Do you think recoil hurts your shooting ability ?

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by raab

Yes felt recoil will be less offhand, I don't disagree with that. But I still say that higher recoiling guns will affect offhand shooting accuracy more then off the bench. Easier to keep a higher recoiling gun steady on the bench or rest IMO.

I don't agree at all, if the anticipation of recoil is the cause of the reduced accuracy, then the accuracy will be most effected when felt recoil is the greatest.

[raab]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

I don't agree at all, if the anticipation of recoil is the cause of the reduced accuracy, then the accuracy will be most effected when felt recoil is the greatest.

Well it could be several things such as muzzle blast, recoil force, etc... If you can shoot a 300WM as well as a .223 freestanding then I applaud you. I don't think the majority of people can.

[fitzy]

Originally Posted by pikergolf

I'd be willing to bet that for most people, the noise is more of a factor than recoil. I know it is for me, I have trouble with a .243. Lots of gopher hunting with a rim fire helped me a lot.

I'd agree with this. It took me some time to get used to shooting my .243 for the exact reason. I was anticipating the noise, got out with my earmuffs.

[marxman]

Originally Posted by hoytcanon

For sure... fatigue will definitely affect accuracy, and I would agree that fatigue can be a bi-product of recoil... so recoil can have an affect on accuracy in that sense.




See above...

I was basing my opinion on a hunting type "one shot" scenario, but feel the (experienced) hypothesis holds up, short of recoil (and other) induced fatigue. In general, given good form and technique, the shot has been made by the time conscious realization of recoil has occurred.

I am not living and dying on this argument... that is simply my experience after 40 years at the bench and in the field... I have walked dozens of new shooter's through an introduction to shooting technique and tolerance of (acceptance of) recoil.

Yes the shot has been made by the time conscious realization of recoil occurs, can't argue with that... one shot, 10 shots, the flinch occurs for the same reason...A few red herrings thrown around here...

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by raab

Well it could be several things such as muzzle blast, recoil force, etc... If you can shoot a 300WM as well as a .223 freestanding then I applaud you. I don't think the majority of people can.

I can shoot my 7mmstw just as well offhand, as I shoot my 223 offhand, but then I don't shoot any rifle all that well offhand, and I will be the first to admit it.

[hoytcanon]

Originally Posted by Bobby B.

I knew that you'd opt out. There's no place for logic in your world.

Bobby

Lol...

[Bobby B.]

[QUOTE=hoytcanon;3130865 further discussion (or PM's) not required.

You take care and good shooting.[/QUOTE]

Originally Posted by hoytcanon

Lol...

Once again, you say one thing but mean another. Just how tightly is your tail tucked between your legs? My guess? You can tuck it further, much further.

My apologies, Cat, I truly attempted to resolve this through PM's.

Bobby

[Got Juice?]

Having shot some of the biggest cartridges, 585 Nyati etc, my experience is that I do have a flinch no matter what I shoot.

But once I get the first 'hit' my flinch goes away, and I settle down and don't flinch again.

Then again, I shoot more than most people (paper puncher, IPSC, Trap, 5 Stand)

The only way I know to combat a flinch is to shoot more, and get used to the recoil impulse.

When I take a week off of shooting, I really notice it in my groups.

[Kurt505]

Originally Posted by raab

Yes felt recoil will be less offhand, I don't disagree with that. But I still say that higher recoiling guns will affect offhand shooting accuracy more then off the bench. Easier to keep a higher recoiling gun steady on the bench or rest IMO.

Freehand accuracy has very little to do with recoil, but everything to do with balance of your rifle. On the bench is where balance has nothing to do with accuracy but recoil will still have the same effect as if you were shooting freehand. If I were to shoot freehand with a heavy, unbalanced 223, and a win model 70 featherweight in 338, I would be more accurate with the 338 hands down.

[Shrike]

At 75 Now, I like to stick to a recoil level no greater then a 270 in a rifle of 8.5-9 lbs all loaded. I tried it all from 243-375 H&H, had fun, but returned to the first choice ever in a rifle, the 270. Guess an 06,308, 280, 6.5x55 etc would be similar in results, since I do not shoot game further the 300 yards, most of it at less then150.
Reason for it is that yes more recoil and muzzle blast in a rifle Will make me flinch and of course affect my shooting precision.

[philthygeezer]

I read that some older skeet and trap shooters get rattled so much they resort to release triggers and other things. Sounds like at least part of repeated recoil's detrimental effects are involuntary nervous system wear and tear. You'd think decades of shotgun practice would render people impervious to recoil, but it doesn't seem true.

[t.tinsmith]

I find recoil bothers me.I like a lightweight mountain rifle and that compounds the problem of course.My .270 win's are tolerated but this is my upper limit,the 30/06 is over it.It is good thing these days we have such a great bullet selection,the .270 ish chamberings are easily capable on elk..better than ever.If a hunter needs a leadsled for load development he/she should look at a smaller chamberings imo.I'm 58 years old,6ft and 210 lbs and fit and a recoil wimp.

[sevenmil]

If I'm shooting much off of a bench I pad my shoulder if I think recoil is going to be an issue. Nothing too complicated - an insulated leather glove helps a lot. I don't notice recoil much when shooting at game, too distracted I guess...?

[Xbolt7mm]

I run my 300 win mag pretty hot. Same with my 7 mm mag and 25-06. I do notice that the 25 has the best groups then the 7 then the 300. All three guns are xbolts bought the same year with the same scopes and all using accubonds. The groups don't expand by much but are different fear sure. 300 win mag is my limit.

[markg]

I have a muzzle brake on my 7mm rem mag and I even have one on my .243 win. I hate recoil. I have found that when I am shooting on my bench and putting 30-50 rounds down range in a session I feel great at the end of the shooting day. My friends without brakes have a different tale to tell, one that includes alot of winching and whineing. I will confess that they are much more manly than I am.

[jpohlic]

When shooting center fire rifles I am not a fan of recoil, hence the 7mm-08 and 30-30's in my gun safe, all with limb saver pads on them. However, when shooting my .50 muzzleloader I enjoy firing 385 grain bullets with a hunting load of powder. It's a well balanced rifle with a slip on decelerator pad that weighs 5lbs 15 oz loaded. It has a lot of recoil with this combination but for some reason I enjoy shooting it, a few times a session anyway. Then I go back to light plinking loads.

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by markg

I have a muzzle brake on my 7mm rem mag and I even have one on my .243 win. I hate recoil. I have found that when I am shooting on my bench and putting 30-50 rounds down range in a session I feel great at the end of the shooting day. My friends without brakes have a different tale to tell, one that includes alot of winching and whineing. I will confess that they are much more manly than I am.

I don't use brakes, but with a properly fitting rifle, and a good recoil pad, I don't have issues shooting cartridges up to the 300RUM range. Then again, I don't shoot 40 or 50 rounds out of the rifles producing more recoil, I generally shoot no more than 12 to 15 rounds at a session with those rifles. I prefer to shoot less rounds more often, rather than more rounds less often. Even using double hearing protection, I find the noise produced by some braked rifles uncomfortable when shooting under a covered firing line.

[260 Rem]

I think (don't really know) that the reason "high recoiling" rifles tend to be less accurate is rooted in what happens before the butt hits your shoulder. During the first milliseconds after ignition, things beyond the shooters control occur that can be effectively managed. First, when the bullet slams into the bore, and shortly thereafter when the rifling induces torque roll. No doubt there is a mathematical formula (taking into consideration weights, velocity, etc) to measure these effects so an objective comparison can be made.
If that theory is correct, trying to tame the effect with a muzzle brake would be futile as the horse has already left the barn.

[gunluvr]

I chose cartridges for hunting of modest recoil. 260 Rem, 25-06, 250 Savage. My one "heavy" is a 30-06 Weatherby that fits me better than the others and has decent weight with a 24" barrel and reasonably heavy Nikon scope. When I shoot off the bench with it, I find it doesn't kick me any harder than the others. Having once owned a 300 Win mag, I'm sure the 30-06 is as big as I ever want or need. I'm not the world's best shot, and I know heavy recoil won't make me any better. But I am shooting lots, and am much better than I was.
If I only had a 300 Win mag to shoot, I would shoot much less, and would likely be lousy at it.

[wildbill]

I think if you were scared of the recoil on certain guns most definitely, just like alot of people complain about the recoil of a 30-06, 7mm, 12gauge slug, man I love it, it's something magical!

[Newview01]

Originally Posted by 260 Rem

I think (don't really know) that the reason "high recoiling" rifles tend to be less accurate is rooted in what happens before the butt hits your shoulder. During the first milliseconds after ignition, things beyond the shooters control occur that can be effectively managed. First, when the bullet slams into the bore, and shortly thereafter when the rifling induces torque roll. No doubt there is a mathematical formula (taking into consideration weights, velocity, etc) to measure these effects so an objective comparison can be made.
If that theory is correct, trying to tame the effect with a muzzle brake would be futile as the horse has already left the barn.

Interesting idea there, but what about calibers such as .338 Lapua, .408 cheytac, or .50 BMG? All very accurate, especially farther out, and all heavy recoil. IMO accuracy has to do with consistency alone. These factors you mentioned may actually affect the way the bullet flies, but if it does the same every time they become a moot point.

[260 Rem]

Originally Posted by Newview01

Interesting idea there, but what about calibers such as .338 Lapua, .408 cheytac, or .50 BMG? All very accurate, especially farther out, and all heavy recoil. IMO accuracy has to do with consistency alone. These factors you mentioned may actually affect the way the bullet flies, but if it does the same every time they become a moot point.

The "accurate" rifles using the calibers mentioned will all have very heavy barrels and the overall weight will be considerable. That mathematical formula would be considering the bullet weight and barrel weight. I suspect those calibers would not be considered very accurate if fired in an 8 lb rifle.
It is not uncommon for top notch shooters to choose the minimum twist rate required to stabilize their bullet, because they feel the additional torque roll of a faster twist ...is more difficult to manage.

[ROA]

Recoil bothers me if it is hard enough. I havnt shot my 416 rigby or 470 nitro in a few years, started to really bother my shoulder joint.

As far as accuracy and recoil, I have to grip my 300's to 375 class guns quite a bit tighter than the 223 to 30-06 class guns. This tigher gripping gives me a bit of horizontal stringing some times and getting down to consistant MOA is much harder or even impossible for me.

[Don_Parsons]

Age is my factor now days.

Large caliber rifles now days help me send fliers in every direction, the word Magnum sets me right off, Ha.

I notice recoil more when plingking at the range, pron, sitting, neeling, and not so much standing free hand.

Funny thing is that recoil is not an issue when a critter gives me the opertunity too harvest,,, deep in getting projectile too the store consumes my train of thought I guess... Doo-noo...

Last rifle I soon to purchase will be a heavy 30-06 with 24" or 26" barrel, a top quality muzz break to simmer it down.

Load cotton loads to boot so I can send out the 180gr package.

Thanks to the many for posting awesome ideas of what and how our pumpkins play tricks on us, this helps me in my years forward since many years past as I forgot much of this from my years away at other adventures.

Awesomeness thread CAT.

Thanks from Pal Don

[markg]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

I don't use brakes, but with a properly fitting rifle, and a good recoil pad, I don't have issues shooting cartridges up to the 300RUM range. Then again, I don't shoot 40 or 50 rounds out of the rifles producing more recoil, I generally shoot no more than 12 to 15 rounds at a session with those rifles. I prefer to shoot less rounds more often, rather than more rounds less often. Even using double hearing protection, I find the noise produced by some braked rifles uncomfortable when shooting under a covered firing line.

I shoot alot of rounds trying to qualify for 260's 1/2 moa challenges.

[philthygeezer]

I've even found that velocity seems to play a part. Some rifles seem to come back a bit faster and rattle me a bit more. Eg a 130 grain .270 vs a 165 grain .308.

Mind you, there's a point where it's just punishing. I think 500 grains at 2100+ might be that point. The Lott wasn't much fun for me at 2300 or so.