow threw 150 rounds of big bore ammo at one time. Just like practicing archery, a few shots more often than alot all at once. Fatigue plays a factor on being consistent

No kidding. Even if someone was giving me free ammo, 150 rounds is a lot. I never was a big AR-15 guy, but since Obama didn't want me to have one, I got one. Using those 30-round magazines to chase a reactive target around the gravel pit, I found myself getting bored before the magazine was empty.

As for archery. I rarely launch more than 50 arrows in one day anymore. I remember when I was younger and pulling a 72-pound bow, I launched over 100 arrows on one trail during a 3D shoot. There were two trails with 25 targets each. The guy I was shooting with only shot the first trail then had to get home, so I started the second trail by myself. The trail was really crowded and backed up. There were two dads with their young sons ahead of me that asked if I wanted to go through. Since I would have just been waiting on the group in front of them anyway, I told them not to worry about it. Shooting by myself, I ended up emptying my five-arrow quiver on each target. Man was I sore the next day.

 

[Xmark1]

I used to be like you, until I wasn't. I started developing a flinch from hard kicking beasts like 338 rum and 375 h&h and I deplored muzzle brakes. So, down the road the big boomers went. Nowadays, I shoot rifles chambered in more reasonable cartridges with my largest being 7mm magnums. Even at that I have moved to suppressors on my hunting rifles mostly to mitigate recoil. Be careful shooting the heavy hitters as a flinch is hard to untrain.

I have often read about flinch. However, I have never once known that problem. Just lucky, I guess.

 

[Xmark1]

Ive just never seen a use personally to go blow threw 150 rounds of big bore ammo at one time. Just like practicing archery, a few shots more often than alot all at once. Fatigue plays a factor on being consistent

I have made a session with as few as 20 to 30 rounds. It's a Zen thing.

However, when I'm shooting out to ~1K plus yards in a gusting 23MPH crosswind, it takes a bit of practice for that game. It uses up ammo.

 

[orygun]

This picture was taken at an Appleseed Known Distance event.
The round count for the day was 200 or 240. (I don't remember of we did five sets, or 6) 180gr bullet at 2760fps.
None of it was from a bench, tough. Standing, sitting and prone, all with just your sling. Prone rocks you the hardest.

 

[Spitpatch]

A friend built a .458 American on a short action 700. (This is one of those wildcats that makes absolutely perfect sense: look it up if you're curious.)

On test day, my brother and I were present, and the friend dialed in the gun (1.5-5x Leupold) pretty quickly, then offered it to me, and I went full "Finn Aagaard" on it, standing position, leaning forward, wide stance on the feet, sling wrapped, etc. as would be done with a stopping rifle.

Not bad. Not bad at all.

Brother's turn, and it was my job to tell him how to lean forward, etc. He took my advice, and also perhaps creeped forward on the comb a bit.

At detonation a pink mist instantly hovered above his forehead.

He carried the scar from that "Weatherby Eyebrow" for the rest of his life.

 

[Joe13]

One should always hold your large guns down at hip level and shout this repeatedly as if no one in the world has ever heard it and that will help with felt recoil…

 

[Kruel J]

I like to close both eyes and turn my head away as I pull the trigger. Goes bang every time.

 

[Xmark1]

A friend built a .458 American on a short action 700. (This is one of those wildcats that makes absolutely perfect sense: look it up if you're curious.)

On test day, my brother and I were present, and the friend dialed in the gun (1.5-5x Leupold) pretty quickly, then offered it to me, and I went full "Finn Aagaard" on it, standing position, leaning forward, wide stance on the feet, sling wrapped, etc. as would be done with a stopping rifle.

Not bad. Not bad at all.

Brother's turn, and it was my job to tell him how to lean forward, etc. He took my advice, and also perhaps creeped forward on the comb a bit.

At detonation a pink mist instantly hovered above his forehead.

He carried the scar from that "Weatherby Eyebrow" for the rest of his life.

One day while shooting long range in the woods, a stranger set up next to me. He asked if I would like to try his 375 H&H Magnum. I said sure! But as I acquired the target, I noticed his scope had very little eye relief. I just handed the rifle back to him and said - No Thanks'.

 

[arakboss]

No kidding. Even if someone was giving me free ammo, 150 rounds is a lot. I never was a big AR-15 guy, but since Obama didn't want me to have one, I got one. Using those 30-round magazines to chase a reactive target around the gravel pit, I found myself getting bored before the magazine was empty.

As for archery. I rarely launch more than 50 arrows in one day anymore. I remember when I was younger and pulling a 72-pound bow, I launched over 100 arrows on one trail during a 3D shoot. There were two trails with 25 targets each. The guy I was shooting with only shot the first trail then had to get home, so I started the second trail by myself. The trail was really crowded and backed up. There were two dads with their young sons ahead of me that asked if I wanted to go through. Since I would have just been waiting on the group in front of them anyway, I told them not to worry about it. Shooting by myself, I ended up emptying my five-arrow quiver on each target. Man was I sore the next day.

"I found myself getting bored before the magazine was empty."

I hear you, that is why I like to try different types of loads when I do get out. I understand some guys like to find a good load and then shoot that until their end of days. I prefer the experimentation aspect of it, especially when the rounds are less conventional loads.

 

[Bobbygun]

"I found myself getting bored before the magazine was empty."

I hear you, that is why I like to try different types of loads when I do get out. I understand some guys like to find a good load and then shoot that until their end of days. I prefer the experimentation aspect of it, especially when the rounds are less conventional loads.

I don't experiment with rifle loads much anymore. Back when my folks were alive and my dad had a benchrest in his front yard, we would build some handloads in his garage. Then we could just step outside and shoot anywhere from 50 to 500 yards across his hay fields. Ah, the good old days. He wasn't much of a handgun guy. Nowadays, I shoot a lot more handguns than rifles, mostly because it's easier to find a place to shoot. I shoot my bow more than anything else for the same reason.

 

[The Heretic]

TLDR; So forgive me if this has been covered, but here is my personal experience (mostly with handguns, but some rifles too).

1) Weight makes a big difference.

The worst handgun I ever shot (in multiple ways, but especially recoil), was a Grendel (precursor to Kel-Tec) P10 in .380 ACP. Less than 15oz unloaded and a very poor grip. It left bruises on my hand - the only handgun I have shot that did that.

The SIG 365 is 4 ounces heavier and shoots 9x19, but has a much better grip and the recoil, while noticeable is quite manageable, and doesn't hurt.

My S&W 329PD does hurt when shooting almost any .44 mag ammo, even after I added the XFrame grips (after backstrap - helped a little) - mostly due to the light weight. With std full power ammo, my hand stings. With hot heavy ammo (270 or 300 gr @1200 fps), my hand becomes numb for a minute or two. I intend to have it ported.

The S&W 460V I used to own, weighed almost twice as much as the 329PD, had a good compensator, and the ammo was more than twice as powerful as the .44 mag. It was a pussycat with regards to recoil, regardless of ammo, and was a fine to shoot repeatedly. What hurt, was the cost of the ammo and the weight of the gun itself.

2) Comps make a difference.

I have shot a number of handguns with various comps. MagnaPort style comps, hybrid comps, etc. I've only shot one pistol (Glock) with a suppressor but I did not compare it back to back with/without the comp with the supplied ammo, so I am not sure how much difference it made - but I have been sold it helps (I am sure the weight is a big factor too). I have a comp on one of my SIG 226s and shot that with/without the comp with various ammo, and yes, it makes a difference.

They all helped to one degree or another. They were all louder to some degree. Some shot significant flames - the hybrid comp on my G21 has noticeable flames in low light - the comp on the 460V had flames in any light with magnum ammo - some of the ammo produced flame rings out away from the front muzzle (not sure how much of that was due to the comp).

I've not shot compensated rifles (IIRC) unless you count flash hiders. Unfortunately I never shot my AR-50 which had a huge comp - I should have - so I can't comment on that.

But IME, weight and stock design do make a noticeable difference for rifles. For the heavy hitters (like .50 BMG) I am sure a comp would make a difference. I've had light(ish) caliber (e.g. 5.56x45) leave a light bruise on my shoulder (after firing multiple mags) because the buttstock was an all steel folder.

The crescent shape butt plate on my Winchester 92 .44 mag is not comfortable (not objectionable, but not fun either) and it is heavier (due to the octagon barrel) than my Rossi 92 in .44 mag which is fun to shoot. My Marlin 95 SBL in .45-70 is not bad to shoot, nor is my 336 carbine in .30-30 more so than the Win 94 full length .30-30 rifle (26" heavy octagon barrel and crescent butt plate) I grew up with and took multiple deer.

I have read that I am not the only person who is not a fan of the crescent shaped butt on a rifle - especially when it is just a metal plate with no padding.

I have shot a number of powerful bolt action rifles with various stock designs and some were not fun to shoot due to the cheek pad and other dimensions/angles/etc of the stock behind the action.

 

[arakboss]

I am going to head out to the range this coming weekend and give some of the recoil mitigation efforts a try.

During each 20min string, I will get in at least 5 normal power loads and 5 lighter loads. If I can figure out a better cooling method for the barrel I might be able to get more rounds in during each string. The wet towel doesn't work, during shooting, on the 30-06.

I will continue loading up more rounds during the week. I should have a couple of hundred rounds with me by the weekend.

 

[Camelfilter]

…. I should have a couple of hundred rounds with me by the weekend.

pew pew pew pew pew! BOOM BOOM! pew pew pew pew pew! BOOM BOOM!

Have fun!!

-Zero KABOOMS! Tho, please!

 

[orygun]

-Zero KABOOMS! Tho, please!

Or squibs, either!

 

[Tlock]

I am going to head out to the range this coming weekend and give some of the recoil mitigation efforts a try.

During each 20min string, I will get in at least 5 normal power loads and 5 lighter loads. If I can figure out a better cooling method for the barrel I might be able to get more rounds in during each string. The wet towel doesn't work, during shooting, on the 30-06.

I will continue loading up more rounds during the week. I should have a couple of hundred rounds with me by the weekend.

WHY?

 

[oa98pistol512]

The boss systems found on browning and winchester rifles really tames the recoil.

 

[arakboss]

WHY?

Why not?

 

[Tlock]

Why not?

I guess some people are into s&m too. Not for me, but do what makes you happy