Author Topic: What is your "HANDGUN RECOIL LIMIT" ? (Read 7988 times)

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #60 on:** February 05, 2005, 10:45:05 AM »

Quote from: winman

Why push it? I shoot heavy .44 mags in my Rugers and Smiths that will do anything I expect from a handgun. When I need more than that I just move up to a rifle.

I can't stand it when other always have to ask WHY. If you have to ask, you would not understand. If I want to shot a rifle I would. I choose big bore handguns because I like them. It is called personal preference.

ihuntbucks · « **Reply #61 on:** February 05, 2005, 03:43:16 PM »

Quote from: ihuntbucks

I have not reached my limits thus far.I shot .357 for years with ease.My SBH .44 w/250 gr,no problem.I seem to not be bother by handgun recoil or shotgun recoil(3" mags),but for some reason rifles do.My .300 wsm,to me,is terrible.Oh well,guess it's just one of those things :lol: ............Rick

Today I found out my neighbor a couple of houses up the street had got a 4" S&W 500.I said I sure would like to shoot it sometime.He said ,well lets go now.So we did.I took my SBH .44.Man does that 500 shoot "sweet".Those bowling pins didn't have a chance :lol: .I didn't think the recoil was that bad;really didn't feel but a little bit harder than my .44.Hell I was ready for it to jump out of my hand.I ran 15 or 16 rounds thru it.Not that big of a deal.But man,what a barrel flash and LOUD!!!!!! I really did like it..................Rick

fish · « **Reply #62 on:** February 09, 2005, 02:46:56 AM »

The FA 454 has a quicker torque on the wrist but not bad. The 375 jdj w/brake isn't uncomfortable although the unbraked one is a handful. My 12" 45/70 is OK. I shot a friends 375/06 jdj w/brake and recoil wasn't bad but the concussion from the brake was bad. Maybe my wrists will last a few more shots. Most of these in a rifle would hurt. There are several important body parts connected and close to my shoulder.

Rmouleart · « **Reply #63 on:** February 09, 2005, 03:36:34 AM »

I have not found my limit yet;) Using revolvers my 454 Casull, rocks my world, but can be controlled, I remember a good friend had a ten gauge sigle shot cut down shotgun with a handgrip strap,for shooting with one hand, shooting full house loads 3 inch mags was murder, felt like someone slapped your hand with a 2x4 ;)gave your shoulder something to remember, wicked recoil LOL, glad I lift weights

Id say thats about the worse I have felt shooting with one hand. Aim small hit small. RAMbo.

crowebird · « **Reply #64 on:** February 09, 2005, 08:50:11 PM »

I've shot some big boomers in Contenders/Encores and had no trouble with them.(45/70, 444 Marlin, 308) But, one that just about put me over the edge was a Colt Magnum Carry(357mag) I picked up a couple years ago. After five rounds of 158gr SWC at the range, it was for sale. It may have been the design of the frame, but it was just too "snappy" for me.

Zachary · « **Reply #65 on:** February 15, 2005, 04:54:14 AM »

I think that the amount of recoil that a person can shoot should be tied to how accurate he can shoot it. I have no problems with the .480 in my Taurus RB, but the recoil is fierce and sharper with the .454 RB with 6" barrel.

I don't like shooting the .454 with 6" open sights more than about 5 times. After that, not only do my groups open up, but it's just not as fun for me anymore.

Zachary

TScottO · « **Reply #66 on:** February 15, 2005, 04:26:54 PM »

Bout 20 rounds of 475 Linebaugh, 425gr bullet at 1350fps out of a 6 FA. After that my shooting day is about done. Theres just something about squeezing out that last 100fps thats a killer. A lot of people say recoil doesnt bother them and they can shoot it all day long. Compared to them I reckon Im a wuss.

Be Safe,
Scott

glock29 · « **Reply #67 on:** February 17, 2005, 09:30:21 AM »

My recoil limit is that I'll shoot anything that does not cause immediate permanent physical damage to me....that is I'll shoot it at least once !

Accuracy ? What's that ?
Handguns are meant to be short range weapons anyway....as long as I can hit a paper plate at 7 (yes SEVEN) yards, it's good 'nuf for me !

I must admit I LIKE that idea of the huge German 600NE revolver.
I'd love to take that thing to the range & hand it to an unsuspecting "buddy" to let him touch off a round....now THAT would be a real RIOT !

v-man · « **Reply #68 on:** February 17, 2005, 11:42:36 AM »

I shoot and hunt with a .454 SRH and a 45-70 Contender. Close to my limit but not there yet. However, The little 15oz Scandium S&W .357 with my full power handloads actually draws blood as the trigger guard backs into nuckle of the trigger finger no matter how tight you hold. Now that hurts.

jimmygun · « **Reply #69 on:** February 24, 2005, 09:47:52 AM »

I have an xp-100 in 350 rem mag with a 12" barrel, that I thought was pretty bad until I shot my contender with 10" tapered 45-70 barrel installed ( old style wood grips and no muzzlebreak)and hot loads. and I had a ruger super blackhawk with 7.5 barrel that just wasn't fun to shoot alot, using max 300 gr loads. but the worst thing I've ever shot was a american derringer in 45-70, with the small half moon grips. the barrel on it is only 1" longer than the cartridge. I grabbed the wrong loads for it and didn't realize it until I sent a very hot 450 gr., ruger #1 load, down towards the target. it took about 10 minutes to get the feeling back in my hand, once I got all the bleeding stopped. then the hand went numb again---right before they stitched it up. one shot was enough for me. I still have the derringer and it still has only one shot thru it. everytime I think about shooting it again, I just look at the 2.5" scar on my hand and that feeling goes away. jim

King Catfish · « **Reply #70 on:** March 09, 2005, 11:41:53 AM »

Hi everyone, newbie to the forum here.

I used to have a G1 contender (14" If I remeber correctly) with custom ergonomic wood grips in .223 and .30-30. The .30-30 was a little sharp. I now have an encore (15") in .308 Win with rubber grips, and that's a little sharper. I don't think either is my limit, as the recoil doesn't bother me much, but these are the "biggest" I've tried.

No one I know personally has ever agreed to shoot either one more than once. Wimps.

Curtis · « **Reply #71 on:** March 10, 2005, 01:51:09 AM »

Welcome to the forum King Catfish. My old style contender with a 44 mag. 10 inch tapered octagon with full house loads (any bullet wt.) is about my limit of enjoyment. I put 50 rds of 240s and 50 rds of 300s downrange last weekend and after the first twenty rounds I put on a glove. After shooting those, any of my other calibers is a cake walk.

I would probably shoot one of the big boomers (454 casull, 375 jdj, etc.) just for curiosity sake, but I don't think I would enjoy shooting very many rounds.

Curtis

1911crazy · « **Reply #72 on:** March 15, 2005, 12:17:26 PM »

I've shot 44mags for many years now even reloaded with past the max reloads years ago which i seen people leave the range when i started firing. The noise and the flames were just scary out of a few rounds we did for a test firing and the super blackhawk digested everything we sent down the pipe. I had 18"+ of flames out the barrel and 12" out the sides of the cylinder and that was during the day. The worst hand held gun i ever shot was my double barrel 12ga. nothing matches the kick form both barrels going off at the sametime. Of course i did all this crap when i was young and had no fear. I would like to get a S&W 500mag when they make a super redhawk w/12" or 15" barrel for it. BigBill

GhosTT · « **Reply #73 on:** September 10, 2007, 08:56:11 PM »

Damn,
Learning alot here

blhof · « **Reply #74 on:** September 11, 2007, 01:53:02 PM »

I agree with Graybeard; it's the gun rather than the caliber. I've got a Dan Wesson in 357max and shoot boxes at the range with the 8" scoped and 10" open sight. a little less with the 6"- usually wrist pain after 20 or so rounds. Now the 357max in the Contender open sight 14" with wood grip gets very unconfortable after 20 or so rounds. I've shot the 50AE in a Desert Eagle and the S&W 50 with no problems. The guns weight and how it recoils is my deciding factor. I shoot the Contender 30-30 14" with a brake and pachmyer grips for deer and have had no problem with 2 to 3 boxes of ammo at the range before season to check grouping.

Dee · « **Reply #75 on:** September 11, 2007, 02:28:16 PM »

After a 20 year career (retired) of shooting anything I wanted a hot loaded light weight (Model 19 Smith class) revolver causes me disconfort for several days after only a few rounds. Back in my day, the 44 mag was king and I carried a couple of 629 4 inchers on duty (not at the same time) at various times. Worrying about over penetration and just the weight for 8 or more hours eventually caused me to sell them.
However, after all those years of shooting heavy recoiling pistols, I am paying for it now. So due to this, the 357 mag is my limit, and I prefer the 45acp, and carry one.

Heavy C · « **Reply #76 on:** September 11, 2007, 03:03:59 PM »

Revolvers: I don't own anything right now larger than a 44 mag. and that is not problem.

Contender/Encore: Right now I'd have to say that my 308 Win. is my max. That sealed breach makes all the difference.

m-g Willy · « **Reply #77 on:** September 23, 2007, 11:33:04 AM »

72cal. MAGNUM!
Hardest kicking handgun I ever fired and didn't want to shoot again was back when I was 16
It was a Stevens 12ga. 2 3/4 magnum with a 12" barrel and a pistol grip.
GUN was above my head and the opening lever took a bite out of the web of my hand after firing!

Willy

kdmcustom · « **Reply #78 on:** November 09, 2007, 07:44:50 AM »

My limit is the 500 S&W Magnum loaded with a 700 grain WFNGC at 1300 fps. The backthrust is not too bad but the torque and barrel rise are a little scary. I shot some 500 grain hornadys out of a 45-70 contender at 1450 fps and that hurt. I only did that 5 times and that was enough. The 454 Casull is not bad at all.

I used to hate the 44 mag in a M29 but ever since I starting shooting bigger stuff, the 44 mag is easy.

woodchukhntr · « **Reply #79 on:** November 09, 2007, 08:01:31 AM »

Handgun: .44 Mag. gets to be a bit too much with full factory loads. It's hard to sight-in without starting to flinch a bit.

Rifle: Buddy had a Ruger #3 in .45-70. He loaded up a few rounds pretty hot (flattened the cannelure). I fired 3 shots from standing, went looking for aspirins for headache and sore shoulder.

Shotgun: 3" turkey loads in Rem. 700 or Savage 24 .30-30/12 ga. A couple of years ago I was trying out different slugs in the Rem. and had to quit and come back the next day.

Cheesehead · « **Reply #80 on:** November 09, 2007, 08:17:25 AM »

I shoot and enjoy a 44 in a 5" 29 and a 6.5x55 in an Encore 12" barrel, and that is my limit. No thanks to the 500 and 460 mags, tried em, didnt like em.

Cheese

ar-steve · « **Reply #81 on:** November 09, 2007, 09:04:14 AM »

I shot some Buffalo Bore stuff in my 4 5/8 black hawk 45lc the other day that was getting close. Ive shot heavier loads before but this stuff kinda barks!

moxgrove · « **Reply #82 on:** November 09, 2007, 09:05:45 AM »

458 win mag in a competitor pistol. It eas a bear to hold onto and the blast was horrible.

myronman3 · « **Reply #83 on:** November 09, 2007, 09:09:03 AM »

that about says it, once it isnt enjoyable, i am done. a 44 is all i care to shoot. had bigger, didnt enjoy them as much.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #84 on:** November 09, 2007, 09:25:08 AM »

308 in an XP-100
454 in a DA revolver ( haven't had a chance to shoot larger yet )
50 AE in an auto pistol
44 mag and 45/410 in a derringer
45 colt very heavy loads in a ruger bk single action
shot some more than others but would not like to shoot 100 straight in any of them !

Larry Gibson · « **Reply #85 on:** November 09, 2007, 03:21:38 PM »

Another here who agrees with Graybeard, it's the gun. I can shoot just about any handgun once but that doesn't mean anything. To shoot a handgun consistently with accuracy I am limited with N frames using factory grips (a .41 with magnum loads just plain hurts) but can shoot the .500 without problems (it's a very heavy revolver). I can handle the smaller gripped Redhawk without problem and love my smaller gripped Anaconda 4" barreled .44 with Hogue grips. My Ruger Security Six with real .357 magnum loads is my upper limit with DA frames for all day shooting. I've small hands where Graybeard has larger ones so we are opposite. So with the older Ruger XR-3 and Colt style SA grips I can handle most any reasonable caliber up through the Linebaughs. With the TC contender and the older style wood grips I was hard pressed with .357 loads to shoot more than a couple rounds. However with the newer grips (I cut them down to fit my hand) I can pretty much take some stout loads from numerous cartridges. I shot 5 shots from one in .454 with the barrel shortened to 5" and THAT was about all I wanted at one time.

However I'd like to mention that most who post here are somewhat experienced pistol/revolver shooters. My experience as a LEO firearms instructor is that most individuals, police and civilians, have a hard time with medium framed DAs in .357, even with todays milder loads. Give them a .41 or .44 DA/SA with magnum loads and they will shoot one or two shots and smile a lot saying "wow" or some such nonsense but they will not want to shoot it again. Many of them can not truthfully handle .357 magnum loads over a qualification course. Surprisingly many cannot handle the .357 with standard .38 loads over a qual course which is why many police depatments used .38 WC target loads. Also to give a woman a small frame DA revolver "because it's her size" is a mistake also. Better to have given her, instead of a K frame S&W, the slightly smaller gripped Colt Police Positive than the smaller J frame S&W.

It takes a while to become proficient at handling serious recoil and the hand gun must fit your hand or you simply will not be able to handle it with any degree of consistent accuracy.

Larry Gibson

DakotaElkSlayer · « **Reply #86 on:** November 09, 2007, 06:15:46 PM »

I haven't found my handgun recoil limit...but I am not looking for it, either! I have shot 300gr. XTP's @1300fps. out of the .45Colt Vaquero, and 400gr. XTP's @ 1300fps out of my BFR .475 Linebaugh...but only a few of each. You see, I am blessed by not being that great of a shot, so why push the velocity if I don't need to shoot flat? So most of my shooting comes from my hunting loads at around 1050fps. You know, more of a push than a slap.
My limit would probably be one of those S&W revolvers in .357Mag or .44Mag... You know the ones that way about the same as an empty Coke can? I pick one up and can just imagine the pain...

Jim

daddyof4 · « **Reply #87 on:** November 10, 2007, 03:12:12 AM »

I shot a 45/70 contender for some time with no sweet. I sighted in my buddies 10" 30/30 contender with some 170's and I still start rubbing my hands. If it came to shooting a charging boar or letting him rip me from limb to limb I would toss a coin.....

BlkHawk73 · « **Reply #88 on:** November 10, 2007, 03:37:57 AM »

Never been into the big boomers myself. If I needed something so large as to worry about it's recoil limits in a handgun, I'd go wioth a longgun. I have .41 and .44 mags and 45 Colts but have never felt the need to hot rod 'em or go larger. I prefer the mid calibers actully - .357/.38, .32...not so much for recoil reasons but just out of overall interest. I shoot for my interest not to make others interested in what I'm shooting.

no guns here · « **Reply #89 on:** November 12, 2007, 11:42:34 PM »

never went really big... .44 Mag 29 was a pussy cat but it had the 8 3/8" (or is it 8 5/8") barrel with full underlug and unfluted cylinder. Moved up to 16" contender .30-30. I wasn't too bad either. Never shot a bigger handgun. Maybe some day. I went out this weekend and shot my .376 Steyr Pro Hunter. It is light and doesn't have a scope on it yet. 12 rounds weren't too bad but on 13 and 14 I was flinching so I packed it up and went home. That was more fun than I want to have on a regular basis... I'll put a reducer in it and a scope on it to add about 2 lbs and things should get better. I shoot 2 3/4" slugs instead of 3". I really like my H&R 20ga slug gun better. I can shoot the bigger stuff but just don't enjoy getting whomped around. Rifles and shotguns off a bench really seem to pound me just like Spyro said. I'm a big guy with a large heavy shoulders and arms. I think littler guys seem to rock with the recoil and us "wide-bodies" just have to soak it up and get pounded. My buddy shoots his .375 H&H off the bench for 20-30 rounds with no problem but I just start to hate it after about 8-10. His whole body moves with the shot. He's about 50 punds lighter than me. Mine just gets hammered and my head slams back and forth. I NO LIKEY! In fact I"m going to put a reducer in my Tikka .308 Lite... It isn't any fun with the heavier .308's.

ngh