cartridges that make you go "ouch!"

[jkingrph]

I"ve loaded some hot 45-70 Gov for my Marlin Guide Gun that makes me cringe when I get my finger anywhere near the trigger. Those Hot 405 grain load will kills on both ends. Loads lately have been for Rolling Block rifle and I keep them pretty mild,

I can relate to that, my first 45-70 was a Browning BPCR Loaded some moderately heavy loads and could only take 10 from a bench. It had been a bunch of years since I had shot anything that recoiled heavy, ie my Win mod 70 Featherweight 30-06.

One of the worst I now have is a Marlin 1895 cowboy and it is rough with heavy loads. Ruger #1's in 375 H&H and 458 Win mag are not any fun off a bench with full loads.

My Guide Gun is a handful, the standard 1895 is pleasant by comparison, a Win 1886 repro in 45-70 with crescent butt plate can hurt shootiing from a bench in spite of the heavy weight.

My conclusion is that the heavy thumpers are meant to be shot from a standing position or if sitting at least from a very upright position. One range I go to requires that centerfire rigles be shot through a slot in a fence intended to prevent shooting over the berm so I no longer go there with these rifles. It's strange that they will allow hihg power handguns to be shot offhand there.

 

[jamesb]

My 34 turk mauser in 8mm mauser is probly my least favorite gun to shoot that I own, kicks like a mule. The worst was probly my auto 5 that my grandfather had put the rings on wrong, my brother still wont shoot it to this day.

 

[JesseL]

Mike 56, I'm glad I'm not the only one who tried that!

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

It's not a rifle, but a few years ago, my buddy and I were shooting 3" magnum 12 ga turkey loads from a Rem 870 pump with synthetic stock and short-ish barrel. It was pretty darn unpleasant - I think I got off 3 rounds before I threw in the towel. Those weren't even 3.5" mags. I've got two 45-70s, and they are not nearly as bad as that 12 gauge was (albeit granted, these are only level I & *light* level II .45-70 loads, not level III). That experience is the reason that all my turkey & waterfowl guns are now either semi-auto 12s - or 20 guages. That and having my shooting shoulder dislocated back when playing sports.

 

[nyggis]

My old two-barreled shotgun, with two 3" slugs fired simultaneously because of a worn down trigger mechanism. NO RECOIL PAD! BARE SKIN!

I remember sitting in a kneeling position, trigger pull, hearing a roar, a punch and then lying on my back looking up in the air.

That shotgun is in heaven now...

 

[tom1200]

.458 Lott and hot loaded 45-70 in a Marlin are fine. Maybe a .460 Weatherby, but I've never tried one. Recoil is a mind over matter thing.

 

[scythefwd]

5 shot group of .54cal 2 3/4 slugs out of my mossy 500 pump with 20 inch barrel.

 

[kcmarine]

Hm... ever seen one of them ol' Iver- Johnson single- shot shotguns?


Well, if you have, imagine a scrawny little 11 year old with a 16 gauge model tucked into his shoulder. I refused to fire it after about...eh... 2 shots. Maybe 3.

 

[jkingrph]

.458 Lott and hot loaded 45-70 in a Marlin are fine. Maybe a .460 Weatherby, but I've never tried one. Recoil is a mind over matter thing.

Don't know about that, when it bruizes you so you are ozing blood it hurts.

 

[Beagle-zebub]

I can't really say, but I never liked when guns clip you on the cheek during recoil. Monte Carlo or bust.

 

[bthompson]

My Stephens single shot 9lb 10 gauge with 2 ounce high velocity turkey loads is ridiculous.
The recoil gives me severe whiplash after the third shot. Only once have I been man enough to shoot 9 of these within 15 minutes. I admit, not the wisest decision due to the black and blue shoulder for the next week.

By the way, could anyone give me an estimate as to how this compares with other powerful cartridges?

 

[Vicious-Peanut]

I have no issue with my 91/30 and the Bulgarian 183 grain stuff or my Grandfather's Extremely nice sportsterized 1903 (Nice and Classy) with 180 grain loads. I shot his 7mm magnum on a lead sled and honestly that is the one that bothered me the most, not the recoil but because it was jumping out of the sled.

Next up, .338 Magnum, then .375 H&H!

 

[Savage Shooter]

Let me say first say that up until a few years ago the largest thing I ever fired was a 20ga with deer slug so while I was at a friends house and he asked me if I wanted to shoot his new gun. should have known right then and there not to shoot it now my friend is a pretty big boy about 6'5" ish and 250 maybe and I agreed little did I know to fire a .458winchester magnum I put on hearing protection and leaned forward like he said and held on for dear life i shot it knocked off my hearing protection almost knocked the gun out of my hands my ears where ringing and mys shoulder was throbing I handed it back to him and said never again.

 

[Mike 56]

Nyggis, I bet that left a mark

Jeseel, when i was a kid my buddy and i would shoot clays with my single shot 12ga with target loads. I would take a handful of 3 inch mags in my pocket every once in a while i would pass him the shotgun with a 3 inch mag in it. You should have herd him every time he shot one not expecting it.

Mike

 

[ColinthePilot]

For me (so far) its a Mosin M38 from the bench. When standing, its a pleasure; it fits my shoulder better, and I have the shooting sling rigged just right for me. From the bench, its just not fun.

 

[doc2rn]

I took one look at a "ultra light" in .338, that weighed about 6 pounds, syn stock a fella had...

Yep ditto only I was the guy who bought it! Before I learned what a muzzle break was for, and an add on decelerator pad.

 

[sublimaze41]

Ithaca Featherweight 12G firing slugs.

 

[MilsurpShooter]

Hot loaded .45-120 and a .50-90

 

[azhunter12]

The mosin m38 is probably the worst. My new steyr m95 in 8*65r should be bad too. I still haven't shot it in the year I've had it. I'm just to lazy to get ammo and clips. Also 3" 12ga shells are pretty painful. I don't shoot too much heavy recoil stuff because it gives me headaches.

 

[Geno]

The most uncomfortable recoil for me was Weatherby Mark V .378 WM. Of course the guy who owned it didn't want to zero his own scope. I soon learned why. I thought I'd have to scamper back to the bench each time I launched of the rounds. Never again.

 

[RugerOldArmy]

Muzzle-loader, a 12lb-er too. Replica black powder ivory hunting 4-bore. That's a 1700 Gr round ball. A few hundred grains of FFg.

Saw stars.

I figure the old Ivory Hunters, for about two seconds after the shot, prayed the elephant stomped 'em to death to end the pain.

But now I know why Karamojo Bell hunted elephants with a 7x57.

 

[telecaster1981]

Seems to be a recurring theme here: Hot 45-70= bad ju-ju!

You've heard similar stories, but I'll tell you mine anyway. Some years ago I got a Springfield 1873 Trapdoor for my birthday...not a replica...the real deal. I loved it (still do) but ammo was so expensive, I only fired it a few times...UNTIL ONE DAY, I found Miwall reloaded 45-70 for $11 per 20 on a website and I ordered some. Come to find out (afterward), they were hot loaded 500gr's. To make a long story short, it tore the skin on my shoulder on the first shot! I packed it back up and thanked goodness that was the only wound I had...could very well have blown the Trapdoor up. Now, I reload!

 

[tom1200]

".458 Lott and hot loaded 45-70 in a Marlin are fine. Maybe a .460 Weatherby, but I've never tried one. Recoil is a mind over matter thing."

"Don't know about that, when it bruizes you so you are ozing blood it hurts."

Can't say I've ever experienced that. I've done 25 500 grain Lotts in a single range session. How many does it take to get to the blood oozing stage?

 

[tube_ee]

You 'da man...

I've done 25 500 grain Lotts in a single range session.

We're not worthy... we're not worthy!!

Damn, man.

--Shannon

 

[kragluver]

Telecaster - don't get the wrong idea about .45-70. Its only a thumper when loaded hot. I came to the conclusion a couple of years ago that you will never make a 200+ yard hunting cartridge out of it, so all that extra velocity is only adding RECOIL. That rifle with open sights is meant for 100 yd (hunting) shots or less. I now load mine down to the original black powder type velocities (1300 fps) with cast bullets. Its a pleasure to shoot. Even my 9 yr old twin boys like shooting it. Deer and hogs don't know the difference between 1300 and 1800 fps. The .45-70 will always have a rainbow trajectory regardless of MV -- so I don't see a reason to load so hot -- at least for what I shoot.