ever hesitated due to recoil?

grumpyvette

grumpyvette

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have you ever hesitated to make a shot, because of the rifles recoil level?
recoil rarely has been a factor in my rifle selection, simply because I shoot a good deal and Im very familiar with my rifles

now especially from a standing or sitting position Ive never even thought about recoil, I can,t remember it even being a fleeting thought,but I know that Ive got into a prone, position with the rifle over my back pack and I took a very firm hold on the sling and gripped the rifle in anticipation of the rifles recoil before I squeezed off a shot, and made sure the scope was a decent distance from my eyebrow, having learned early that you don,t crowd the scope unless you want to get whacked,and that surely slowed me down for an instant.
this was brought home to me, when I fired a couple shots shooting from the prone position and shot an excellence tight group,and I could fire quite rapidly, but when I asked a friend to try and duplicate the group he looked at me as if I was insane and called me a masochist , .....saying "only a total masochist would shoot a 375 H&H from a prone position"
now I use a sling and a recoil pad and a vest with a pacmyar recoil shield, sewn into the shoulder area so its not like Im unaware of the potential problem, its just that IM prepared to deal with it!

how about you guys? have you ever hesitated making a shot due to recoil levels?
 
Many years ago I was slim and trim and only weighed 125 lbs. I kept that weight until well after I turned 40 and it has been going up ever since. :(

Point being is I was always a very small man. A 30-06 would hurt my shoulder to the point I was extremely hesitent to fire off a second round. Three or four rounds and I was done for the day. My friends would argue that a 30-06 or similiarly large round was what was needed to hunt deer. I quickly learned a well placed shot from a smaller caliber (read something that didn't kick like a pack mule) was much better than a larger caliber that went god knows where once the trigger was squeezed.

I also had an 8mm German Mauser, I think 1916, maybe 17, that kicked like a pack mule. I have always believed that was a bedding problem as opposed to caliber size though. I think that because when I first purchased that weapon it was packed in cosmoline and didn't kick at all. Once all the cosmoline was removed it not only kicked it kicked hard.

Ok, now I'm older and much heavier. Would the recoil hurt as much? I have no idea. Probably not as I am also somewhat tougher now than I was then.

To answer your question in brief, yes, I have hesitated to squeeze off a round while using a weapon that had what was to me a heavy recoil.
 
if your recoil sensitive Id suggest use of a recoil absorbing PAST shoulder pad,sewn into your hunting vest,
PAST310-010lg.jpg

a rifle butt pad

rec1.jpg


combined with proper rifle sling use,
rec2.jpg
and a muzzle brake might be an option
sewn into your hunting vest,
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and selecting a effective caliber like the 30/06-35 whelen class of cartridge, throwing a 180grn-225 grain bullet from a rifle that weights at least 8 lbs with scope and mounts, for your elk hunts, and learn to get into under 250 yards before taking a good rest or sitting position, before firing,and a decent bi-pod helps
572600.jpg

http://www.weatherby.com/product/rifles/vanguard/synthetic
http://www.savagearms.com/firearms/finder/
several of the guys I hunt with use synthetic weatherby vangard , or savage weather warrior rifles in different calibers with good success, I don,t see how you could go far wrong with a properly set up 30/06 or even a 270 win if your really worried about recoil
a good 4x scope helps
t
 
I was trying to point out the options to reduce felt recoil levels, as I know some guys really do shoot much more accurately only if they are not using a rifle that "KICKS"
we all have our limits on recoil, example I usually hunt with a 340wby or 375H&H and don,t find that to be any problem, one of my hunting buddies used a 358 win, with a recoil shield sewn in his hunt vest and a sling on the rifle and a thick recoil pad on the rifle for many years as that was the most recoil he could tolerate, he always said I was insane when I carried my 375H&H carbine , or in his words " it was a toss-up on who would get hurt more the ELK or the shooter when that carbine was fired"but I also own a 458 LOTT and Id never even think of firing that from the prone position, so ive got my limit
 
I'm too old to try to prove myself on a thumper anymore. In rifle, .308 is my limit in a rifle that I can shoot comfortably and enjoy shooting. If it's not comfortable to shoot, it's useless no matter how big the bullet or the kinetic energy. I did shoot a .416 Rigby once that a friend had. It was more like a big shove than a recoil punch, but still - know your limits and stay within!
 
The issue with recoil isn't the impact of the rifle's stock against the shooter's chest/shoulder, but the disorientation that happens after squeezing off a shot. Most of you guys hunt; I don't, limiting myself to shooting paper targets from a bench. Good accuracy generally involves squeezing the trigger slowly and gently, and to avoid the rifle moving around while doing that, you have to embrace the rifle gently, instead of holding it firmly. That means being prepared for the rifle to jump. With a heavier caliber, it becomes awkward to reacquire the target. And this really has nothing to do with having a padded stock, or having large pectoral muscles against which to rest the rifle. A hair-trigger helps, but for "safety" reasons, most modern rifles have severe limitations on how far trigger pull can be softened. My preference is for a heavy rifle (10+ pounds with scope), 26" barrel, and 2 lbs (or less) trigger pull.
 
I dont know for handgun, i dont have a liscence for them so i never shot one.
For the rifle, well am only about 120 pounds or less(yeah i know..) but i manage that fairly well with rifle.. i think.

I had recoil problem when i was beginning with the .303 british but soon later with some practice i no longer think about recoil when am shooting.
I shoot .17hmr(no recoil), sks caliber 7.62x39, .303 british and scoped m14(.308/7.62x51)
I can shoot 2 or 3 - 20 round box with the .308 no problem(its a heavy rifle"m14", seem like it reduce recoil) and i can shoot countless rounds with the sks.

The british .303 (and we have more then one) seem to kick more then my .308, i can handle it well but if i go to the range, i will not bring this rifle often.
I also feel i could handle bigger caliber but not comfortably and those are all i need for now.
 
Yeah, ive seen that video before. Its really impressive.

Here is a vid i did about 1 years ago with the small savage .17hmr. Its accuracy is impressive.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCnoDKXlSAo
Sorry for removing the sound, my father was laughing like evil at the end of the vid so i removed the audio :/.
Maby i should re-upload it with sound someday.. just for fun lol.
 
Holy CRAP!!!!! The size of those antlers!!!! Almost bigger than he is.
 
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