Big Bore Regret?

[iMigraine]

[19K]

why was it surprising to you that your larger caliber rifle caused you to become fatigued more quickly than your smaller, lighter caliber weapons?

A quick google search states that felt recoil with 45-70 is almost 38 pounds where as your 2nd highest caliber 30-30 is about 10 pounds.

get a butt pad or wear a jacket when shooting. I have not regretted a caliber, but there are some that I do not shoot as often because of the recoil.

[Spyder]

[pennstater]

When I bought my .357 Henry, the place also had a Rossi in .45-70, 18" barrel[I think]. Asked to look at it. No way would I want to shoot that. I don't believe it weighted more than 5lb! The .357 has no real recoil.

[MongooseV8]

You think a 45-70 is bad try a full tilt 460 S&W. Even out of a carbine I had one that kept splitting froneds in half from recoil.

[Pofoo]

A friend once bought a like new 460 Weatherby magnum rifle with a box of ammo with 4 shot rounds. The STORY was that these were the only 4 rounds shot through the rifle.
He always wanted a elephant gun.
He took it to the desert and got down prone and let off a round. Ooh!! That smarted a bit. He figured that his shooting position wasn't quite right so he readjusted and shot again. That one really hurt.
Next gun show, he sold it with a box of ammo with only 6 rounds shot.
While a 45/70 is stout--I have a Trapdoor--i don't think I want to shoot anything more. I did shoot a 12ga 3" mag slug that was pretty stout, and a 454 Casull 4" pistol that I don't want to again.
I guess it's like guys seeing who can eat the hottest chile peppers. I've always enjoyed watching them.

[mooner760HD]

My Marlin 1895 feels like a 12ga slug to me.

Not horrible but not something you can shoot all day.

[rm1911]

[garagemonkey]

1895 Marlin. Don't reload so got it chambered in .450 Marlin. Expensive to shoot, narrow selection of ammo, and it usually takes me 3 rounds to remember where to hold. Recently off-loaded it. Think it may be the only firearm I've ever sold.

[DChartier]

I pretty much agree. In fact, my 325-grain Hornadys at 2,100 fps from my Marlin 1895SBL feel like they recoil noticeably more than my 2-3/4", 1-oz slugs at 1,600 fps slugs from my shotgun. I've found holding the 1895SBL tight to the shoulder substantially mitigates the recoil issue: It just feels like a stout, (relatively slow) impulse straight back. I can shoot 60 rounds in a session with no discomfort or bruising. Now that ammo cost.... :P

My Marlin 1895 feels like a 12ga slug to me.

Not horrible but not something you can shoot all day.

[Garand Hunter]

300 Win Mag from a BAR Mk II pulled tight, HURT SO BAD ! Pull it tight, then relax the fit to shoulder much better. The semi auto action made no difference for that caliber. 180 grain rnds.

Psalm 1

[stevie]

Picked up a couple 50BMGs before the ban (had no desire until then). Shot little, but friends seem to like them.

[elk hunter]

Recoil is a different thing to lots of people, some it doesn't seem to bother at all and then there are the recoil sensitive people that whine about a .223 being a beast of a round. I knew a couple of guys one had a 30-06 Win mod 70 and the other a Mod-70 in in .375 H&H and both finally talked me into sighting in their rifles each year. Neither rifle was all that bad to me but to them they were painful to shoot unless it was at game.

For me and my hard kickers it would probably be my .300 RUM and then my .300 Win. Mag that would be the hard kickers. Neither one is all that bad shooting from any position except prone and from the bench. The Win. Mag really isn't all that bad but the RUM give me a pretty good beating by the time I hit the 10-12 round mark. I'm done for the day with that one but this year it will be one of my main carry use rifles. I can load the Win mag and others down to make them a pleasure to shoot but not the RUM it has to be up to the hotter end. HTH

[sacrvrrat]

[wpage]

The older I get the more appreciation for less is more in calibers...

No point in overkill...