Deputy sheriff

At the local range today a 14 yr old boy shot my Ruger Sporter 338 Win Mag from a bench,250 gr factory load.I am sure that he was not harmed in any way and he will probably remember it for a while.The question is ,if a 14 yr old can handle the recoil, then I assume any grown man could do the same.

PAShooter

This recoil thing has always been a topic of discussion when shooters get together. It is an individual thing that affects everyone differently. Many times it is due to improper shouldering of the gun, but not entirely. I was with a friend at the range(he was 3 time all A.C.C. defensive tackle), shooting some loads in a 7mm Rem mag for an upcomming Alaskan hunt. He was unable to get a tight group(4"+) and complained of the recoil of the hot heavy handloads I provided. "These reloads don't shoot!" I asked if I could try and I was able to shoot a 5 shot group well under 1". He got angry, packed his things a left.
My son at age 15, was able to handle 300 Win mag and 375 H&H with no flinch or ill effects. He was 140# at the time. A lighter 12 gauge shotgun with heavy 3" loads provides more "kick" than most magnum rifles. In my youth with such talk of recoil, I had a fear of magnums .Many years later, I now enjoy the feeling of the magnum's power. I do however use a light short action .308 Win for my deer hunting. But when hunting larger heavy game, I choose a larger heavier rifle.

bearcatter

Some "men" just aren't as tough as they used to be. I've seen a guy gripe about a .30-30 kicking, when he had a slip on gel pad over a rubber butt pad. Guys use to grin over the kick of a wood gripped .44 Mag revolver. Now some whine about a rubber gripped .38 Special hurting their hand.

fungun

Bad assumption IMO, that gun would probably injure my father in his 70's who hasn't done much shooting in his life. Also many injuries could have serious problems with recoil. Not everyone is built the same or is at the same level of health.

tglazie

Not to mention, not everyone has an interest in shooting heavy-recoil firearms. I dont hunt dangerous game, or anything at all for that matter, and have no interest in own or shooting shoulder-breakers. I have a nice, protective leather wrap with a 1/2" pad for my old model 94 .32 special stock that works well. For my 12 gauge a Knoxx Gen II recoil reducing, variable length of pull stock works very well for making #1 buckshot feel like #8 birdshot. I keep it beside the bed with the LOP set for my wife's frame in case she ever needs to use it.


I used to think I wanted a .300 win mag for the range, then noticed that the .223/.308 crowd always seemed to be shooting tighter groups than the big boys.

To each his own, but I certainly dont feel like less of a man because I choose to use technology to reduce recoil in my long guns, or stick to non-magnum loads in my handguns (I even opt for a BB LSWCHP .38 Special +P defensive load in our SP101 due to its ideal SD/HD ballistics vs .357mag)

I do enjoy watching the heavy hitters at the range though. Just dont forget to give us poor guys at the 25yard pistol range an "eyes and ears" holler before you unleash those cannons though!

MZ5

I missed it; what's the question?
I saw "The question is," but that was followed by an ass-umption. What's the question?

laidlerj

I imagine that any grown man in good health without shoulder or neck problems could "handle" the recoil - the question is whether or not he would develop such a bad flinch that he couldn't hit the broad side of a barn.

With those caveats (no shoulder or neck problems), I think that just about anyone who wants to can learn how to shoot a .338 Win Mag or .416 Rigby well, if they take the time. I also know that I've seen plenty of people who have such a flinch that they can't even shoot a .22 LR well.

When I was a young fellow, the 7mm Remington Magnum was the hot new cartridge that everybody had to have. A lot of my friends got one and used it on everything from elk to coyote (dramatic effect on coyote, by the way). More than a few of them gave up hunting - and even shooting - because they just couldn't face the recoil, and that was just the 7mm Mag!

I'm working my teenage son up to the "big bores" gradually - he started with a .22 LR (actually, we started with .22 long CB's) and he's now working on light-loaded .44 Specials out of my .44 Magnum Blackhawk. No flinch so far!

Jim

Hans13

(Puts on flame suit) Am I the only one that has "bad recoil days?" Like this once, I was going to shoot my Browning BLR .243. It has what seems like a 3" spongy rubber recoil pad on it. It honestly hurt... I shot it before that a lot and after and take it fine but maybe I was super tired(?) Please tell me I'm not the only one! If so, point me towards the looney bin!

trigger creep

A .243 did what to you where and how? I'd admit on an I-net forum that my .308 Norma mag with 180 grain max handloads beat the snot out of me, but I'd also make an excuse that I am only 15.... I applaud your humility and self-lessness, but you're a sissy! Just kidding, LOL.

LimaCharlie

Recoil is subjective. I shoot .458 Lott, Buffalo Bore .45/70, and .325WSM in rifles. I shoot .460 S&W magnum, .50AE, and .44 magnum in handguns. I shot a .308 handgun this weekend. To me, the .338 Win Mag is a nice hunting rifle for most large North American game. It can be loaded from mild to wild.

My friends will not shoot most of my guns. They tell others in awe about the visible shock wave that comes off me and my Ruger No. 1 in .458 Lott when I shoot it.

dubshooter

I just sold off my shotgun because I can no longer shoot it. I'm a young guy, late 20's. but I can't handle the recoil of a 12 gauge. I've had two shoulder reconstruction surgeries done due to a drunk driver hitting me head on while working.

Maybe that means I'm less of a man than a 14yr old boy. But I choose to be able to shoot a gun and still be able to use my arm afterwards.

Meeteetse

There is no correlation between recoil and being a man. When shooting, being "macho" is stupid. The only concern is hitting the target with whatever you have that is adequate for the job. It makes no difference if you kill your deer with a .243 or a .458. Dead is dead and larger caliber does not make something deader. I have hunted most North American game except the big bears, and the biggest ones I hunted, elk and moose, fell quickly to a .308 or 30/06 with no after effects on me.

I have fired most all calibers in rifle and handgun from the lowly .22 to the .458 Winchester and there are many I hated because the recoil took the fun away, and for me that is the purpose for shooting, having fun.

Hans13

No, No, don't get me wrong, I can usually shoot the snot out of it and then one day it kicked like I was putting '06s through it. Just weird...

trigger creep

Weird things happen. I have been through something similar with my .270... Some days I can only shoot 5 rounds before my shoulder is sore, and other days I've gone up to 15 before getting sore. I guess some of it depends on the way you're handling the rifle on the rest?

429421Cowboy

I also have to say my BLR .243 kicks as bad as an '06, due to the short barrel and light weight. It is also dang loud, you have to be sure to have plugs for anything more than the first shot if you don't want a flinch. My 7mm with 26" bbl and fully outfitted weighs a shade over 9lbs and doesn't kick terrible, but the gun is matched to the round. I do love my BLR though!

Recoil has to do with how you manage it, the first "big bore" i ever shot was a .375 H&H at a branding when i was 15. The rancher brought it out and had grown men actually afraid to shoot it until he have shot it first to prove that it wouldn't snap his collarbone! We all know that there are far worse kickers that the .375 (I'd lay money down that the Weatherbys take that prize). I leaned into the gun and pulled the trigger, let it rise up and push me back, not a hard kick or jab in the face by any means.
Recoil is all a matter of how you position yourself, granted that you are not restricted by a shoulder problem, as my grandfather is.