Shoulder Surgery!! Were you able to shoot lever action level .45-70 loads again?

[eddeb3]

 ...am presently recovering from surgery to my old shooting shoulder. I have a BC that I have grown to love...hand load...cast boolits for etc...

...just hoping to hear from a shooter that has recovered from fairly extensive tendon reattachment and bicep repair to shoot healthy hunting loads again.

Thank you in advance for you input.

Be Blessed

Ed

[gcrank1]

If you love the gun, load her down to a comfortable, even if subsonic level, and see if it groups. Lob 'em in and have fun, but dont do too many at first, find what works for you. If you dont have one, check on those PAST recoil pads for your shoulder. All my friends who shoot 'big bores' have them.
Ive not had shoulder surgery, but have endured a whiplash type neck injury for years. When I shoot rifles of friends the black powder loads are MUCH better than smokeless, but even they get to me after only a very few shots. I went to the 38-55 TM, shoot smokeless cast bullet loads, and really like it.

[quickdtoo]

Hopefully Doug (canon6) will check in, he's had shoulder problems, I don't think he shoots the 45-70 any more because of it, I suppose it depends on the type in shoulder issue a fella has tho.  FWIW, there is plenty of low velocity data out there to reduce recoil, Hodgdon Trail Boss as well as the extensive data the Greg Mushial has developed. Beside the Past shoulder pad, a nice leather slip-on or standard recoil pad can be added to the BC stock, and weight or an MRR can always be added to the stock bolt hole, all of these options are detailed in the FAQs sticky.

Good luck it hanging in the with the BC.


Tim

http://hodgdon.com/PDF/Trail-Boss-data.pdf

http://www.gmdr.com/lever/lowveldata.htm

[gatersb]

i hope you get better but you could always learn to shoot with your weak hand instead might be slower but beats not shooting at all.  I had to learn how to shoot left when i broke my right arm.  slower than christmas but reasonably accurate(min of bad guy not moa)

[canon6]

I finally had to give up the 45-70.Not because of the recoil, but the weight.Before I gave up on it, I had it down to a acceptable level.  I went to a Limbsaver recoil pad,mercury recoil reducer in the stock and loads at the trap door level.I went with cast loads and the use of small charges of fast burning powder ie:  Unique.
Recoil is a subjective thing but I found the 45-70 to not hurt me at all, as  even the 30-30 hurt.
Hope this helps     Doug

[dangerranger]

I had tendon repair and a SLAP tear repaired in 08. mine is still healing. Im still rebuilding the lost mussel from not using it as I had. I recently got a BC and could comfortably shoot Rem 405 factory ammo easily. the hornaday lever evolution however was painfull. not to the point that I wouldnt hunt with it, but I wouldnt want to shoot targets with it. I do use a Past pad and am adding weight to the stock. my reloading stuff showed up the other day but Ive not built up a load for it yet. Im waiting for it to cool off before I start casting again. Good luck with yours DR

[spikehorn]

First let me say Give yourself plenty of time to heal. You don't want to push it and reinjur you shoulder. That being said I was in a motorcycle accident back in 86, broke 9 ribs and seperated my collar bone from my shoulder. The orthopedic surgeon told me he could cut the knob of my collar bone of and pin it back together and it would be a cosmetic fix or i could leave it and probably never have a problem with it. I left it as is. I have 2 45-70s, one I shoot the rem 405s in and it is just a nudge the other I shoot the Hornady LEs and you know you are shooting those. as has been said if you reload load them down and work back up as you get stronger,But heal real good before you even start shooting again

[mechanic]

July 23rd. '09, just a little over a year ago, I had a 90% torn rotator, and a bicep torn and retracted.  They fixed the whole mess with a lot of stainless wire and a steel pin, (and for all I know some duct tape).  I can shoot anything I've got, including magnum 12 ga. , if I'm carefull about stock placement.  The 45-70 if fine with lever gun loads.

I went through the physical therapy for 5 weeks, and went back to work on light duty.  Now a year later, I still don't try to do what I once did.  I limit myself to 100#, etc.  But I can shoot fine.

[Harry Snippe]

Well my shoulder is bone on bone due to arthritis . I did not think I would be shootin the '06& 300 Mag ever again , thinking I might retire to some thing on the 30/30 class.

That was a year ago.Well I had kept the 300 Mag and sold the 3006 as well as the 35 Rem lever , which I could no longer use .
Well the shoulder is still not any better , other than the tenion tears have healed .Can now again operate a lever , and replaced the 06 with another . Just needed a Limbsaver pad .

So my advise , Don't empty the gun safe for now.  Things might be a whole lot different a year or so down the road
Give yourself a bit of time and keep the chin up.

[eddeb3]

Friends, I can't thank you enough for sharing your well thought out ideas/suggestions +
encouragement! I am Blessed by your caring spirits.

Good huntin'

Ed

[S.E.Ak]

Its just to easy to swap sides and not worry about the injured shoulder

[dangerranger]

Its just to easy to swap sides and not worry about the injured shoulder

one of my sons can shoot equily well with either hand but its not that easy for me. its like pulling an Annie Oakley [shooting over your shoulder with a mirror] you can do it but it just feels wrong. DR

[jeepmann1948]

Back in the last century (1995) I had rotator cuff surgery.As soon as I could I tried shooting left handed, at which time I learned that there is a direct connection between the shoulders.The felt recoil from a 223 was horrific on my new stainless insert.After proper healing time, ( you will know when that is by just using the arm) I was able to go back to shooting. I sold my Big Irons and found that the smaller calibers with less recoil will drop any critter I can afford to hunt cleanly and quickly.The heaviest recoiling   caliber I use now is a 30 -06 Imp. Good luck with the rehab and life in general

[Duckdog]

I had a complete socket repair and Slap repair several years ago and I was shooting my 45/70 within 4 mo to 6 mo. It takes all of 1-2 years to heal, but you will be able to do things long before it stops hurting, depending on what you had done. I also had my neck fused and they told me 4-6 months out that I could shoot anything I wanted.  Again, you can do things long before there will be no pain.  In the case of the neck fusion, it took 2-2.5 years for that thing to quit bothering me.  I was shooting at 4 months.  You'll know if you've overdone it. 

[eddeb3]

Friends, I am so encouraged by your successful recoveries! Thanks for giving me the lift that I've needed. The stitches come out on Friday....reckon I'll find out about the next step at that time.

Tight groups,

Ed