Nature Boy
Member
- Joined
- Apr 21, 2015
- Messages
- 8,256
This subject requires a revisit of this classic 
Rifles that kick like a mule, what you got and what's your work arounds
- Thread starter Paul R Zartman
- Start date
- Status
Nature Boy
Member
- Joined
- Apr 21, 2015
- Messages
- 8,256
If you’re not exiting the range on your hands and knees your rifle doesn’t kick
I have a Winchester Model 70 Featherweight in 30-06 that kicks like a mule, at least to me it seems so. It was my main deer rifle for 20 years. Lately the kick seems more harsh, and when I rescoped the rifle it took all I could handle to sight it back in and practice a little. Fifteen rounds or so and I had enough.
Lately my solution is to download the loads a bit which seems to have worked, or just take the .243 instead
I'll never get rid of the M70 as it was my first centerfire rifle, but it is not a range rifle.
-Jeff
Lately my solution is to download the loads a bit which seems to have worked, or just take the .243 instead
I'll never get rid of the M70 as it was my first centerfire rifle, but it is not a range rifle.-Jeff
brewer12345
Member
- Joined
- Nov 29, 2015
- Messages
- 2,751
Correct. I also mostly shoot round ball, which provides far less recoil to begin with.
entropy
Member
Worst for me was my Dad's 7mm Mag. Rem. 700; the stock design didn't work for me, kicked the snot out of me. I've shot a .416 Rem. Ruger 77, and the perceived recoil was way less. My .300 Win Mag. Ruger 77 was a pussycat, but that was more due to the McMillan stock with a Kick-eez pad and a palm swell.
Klaus knows how to handle that .700 Nitro.
Klaus knows how to handle that .700 Nitro.
Charlie Martinez
Member
The hardest kicking long arm I have ever shot was a "sporterized" 8mm, 98 Mauser carbine a friend bought at Woolworth's in the 70's when they sold for about $30 each. A few of us got together chipped in for a couple of boxes of surplus military ammo & took it for a test run. Two or three shots is about as much as anyone cared to shoot that thing. It kicked like a mule on steroids & the muzzle blast was incredible. My buddy still has it and after nearly 50 years all of us remember that day & still agree that it is the hardest kicking gun any of us has ever shot.
Phrog Driver
Member
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2020
- Messages
- 42
I have the exact same rifle Bruce, a family heirloom. Recently discovered some 125 grain ammo for it and makes all the difference in the world over the 150s and 165s I had used before. Tames it right down. Try it, you might enjoy shooting it again.
CraigC
Sixgun Nut
At the risk of sounding like one of those macho-types I abhor, I honestly don't find much objectionable with long guns. My favorite lightweight 12ga has a hard plastic buttplate. Some of my favorite rifles have steel buttplates. Crescent buttplates are a non-issue if you shoulder them correctly. My heaviest recoiling rifle is probably my CZ .416Rigby but its weight and stock fit makes it manageable. The biggest thing you can do with a rifle like this is NOT shoot it off the bench.
Followed by my steel butted 1895 .405WCF.
Followed by my steel butted 1895 .405WCF.
Last edited:
tark
Member
Or get taken to the hospital with a broken collarbone. Thomas Bland 4 bore single barrel. 385 grains of FG behind a 2000 gr. conical bullet I wasn't holding it correctly. 240 ft. lbs. of recoil. A 458 has about 70.If you’re not exiting the range on your hands and knees your rifle doesn’t kick
There is no "work around" for something like that, other than to shoot is standing up and taking a step backward. Sitting, it will knock you off the chair. I am proud to say I didn't drop the gun.
If you’re not exiting the range on your hands and knees your rifle doesn’t kick
If you are ABLE to exit the range, you rifle doesn't kick.
I have a 18 pound 4 bore rifle with a solid brass butt plate. Quarter pound balls with powder charges up to 500+ grains. That load will bring the recoil over 300 ft/lbs. The recoil will knock you back a few steps even with lighter loads. If it is well designed and you know how to shoot the big guns, it is sort of manageable. In the 19th century there were guys that used these things on a regular basis.
tark
Member
Now we're talkin' a MAN'S rifle
!!!daniel craig
Member
- Joined
- Dec 23, 2009
- Messages
- 2,815
My workaround is to shoot a 2-3/4 or 3” 12ga deer slug right before shooting my rifle. After that, rifle recoil feels nice and mild.
EMC45
Member
- Joined
- Jul 20, 2008
- Messages
- 1,948
Worst was a 45-70 NEF Handi with a 405gr. bullet over 50+gr of Varget. That load clacked my teeth together and blurred my vision. I was loading ammo for deer hunting and wanted to try it. I think I loaded 20 and shot about 4. Next time I went to the range a buddy from the radio shop on base wanted to try it out so I let him. He was a younger guy and a bit more muscular than me. He shot the remainder of the box and said he loved it. I remedied that by loading 15gr. Unique with the same bullet and it then kicked like a 20ga. bird load. Killed 3 deer with the Unique load that were through and through shots. Didn't need all the horsepower in the first place!
Second up is my old 12ga. Wingmaster with the RS ImpCyl barrel with slugs. That gun will hurt you. I remedied that by using a 1oz. GreenDot powder loading for 1oz. of shot under the 1oz. slug (Lee KeyDrive) and it's a pussy cat now. One of the last times I went out shooting I shot 41 slugs. No issues. They kick mildly and group wonderfully from 50y and in standing freehand. It makes it fun to run the ol girl.
Second up is my old 12ga. Wingmaster with the RS ImpCyl barrel with slugs. That gun will hurt you. I remedied that by using a 1oz. GreenDot powder loading for 1oz. of shot under the 1oz. slug (Lee KeyDrive) and it's a pussy cat now. One of the last times I went out shooting I shot 41 slugs. No issues. They kick mildly and group wonderfully from 50y and in standing freehand. It makes it fun to run the ol girl.
d2wing
Member
- Joined
- Nov 10, 2008
- Messages
- 6,421
Wow. I have seen smoothbore punt guns like that that were mounted in boats for commercial duck hunting. I never saw a rifle like that.
A couple of years ago, I bought a .416 Rigby. I had no use for a gun like that other than I wanted it, and the price was good. The gun's beautiful and fun to shoot (after I got used to it) . I asked for some help on this forum, and I got a Past pad. (Thanks, by the way) I load 300, 350, and 400 grain bullets. The 400 is brutal, but once you know what's coming you can handle it OK. For plinking (?) the 300 is much nicer.
WisBorn
Contributing Member
My heaviest recoil firearm was a Mossberg 835 Turkey model shooting 2 1/2 oz 3 1/2". The gun didn't have any porting. My 10 gauges and other 3 1/2" 12 gauges had less recoil.
vintovka
Member
- Joined
- Oct 26, 2020
- Messages
- 902
I must admit the most felt recoil i have ever experience in 3/4 of a century remains an original .43 Remington Rolling Block, 3 band rifle. This was is the reformado version fired with Spanish American war captured black powder ammo. Now the story is that the late Bill Wescombe acquired a large amount of the latter ammo, rolling block rifles and parts from Bannerman's Island. The ammo did not fit the rifles. Ingenious man that he was, he made up huge press to reform the entire "non reformado" cartridges' into a the "reformado" versions having a distinct shouldered case. Heard it took tremendous pressure to reform the cases and heavily compressed the already compressed original black powder charge. We each fired 2-3 rounds at the range and the recoil was unbearable. Only the back half of the old brass case were extracted as the brass covered bullets were found downrange with the case fronts still attached. That evening my wife about fainted after seeing the huge blood bruise on my shoulder. All the others reported same.
Nature Boy
Member
- Joined
- Apr 21, 2015
- Messages
- 8,256
I’ve never noticed recoil. I’m built like spring steel wrapped in rawhide. When I shoot heavy rifles they get bruised recoil pads.
*Chuck Norris has entered the chat*
- Status
