Magnums and aging wrists

[tazman]

Thumbcocker, I don't know what to suggest that you have not already tried. I doubt you would be happy with a brace.
Sometimes the least appetizing option is the only viable one.

[fatelk]

I'm glad to see I'm far from the only one. I'm still fairly young yet, compared to most of you all, but heavy magnum loads just aren't fun any more. I like my S&W Model 29s, and don't plan on getting rid of them any time soon, but any time I take them out I rarely shoot more than a cylinder or two of full power loads.

[Hickory]

32's will claim the day when you can't take it anymore.

[nueces5]

Evidently your wrist is warning you that you need less powder or a heavier weapon.

[trapper9260]

I use weight lifting gloves and take care of the the problems I been have.

[RED BEAR]

The only thing i shoot full bore is my 41 mag carry gun. And just because i like to practice with equilvent loads. The right grips help but nothing gonna make it really pleasant. I can take about 2 boxes at a time then its light loads.

[charlie b]

I stopped shooting heavy loads when I was around 40. Woke up too many mornings with sore wrists.

Now days (25yrs later) I even stopped shooting full bore .357's.

Sucks getting older.

Reminds me a a story by Warren Miller, the guy who does snow skiing movies. He said that the knees only have so many bumps in them. You can use them all up when you are young or spread them out over a lifetime.

[45-70marlin]

Battling the same problem myself at 62. I am selling my 1911 because of weight and recoil. My wrist and thumb hurt after a short time of shooting. I bougtht a Ruger p345 as it is much lighter than that 1911. I haven't shot it much yet so we will see. I also bought a Ruger p95 incase I have to go lighter recoil. Getting old sux.

[Wild Bill 7]

I also load down on the mags. Loved full snort loads but now the 1000 fps or so are much more fun. 44's and 41 mag. I do get to shoot the Smith 500 with my friend and the 700 grain boolit is a handful to say the least. We shoot what he calls sissy Mary loads to the holy moly that is a handful loads. Puts a smile on your face every time you pull the trigger. LOL.

[Tom W.]

Indeed it does. I still shoot stout loads from my SRH .44, but 99% of my plinking now is with my 9mm LC9s Pro and my CZ 75 SP-01. I'm losing weight pretty quickly now, no need to beat myself to death.

[Texas by God]

Thumbcocker, 5/8th snort will kill deer too. Just creep a bit closer

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[LUBEDUDE]

It’s not all in the wrist.

In my mid 30s I developed nerve damage from the tips of fingers going up to my shoulders. The grip of my ring and pinky fingers on both hands are about the strength of a 4-5 year old at best.

I also developed problems with the elbows and forearms even though I gave up 44 mag. The 45 acp starting it’s work on me as well. Thank God for Gabapentin! Not a cure, but makes living worth while.

I had 4 surgeries in my right arm, some worked, some didn’t. So I’m very hesitant considering doing them to my left arm.

38 is now my caliber of choice with limited 45 acp in small amounts.

[LAH]

I started taking Glucosamine chondroitan for my knees and found it helped the pain in my wrists from recoil as well. Took about 4-5 weeks to kick in.

Been on that stuff for close to 20 years. Wonder where I'd be today if I hadn't?

[LAH]

I'll add this & I'm probably one of the few but for hard kickers I like the S&W N Frame a 100 times better than a Blackhawk/Bisley of any kind. I like the recoil directly into the palm of my hand instead of all the rolling & twisting. Sure is a lot less painful for me.

[Walks]

The Wrist Brace helps my Right Hand. But I've still got to shoot Left Handed. And My SBH 7 1/2" is too heavy.

Both shoulder, forearms and hands are crumbling.
I can still handle .45ACP Light Target Loads. Light .22's are best.

[tazman]

I gave up on 44 magnum years ago. I can still shoot full bore 357 magnum and 45ACP no problem. Mostly I shoot target loads for the practice. I still struggle with holding steady.

[Three44s]

HS6!

The RCBS 250K magnum primers and 11.8 gr of HS6@ 24K psi. A great load in the 44mag

Three44s

[fatelk]

Isn't it funny how we come full circle sometimes? Most people start out with a .22 revolver or something, then go on to bigger and better, then eventually over the years end up coming back to something along the lines of what they started with.

When I was young I was all about bigger is better, more rounds in the magazine, faster shooting. My first "really cool" gun was a WWII M1 Carbine I bought at a garage sale 30 years ago. I was thrilled to get that gun to a degree I haven't been about a material possession in a very long time. It was "GI"!

I started with a couple nice S&W revolvers, but soon revolvers were passé and wonder-nines were in. Through the years various other semi-auto rifles came and went, ARs, AKs, etc.. I was into straight-shooting bolt actions for a while. I got better and more pistols and revolvers. After that phase I was into mil-surp guns for a while. My eclectic interests waxed and waned.

Nowadays the semi-autos are either gone or sit mostly unused in the safe (though I still have my carbine!). The magnums and high-cap pistols don't get a lot of use. My range partner lately is my 13yo son, and more often than not we're shooting .22lr rifles and revolvers.

[Petrol & Powder]

For the OP, I think the consensus is that it just isn't worth damaging your body. Dial the loads back.

I'm proficient with magnums but I don't shoot them much. You use the same techniques and practice the same fundamentals with lighter loads. There's not much to be gained by doing damage to your body.

As for single actions, I've never cared for them. I don't dislike them, they just aren't for me. The SA grip doesn't work for me and I prefer DA revolvers, in part, due to the grip.

[buckwheatpaul]

Took a 4 5/8" SBH to the range and ran about 30 full snort loads through it. Wrist on shooting hand was and is complaining some today. I have shot a pile of full snort magnums over the past 30 years with no issues. Should I be looking for a wrist brace of some kind? Life without full house .44's would just suck.

My .44 mag load used to be 20 gr. of 2400 in front of Keith 240 gr. SWC......now 7gr to 8 gr of Unique make me happy!