Hardest most violent recoil...

[358429]

This is the hardest recoiling hand gun I have ever shot. Never never never shoot this from the bench with your elbow touching the table, when 150 grain or heavier magnums are loaded in the cylinder... haha I made that mistake once!
Hogue bantam grips on smith and wesson model 60-9 357 mag snub. Current fun load pictured in the still frames is 155 grain keith deep hollow point with 15.5 grains ww296. They sure leave in a hurry! Feels about the same as the American Eagle 158 grain magnum loading, except for cooler looking bullets haha.
Interesting fact about how the sights are regulated: 148 grain button nose wad cutter loaded with 3 grains ww231in 38 special brass hits to the same spot (point of aim = point of impact is the same at 25 yards!!!)as 110-125 grain jhp 20 grains ww296 in 357 mag brass.

What's the snappiest gun you enjoy to shoot?https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210525/2b82f6efc3cb1d95a884fdc07b9df657.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210525/34e67179e75823fb1ddc890e525d40d4.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210525/2700322f127b76d442be68e6a70e41c9.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210525/a7da6a11de71f871e98ef6fffe9ec80c.jpg

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[imashooter2]

That steel boat anchor? Try a 360. 11.4 ounces of scandium and titanium. Hold on tight!

http://imashooter2.com/pictures/360-760.jpg

http://imashooter2.com/pictures/11-4-360.jpg

I suspect someone will be along with a scandium .44 mag shortly. [smilie=l:

[358429]

That steel boat anchor? Try a 360. 11.4 ounces of scandium and titanium. Hold on tight!

http://imashooter2.com/pictures/360-760.jpg

http://imashooter2.com/pictures/11-4-360.jpg

I suspect someone will be along with a scandium .44 mag shortly. [smilie=l:That is awesome!

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[MT Gianni]

My old boss used to like to collect handguns rather than shoot them. The 500 S&W and the 460 come back at you pretty good.

[trails4u]

had the opportunity to shoot a 6" 454 casull. One cylinder full was plenty, but fun!!

[M-Tecs]

I suspect someone will be along with a scandium .44 mag shortly. [smilie=l:

These are old news https://www.smith-wesson.com/product/model-329pd

https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2015/05/01/sw-329pd-lightweight-44-long-term-review/

[imashooter2]

These are old news https://www.smith-wesson.com/product/model-329pd

https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2015/05/01/sw-329pd-lightweight-44-long-term-review/

I meant a member posting something along the lines of "That little mouse gun? You should try a 329…” :lol:

[Walks]

I tried one of the then New Scandium J-Frame in .357mag when they came out in 1996.

Stupid enough to fire 2 rounds. I prefer the Casull in .454 with the Pretty Rosewood grips.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

I've always thought that my 637 was an angry little Pistol

[Cosmic_Charlie]

That T Rex will never know what hit him!

[Earlwb]

I have to wear shooting gloves with this one, otherwise it'll likely bite you. 45-70 revolver, which arguably a snub nose with a 6 inch barrel. It knocks off the dirt and dust on the sunroof at the gun range when you fire it. I did not like the S&W snubnose 44 magnum with the Scandium frame though. I do have a Ruger Super Redhawk snubbie in 44 mag though. It is a handful too.

283447


Probably the worst for shooting 44 magnums is the not so common Pietta 1873 SAA revolver clone in 44 mag. It really needs better grips as the standard grips are horrid when firing 44 mags. Defintely wear shooting gloves. It is best to stick with 44 Specials in it though.
283448

[Targa]

My 642 was annoyingly snappy enough that I sold it.

[Half Dog]

I like handguns as much as the next person but a 45-70 revolver...? WOW

[Tatume]

A work associate rode with me one day and noticed a box of 458 Win Mag ammo on the truck seat. He started telling me about how much he knows about guns, because his family are all deer hunters. He picked up the box while talking, removed one of the cigar-sized cartridges, and asked "is this a pistol bullet or a rifle bullet?"

A 458 Win Mag handgun would be a handful.

[Targa]

Here you go Tatum https://youtu.be/kL8v4p9LsQI

[smithnframe]

A 4 shot Austrian made 600 Nitro Express revolver…….quite a handful!

[Butzbach]

For how good it felt in the hand, the Charter Arms Bulldog in .44 Special with its stock walnut grips was surprisingly unpleasant to shoot. I enjoyed .44 Specials out of my S&W Model 29. Out of the Bulldog they felt like catching a hardball bare handed. It’s aluminum frame gave it an unloaded 23 oz. weight which may partially account for the punishing recoil.

My Mom was 65 or so when she shot it the first time. My Dad had passed and my brother and I were plinking in the backyard while inventorying his guns for sale. We handed her the Bulldog with appropriate cautions and She shocked us both by picking it up and blaming off five quick shots! It may have been the first time she fired a pistol!

[Tatume]

Here you go Tatum https://youtu.be/kL8v4p9LsQI

Wonderful! I like his thinking.

[44MAG#1]

Try shoot an Encore 45/70 15 inch handgun with the standard tapered barrel, no brake, shooting a 550 grain cast bullet at 1500 fps. Maybe a 50 Alaskan Encore handgun with a 700 grain at 1400 fps or an Encore handgun in 458 Win Mag with a 500 grain at 1900. All these loads were chronographed not guessed. Maybe a BFR in 45/70 with a 515 grain at 1440 chronographed.

[Earlwb]

well, ranking way up there at the top of the list for hard recoiling guns are the 45-70 Derringers. There were two or three companies that made them over the years too. Bond Arms and American Derringer made them, and I think one other too.
Here is one example: yes it does hurt to fire one. How this guy even handles it forthat many shots in one day is amazing.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJQBbUIFIvU

[Earlwb]

Now I was surprised at first with how hard the recoil was with the Bond Arms Gun in 45 Colt or 410 buckshot. it turned out that the little stock wood grips were the problem. It was painful for me with every shot with the little wood grips. Putting on the little rubber grips tamed it enough so that I could shoot it all day like that. Oh yeah for .357 magnum loads the same thing too.

283449

[contender1]

"Here,, hold my beer & watch this,,,,,,,,,,,,,!"

Punishment & pain are not why I shoot.
Yes, I've shot many large caliber, hard recoiling handguns. I've also shot the small, lightweight ones too.

Properly built & handled, many can be used,, but not necessarily pleasant.

I prefer to enjoy shooting, so I keep my stuff to more moderate things. My heaviest recoiling handgun is a FA in 454 Casull. My Ruger .480 is not as bad as the .454.
But, I do not use "rocks & dynamite" loads. I use loads worked up for accuracy.

[475AR]

My worst kicker is my Competitor pistol with a 15" 444 marlin barrel, the actual recoil isn't too bad but what gets me is the wrist torque it does and after 5 shots I have to put it down.

[memtb]

I guess tat it would be my wife’s lightweight Chief Special with “hot loads” or my S&W 629 pushing my 265 grain cast pushed quite hard. I’d rather shoot my 460 S&W running 400 grain cast, “maxed-out” than either of the other two! The first two are painful, the 460 is just “unbearably” loud! memtb

[725]

Once, while at the range, a fellow shooter had his XP-100 in .458 Win Mag. It was evil. Of course, when he offed me a chance to shoot it, I did. Once was enough.

[rintinglen]

I shot a wooden-gripped Contender in 45-70--once.

[358429]

Wow! I knew you guys have strong fingers! If you got pictures of fire rings and fire ball from the cannons you all are shooting please show em! Some 460 fire rings would make my day!

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[RichardB]

I converted an old Pachmayr Dominator conversion for 1911 to 45 Raptor using a .458 bore instead of .452. Fired one round of factory equivalent ammo. That was enough. Even with download Trail Boss loads I can only manage three rounds. I think its too much in the 1911 grip frame.

[Conditor22]

For me (and a friend) it was ++P rounds in a 50AE. I'm 6'8" and have big hands (I used both) Once was enough

My friend forgot to put on his safety glasses when he shot it and the spent casing came back and blackened both of his eyes! He was really lucky it hit in the middle.

I'm not as old as some on here but I am old enough to stick with the lowest powered load that gives me the best accuracy.

I shot for fun and like to shoot all day when I go out --- pain is not fun :)


PEOPLE REALLY NEED TO THINK ABOUT SELF DEFENSE AMMO IN HAND CANNONS AND POSSIBLE PASS THROUGHS HITTING INNOCENTS BEHIND THE PERP

[Texas by God]

I dont begrudge anyone who enjoys shooting the large and small handcannons; but they are not for me. For a defense handgun, I don't need more recoil than a .45 ACP or .38 Special. For hunting, if I need more oomph than my .41 magnum then I will carry a rifle.
I have fired snubnose .357s, a 10" octagon 30-30 Contender with 170 gr factory loads, the forehead slicing .50 AE like mentioned above, and a .454 Taurus Raging Judge- I hated all of them.
In the distant past, I even fired an 8" barreled 12 gauge "whippet gun" that a colorful character kept in his truck. That one put a knot " upside my head"!

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[imashooter2]

I’ve shot the 360 with enough magnums to carry it with +P .38s. Factory 158 grain magnums were bad. My 180 grain WFN reloads were brutal. Felt like a bee stinging the web of my hand and holding it just as tight as I could it still drove the trigger guard into my middle finger every shot. The 135 grain +P .38 Special Gold Dot Short Barrel that I carry is still stout, but manageable.

All that said, it is so light it is a joy to carry. And it gets carried a lot more than it gets shot.

[Golfswithwolves]

had the opportunity to shoot a 6" 454 casull. One cylinder full was plenty, but fun!!

I briefly owned a 7 1/2" FA Model 83 in .454 Casull, and knew I had met my match. Just 250 gr. Winchester factory loads but they were more than I cared to shoot. The revolver had the big fat Pachmyre rubber grips which did not help as my hand was too small for them. I traded this revolver for a nice FA Model 97 in .44 Special and am completely happy with the change!

[gwpercle]

The S&W model 58 in my avatar ... 41 Magnum .
Mostly with mid range loads . Have some sweet wadcutter loads .
I got over , outgrew , " Magnumgitis " about 1978 or so ... shooting big hard kicking guns just to prove how tough we were got old ... or maybe we got older .
The 41 mag. is all I need
Gary

[Lloyd Smale]

ive shot all the big bore revolvers the smiths and all the linebaughs and the linebaugh max. revover wize id say it the 500 max with full power loads and the 475 wasnt far behind. Shoot a cylinder out of each and my standard 475 and 500s felt like a 38 special. Much lighter then a smith 500, bfr 4570 ect. but uncomfortable? Id give that to my buddys bond 44 mag with 300 casts and 22 grains of 110. It was like lighting a stick of dynamite and holding it in your had. But for all out recoil. Kelly Brost had a tc encore in 458 lott with full power ammo at one of the linebaugh seminars. Youd better be paying attention when you light off that monster.

[megasupermagnum]

There is painful, and there is strong recoil. One of the lightweights, like a Ruger LCR in 357 magnum shooting a 180 gr Buffalo Bore or similar strong load is about as painful as it gets.

For strong recoil, there are a number of ridiculous handguns out there now. By strong recoil, I mean you might hit yourself in the head if you don't know what you are doing. The LCR in 357 magnum is strong, but you probably wont hit your head with one. It's more like getting hit in the hand with a hammer. There are plenty of ridiculous handguns now that have strong recoil. The worst I have is a 54 caliber TC Scout Pistol. This doesn't have to be bad, but it sure can be if you want. I actually like it with 60 grains FFg and a .530" round ball (230 grains). At that level, it's not much different than a typical 357 magnum in a normal size gun. Load it up with 120 gr powder, and a 435 grain Maxiball, and you had better make sure to angle it away from your forehead. It is much better with the Hogue grip. With the wood grips it came with, it was outrageous, far worse than anything else I've ever shot. The second worse was a Competitor pistol in 458 win mag, and that was way easier to shoot.

[racepres]

I shot a wooden-gripped Contender in 45-70--once.

Yup Had one in about '79 or '80?? with the original [pre-Herretts] grips.. Rested it on top of a fencepost, and ripped part of the front of the grip Off...Oops
I think maybe the 375 Win may be a close second!!
While the 357 Herrett can cause nose Bleeds if loaded to Max, I still to this day Dislike full power 44 mags in an original Contender configuration, grips and Short Octagon Barrel.. caused Bruising!!!

[Drm50]

If you want recoil, try a Navy flare pistol with chamber insert for 12g. A 3” slug will bring tears to your eyes until you can get your thumb back in the socket.

[jonp]

Handgun it was my SP101 snub with the small grips using max 357 158gr loads. I'm not recoil shy but I sold that pistol. The gun could handle it, I couldn't

[Earlwb]

A 4 shot Austrian made 600 Nitro Express revolver…….quite a handful!

This one is made by someone in Germany, it is a five shot revolver chambered in .600 Nitro express. The shooter wears a motorcycle helmet with full face shield too. It probably ranks up there at the top of the list. I think that nowadays, it is going to cost you $50 or more a round to shoot one.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmOpdZZ1F2U

Someone else has a single shot pistol in .600 Nitro express too. I don't know if you could get a barrel for a Contender to be made for that large of a cartridge, but maybe you can. But from the video he didn't quite hold it correctly. Ouch.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ea_Q8C_67jY

[Jtarm]

I meant a member posting something along the lines of "That little mouse gun? You should try a 329…” :lol:

Yup.

I guess people buy them as bear guns, but it might be less painful to just let bear chew on you.

[Earlwb]

Yup.

I guess people buy them as bear guns, but it might be less painful to just let bear chew on you.

if a bear is coming down on you, I doubt you would notice the pain in shooting a big bore monster gun.

[charlie b]

I tried the big bore revolver thing when I was a lot younger. When my elbow and wrist started showing signs of stress I quit and went back to 'normal' loads.

The SP101 wasn't bad with 125 or 140gn .357 loads. The LCR had a sharper 'bite'. Not pleasant, but, manageable. I would not practice with full loads in the LCR.

[DHDeal]

My personal little monster is the same as the OP, a S&W Model 60 in 357. The day I bought it years back, I ran a cylinder full of the Federal 125 grain JHP through it. A miniature donkey kicking you I considered it. Cute little thing, but it can kick. Helluva fireball.

My FA83 in 454 can be nasty but it is more from the 37ish grains of H110 than recoil. Double ears is a habit but it's needed with the 454. The Magna-Port really works on muzzle flip and really works on adding some extra blast.

[mozeppa]

35 grains H-110 powder...440 grain gas checked pill out this...500 S&W

[Wild Bill 7]

Worst recoil I’ve shot was with Ruger Super Redhawk 454 and the Contender with 30-30 barrel. The Redhawk had these beautiful wooden grips that were like glass and even with sticky gloves the torque just about pulled it out of my hand. Put some Hogue grips on and it was better but it wasn’t fun to shoot. Traded it for a Smith model 57 with some cash and I’m a happy camper. The Contender recoil wasn’t that bad but the trigger guard beat up my middle finger after 3 shots that I thought it was broken. I have shot the Smith 500 with full house 700 grain boolits and one cylinder a day is enough. I also have shot a Ruger No.1 in 416 Rigby and for a big game rifle it wasn’t as much recoil as I thought it would be. Thanks to my friend who owns the last three I probably would never had that experience. Now that I’m in my mid 70’s and not as strong as I used to be full house loads are not on my agenda.

[Multra]

700gr 500 s&w, wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

[Tatume]

Worst recoil I’ve shot was with Ruger Super Redhawk 454. . . .

The lightest-recoiling 454 Casull I've ever shot is my Ruger Super Redhawk with the wood panel/rubber grips. It is downright pleasant to shoot, and also very accurate.

[bobthenailer]

Yea that S&W 13oz 360 is the worst that ive ever shot now have a SS 649 all steel with no problems @ 26 oz

[358429]

Fire!https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210526/66a03ec6bd9a1732c4bb0e819646e6cf.jpg

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[Lloyd Smale]

had a 329 it was stout but not really painful. Now i had a 396 smith that weighted about half what a 329 weights and with 250s and 18 grains of 2400 that thing would peal skin off your hand. Personaly id rather shoot a cylinder full of full power 500 linebaughs out of my 4 inch gun then one shot out of that little cannon. But it sure was handy to stick in your jacket pocket when i was bow hunting. So light you didnt even notice you had it. I think they weighted 18 oz empty.

[358429]

Wow Lloyd that's kinda like a 44 Special J frame, even the grips is a nubbins. Smith website shows that production is discontinued. Did you ever shoot that gun with lighter loads for target? If you did, was it accurate and precise?

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[Elmer Fudd]

The snappiest gun I do not enjoy shooting is a 10" contender pistol with sights in 44 mag, even with just factory ammo. Worse than a 329. Worse than either a 4" or an 8" X frame. Worse than 360gr cast in 5-1/2" 45 Bisley. So, I don't shoot it as a pistol.

[fixit]

T.c. contender, .357 herrett 10" bull barrel. It's the only handgun I've fired in which I've noticed any substantial torque, and I feel the recoil in my elbow, and sometimes my shoulder. It's a beast, and I've not shot it much. I've got two.44 magnums, a super Blackhawk, and a Virginian dragoon, and because of the plow handle grips I've never found a load for either of them that I found unpleasant! Unfortunately, because of arthritis in my thumb knuckle, double action style grips get painful way before I want them to!

[Lloyd Smale]

Wow Lloyd that's kinda like a 44 Special J frame, even the grips is a nubbins. Smith website shows that production is discontinued. Did you ever shoot that gun with lighter loads for target? If you did, was it accurate and precise?

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk It shot ok. Not bad but not great. With a 250 and 7 grains of unique it wasnt bad. i traded it off on a 696 which is the stainless steel version of the same gun. That thing is a jewel. Shoots fantastic and is MUCH more comforable to shoot with the 2400 grain load then the scandiuma version was with the 7 grain load. Another thing those 396s were notorious for is flame cutting. My buddy bought one at the same time and shot his much more and had to have the barrel replaced. But then he had to do the same thing with his 329. I guess the new 329s have some kind of a shield that prevents it. f

[lead collector]

I had a fried that had a Thompson Contender with a 10 inch 30-30 barrel. I never shot it, but I guess it was a wild ride with 180 gr factory loads. I suspect it would have been.. He killed some deer with it, but it was not much of a recreational gun..

A former High School teacher of mine bought a new S&W 69 44 mag, with a short barrel, 2.5 inches or so. He shot a half box of full house 240 gr loads, over 3 or 4 shooting sessions, and took it back to the shop where he bought it and traded it in on a kinder gun.
A 44 mag in a snub nosed L frame gun.... who would have thought it would have unpleasant recoil?

[brass410]

my bnib nos biakal double rifle 45-70 with lever evolution, ammo both side fired same time. Trigger issue was culprit, still not willing to try since having it dealt with by local smith. Jungle law of power 10 applies : 160 lb hunter shoots 6 lb gun at 1600 lb animal whoever gets up first shall be declared winner!!!

[megasupermagnum]

I had a fried that had a Thompson Contender with a 10 inch 30-30 barrel. I never shot it, but I guess it was a wild ride with 180 gr factory loads. I suspect it would have been.. He killed some deer with it, but it was not much of a recreational gun..

A former High School teacher of mine bought a new S&W 69 44 mag, with a short barrel, 2.5 inches or so. He shot a half box of full house 240 gr loads, over 3 or 4 shooting sessions, and took it back to the shop where he bought it and traded it in on a kinder gun.
A 44 mag in a snub nosed L frame gun.... who would have thought it would have unpleasant recoil?

Nah, 30-30 in a contender is nothing. I'm no fan of the contender, but I owned one, and in 309 JDJ, which is a sizable jump over the 30-30. It is essentially a 308 win. Recoil of the 309 JDJ in the contender is no big deal. It was somewhere around my 357 mag GP100 with hot loads, or model 57 S&W 41 mag with moderate loads.

[dverna]

I have no need for a gun that hurts me.

[Texas by God]

I have no need for a gun that hurts me.Nailed it^^^^

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[44MAG#1]

Nailed it^^^^

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To each his own. When I was younger I liked to see what I could do. Just like lifting weights and other things people push themselves to do.

[Lloyd Smale]

I have no need for a gun that hurts me.

no doubt true but alot of it is mental. even a 500 linebaugh doesnt really hurt you. Its is startling and bucks and roars but its not painful. I once watched a 18 year old 100 lb girl that wasnt told a 500 was painful shoot 50 rounds of full power ammo and was giggling while she did it. Grown men standing there wouldnt even shoot it once. Recoil is more of a mental then physicals thing to overcome. Ive had grown men say an 06 kicks to much and made them flinch. But ive also seen my grandkids at at 12 years old shoot them and think it was fun. Now a gun that peals skin off your hand is a bit much. Even i have wore the front sight blade of a linebaugh on the top of my head when i got lacks and didnt respect it. But ive never pulled a trigger on one of my linebaughs and thought it hurt when i shot it right. Now i do have a limit with rifles. I shoot lots of mag rifle ammo every year but my buddys 378 and 460 weatherbys can be painful to shoot. especially after about 10 rounds. They will even leave bruises. But even my 300 wby 338 or 8mag are a not a painful gun to shoot. Only owned three rifles that would get on me.One was my 458 #1 with full power loads, one an 18 inch non ported marlin 4570 stoked to max and then there was my 50ak. That thing stoked up made my 458 #1 feel like a 223. Lever guns just seem to get on me worse due to the stock design. Id put the 50ak right up there with the two weatherbys. thing is we are all handloaders here so you can make any gun comfortable to shoot on the loading bench. Like is said though its more of a mental then physical thing. I know grown men that think an o6 is a cannon and ive even heard grown men say a 40sw kicks to much for them. I doubt either have sent to many people to the hospital.

[Butzbach]

no doubt true but alot of it is mental. even a 500 linebaugh doesnt really hurt you. Its is startling and bucks and roars but its not painful. I once watched a 18 year old 100 lb girl that wasnt told a 500 was painful shoot 50 rounds of full power ammo and was giggling while she did it. Grown men standing there wouldnt even shoot it once. Recoil is more of a mental then physicals thing to overcome. Ive had grown men say an 06 kicks to much and made them flinch. But ive also seen my grandkids at at 12 years old shoot them and think it was fun. Now a gun that peals skin off your hand is a bit much. Even i have wore the front sight blade of a linebaugh on the top of my head when i got lacks and didnt respect it. But ive never pulled a trigger on one of my linebaughs and thought it hurt when i shot it right. Now i do have a limit with rifles. I shoot lots of mag rifle ammo every year but my buddys 378 and 460 weatherbys can be painful to shoot. especially after about 10 rounds. They will even leave bruises. But even my 300 wby 338 or 8mag are a not a painful gun to shoot. Only owned three rifles that would get on me.One was my 458 #1 with full power loads, one an 18 inch non ported marlin 4570 stoked to max and then there was my 50ak. That thing stoked up made my 458 #1 feel like a 223. Lever guns just seem to get on me worse due to the stock design. Id put the 50ak right up there with the two weatherbys. thing is we are all handloaders here so you can make any gun comfortable to shoot on the loading bench. Like is said though its more of a mental then physical thing. I know grown men that think an o6 is a cannon and ive even heard grown men say a 40sw kicks to much for them. I doubt either have sent to many people to the hospital.

No. Pain is pain. Folk's tolerance for it varies.

[Butzbach]

T.c. contender, .357 herrett 10" bull barrel. It's the only handgun I've fired in which I've noticed any substantial torque, and I feel the recoil in my elbow, and sometimes my shoulder. It's a beast, and I've not shot it much. I've got two.44 magnums, a super Blackhawk, and a Virginian dragoon, and because of the plow handle grips I've never found a load for either of them that I found unpleasant! Unfortunately, because of arthritis in my thumb knuckle, double action style grips get painful way before I want them to!

I know what you mean about the elbow pain. I felt that with my brother's 10" 30-30 Contender . . . once.

[Tim357]

Pistol gripped Mossberg 12 gauge with slugs. Not again.

[memtb]

Pistol gripped Mossberg 12 gauge with slugs. Not again.

I have a Winchester Defender (pistol grip) that resides next to the bed, “stoked” with 2 3/4” 00 Buck, which I’ve never fired in it........I may need to rethink my choice of loads! :lol: memtb

[Earlwb]

I have a Winchester Defender (pistol grip) that resides next to the bed, “stoked” with 2 3/4” 00 Buck, which I’ve never fired in it........I may need to rethink my choice of loads! :lol: memtb

Yes, you need to always, I mean always, test fire your gun with the ammunition you want to use with it. Otherwise you don't know if the gun will work or not with the ammo. Or to confirm that the gun is functional too.

[memtb]

Yes, you need to always, I mean always, test fire your gun with the ammunition you want to use with it. Otherwise you don't know if the gun will work or not with the ammo. Or to confirm that the gun is functional too.

I know that it cycles/feeds/functions well with the 00....just never actually “torched” any off! Many rounds downrange with low brass #8’s. memtb

[charlie b]

Don't forget too that the shape of the stock/grips and how they fit the shooter matters a lot as well. When shooting heavier rifles I use a shoulder pad (PAST). Especially with steel/brass butt plates.

I have had pistols hurt with recoil. Mainly the trigger guard hitting my middle finger. Ruger BH was really bad for that when loaded heavy. Palm of hand didn't hurt at all. But, a few months of many heavy loads and my elbow/wrist began to show the effects of too many 'hits'.

[cwtebay]

Had an opportunity to shoot an Airweight 637 in 357 mag this past weekend. With hard cast +P+ it wasn't much fun!
(Embarrassed to say it is my friend's daughter who carries it when we're chasing bears).

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[megasupermagnum]

Had an opportunity to shoot an Airweight 637 in 357 mag this past weekend. With hard cast +P+ it wasn't much fun!
(Embarrassed to say it is my friend's daughter who carries it when we're chasing bears).

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What was the 357 mag +p+? Do you mean 38 special?

[robertbank]

Well for me the S&W 500 is my worst experience with a handgun....period! A local bear guide offered me the opportunity to fire his gun. He was shooting the thing like I might shoot a lightly loaded .357Mag. Without a shooting glove I let go one round. The gun nearly took my forehead off as it rose upward and backwards. The shot left an imprint on my palm from the checkering on the grip. My wrist, arms and shoulder collectively screamed their surrender. My earmuffs cried fowl. I think my hair on my head ached. It was way bad. He offered my the opportunity to fire the remaining five rounds. Not wanting to ruin a good thing I let him have the honour.

As far as pain goes the experience ranks only to the time I shot several rounds of 44Mag factory rounds through my 44 mag Rossi lever gun. This was shortly before I had my shoulders replaced. The curved steel butt plate did it's best to drive my shoulder bone out my back. God almighty that little gun kicked like a mule. It truly brought tears to my eyes. I since have had my 'smith remove the curve butt plate and install a recoil pad of modern design. The gun still kicks but it is now less hurtful.

Take Care

Bob

[cwtebay]

What was the 357 mag +p+? Do you mean 38 special?No, it was Buffalo Bore ammo (yes - not +p+ of course - poor idea of a joke).

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[snowwolfe]

Here is my experience:
I have personally owned and shot these revolvers:
S&W 500 in 4 inch barrel
BFR 500 JRH
BFR 475 Linebaugh
To many 44 mags and 45 Colts to count
S&W 329 44 mag

Nothing "beat" the 329 for viciousness when loaded with factory equivalent loads.

[megasupermagnum]

No, it was Buffalo Bore ammo (yes - not +p+ of course - poor idea of a joke).

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I'm going to guess that was the 180 gr BB load. That stuff is the real deal, and they do it within SAMMI specs. That guy doesn't water down anything, and the best part is his stuff usually shoots quite accurately too.

[rick benjamin]

Seldom exercise my contender 45-70, but when I do, I go home with hurts in my hand.

[WestKentucky]

The old ducktown disaster double I used to have. I think it was labeled as a Cobray but whatever it was was the side by side 410 derringer. It was a hoot but the welded sheet steel frame and the spur trigger left a void that under recoil would cut the knuckles on my middle finger. I learned to wrap it with the cloth bandaids before shooting. Traded it off to a marlin 60 without a stock. Added a $20 stock and I came out way ahead.

[Tar Heel]

The FA 454 Casull with 340gr cast bullets at 1700fps will make a believer out of you. The worst was a T/C Contender 411-JDJ with 340gr cast bullets at 1900fps. That cured me.

[Beagle333]

Probably the worst for shooting 44 magnums is the not so common Pietta 1873 SAA revolver clone in 44 mag. It really needs better grips as the standard grips are horrid when firing 44 mags. Defintely wear shooting gloves. It is best to stick with 44 Specials in it though.
283448

I've got one of these, but never fired it. Thanks for the heads-up though. I'll put my gloves on and give it a whirl one day soon.

[Earlwb]

I've got one of these, but never fired it. Thanks for the heads-up though. I'll put my gloves on and give it a whirl one day soon.

Yeah, when you look at it, you will note that your second finger is behind the trigger guard. When you fire it, the gun will slam back hard into the finger, the finger knuckle is right there too. The grips let the revolver slide back and down on you making it even harder on that second finger. Ouch. Generally the big bore revolvers have something blocking the finger from being behind the trigger guard. But not with the SAA types of revolvers.

[Tar Heel]

Yes, the Pietta 1873 SAA in 357 Mag and the 44 Mag will bite hard. That gun was never designed for the hard kickers. The trigger bite and trigger guard smack really hurt. I tried full power 357m ammo and immediately decided to keep it to more tolerable ammo in the 1873 design.

[cwtebay]

I'm going to guess that was the 180 gr BB load. That stuff is the real deal, and they do it within SAMMI specs. That guy doesn't water down anything, and the best part is his stuff usually shoots quite accurately too.Yep, you nailed it! Just a lot of load for that revolver!!!!

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[ebner glocken]

Here is my experience:
I have personally owned and shot these revolvers:
S&W 500 in 4 inch barrel
BFR 500 JRH
BFR 475 Linebaugh
To many 44 mags and 45 Colts to count
S&W 329 44 mag

Nothing "beat" the 329 for viciousness when loaded with factory equivalent loads.

I have a similar collection with a few changes. My 500 is a bfr, and another one in 45/70. The JRH also has a 50 AE cylinder, add a scandium 2" j frame 357. Contender 45/70 nonported barrel.

The bfr 45/70 is an easy shooter. The 500 mag with 440s I cry uncle with anything over 36 grains of H110, the max is 40.0. The JRH is an outstanding performer and doesn't beat me up, very easy to control. The 50 AE is nothing to worry about. Yes, the 329 with wood grips can be pretty brutal with full pressure loads. The 357 feels much the same but with a narrower backstrap that just cuts into the web of the hand, full house is painful. I have fired a few marlin level loads in the contender (not recommending for several reasons), once again painful.

Which is worst? Probably a toss up between the 357 and contender.

Ebner

[Conditor22]

In Asia, they load muzzleloaders with homemade powder and judge the charge by how far the ramrod sticks out of the barrel (measured by finger width) when tamping the powder. These guns are capable of taking down elephants. I borrowed a friend's gun and loaded it a little warm to see what it would do, That indiscrete gun turned into a raging monster when the trigger was pulled, the round ball shredded a 2" sapling and I was knocked backward onto my dignity. I didn't shoot it again (I didn't want to shoot it again!!) when I returned it he said " oh did I remember to tell you the ramrod is 2 fingers short :holysheep[smilie=b:

[usedtobeyoung]

I had a Freedom Arms model 83 in 454 Casull. The barrel was 4 5/8 and particularly brutal.

[44MAG#1]

My FA M83 has a 4.75 in barrel. I have an Encore with a 12 inch 454 barrel that I shoot 515 grain bullets from.

[MGD]

I shoot a 4 5/8" FA 83 regularly. My hunting buddy has a 2" that is brutal with factory Freedom 300gr ammo

[Gunners Mate]

My 3 inch 629 with full House 44mag loads will jar some fillings loose

[downzero]

That steel boat anchor? Try a 360. 11.4 ounces of scandium and titanium. Hold on tight!

http://imashooter2.com/pictures/360-760.jpg

http://imashooter2.com/pictures/11-4-360.jpg

I suspect someone will be along with a scandium .44 mag shortly. [smilie=l:

I have the M&P 340 that is similar, just doesn't have the titanium cylinder (has a steel one instead). 13.8 ounces. It is definitely no BS with a magnum load, kicking far harder than any steel J frame. I don't find it unbearable with 1000 fps 158 loads, but I probably wouldn't shoot H110/296 level loads in it.

Hard recoil handguns I've shot:

X frame, 4" or so barrel .460 S&W Magnum. That thing is no joke regardless of load.
.500 S&W with the heaviest cast bullets will definitely put it into your wrist.

Any J frame, but especially the lightweight ones
Lightweight 3" or so .44 Magnum S&W airweight

What I haven't shot is the 2.5" Ruger Alaskan in .454 Casull, I bet that is no joke as well.

[Minerat]

A Ruger RH Toklat 5.5" in 454 will give you a pop too.

[Kuato]

Hands down my 4" Alaskan survival 45/70 derringer... first and only gun to ever draw blood from my hand while shooting.. Hurt to make a fist for two weeks after that.. LOL. muzzle blast and concussion were very impressive to say the least!

[sniper]

12 gauge pump with a rifled slug!

[Wooserco]

well, ranking way up there at the top of the list for hard recoiling guns are the 45-70 Derringers. There were two or three companies that made them over the years too. Bond Arms and American Derringer made them, and I think one other too.
Here is one example: yes it does hurt to fire one. How this guy even handles it forthat many shots in one day is amazing.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJQBbUIFIvU

I do notice that he is gritting his teeth :)

[Liberty1776]

Most uncomfortable rifle:

Henry 45-70 with factory loads. Every bit of that recoil goes straight into your shoulder.
(By contrast, a .458 SOCOM in an AR-15 form factor -- shooting the same bullet and ballistics -- is downright comfortable.)

Most uncomfortable revolver:

500 S&W Magnum. I haven't even shot max loads yet. Just the "starting" loads -- like 50 grains of CFEBLK -- are something to behold....

[Namadji]

I've got one of these, but never fired it. Thanks for the heads-up though. I'll put my gloves on and give it a whirl one day soon.

The 1860 sized grip was the problem for my hands. Fitting a 1851 grip to it made it a joy to shoot. Curling my little finger under the grip keeps my second finger just far enough away from the trigger guard to avoid any bite.

[Hardcast]

286010

[alamogunr]

Several years ago, John Taffin published an article on practice loads for big revolvers. That article has been a life saver for me. He listed loads for several powders each for .44 Mag, .45 Colt, .454 Casull, 480 Ruger, .475 Linebaugh and .500 Linebaugh. Bullets used were 300 gr. for the .44 Mag and .45 Colt. The 480 Ruger, 475 L, 500 L went up from there.

It has been awhile since I shot any of these with more than mid loads. I "celebrated" my 79th birthday last Sunday. I've developed arthritis in my right thumb which has diminished my total hand strength. Casting and handloading have enabled me to keep shooting these big bore guns. I've only got the .44, 45, 454C and 475L. The last 2 mainly because I wanted to own them. The Freedom Arms has extra cylinders which are used instead of the .454. I don't hunt so that didn't enter in to the decision to buy.

[Minerat]

I found out this weekend that a 41 mag loaded with 19.5 gr H110 under a 265gr MP from a 4-5/8" barrel RBH is a little hard on the middle finger, elbow and shoulder. They were running 1320 fps on the Labradar.

[44MAG#1]

I've shot 500 grain Hornady's just a little over 1900 fps from a 14 inch barreled Encore.

[Budzilla 19]

For pistol: 10 1/2” Ruger .44 magnum with full house loads and no muzzle brake! Ruger New Model Super Blackhawk I have now, in .44 Magnum, has a tremendously effective muzzle brake! Very tame to shoot!
For rifle: custom built push-feed Win. Model 70 in 7mm STW, about 9.5 pounds and no muzzle brake! Damned thing blurred my vision for about a minute and I never fired it again! Good thing it didn’t belong to me. My 7mm STW I have now is equipped with a Browning Boss so it’s a delight to shoot!

[358429]

286010I love how tall that front site is!

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[charlie b]

Several years ago, John Taffin published an article on practice loads for big revolvers. That article has been a life saver for me. He listed loads for several powders each for .44 Mag, .45 Colt, .454 Casull, 480 Ruger, .475 Linebaugh and .500 Linebaugh. Bullets used were 300 gr. for the .44 Mag and .45 Colt. The 480 Ruger, 475 L, 500 L went up from there....

I had a RBH in .45Colt when Taffin was still shooting heavy loads. I was loading heavy 255 and 300gn bullets in my Ruger and enjoying the 'manliness' of heavy recoil and large bullets striking the target. His article on wrist and elbow damage was what made me realize I was feeling the same symptoms in my arm. Instead of downloading I sold the gun. When I want to shoot 'downloaded' .45 I get out a 1911 :) Haven't shot another heavy big bore since.

[Earlwb]

Did anyone already mention the Pfeifer-Zeliska .600 Nitro express revolver yet? That has to be at the top of the list for the number one slot.
ref https://www.guns.com/news/2012/02/17/the-pfeifer-zeliska-the-revolver-in-600-nitro-express
Oh yeah, they make them in other less stout calibers such as the .458 Win Mag too.

286246

[Dieselhorses]

Yup.

I guess people buy them as bear guns, but it might be less painful to just let bear chew on you.

It's all part of the right to keep and "bear" arms :bigsmyl2:

[Dieselhorses]

Couldn't resist and no I don't think this is practical...

https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2009/08/29/worlds-biggest-revolver/

[gcf]

Several years ago, John Taffin published an article on practice loads for big revolvers. That article has been a life saver for me. He listed loads for several powders each for .44 Mag, .45 Colt, .454 Casull, 480 Ruger, .475 Linebaugh and .500 Linebaugh. Bullets used were 300 gr. for the .44 Mag and .45 Colt. The 480 Ruger, 475 L, 500 L went up from there.

It has been awhile since I shot any of these with more than mid loads. I "celebrated" my 79th birthday last Sunday. I've developed arthritis in my right thumb which has diminished my total hand strength. Casting and handloading have enabled me to keep shooting these big bore guns. I've only got the .44, 45, 454C and 475L. The last 2 mainly because I wanted to own them. The Freedom Arms has extra cylinders which are used instead of the .454. I don't hunt so that didn't enter in to the decision to buy.

Thanks for mentioning the very informational Taffin article - found it with a quick search. Especially interested in CB load options for my .45 Colt flat top 5.5" BH Bisley convertible, & my 4 5/8" .480 SBH Bisley.

For the .480, I've found very little CB published data, so expect this to be quite useful going forward.