What is the most absolute unconfortable handgun you have ever shot? Recoil wise

[Rapier]

I have had several, a couple of Contenders that would talk to me during a steel match. My 10" 357 Herrett lasted right at 500 rounds until it twisted the frame. Shooting it with the original little square wood grip, with the engraving plate on the base, would change your outlook. A 230 at 2,000 fps was tough, twisted, turned sideways and turned while coming up, all at the same instant. It was unpleasant for a fact. Ended up with a new frame and shooting cast 200s through it.
But I have seen a couple of incidents in 40+ years as a match director that stick. 44 Auto Mag showed up one match, shooter made it through 20 rounds, got tired, then on the first turkey, he could no longer steady the gun, so just reached up with his left hand, grabbed his wrist, before I could stop him, pulled the trigger, the bottom of the recoil system took the top of his left hand right off slick as a whistle. Now that smarted, a ride to the hospital on that one, for some serious stitching.

[TurnipEaterDown]

44MAG#1 is right on the path for the fix of TC pistol forearm attachments.
I was always told to leave them alone, or use a hanger bar system for accuracy. That does not seem to work in my experience on heavy recoiling TC pistols.
I had a 475 Linebaugh Long Encore, 10" 400gr at 1665 fps w/ 4227, 1600 fps w/ WC680. I had experienced the forearm attachment dovetails opening repeatedly and to an extent that peening them had no effect at repair after a few times of doing it. So, I bedded the barrel / forearm gap and fixed the forearm loosening. Recoil contributed, but a gap at the joint does nothing good in regard to retaining the forearm.

[Carrier]

My 5.5” super Blackhawk in 44 magnum with the factory stocks and round trigger guard is obnoxiously nasty with full on magnum loads. I’ve shot my friends S&W 460 with 6” barrel and it doesn’t hurt like my Blackhawk.
I have ugly rubber grips for it and still is bad.
Just shoot 44 special loads in magnum brass these days.

[dogmower]

S&W scandium frame 4" 44mag. Felt like getting hit in the hand with a baseball bat every time I pulled the trigger. Recoil was so harsh that with anything over 180 grains, even with a BIG crimp, the bullets would pull out from the cases and lock the cylinder up. This even happened with factory ammo. If I had kept it, I would have only shot 44 specials out of it.

[quilbilly]

TC Contender in 30-30 with a tapered 10 inch barrel and factory loads. Very snappy!

I bought one of those old octagonal barrels for cheap. It looked like it had been fired only a couple times. That is why I downloaded it without even contemplating factory style loads. It is a joy to shoot with 150 gr RFGc's at 1350 using Red Dot.

[dondiego]

I bought one of those old octagonal barrels for cheap. It looked like it had been fired only a couple times. That is why I downloaded it without even contemplating factory style loads. It is a joy to shoot with 150 gr RFGc's at 1350 using Red Dot.

It is definitely a reduced load cast bullet shooter for me now!

[Johnch]

OK I learned my lesson years ago

But TC did a limited run of 14" 45/70 TC Contender barrels YEARS ago through a supplier a dealer I used bought
I bought several of these limited run barrels over the years
These looked like a standard 14" TC Contender barrel
Normal sights and not break or porting

Several others of people I shot and hunted with also bought this 45/70 barrel
We called TC and ask what the Max pressure the TC Contender would handle with that 45/70 barrel
Don't remember who we talked to
But we were told for normal shooting , Marlin loads
But "IF" we had a time machine and wanted to hunt Tyrannosaurus Rex
We could shoot a limited number of FULL POWER modern rifle loads
He said WE would be the reason for the limited numbers

3 of us went together and bought 1 box of Hornady 500 gr SP bullets
OK I loaded 5 of the full power modern rifle loads with 500 gr jacketed soft point bullets

At the time I was shooting IHMSA silhouette
So I loaded 1 of the full power loads
I got into the Creedmore position , laying on your back
Pistol along side your leg to aim at targets

Well I pulled the trigger and BENT the 1/2" thick steel Pig target I was aiming at , at 100 Meters
My Hand and Arm with me somehow still holding onto the TC Contender ( with a Pachmayr finger grove gripper and Pachmayr forearm )
But 3 things had happened
1 My hand , arm and the TC Contender was now pointing backward
So if someone was watching me from close behind me , I would have hit them

2 I had slid , I weighed 150 or so pounds
I was laying on a piece of carpet
The recoil had slid me on the carpet a few inch's

3 I then realized I could NOT feel my right hand over the PAIN

For a while I believe Pachmayr had a warning about using the TC Contender gripper with a 45/70 barrel

A few days later another club member shot #2 of the 5 rounds I had loaded
But he used 2 hands and off of sand bags
As he told me the "He" was sure the recoil could not be as bad as I said

Choice words were used and he had a look of udder fear on his face

That was 25 or more years ago
The 3 remaining rounds of 45/70 with those 500 gr soft point bullets are still in a ammo box
In my safe , the ammo box is taped shut with a label as to the load
Also a warning to use those 3 rounds as a LAST RESORT

I still hunt with that TC Contender barrel , but with Trap Door loads

I also have 2 other TC Contender barrels in 45/70 , but they have breaks or porting

John

[Hanzy4200]

My Magnum Research BFR in .500 Linebaugh. Think .500 S&W energy, in a single action that weighs 25% less. It will scat a 500 gr hard cast, thanks Tom from Accurate Molds, at over 1,650 fps. I have no idea what possessed me to buy it, or concoct those heinous loads.

[Hanzy4200]

My 5.5” super Blackhawk in 44 magnum with the factory stocks and round trigger guard is obnoxiously nasty with full on magnum loads. I’ve shot my friends S&W 460 with 6” barrel and it doesn’t hurt like my Blackhawk.
I have ugly rubber grips for it and still is bad.
Just shoot 44 special loads in magnum brass these days.

The round trigger guard is nasty? I managed to avoid the old flate base trigger guard, until I finally found a BlackHawk in .357 Maximum. That trigger guard is a bastard.

[rickt300]

Not to mention the muzzle blast. I had an early octagonal barrel 30-30 for my contender, made the big mistake of shooting a round with no hearing protection (was young), wow. I hunted with a 45-70 14 inch barrel on that same gun for a while. Got tired of that too.

[Carrier]

The round trigger guard is nasty? I managed to avoid the old flate base trigger guard, until I finally found a BlackHawk in .357 Maximum. That trigger guard is a bastard.

The trigger guard is ok it is just a nasty gun to shoot. It’s just the plow handle that gets me. Shooting Ruger only loads out of my Bisley 45 is nothing compared to that plow handle. I’ve tried letting it roll in my hand but it’s just not a nice gun to shoot with full magnum loads for me.

[44MAG#1]

I thought that was why band aids were invented. I used them.

The trigger guard is ok it is just a nasty gun to shoot. It’s just the plow handle that gets me. Shooting Ruger only loads out of my Bisley 45 is nothing compared to that plow handle. I’ve tried letting it roll in my hand but it’s just not a nice gun to shoot with full magnum loads for me.

[quack1]

Ruger Blackhawk 45Colt/45 ACP. It wasn't pain from recoil, but the black plastic grips that came on it. The mold must have been brand new. The checkering on those grips was so sharp, the first couple shots with a mild ACP load had the web between my thumb and first finger bleeding. I have checkered some extremely hard maple that wasn't anywhere near as sharp as that molded plastic. Took them off and made a set of walnut grips and have been shooting in comfort ever since. Glad the first shots out of it weren't some stiff 45 Colt.

[Krh1326]

Does a way back when I was a dumb kid scenario, where I had the pistol grip installed on my Mossberg 500 and thought it would be fun to fire the Federal Hydro-Shock slug , one handed, fully extended , count as a hand gun?

Roflmao

[dmitch]

Krh1326,

We've all been there, my friend, confirming at least 2, if not 3 of the variables below !

I believe the three great variables for handling big pistols are 1.) shape / style of grip 2.) age of shooter 3.) degree of mental / emotional stability.
But they sure a wonderful and fun challenge to hunt big game with.

[wilecoyote]

I would add one more variable: where_
all it's much more unpleasant if the concussion bounces between the walls of a shooting tunnel and my headers.
beaten stupid by .454 Freedom Arms.
not better with braked .460 S&W.

[buckwheatpaul]

500 S&W Magnum, 1 shot out of my friends was enough.

I was crazy enough to shoot 5.....hit was I was shooting at! I carried a 4" 44 for years on the streets when in L.E. and was good with it....but that 500 was way tooooo much for me!

[Tripplebeards]

My S&W 329NG with full house loads. Makes the dessert eagle 50EA I use to own look like a pussycat.

[Liberty1776]

500 S&W Mag, with full boat loads.

Felt like the stippling of the rubber grip was being imprinted on my hand.

Loved it. Blew a water bottle to smithereens.

[243winxb]

Thompson Center Encore .460 Smith & Wesson. 15" bbl.