$2500 in gift cards from Academy Sports but dislocated shoulders-What would you do?

I'm going to assume you've already tackled the problems presented by mixing firearms and epilepsy.

I'd consult with a physician to see how much recoil you're capable of taking, first off. From there, either an AR or AK in .223 (or 5.45x39, if they stock ammo - that'd buy you plenty) or a .22LR would be my suggestion.

No worries! I thought I'd touch on the point so that others wouldn't turn the thread into an "is it safe for you to have guns?" debate; the tone of the forum has shifted of late and standards of courtesy have fallen such that I wouldn't discount that happening.

The softest-recoiling cartridge you are likely to find is the .22LR. In centerfire, I would imagine it to be .223, with its Russian equivalent being the 5.45x39mm round currently used by the Russian armed forces. There may be other, softer-recoiling chamberings out there, but they will almost certainly be niche products, difficult to find and unavailable in anything but bolt-action platforms.

The .223 is, of course, widely available in both military surplus and commercial form. 5.45x39, as far as I know, is only really available as military surplus, but it's some of the cheapest ammo out there right now - about $120, plus shipping, for a case of 1080 rounds.

If weight of the rifle is a concern, you may find the AK platform too heavy for you. In that case, the AR-15 is probably what you're looking for, but in any case you are limited to what Academy has available. You might try inquiring after the Bushmaster Carbon-15; it's a lightweight AR variant incorporating (as you might expect) carbon fiber.

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If you're concerned with recoil, than the AR is probably the way to go. They are very pleasant guns to shoot in that regard.

AR with a collapsable stock and a slip on recoil reducing pad would be your best bet I would think.

Also you may be able to find a more effective muzzle brake that would reduce recoil even more.

If you can spend some money outside of Academy an AR varient in 9mm might be a good choice.

Actually, what about an AR57 or PS90? They both fire the 5.7 round. Lighter than the .223.

If you can SBR a Krink in 5.45 that's what i'd recommend.

Im not sure what you are looking to use this for. You could always look at getting a rest that absorbs the recoil like the Caldwell lead sled. I don't know what type of shooting you are looking to do but if you are looking for shooting anything not offhand it could certainly give you a bit more flexibility in what chamberings you could use.

A pistol caliber carbine might be right up your alley. They're usually soft recoiling, fast handling, and lightweight. You should be able to find a Beretta CX-4 Storm and Marlin/Henry pistol caliber lever guns at Academy. Ammunition for practice and plinking should also run much less than .223/5.56 to boot.

Is this for Home Defense? Have you looked at a PS90? They may not have the greatests terminal ballistics but power and recoil go hand in hand. The weapon is light, I can accurately fire it with only one hand. It has a 50 round magazine and is very easy to put a whole bunch of rounds on target very quickly with. It has virtualy no recoil. It really has no more recoil than my .22s.

After having typed that I checked your link and realized it is not available where you want to make this purchase. From what they show available I would go with one of the bushmasters. If it is too heavy then you probably need a very light 22 lr. Really a .223 is a pretty soft shooter but if it has too much recoil then you could purchase a 5.7 upper or simply buy a .22 lr rifle instead. If this is for self defense then I would much rather have the 5.7 because it is centerfire and positive igntion is not really a concern. .22LR duds are simply too common for me to want one for self defense. The 5.7 still offers better balistics as well and having 50 rounds just makes one feel better.

As for a carbine for your wife. I think a bushmaster would likely be a great choice.

What mdao said above -- consider a pistol-caliber rifle. I have (bought used, enjoy shooting, wish I had more time to do so) a Sub2000 from Kel-Tec in 9mm, and it's as close to any gun this side of a .22 comes to having no recoil -- just a playful bump. If you wife has small arms (the kind with hands and shoulders, since "small arms" are what you're seeking, too), the sub2k is nicely short. (For me, too short; it's a bit short even with the 1" extender pad on the butt, but not unpleasantly so.)

There are others in the category worth considering, too -- as already mentioned, the Beretta Storm, for instance. Not sure what Academy carries, but if it includes anything analogous, I'd suggest that go on your list

timothy

I have $2500 in gift cards from Academy Sports. They do not allow special orders of rifles.

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You mentioned that twice. Is there a special order rifle you have in mind that would be a comfortable fit for you? If so, you can always unload gift cards on eBay (I know, I know), generally for about 80% of face value. It's a hit, but if it gives you something you can fire accurately and safely, it may be the best route.

Or, you can always spend the $2500 on a rifle or two and then sell those to fund your next purchase.

If this is for target shooting and/or hunting perhaps you could get a handgun (or two) ?

The Thompson/Center Contender and Encore handguns have effective target and hunting range out to 200yds in many calibers and well beyond that with others. And by "effective" I mean EFFECTIVE.

If you don't want a single-shot there are the Ruger Blackhawk and Super Blackhawl single-action revolvers and multiple S&W and Ruger double-action revolvers that can be used for target/hunting with great success.

Just a thought about a different possibility. Good Luck !

If you like the idea of the Contender but they don't have them at Acadamy - maybe you could buy something there for someone else - have them pay you the cash and buy the Contender with that money. Just a thought. Some of my thoughts are Good - some are "Other".

If I'm understanding you correctly, you're looking at something you can use that's buyable at Academy Sports. With the .223 being a mild recoil round and buttpads for adjustable stocks being commonly available, I think that would be your best choice. I would use the extra money for dot sights if academy sells good ones such as aimpoint, eotech or millet's zoom dot.

regards,

Dave

If your really not sure what you can shoot without possible medical complications, go rent various rifles and try before you buy so you can see what will work.

If you can't find something that works, sell the cards on ebay, here or elsewhere and stick the proceeds in a money market.