The ibuprofen club

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Labguy47

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As I prepare for surgery, again, I couldn’t help but think of my last range trip. How I couldn’t shoot any big bores with the ease and finesse of my youth. I was astonished, upset, embarrassed, and humbled. Is this what growing old has in store for me?
I’m already the one that gets more than a little ridicule for the ancient wheel gun on my hip.
Am I doomed to be the one with high dollar.22lr taking all day to draw a smiley face on the target?
Does anyone else face these kinds of dilemma?
 
I'm not sure how old you are. I'm not quite 40 but I destroyed my rotator cuff about 2 years ago. In the last few months I have been able to start shooting/reloading again.

Your immediate future may seem unpleasant, but follow through with your PT and you'll be back at it soon. I am not shooting my Mosin or my 12G yet, but I'm shooting. Hope everything works out for you.
 
Aging is a bummer and I don't really look forward to it. I thoroughly enjoy big bores too same as you.

I figure some cartridges will have to get kicked to the curb some day. Do I want to shoot a 4 lb X Frame when I'm 80? I doubt it. But, there's lots of fun to be had with 45 Colt, 44 Special, 38 special, 32 Fed Mag, 32 H&R mag.......

There's also a lot of light weight guns out there to make things easier.

Don't give up man. Age and surgery doesn't mean the end. And if you're relegated to 22 cal for a bit then it's a great reason to buy a 22 mag.
 
I think determination and grit will dictate what old age has in store for us. How important is shooting big bores and old wheel guns to you? Some will say to accept what life throws your way and adapt. I don’t necessarily disagree. So maybe just invest in better recoil pads and keep slinging lead.
 
I was hoping for a Bob Munden aspirin shot! I feel your pain. It’s not an injury for me as much as it is my asthma meds. They make me twitchy and that’s not good for accuracy.
 
hope things go well for u. my dad about 6 years ago had spinal fusion and shoulder work 2. it took him over a year to hold a gun two years to shoulder one about 3 to shoot a 30-30 power and now he can handle a 06 and some lighter magnums. but he may hurt later that night. he is 62.
 
Aha to be 25 again, with nerves of steel and the reflexes of a cat (or at least I thought so:p). I have accepted that I will sometimes shoot a good target or get that tree rat----then other times a clean miss.:fire: In my 60's and just happy my trigger finger and eyes work at all.:D I find IF you want to bad enough you will find a way to do what you want.:thumbup:
 
I’m more worried about my eyesight fading making sights and targets fuzzy then my shoulder falling apart.. but then again my left shoulder is the one with pain and I shoot right handed...so I’m ok so far...

Shooting sweet groups with a .22 at distance is just as fun as shooting centerfires at distance IMHO.. but I’ll readily admit it is far sexier to say you shot a MOA 1000 yard group with a center fire than a 150 yard MOA group with a .22lr.

Good luck with your shoulder issues
 
Not me, I have a rest where even new shooters can shoot a 50 BMG without fear.

I guess I have plenty of things that can hurt me if I wanted them to but it just gets less “cool” the older I get.

Makes it easier to sight in/swap optics too, with a good rest.

 
Have you considered using one of those shoulder strap recoil pads? I'm 28 and of small stature and I can tell you that my shoulder gets beat up after 20 rounds of 8mm Mauser from my Yugo M48. Sticking a shoulder pad on let's me shoot it all day with no pain.

If you're into handloading you could try some cast bullets and reduced loads to ease the burden some more on your shoulder. Who cares what other people think so long as it keeps you shooting :)
 
Up until about 15 years ago I use to throw steel darts in big money tournaments. Until the eyes started failing me. Slowly I found myself winning fewer and fewer matches. Now I find the same with open iron sights on pistols, especially at indoor ranges that are on the dark side.

A year ago April I had open heart triple bypass surgery. It was almost 5 months before I felt comfortable enough and strong enough to try shooting again. BTW my cardiac surgeon instructed me that there is to be no more ibuprofen. It raises blood pressure!
 
Shooting sweet groups with a .22 at distance is just as fun as shooting centerfires at distance IMHO.. but I’ll readily admit it is far sexier to say you shot a MOA 1000 yard group with a center fire than a 150 yard MOA group with a .22lr.

Good luck with your shoulder issues

Pancreas this time, total shoulder next time.
 
I'm a member of the club, although with Aleve. It's my hands and shoulders that can't take it. I got a semi-fancy new 1911 a couple of weeks ago and was in a hurry to do the 500-round breaking-in process, and my right shoulder still hasn't completely recovered. I may have to go back to the elbows-bent method of shooting. Weightlifter braces have helped a lot with the wrist trouble I used to have, at least. I'm a mere child of 62, so I don't understand where all these physical limitations have so sneakily come from.
 
Never shot heavier calibers, nothing over 30.06. But I will say, now that I'm pushing 60
my eyesight's gone to the dogs. Can't aim as fast as I used to, focusing the sights isn't the same.
Getting old ain't for pussies.

True
Only 54. 2 carpal tunnel each side. Still severe on the right moderate left. I stick to 9mm 45 at the most. No more 357, maybe in a heavy Gun like a Redhawk. No 44 ever.
Rotator cuff 3 years ago. 223 is about it. I have a nice BNZ 45 that I can struggle through 5 rounds but I pay for it
3 months ago. Back surgery. Spinal Stenosis herniated disc. Fusion laminectomy. I told the wife if I get any more metal in my back I will be classified as a Terminator. A slow fat and nice Terminator. :)
I mentioned in another thread eye sight sucks. Astigmatism reddots are a blur and if a target is anywhere close to 300 it might as well as be invisible
But that’s life. I have had a good life and done things a lot never got to do and have been very blessed with a great second wife and first rate children
 
You get old. You get beat up , parts wear out.

You retire to the recliner , or , adjust to the new normal and keep going. It doesn't get any easier , but you just keep going.

It's all part of the deal. If one is fortunate enough to avoid something really catastrophic , it's pretty simple.
 
At least you have the desire to go shooting. At some point, as you age, the "been there, done that" mentality takes over, and you find it hard to bestir yourself to go to the range. Plus, cleaning the guns afterwards becomes a drudgery.
 
Both shoulders worked on,carpal surgeries both hands,mild arthritis in various other body parts. Fortunately I've multiple calibers to shoot depending on what aches. My medium/big horr rifles are heavy enough where shooting from a bench is more than comfortable.
 
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Getting old is not so bad. True my hearing is shot, eye sight not as good as it was and the bladder a bit weaker plus my handsome good looks have faded a bit. But the up side is i can be a miserable old git when i want and in a couple of years people will expect me to smell of urine. I've got to 70 with very few aches and pains, still work 4 morning a week and still quite handy with my rifles. Only thing i ask myself is, where did all the years go?
 
I'm only 51, but I experienced a lot of wear and tear, and I already have osteoarthritis. I power though the best I can, and use the equipment that does the job and makes hunting and shooting as enjoyable as possible.
 
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