Arthritis and recoil pads and such...

[IronKnees]

This morning, I was having an email chat with someone who has just joined the forums on my own website. The conversation quickly turned to our physical handicaps and problems, and arthritis in the shoulders...

Arthritis... That is the problem. My right, well both, shoulders hurt all the time. What I feel, especially on my right shoulder, is just like what you feel after a good long day at the range with a .300 Winchester Magnum, or the like...

None of my guns have anything more than a stock, over the shelf, rubber pad. Are there any products on the market, say, shooting shirts or vests which have a really heavy, functional pad in them. Also, I am not familiar at all with really high tech recoil pads for high powered rifles. I don't want to have to quit shooting my heavier guns, but am not far from that point unless I can come up with something innovative pretty quickly... Dave

[jhm]

Dave :  Yes there are some strap on pads that distribute the recoil over a larger area but it is still going to push you around, cant think of the manufacturer at this time but someone will have the name, the only good use for them are at the range too bundlesome to wear hunting, when we shot trap we wore a vest that had a leather padded area that helped even though trap loads are light enough of them in a day on the practice range and you will appreciate the vest, I have just about given up the big guns for a little more comfort anyhow,   JIM

[willis5]

Simms has some butt pads that supposedly do the job. Also, I know that if it is a Remington rifle that you are talking about, they have some of the same. To be honest, I dont know of other brands.

By the way, I am trying to plan a bear hunt with some family in the next year. I saw that you were looking at some bear hunts, so am I . PM me if you want to combine our efforts. We might be able to set something up.

[Kragman71]

Dave,
I've had arthritis since I was a Kid.I was glad when the doctor told me so.
I thought that I had Polio.
I found that wearing a shooting jacket,with the padded shoulder is a help.
I also bought a Past,strap-on shooting pad,that I wear now,because I rarely spend more then a couple of hours at the range at one time.
If that doesn't help,I would definately buy one of those Whiz-bang recoil pads for my gunstock.
Appearently,your condition is more advanced then mine;but I am progressing. I will be glad to spend whatever it takes to squeeze another year of shooting out of Life.
Good luck,
Frank

[IronKnees]

Yep Frank... I've already had both knees replaced, which is why they call me IronKnees, and one shoulder is to the point that my doc wants to do a total on it. My spine, which is the really big factor, is degenerating faster and faster, and I have lost nearly all the feeling in both hands, and am starting to loose coordination there as well... They tell me that it is too far progressed to be operated on, so I don't know just how much longer I am going to be able to function. However, they are telling me ABSOLUTELY DO NOT SIT DOWN AND QUIT. They say if I do that, that it would be fatal very quickly... So, I'm still hunting, building my boat, and working too... but I really don't know for how long. Today was a really bad day, and I am so buzzed up on pain pills that it's a bit difficult to type...  :cry:

[Kragman71]

Dave,
I am One who has a pretty good idea of just what You are going through.
Three years ago,this August,I had my left knee operated on. It is worse now,then ever.I have to exercise or walk every day to keep it mobile. Even so,it can go 'sour'any time,without warning. One day,I can do two miles on the track;the next day,it swells up,just walking to the track.
Two months ago,I had the worst one of my hands operated on for Carpal-Tunnel. I have a little more feeling in my fingers,but the strength has yet to return to my hand. I can't loosen the chuck on my hand drill,and can't open a medicine bottle. I won't have the other hand operated on.
I do not have any Arthritis in my legs,at all. It is only in my arms and hands,and shoulders, and neck.
Like You,I know that I have to keep pluggin',or I'll dry up and blow away.
Frank

[Rick Teal]

I have arthritis in my shoulders, but I haven't noticed any increased sensitivity to recoil because of it, however, every case is unique.  

I use a Past shoulder pad for my range work when I'm using my heavier rifles.  It does a good job of redistributing the recoil over a wider area,  It seems to be made of some form of dense foam.  

If you were to use one hunting, you might have to shorten your stock in order to allow a proper fit, however, you may (like me) not have to use a Past pad hunting, only when you do range work.

[Kragman71]

Rick,
My Past pad is always in my range bag. I only need it for my 45/70's or my Mossy 12 Ga.
I do use it if I have any pain at all. I shoot badly enough,without flinching.
Actually,it's not all that often,though.
Frank

[IronKnees]

Well, I made my mind up guys... I'm going to order the PAST magnum pad... I already have a vest, albeit a less expensive one from Wal*Mart for trap shooting. The only place I would be using it is on the bench, so the pad makes more sense. And, this one is designed for 500 Nitro and the like... Also, I may go ahead and order the Packmayr (spelling) Decelerator pad for the rifle as well, but will wait till I try the pad first... It's either that, or quit shooting at the range altogether... Also, the surgeon who did my knees is looking at both shoulders to see if they can be candidates for total replacement. I, on the other hand, will have to be awfully bad off before I go through ANY more surgeries...

[Mikey]

Dave:  I am fortunate, at this time, not to suffer the effects of Arthritus but the recoil of some of my rifles is not pleasant.  To either 'tame' or spread it out so as not to be so badly focused in any one place there are three things you can do:  (1) remember the old military shootng jackets - you can get one from Cabellas with a 3/4" (?) thick pad on the shooting shoulder.  That helps.  (2).  From the Graybeard forums I have found the PAST Recoil Shield to work very well - just make certain your rifle's butt stock is where it should be and not off the pad (kinda surprises you).  (3) The Pachmyer De-Accelerator butt pad helps a lot as well.  All three used together should, hopefully, make for a pleasant shootng experience.

And Dave, no matter what that doctor says, don't let the sombitch replace your shoulders with knees - won't work fer schmidt.  Might add a new definition to the term 'knee-jerk' reaction.  Mikey.

[IronKnees]

 Good one!  

[Lawdog]

Dave,

I hear everything you say.  Arthritis is moving in on me too, in my back since my injury.  So far the shoulders are ok(Thank You Lord) but I do everything I can when at the range shooting especially the big bores and the magnums.  I use most everything that Mikey stated except the shooting jacket.  Past Shields, Decelerator recoil pads and none of my heavier recoiling rifles weight under 8.75 pounds.  One other thing you might consider is installing a mercury recoil insert in the stock of your rifle(s).  For under $60.00 they really reduce that sharp kick and some of the push too.  I installed them in all of my big bores down to my .340 Weatherby.  The care taker at our gun club favorite(and only) rifle is a custom M721 in .35 Whelen that he couldn't hardly shoot anymore because of arthritis in both shoulders.  A few of us took his rifle and change his recoil pad( the old one had about as much give as cast iron) and installed a Decelerator.  Gave him a Past strap on shield and I installed a C&H Research mercury insert.  Result was now he can shoot his Whelen, maybe not everyday or a lot but as he said 20 or so rounds a week is better than none.  He also uses a product called Flex-All 454(sp) that he rubs on most everyday.  He says it helps.  Be nice if they could come up with a magic pill/cure all for arthritis.  Maybe someday.  Lawdog

[Jim n Iowa]

Dave I too suffer from ar. Had to give up golf as it was difficult to move around. So I took up target shooting. Gave up hunting also. I started reloading again and trying out differnt loads for each gun. The 7mm mag and the 338 mag were no fun on the bench. Tried the past, declerator pads, 5lb shoot sack. The only thing that really made a difference shooting these two was a muzzel brake. I really never thought I would ever go on a big game hunt again, coyotes was all I could do. A year ago they replaced both hips, I am not doing high jumps or running but I will probably start golf soon and plan on a hog hunt. Lots of people are against the brake but they would view it in a differnt light if they were suffering.
Jim

[Graybeard]

Dave are you sure what you have and are suffering from is in fact arthritis? Reason I ask is I've been operating under the assumption for some time now that the same thing you say you have in me was either arthritis or bursitus. Last visit with my GP we were discussing the problem in more detail. He has treated it with shots and medications for some time now. He says he thinks the real problem is a rotator cuff. Now I've not fully researched just what that is but I've read several posts by folks saying they've had surgery for it and that's what my GP is trying to get me to do, go see a surgeon and get the operation.

Ya might wanna look into that possibility.

In my case it is so severe that no amount of padding gets me thru shooting anything with more recoil than the .30-06 and even that hurts badly with lots of padding. My .243 is seeing more and more use hunting these days.

GB

[IronKnees]

Oh yes... You should see the xrays... I have very severe degeneration in my spine, and my shoulder bones look like the base of a good size set of antlers... It's called some big special name, but I can't think of it at the moment. It is what caused my knees to literally grind themselves down to nothing. My left leg had become almost two inches shorter than the other, and both were angled in almost 16 degrees. Oh yes... It's arthritis alright.

[Mawgie]

Dave -

Hang in there as best you can!  You are an inspiration to some of us younger bucks (I just hit 42 this week. Is that still young??)  Anyway, I hope you can hunt and shoot for a good long time yet, and if with your handloading skills, I'm sure some "home cooking" from your reloading becnh in lighter calibers can get the job done in the field.

Good luck to you - Mawgie

[lonewolf5347]

I have very severe degeneration in my cervical spine that includes C2 threw C7 ,and joint shoulder pain,seems to go hand in hand with the back neck pain. I just gave up bow hunting for good three years ago due to the problem,I been a bowhunter since 1969 and I do miss the sport
I stiill enjoy shooting at the bench also with the help of a past shoulder pad.I still gun hunt (black powder) but need assistance trying  to get game out of the woods.This year while hunting in PA and taking a huge 8 pointer with the m/l I ran into two young hunter that help me with the large buck.I could not thank them enough even offered to take them to dinner at the end of the day.I myself have good days and bad days but there is nothing Dr. say can be done ,just to many disc  are gone in one area.

[Snowshoe]

IronKnees, I know what you are talking about, although, thankfully not as bad.  I too have the dirty Arthur.  4 knee operations, and this past summer I had my shoulder cleaned out. I started using the Past magnum  recoil shield a couple of years ago, and still gave up my .45-70. I have gone back to the Savage bolt action .30-30, and a nice sportered Turkish mauser in 8x57. It has a good recoil pad on it and with the Past, it's not too bad. When I feel like walking, the light .30-30 is a blast. If I feel like just sitting, the scoped 8x57 will do the job out to 300 yards. I am not too bad until it gets cold, then it really sets in. And it's been 25-30 below for a while now. We just have to keep plugging along.

[Sourdough]

Iron Knees: I definately know where you are coming from.  I have osteo arthiritis in both ankles, knees, hips, shoulders, hands, elbows, and in my spine.  The cold really bothers me sometimes.  I'm wanting to move to Florida, but the wife and son like it Alaska too much.  Two days snowmachining and it takes three to recooperate.  Hang in there though, stay flexiable.  The alternative is not good.  Sourdough