Recoil sensitivity as we age.

[AckleymanII]

Good muzzle breaks and great ear protection, make my 7 mags a pussy cat with incredible precision.

 

[FNSafari]

The only reason I have cut back a bit shooting 9/10 lb hard kicking rifles is because I've had both rotator cuff's repaired. I still shoot them but with a pad between rifle and me.

 

[Downhill]

I still enjoy the 300WM, but after a dozen or so rounds I develop a crappy headache ( probably a result of the concussions I received from all the fun I had in the 80's). At 59 I now tend to favor the softer recoiling cartridges.

 

[CJ6]

I take the boomers out once a year. Usually just to check zeros and stay up with them. Mostly 1 3 shot group for each, though not necessarily on the same trip. Recoil is real and getting older doesn't help.

 

[D-4297]

I'm kind of a "skinny guy" ; 5'10" , about 175lbs , and seventy-six . I compete in TR and my usual weekly , bi-weekly practice is fifty rounds , and the normal 3 x 60 round TR Matches . Some are one day and some are two day , 3 x 60 , plus sighters . That can run out to maybe 75 to 80 rounds , times two .
So far I can still manage to deal with the recoil of that many rounds , shooting a 200gr Berger from my Kelbly , fitted with a 30" Brux , GRS Stock and Vortex GE ! My rifle weighs in right at 18lbs. even , with Bipod , so maybe that helps a little .
I'll quit when I can't pick up the rifle anymore .

 

[linebaugh]

I was about 40-45 when I rehomed all my magnums. I dont even like 1.25oz trap loads anymore. I load 3/4 or 7/8 now.

My two big boys nor are straight .284 and 25 PRC... both pretty mild recoil. The one exeption would be a 50 alaskan subsonic load that I am messing with now.

I realized it takes a lot of extra powder to gain 1-200FPS, that 1-200FPS makes no difference in the big picture and efficient smaller cases are much easier to extract top accuracy out of. No regrets leaving the magnums behind

 

[nmkid]

Recoil is all in the head! The last rifle I shot was my Henry in 45-70 with the brass butt plate. A full box. Recoil is all in the head. The last rifle...wait I think I already said that!

 

[Leo_B]

Recoil is not in the head at all. Unless you are holding the butt against your forehead when the trigger is pressed. Say and think what you want. But that is totally false. Come back in 30 years and opine again.

 

[PhilC]

Heading for 69 in 3 months. Never did like recoil, even when young.

Crossed that threshhold 3 days ago, doesn't feel any different than 68.

 

[nmkid]

Recoil is not in the head at all. Unless you are holding the butt against your forehead when the trigger is pressed. Say and think what you want. But that is totally false. Come back in 30 years and opine again.

I would be 110 in 30 years, you knucklehead. Quite clear you don't understand tongue-in-cheek humor.

 

[Bob3700]

Not a hunter but started XC with the M1A n learned that position was everything. Picked up an AR n thought , this is cheating!
U can adapt to recoil n learn to deal with it. That said, a lower recoiling rifle ( in competition) is an advantage. The fatigue is so much less during a full day of competing and with lower recoil, flyers/ off call shot seem to happen less often.
Well supported / tight positions are critical with heavy recoiling rifles.

 

[BarnDweller]

I am 67 and I have some back problems. I have had to lower recoil calibers. I gave away my 308, and larger calibers. Its not all bad. There are some interesting calibers out there with very little recoil and with the new bullets out there. I just received my 6 Dasher I ordered 6 months ago, I can not say enough good about it! Its a Masterpiece Arms. I have never felt a bolt so smooth! In the last couple years I have joined the Howell Gun Club and there is a 500 yard range there! In that time I have also gotten a few new calibers in my collection. 22 ARC, 25 Creedmoor, 6 ARC, 6.5 Creedmoor (The one that started it all for me). I may be getting old and a wimp but I can still have fun at the range!

 

[swd]

I owned a 500 Nitro Express double rifle for a few years. You could take 3 shots no problem but the fourth would give you a mild headache from rattling your brain around in your skull. I also shot various 577's which were fun. I took one shot out of a lightweight 600 wildcat and couldn't shoot a long gun for 2 weeks.. Young and dumb..

 

[Tacoma]

Bad shoulders and declining mussle mass has forced me out of much of the centerfire world. Gone are my 308's (and anything higher). Even my blackpowder shooting is now limited to 45 cal and below. I still keep a 30-30 and a 6.5 CM but both of those rifles are shot exclusively with home spun reduced recoil loads ( light bullets and light alternate powder loads). Given I'm only shooting to 200 or 300 yds most days, it works fine for me. That said I do have a couple of Savage 12 bench oriantated rifles in 223 that I run full power 77 gr loads in. Of coure , recoil is light in a 10# + rifle though.

 

[ISS]

Short story/family history:

when I was eight or nine I was at my Grandparents. My Grand Father got up from the kitchen table (he was 80) and shuffled to the stove to get a refill cup of coffee. We had just milked 240 head of Guernsey cows. I wanted a cup as well, and shuffled off; mimicking him. He turned around, and caught me. He pointed his finger at me and said "just you wait Richard, when you get to my age you'll be like me. Half your sh-t won't work anymore, and the other half will hurt most of the time...".
And you know? He was right. He was 91 when he died. Smoked a pack of Camels a day until that day! Me, I'm down to a good Nicaraguan Maduro once a week. I still shoot the big boomers, just not as often as I did 20 years ago.

So, yeah...

 

[RabbitSlayer]

I did a lot of skeet shooting and bird hunting starting in my early 20s. I quickly discovered recoil sucks. I also found stock fit made a huge difference. Not only is it the shoulder, but getting smacked in the face. I would get some major headaches too.

Back then I just shot rimfire and a .223 tikka. In the last 10 years or so I have switched to primarily shooting rifles. Due to my experience with shotguns, I gravitate to smaller low recoil stuff, but also good stock design. The bigger guns I made really heavy. The 6 creed is about 20 lbs and the 7 saum is 24. With a brake the recoil is fine. The muzzle blast is annoying on the saum, but I double up on ears. Infact, I double up ears for all shooting now. I would be interested in trying a can on the saum.

In summation, I admitted to myself I was a recoil wuss early on. Since then I avoid it with good fitting stocks, lighter loads, more weight, and a muzzle brake. I'm 42 and tore my rotator cuff recently. I suspect one day my rifles will need to be so heavy I will have to carry them with a dolly and a 12 gauge duck load will send me to the ER.

 

[DShortt]

I'm not even mildly interested in shooting anything with much recoil when all I'm doing is punching holes in paper.
As I mentioned earlier, I typically shoot dozens of rounds on a single outing and a 'shoulder kicker' destroys my concentration as quickly as another shooter on an adjacent bench with a rifle producing a significant amount of muzzle blast.
If I were hunting dangerous game or defending a position in a conflict, my priorities would be different.
But.
I'm not, so they are not.
I'm focusing on accuracy/precision.

 

[olddistilller]

Years past, I enjoyed shooting my rebarreled Remington M-722 in .458 X 2" American. However, at 76 years of age, the rifle stays in the gun cabinet. Loads with 400 grain bullets have roughly 45 Foot Pounds of felt recoil, while I can reload it using 300 grain Hornadys which have less recoil.

I'm the same age and shoot 396 gr hard cast Keith style bullets using Imr 3031powder at 1702 fps out of a 7 lb custom mauser. Recoil is around 35 lbs.
I hunted elk with it last fall and limit my shots on elk to 150 yards. I had the rifle out today at the range and fired 25 rounds off the bench with no problems.
It has been a great rifle over the last 40 years and has taken everything from jack rabbits to costal browns. It's my timber rifle here in Wyoming.

 

[ELR LVR]

I guess at 72 I am refusing to give into the oldisms. Still love shooting them all. From 22LRs to my biggest is a 416. If it shoots, I shoot it!

Actually, a 416 with a good brake
Aint nearly as bad as a light hunting 30-06 rifle
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I like the 416 oddly enough
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i DO NOT like a 300 Winmag lol
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Recoil can be mitigated well with a good brake, and mass
I like my guns somewhat heavy
Most of mine don't have any more ft'lbs of recoil than a 223

 

[Pittsspecial]

Well. I'm certain it is a bit more physically uncomfortable, however these are my family & tools I've used and saved for my whole life. I have no intention of stop shooting any of them from the Barrett 50 BMG, my 45-120 and down to my 22 Anschutz, I love them all; each has its own personality, they belong to me and I to them.