cartridges that make you go "ouch!"

[Nagant]

I had a 18.5 inch double barrel 12 gauge that made me pretty miserable, especially when I touched off both triggers at the same time. I'm not sure why everyone says the .45-70... I've found they're not all that bad at all. However, the higher powered rounds like the .30-06 wears me out after just a few rounds. Not a real big guy and all that energy getting transferred into my lean body isn't a lot of fun...

 

[GeezerwithGuns]

Many years back I fired a .475 Nitro Express out of a Rigby double gun. The cartridge looked like something that belonged in an artillery piece. Must have been around a 500 grain bullet at least. Surprisingly, I believe because of the weight of the gun (read very heavy) it was more of a huge "push" rather than a sharp "crack" to the shoulder. Now at 60 years old, however, I may have a different opinion....

The two guns that had the most felt recoil for me were. A 1903 Springfield 30-06 (with no recoil pad) which was not pleasurable at all. The worst of all was a 3" magnum slug out of my short barrel home defense Remington 870. That sucker was really nasty.

 

[kragluver]

Gew:

I didn't mean to imply that the .45-70 is not "accurate" at ranges beyond 200. Its just not a flat shooter which means you really have to know your range precisely. I whole-heartedly agree that the old cartridge is one of those inherently accurate rounds at extreme ranges. I have peep sights on my Marlin and it will routinely ring the sheep-sized steel plate at 375 yds (I don't have a longer range to shoot it at) with my mild cast loads. Of course, the sight setting is cranked all the way up I don't think I'd try it on game beyond 200 though as my range estimation in the field is not that good beyond about 100-150 and I don't have a laser range finder. I have it sighted for a max point blank zero of 150.

 

[TCB in TN]

I have shot a lot of different guns and while recoil doesn't really bother me that much, when you get up past the 338 I really don't "enjoy" shooting. That said the only rifle that I have ever shot that really hurt to shoot was of all things a .270 Remmy 700. My ex FiL bought it from a guy he used to work with, said that it kicked to much for his taste. Well my FiL laughed about that till he shot it. Knocked him around real good. My BiL got a black eye from the scope, and after 5 rounds of 150 factory Winchester Silver Tips, I just put it away. I have shot a couple of boxes of 300 mags in an afternoon, but 5 rounds was all I wanted of that thing. My FiL finally sold it to a boy who said I liked recoil.

 

[Tokugawa]

Lots of consensus on the 12 ga slugs and buck- probably the biggest rifle I have fired was a .375H+H, but it was nothing compared to a short barreled 870 with 1 3/8 oz Brenneke slugs. Fired from a rest, it kicked hard enough to smack my eyeglasses into my brow and leave a nice gash. Still, it was reassuring bear medicine.

 

[ArkansasFatboy]

Well I have to go with 8x56r hungarian out of m95 carbine followed by 12ga 3 1/2 turkey load out of my mossberg 835 ultimag

 

[Checkman]

A Winchester Model 70 in .458 Winchester Magnum. The owner graciously allowed me to fire two rounds. Don't know the weight of the rounds, but that pegged me out on my fun meter.

 

[simmonsguns]

This week it was a 450 #2 nitro express double that i am building for a good customer.
The gun weight is 7.70 pounds and has a butt plate, i can lift my arm finally.

 

[plumberroy]

I have shot about every suplus rifle mentioned here I have a savage 338 win mag and about everything smaller I have not shoot the 375's and 458"s or 460's a barret 50 bmg is a pussycat I have shot 27 10 slugs in on setting I have shot class 3 45-70 loads for years (I have taken deer out ot 225 yards) 3" 12 gauge loads aren't fun but don't stop me even out of a H&R I have said no more only twice 58 m/l the one Val Fogget of navy arms took to Africa 500 gr. minie and 160 gr.fffg 4 shots and I quit and H&R made a synthetic stocked turkeygun that weighed about 2 lbs that would chamber 3 1/2" loads after one shot I decided I don;t need a turkey that bad anything a 12 ga 3 1/2" load will do a 10 will do better in my opinion
Roy

 

[Bud Tugly]

Hardest kicking for me was buckshot and slugs out of a 12 gauge H&R. FAR worse than the 8x57 Mauser, .30-06, or .303 Enfield IMO.

As I get older I'm tending more and more to appreciate guns with low recoil. Bruised shoulders, flinching, and the risk of detached retinas are just not worth a little extra range and knock-down power.

 

[kragluver]

Most shotguns as a rule kick harder than your average full power rifle round (just run some numbers through the recoil equations). Even a 12 ga with birdshot has high recoil numbers. The reason we don't "notice" it as much is due to the fact that shotguns are shot mostly from a standing position and our bodies roll with the recoil. Can you imagine shooting your 12 ga loaded with 00 buck or a slug from a benchrest? Ouch.

High recoil does not equal high knock-down power. There are plenty of moderate or even low recoil rounds that have all the takedown power you would want.

 

[inherentical]

I bought a couple of boxes of the .45-70 540gr Garrett Hammerhead ammo for my Marlin Guide gun.

It's fairly stout.

 

[atlanticfire]

Have shot 458 lott. Alot of recoil but I kninda enjoyed it. . . now I've been looking at the CZ rile in 458. For what reason I don't know, but I just like it. My brothers old sbs 3 1/2" 10 Ga with just wood stock hurts a bit.

 

[azhunter12]

LOL steven!!

 

[Detritus]

haven't read the whole thread, but i'm gonna bet that compared to some of you, i'm a wimp...

for "regular everyday shooting" my personal limit is along the lines of "if the felt recoil is worse than 30-06 through a 1903, or 1917, you can count me out". now i have fired larger, more powerful rounds, up to and including .50BMG. but I've never OWNED anything that shot ammo stronger than 308/30-06 class.

heck i don't really ever foresee me even buying a carbine or "brush gun" type rifle in a "full power" (ie aforesaid .308/30-06 class or larger) rifle cartidge ever again. full power .308 in a lightweight short barreled bolt action (the Remington 600 my father gave me) just wasn't a huge thrill.

Figuring into my outlook on this is the fact that ALL of my shooting is done at a range, I don't hunt, so i don't need a short, light "brush gun" or something capable of slaying an elk from across the valley, and even if i were to start messing around with something like 3-gun matches, and on a lark wanted to use a MBR type like a M1A for it. i'd be doing it for the fun of it and wouldn't care if i finished last, cause i'm too fat, slow, and cripple, for the size or weight of my rifle to make a noticable difference

ETA: there IS one gun/round combo that some might find a bit much, that i plan to have someday. i want a 45-70 or if i get adventurous 45-110 sharps repro. but we're not talking about super stout loads here, i personally find BP or BP substitute loads in 45-70 etc to be milder and easier for me to handle than some more modern rounds.

 

[plexreticle]

I have a 1917 thats sporterised .30-06 and I don't mind it at all but my 7.65 Argentine Mauser I can only do a few rounds and my teeth feel like they are getting rattled.

The stock design has a lot to do with managing recoil I've learned.

 

[AStone]

... a carbine or "brush gun" type rifle .... a short, light "brush gun" ...

Did someone say, " ... carbine or 'brush gun' type rifle .... a short, light 'brush gun' ... "?

Oh, and you want low recoil, too?

No problemo.

Marlin 1894C in .357 Mag.
(Can you say venison at 50 m?).

Also eats .38 spl.
(Sufficient for aggressive predatory bipeds
even if not big bears, for which there's .45-70.)

 

[Detritus]

Low recoil? No problemo. Marlin 1894C in .357 Mag (can you say venison?).

Also eats .38 spl (suitable for predatory bipeds even if not big bear).

if i ever needed a walking around in the woods gun one of the Marlin cabines would be rather high on my list.

i had an 1894 cowboy in .45colt for awhile (dabbled in CAS), and my first rifle that was "mine" was a 39M so i'm already sold on marlins. kinda wish the 1894CBC was still around.

My statement (or at least the intent of it) was that i'll likely never buy a carbine eating anything stronger than 30-30, or maybe standard (BP load equivilent) 45-70. just don't see the need.

 

[AStone]

...i'll likely never buy a carbine eating anything stronger than 30-30,
or maybe standard (BP load equivilent) 45-70. just don't see the need.

Ditto that.

One question, though: BP load?

Buffalo Bore?

 

[aquapong]

For me...it was a Marlin .444.

 

[Detritus]

One question, though: BP load?

Black Powder load equivilent, ie the stuff listed as safe for trapdoors. lower pressure, and therefore "power" but it'll kill anything I would ever want to, and to me at least, the recoil isn't unpleasant like some of the stronger "modern loads"

I'm a bit of a traditionalist in some ways, and if i ever had a rifle in 45-70 i'd be handloading it using lead bullets and BP or pyrodex anyway.

 

[buzz_knox]

.458 Win Mag. I fired two rounds, and the second was only because my brain was so addled by the first that it couldn't stop the automatic "reload, aim, fire" function.

 

[MD_Willington]

.30-378 Weatherby Magnum

 

[SATX man]

I see alot of 45-70 here the other day my wife and I went to the gun range and the person 3 stalls from us had a 45-70 six shooter he shot it once and after that he wanted to sell it.

For me about 20Yrs ago a friend of mine father had a 10Ga shotgun that did it for me with 10 guages, will just stick to 12Ga.

 

[jhansman]

I never much cared for factory .30-30. Too much recoil and report for my liking, but then I don't hunt, so I moved over to .223 Rem and have never looked back.