Recoil?

[redhawker]

(Speaking mainly of shotguns here but could apply to any firearm considered "high recoil").
Here, and other places, (both online and in person) I hear people either complain about recoil or tout this gun or that accessory that will solve the recoil "problem". To me, as long as the gun is shouldered properly, recoil isn't a problem. In fact, when I get "kicked" (which usually coincides with a miss) I know what the cause of the miss is. I didn't shoulder the gun correctly. Also, as for recoil when I do shoulder the gun correctly, I feel that is part of the experience of shooting and not something to be avoided. Why is everyone (except most of the brave souls here) so wimped out over recoil?

 

[stevemb]

Because we are mostly doing this for fun now. When it was for badly needed food or life or death, recoil was just dealt with. Proper form helps, and a few things can be tweeked to help. After that, if you want a certain sized chunk-o-lead to fly that'a'way at a certain velocity, you gotta deal with X number of foot lbs of recoil.

 

[GunnyGene]

Good question. I think you'll find the majority of those complaining about recoil have 1 or more of the following characteristics:

1. Very little to no experience or training.
2. Complain about many other things that don't suit them.
3. Were pampered in their childhood by their parents and never experienced the rough and tumble childhood the older folks here thrived on.

 

[ChiefMuzz]

Good question. I think you'll find the majority of those complaining about recoil have 1 or more of the following characteristics:

1. Very little to no experience or training.
2. Complain about many other things that don't suit them.
3. Were pampered in their childhood by their parents and never experienced the rough and tumble childhood the older folks here thrived on.

I don't think broad, anecdotal generalizations are really necessary. I personally just never enjoyed shooting heavy recoiling rifles. I always said I would much rather spend a range session shooting my 454 than my 30-06. I just figure to each his own and let others make their own decisions without my criticism.

 

[graygun]

"This drink is too strong." I've actually heard this at a bar.

"Darn,this Z-06 I just bought has too much pick-up." Any similarities...IDK?

They can learn to shoot properly and if they still don't like recoil,get/stick with a .22 .

 

[wwb]

Recoil ? It goes with the territory whenever you're shooting a reasonably powerful cartridge.... especially in a lightweight firearm.

I do have to admit, though, working up a new load for the .30-06 quits being fun after about 15 rounds.

 

[Pal Val]

Recoil is just a fact of life. It's described by Newton to great detail. If you shoulder the weapon correctly, you become part of the "mass" reacting to the "action". If not, you get hit by it. Simple.

 

[Rancher Will]

I learned that sometims a verbal warning about recoil is not taken seriously, at first.

Some years ago a good friend came to our ranch, at my invitation, for me to take him Elk Hunting. Before we left the ranch, since the hunter had a new Weatherby Rifle that he had never fired, I took him to our shooting range in our horse pasture to sight it in. I checked the rifle and scope, made sure the screws were all tight, checked the ammo, set up a target at 25 and also 200 yards, and explained to my friend how we would sight in the rifle. I warned him about the eye relief for the scope, and when he got the rifle on the sand bags on the shooting bench I made sure to show him how much eye relief he need to to see the target and also explained the eye and eyebrow protection from recoil.

At his first shot, it was obvious that I had not watched him actually fire the shot (I was watching the 25 yard target through the spotting scope. He had "crawled the stock" and he now wears a scar at the top of his right eyebrow.

 

[WAYNO]

Good question. I think you'll find the majority of those complaining about recoil have 1 or more of the following characteristics:

1. Very little to no experience or training.
2. Complain about many other things that don't suit them.
3. Were pampered in their childhood by their parents and never experienced the rough and tumble childhood the older folks here thrived on.

I know there are always exceptions, but I do agree with Gunny Gene. And I don't mean to be mean or sarcastic.

Experienced shooters have experienced Newtons Law, and they know the bigger the cartridge, and the lighter the gun, the more kick it's gonna have.

On the local shooting forums that are frequented by younger and/or newer shooters, recoil is an often discussed topic. And often the discussion will be something like "what grips can I install on my LCP to help tame the recoil". Or, I've gotta get a smaller gun for my wife, as a .38 Spl has way too much recoil.

That doesn't mean I'm old and tough and immune from recoil. I don't like the sledge hammer to the shoulder when I pull a trigger, but I do understand it's a fact of life in my world.

Ya know what else I've noticed? When I was young, there was a natural progression in teaching firearms to youngsters. We got a BB gun for Christmas, and maybe a single shot .22 when we'd grown a little more. Couldn't wait to shoot Dad's shotgun or .30-30, and although they kicked, we bucked up and learned to take it.

Now, many first time shooters start out with the latest and greatest wonder nine without ever having been taught to shoot. They flinch with the recoil and never get over it.

WAYNO.

 

[mohavesam]

Not everyone has the shoulder, elbows, wrists and collarbone we used to.
Heavy recoil is simply a choice. Make your own and judge not.

 

[FastEd]

I learned to love recoil...

 

[GunnyGene]

I think some clarification of my last is in order. I have no problem with folks making choices about things based on their own preferences. What I do have little patience with, is people complaining about their choices; as if they expect somebody else to "fix it" for them.

 

[96/44]

It all depends on what I'm doing with the gun. I have no problem shooting a box of 3.5" 10ga shells on a morning waterfowl hunt wearing a heavy parka. My trap gun will get shot 100 times in the space of a couple hours, so the same light gun I pheasant hunt with would be a disadvantage because of recoil. But I understand the physics of recoil, and I don't expect an ultra light magnum rifle or shotgun to be light kicking. A lighter kicking gun that you can shoot well is a heck of a lot more effective than one that makes you flinch before you pull the trigger.

 

[Heliman]

I am not going to complain about recoil bothering me, but express my inability to tolerate the same recoil I used to just a few years ago, particularly off the bench. I guess as I have gotten older my bone structure and joint tissue have deteriorated to the point that I don't tolerate the recoil as well as I used to. Just another sign of getting older, I guess.

 

[SAJohn]

When teaching my kids to shoot, when they were pups, I never even mentioned recoil. By the time they were about 12 they were shooting full power .44 mag Ruger single actions and loving it. As Ed said, the attitude was recoil is fun.

I never have figured out why S&W has those serrations on the back of their revolvers. At the .44 level they are not fun.

At the bench with high powered rifles I wimp out and use lots of shoulder padding.

 

[graygun]

They can get help with training and maybe an accessory to cushion the force. If they really want to shoot,I hope they will do what it takes.