Recoil yes or no!!!

[Red22]

Having had one cervical disk replaced and just having stem cell therapy I find myself rethinking my large caliber rifles. The reason is not the comfort or discomfort but the longevity of my ability to keep doing what I love. There is a direct correlation when you shoot a 338 Norma 2-3 days a week, with or without a muzzle device.

 

[marksman1941]

Most of my big guns now have breaks 300wm,338wm,300rum, 375ruger. All the rest from 30-06 and down to a 22lr are now suppressed. The biggest recoil gun for me was my 45 cal paramount pro muzzleloader at 105gr by weight of blackhorn and a 285 no break . It definitely let you know you were shooting . It's now got a break but at 112 gr it's still impressive and let's you know.
My hunting buddy is into the bigger stuff and as always I'm good about helping spend his money and got him to buy a 338rum and a 375 rum to go with his 300 he wants all the rums. I have yet to shoot them . His 416 was a little disappointing as I was expecting more recoil so he upped the ante and bought a 458 lott. I'm still young enough to shoot anything once.

Man I wasn't even thinking about my muzzleloaders. My buddy and I picked up a pair of knight mk85 .54 cal for our muzzy elk season, and load testing for it had been brutal. It's maybe 6 pounds (open sight) but we're shooting 485gr slugs on top of 120-140gr of FF powder. It's brutal to hang on to on a bench. About 5 shots in, I'm done. It feels similar to my brothers 660 in 350 rem shooting 250's at 2400fps.

Edit: 54 cal, not .50

 

[crazymonkey]

Man I wasn't even thinking about my muzzleloaders. My buddy and I picked up a pair of knight mk85 .50 cal for our muzzy elk season, and load testing for it had been brutal. It's maybe 6 pounds (open sight) but we're shooting 485gr slugs on top of 120-140gr of FF powder. It's brutal to hang on to on a bench. About 5 shots in, I'm done. It feels similar to my brothers 660 in 350 rem shooting 250's at 2400fps

I shot my first muzzleloader bull elk with a cva wolf . I was shooting 150 gr pyrodex and 338 gr powerbelt platinum . Yep 4 or 5 shots and you were done. It was unpleasant to shoot but the bull tipped over . No need for tracking .

 

[nksmfamjp]

I'm not sure what we are discussing here….recoil is a thing. I never met anybody who, even with a brake, didn't shoot smaller calibers better given same capability of the guns.

Not sure what pixy dust was in that 300WM video, but that kid was barely able to hold the gun up and she was crawling over the stock. I'm calling that fake news or a 223.

 

[Rosebud]

Exhibit A. Rifle with muzzle break, walker muffs.

 

[Phil Rizzo]

I use brakes with 90* rear ports, to minimize the blast/concussion.
With the most effective angle port designs headaches would set in after a few shots, but… the largest rifle I've shot 30-40 times in a session off the bench is a 300WM.

The guys with Norma mags, Ultras etc want all the reduction possible, understandably.

 

[Buzzsaw]

anyone who says they like recoil is an idiot

 

[Papa762!!]

I don't notice it when hunting, but sighting in my .450 Marlin guide gun (light and short) and the slugs on a light 12ga pump made me scrounge in the trunk for anything I could find to pad. Finally learned to get my torso perpendicular even if it meant kneeling on the ground. .375HH Sako is a piece of cake but I never change loads on the .450 Marlin.

 

[blvette75]

I got my first MB 21 years ago and never looked back. It was a Holland QD on my .300 WM and .338 WM. I am not recoil-sensitive, but I figured I'd try it. The felt recoil was similar to .243 and .308 respectively. Today, ~90% of my rifles sport a muzzle device.

An effective MB serves two purposes: reducing felt recoil and muzzle rise. Often, the latter is not realized. Being able to spot the target on impact is priceless. I understand it is not for everybody, but the introduction of muzzle devices is a game changer.

My experience as well, even on guns where the recoil does not bother me, I run most of my rifles with a muzzle brake and a concussion device (as required if shooting with others) over it. With a muzzle brake I can get off subsequent shots much faster with a bit less effort. It is great to have to take game with only one shot. But even with good shot placement there is always the one animal that for whatever reason requires a 2nd shot.

I am getting into my bucket list hunts now for dangerous game. When I go to the range, I do practice to be able to get off subsequent shots faster and accurately. On my 375 ruger there is a significant difference, between my first and 2nd shot with and without a muzzle brake as well as my accuracy. My 338 win mag when optimizing my loads found with a different muzzle brake have seen a great increase in my accuracy(three shots at a 100 yards, through a ragged hole, if I do my part). I saw an accuracy increase as turned on the brake on this rifle. I was about 3/4-1.5 MOA or worse without a muzzle brake with premium ammo.

But the wear and tear on my neck seems much less shooting with a brake. I really need to start getting suppressors and see how that works. Just older now and anything that seems to keep me shooting comfortably if it helps I use it. I am a fan of the limbsaver recoil pads on my rifles that had the hard recoil pads.

 

[Mark37082]

It is mindset IMO. I have always been a fairly light weight guy. I weighed 160 lbs. in 9th grade and weigh 165 lbs. today. I had a good friend that was 6'8" and over 300 lbs in his later years. I could handle recoil better than he could. One of my most punishing guns is a 4.5" SW 500 revolver. He had a 416 Rigby rifle. He could handle the rifle, but only shot the SW500 one shot and said never again. It is always interesting to watch accomplished shooters shoot the revolver and watch the flinch. This happens primarily after watching someone shoot it before they try.

 

[Kiowa Cowboy]

For most of us mere mortals, it is easier to shoot a low-recoiling rifle well. Plus, shooters tend to practice more with a low-recoiling rifle. For these reasons, it seems logical to use the lowest recoiling option that is sufficient for the job. This and other reasons (low cost, versatility, availability) are why I hunt with 25.06 and more recently the 30.06.

 

[Hand Skills]

There is a physical part to recoil and there is a mental part to recoil, for sure.

One physical threshold I seldom see mentioned is POI.

When I can't hold the same POI from different shooting positions, it's too much recoil.

My choice from there is; step down and/or work on 'recoil management'

Ultimately, a well fitting rifle is key to the equation.

If I have to crawl the stock to get into the scope, I'll feel more recoil.

If I have to mash my cheek into the stock to see the irons, well I've learned my lesson there

I feel like there is a difference between a 50kpsi load and a 70kpsi load, even if recoil energy is similar, the lower pressure load seems to kick less...? (Might just be recoil velocity - I have never done a fair test of this, just something I noticed along the way)

 

[Taylorbok]

I used to love shootin' the big ole' warhorses and the bigger the better !! Nothing better than a lightweight 300wm, 12 ga mag, 338wm, 416rm, 8mm remag, 338 edge, loved them, then as the years piled on less and less and less, guess life's work, wear and tear on every joint, a few pounds added on, more time sitting than moving have changed everything...these days I'm good up to 7/08 or 30/06 with no little sand bag between me and the rifle..but I do miss those ole' girls, these days it's big only when hunting with little bench time..
View attachment 587106

Looks like that 338 Edge brass might be ready for a case head separation, I'd look inside with a bore scope or use a pic to feel down in there

 

[6.5x300 WBY]

All 4 of my HUNTING RIFLES including my McWhorter 45XML Smokless muzzleloader has a brake. I love Brakes. Love em.