Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only Recoil

I had a "cabbage", quad bypass in 2005. I specifically asked my Doctor how it would affect my shooting heavy recoiling rifles, golf, atv and off-road motorcycle riding etc, and how soon could I get back to those activities. He showed me an X-ray of his "wiring job" and said you won't feel like doing much more than crying for a few weeks and as soon as I felt good enough I could do anything I did before the operation and as far as the wire job is concerned I could start banging away tomorrow...BUT...it would be better to wait until the arteries and my leg healed a bit before I started chasing "wildlife".

I think you should ASK YOUR DOCTOR what to do, not the internet, also.

The Doc was correct...I was out shooting light weight, small cal rifles and pistols with basically no recoil within a few weeks...BUT...it took over a year for my WHOLE BODY to recover enough to even think about picking up anything in the 375 cal and above or busting off across the desert on my KTM...that operation and the bodies repair mechanism takes a long time to get over the SHOCK of the operation, but not all that long to heal up the various cuts.

I didn't start on the large cals for about 2 years but worked up slowly from 6mm and longer and longer hikes/walks carrying a rifle, light pack and belt pistol. When I could shoot 50 rnds of full load 200 gr bullets in my '06 without discomfort and 235gr full loads in my 375 H&H with no problems I just went ahead playing with the rest of my heavy hitters.

Today I have little problems banging away with my 50 cal Rigby, 458's, or 45-120 all with heavy bullets and heavy loads in my 20 and 12 ga from hell just give me a bloody nose now and then when I don't hold then tight enough and whack myself in the nose with my right thumb.

I cut 4-8 cords of firewood a year, gave up two wheels for a 4 wheel ATV, my eyes and reflexes just weren't up to the task, but I still get wild and haired out now and then on the atv. When I overdo it my chest hurts basically because the wire DOESN'T expand and contract, but the meat does and basically gets bruised internally.

It all depends on YOU, what YOUR DOCTOR SAYS, the extent of the operation and the prognosis.

From your description tho...I think I would think hard about mucking about doing ANYTHING that would basically be life threatning as far as turning into a split chicken again...but it's YOUR LIFE AND YOUR CHOICE.

If I couldn't do the things I love to do and spent a lifetime doing, then my life would be over anyway...Having no family to consider, I would do what I wanted to do until my time was over..."ANY day is a good day to die" are words to think about...but don't be all that in a hurry to go "easy into that last good night"...I still have a few more "wildlife chases" left in me, and YOU probably do to.

OK we all know how the recoil of a heavy caliber or magnum feels and works on the shoulder. I'm not talking felt recoil but actual recoil. With the recent surgery I have had on my chest, I have been thinking a lot about the affect that recoil will have on my chest. Since I have been out of the hospital the only rifles I have shot are my 257 Roberts and the 17 mach 2. Both light in the recoil department. My 280 Remington and my 12 & 16 gauge shotguns should be OK also. I will find out soon how they feel, with a couple trips to the trap range and rifle range.

I'm thinking of of a 375 cal in a #1. Is anyone able to tell me how your chest feels when you shoot your 375. Do you feel a heavy pull/stretching in the chest.

Maybe I should give a little more insight as to the surgery. The surgery required my sternum to be cut open and wired back up. Unfortunately I have been informed that I will never 100% heal from this and have to be careful not to split it open and face anther surgery.