Author Topic: Recoil  (Read 6360 times)

FRJ

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Recoil
« on: February 28, 2011, 06:38:29 PM »
I was starting to think I was a woots as my GPR was pushing me around quite a bit with 120 gr of 2f. After over 40 years of shooting everything from big magnum handguns to African caliber rifles that dang blackpowder rifle was actually starting to hurt with 30 or so shots off the bench with a PRB and that powder quantity. Guess it didn't help that my shoulder had also had rotator cuff surgery just a year or so ago. Thanks everyone for mentioning that these "oldtime" rifles can Kick also.  Newbie Frank

Daryl

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Re: Recoil
« Reply #1 on: February 28, 2011, 06:41:52 PM »
The 'hooked' Hawken-type butt is one of the worse. In a light gun, it's even worse.  It fits right on the joint, toe into the arm pit, ie: eactly on what I think is the actual rotator cuff.  They can wear on you, whereas the modern hard kicking stuff hurts more quicly.

Bob F

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Re: Recoil
« Reply #2 on: March 01, 2011, 12:47:35 AM »
If you are shooting 120 gr of 2f out of a GPR I hope you are shooting a 54 cal.  I had a 50 cal GPR and I know that 120 gr of 2f was over the reccomended safe load.  I shot 85 gr of 2f and my old GPR was super accurate with that load.  The last deer I hit with that load never knew what hit it.  I could also shoot all day and not abuse my shoulder.  Just my $.02....

Offline bob in the woods

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Re: Recoil
« Reply #3 on: March 01, 2011, 01:16:31 AM »
I don't have recoil issues with the guns I now shoot, because I got rid of the ones which "hurt".
My New England fowler will take 140 gr FFg and while stout, it is not beyond the comfort zone. I did shape the comb to where it fit me.   My .54 is a nice 9 1/2 # gun with a wide buttplate-comfortable again.
Just for those who may be interested- the Chambers Edward Marshall I built in .62 [ for moose ]  is the most comfortable gun I've ever shot, with heavy moose and bear hunting loads. Whoever designed that stock sure knew what they were doing!   

northmn

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Re: Recoil
« Reply #4 on: March 01, 2011, 01:26:22 AM »
Even in a 54 120 grains of 2f is plenty.  I shot between 90 and 110 in mine and settled on 90 grains, but this is primarily for deer.  If you are going after elk or moose I suppose 120 would be a good load.  Sometime get a hold of a ballistics table and look at the down range differences between high muzzle velocites and slightly lower ones.  You may find that the higher velocities do not really pay all that much, unless you are shooting on the plains.  My attitude has become that if a load of 90-100 grains is too light in my 58 then maybe I should get a 62.

DP

Offline Hank*in*WV

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Re: Recoil
« Reply #5 on: March 01, 2011, 01:34:53 AM »
It probably wouldn't hurt quite as much if you didn't shoot off the bench.
"Much of the social history of the western world over the past three decades has involved replacing what worked with what sounded good. . ." Thomas Sowell

Offline bgf

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Re: Recoil
« Reply #6 on: March 01, 2011, 01:41:52 AM »
It probably wouldn't hurt quite as much if you didn't shoot off the bench.

That's what I was thinking -- those thin, curved and pointy buttplates can be evil on the bench.  However, you really need to go to the bench to figure out how things are working, unless you are an excellent shooter (I do, anyway).  Daryl (among others) has pointed out many times that any inaccuracy in a load will be compounded shooting offhand, so it is a good idea to get the best groups you can off the bench, so you won't be giving up anything offhand.

Daryl

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Re: Recoil
« Reply #7 on: March 01, 2011, 02:09:15 AM »
When shooting anything bigger than my .45 longrifle - I always wear a magnum recoil pad under my jacket or coat.  In the summer, it goes over my t-shirt - or under the jacket. Not always hot here in the summer - HA!

That way, recoil is NEVER part of the equation.  When shooting off the bench - you KNOW if you flinched or not - you KNOW the instant the shot breaks if your eyes are closed.

With hooked butts, a wider piece of cosed cell foam (camp sleeping mat foam - blue or yellow, normally) can easily be placed between the rifle's butt and shoulder/arm cup.  I'd lay serious coin that that's is exactly what Taylor will be doing with his new .62 Hawken. Wide flat butts that fit the pocket of the shoulder under the collar bone, are the most pleasant shooting butts.  Many styles have them and are comfortable to shoot as long as they don't have too much drop at the heel and enough at the comb - Marshal, Jaeger, Early Penn rifles that follow their German Herigtage, & of course, the best shapes in sporting history, the English guns.

The bench must be used, or you will never be able to work up the rifle's best load - IF that is what you want, of course.  This all depends entirely on what's acceptable to the owner/shooter. I still recall the young lad(younger that I at that time) who filed the rims off once fired .30/30 brass(range pickup)filled the empty  cases with sand, than a beeswax  plug. He then loaded and shot them in his Dixie or H&A flinter, remember those Hugh? Anyway - he could hit the paper at 25 yards almost 4  times out of 5 shots - wide-eye'd and claiming excellent accuracy - really excited about it - accuracy, it's all in the eye of the beholder.

Snow on the Roof

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Re: Recoil
« Reply #8 on: March 01, 2011, 05:25:44 PM »
 As stated earlier those hook butt hawkens are hard on the shoulder. Ever look at he ergonomics of an English sporting rifle? The Brits know how to deal with recoil!
 When shooting off the bench I have found that an old shot bag half filled with sand makes recoil very mannagable when placed between my shoulder and the rifle butt.

Snow

Offline Canute Rex

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Re: Recoil
« Reply #9 on: March 01, 2011, 06:51:46 PM »
I have been shooting with a home-made recoil pad for a while. I injured my right shoulder a few years ago and needed some recoil relief.

Mine is a shallow leather pouch with a slit down the side that laces over the end of the butt, with maybe 3/8" of closed cell foam inside. Not much, but enough. It took half an hour to stitch together and it improved life considerably.

Daryl

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Re: Recoil
« Reply #10 on: March 01, 2011, 09:37:53 PM »
Taylor is in the same boat now, with an injured shoulder.  I found what worked with my torn cartilage, was to build up the muscle cap in front of, over and behind the shoulder.  This is not an instant fix and for years, I had to year a magnum recoil absorbing pad - the commmerical one sold by Hoppe's or maybe someone else - I don't remember.  They have several of differing thicknesses - standard, magnum,  or super magnum or some such.  Now, I don't need a pad for normal offhand shooting like on the trail, but for bench shooting, I still wear it or I don't shoot. 

FRJ

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Re: Recoil
« Reply #11 on: March 03, 2011, 11:47:43 PM »
My GPR is a 54 cal and I hunt elk and they don't go down easy. After all the other stuff involved with putting one in the freezer I have no intention of skimping on powder. That said my "stumping" load is 50 gr 2f and it works fine  for that job. Frank

Harnic

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Re: Recoil
« Reply #12 on: March 05, 2011, 03:40:06 AM »
@!*%!  All this talk of nasty recoil has me questioning the wisdom of the new 58 cal barrel I'm installing on my fullstock flint Hawken rifle!  Well, recoil has never been an issue with black powder in the past & I can always resort to a cheater pad like Daryl uses.  ;)

Daryl

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Re: Recoil
« Reply #13 on: March 05, 2011, 05:38:59 AM »
Wimp pads - don't leave home without it! ;D