What does the recoil of 7.62 X 54 feel like?

[MisterSpartan]

What does the recoil of the 7.62 X54 feel like?? when used in nagant 91/30, m44, etc.....what caliber is it similar to in regards to recoil?? 308, 30-06 etc . Of course how it feels depends on person, rifle used.....

[GRIMJIM]

I would venture to say that since it is ballistically similar to the 30-06 that it is about the same. Like you said though, depends on the person and firearm. I have shot some bolt actions in 30-06 and the recoil was very manageable, on the other hand I have a remington  7400 in 30-06 and it kicks like a mule.

[EVOC ONE]

I agree with GrimJim's assessment.  I too have a .30-06's that recoils harder than others;  a 700 BDL .  In comparison, my Mod 70 and Mossberg ATR recoil noticeably less than the Remington using the same ammo.

Back to the question.  I have a 91/30 and a Mod 38 and notice little difference in recoil between them.  I would rate both between the .308 or .30-06 depending on the particular rifle.

[mjbgalt]

actually i think the 7.62x54R is a relatively low-recoiling cartridge, considering the ballistics of the round. my 91/30 mosin has the long, heavy barrel, but shooting a dozen rounds through it at the range is not at all uncomfortable. more like a .410 shotgun.

-Matt

[deltecs]

About like a .308 Win and substantially less than a .458 Win.

[Mikey]

MisterSpartan:  the recoil on those Russians is just terrible.  It's horribly painful and shoulder wrenching.  Worse, it's terribly nerve wracking and you will take your bitter disappointment home with you and belabor your wife and childrens with the beating you have taken at the range.  I'll hep.  Send me all your Russian rifles and all your ammo and I will make sure they shoot comfortably for you (hahahahahahaha).  Just thought I could hep................. Mikey.

[woodchukhntr]

I have a Finnish M39.  The recoil is less than a 1903 Springfield, more like a M-1 Garand.  Definately manageable.  I haven't shot a M44 or M38 carbine yet, but would expect the recoil to be heavy in these lighter arms.

[GRIMJIM]

I just picked up a m44 a couple of years ago and was expecting it to kick a lot more than it did. Not that much different than the 91/30.

[PigBoy Crabshaw]

I have alot like milsups in this range. (M44, 91/30, M39) There heavy and not at all bad , about or on par with a 30-06. A shorter barreled M44 kicks a bit more than the longer barrel relations IMO. -gary

[outdoorman]

Lots of folks have reported about them kicking like a mule but I really don't find them anymore than shooting my sks.  In fact last weekend I took my 11 yr old son shooting and he fired both the sks and M38 without any problem.
Then I went by myself and shot couple boxes of ammo without any problem
Is a bit loud though.

[ihuntbucks]

I have a M44,kicks much less than my Remy 700 in .3006.You should have no problem with it at all...............Rick

[Mikey]

MisterSpartan:  OK, on a serious note, the recoil on those little beasties is pure brutal - ya'll best send me all your Rooshin rifles and ammo andI'm make sure they shoot comfortably for you (lolololololol). 

Actually and truthfully the recoil is more than manageable and not that bad.  Keep in mind that you are firing a 180-200 gn 308 bullet at near 30-06 velocites in a fairly lighterweight bolt rifle withoput a lot of comforting amenities.  I do not feel the rifle is that hard kicking - after all, it had to be useable by the average Russian soldier and not all of these guys looked like bodybuilders. 

I have worked on a couple of these; they are of very simple stock and action design and can be made more comfortable and accurate to shoot.  I have found all those I toyed with to have a pretty sloppy stock to action fit and just correcting that problem with a decent bedding job really helps.  HTH.  Mikey.

[S.S.]

about like a .20 ga. slug. It lets you know it is there but does not punish you