I'm glad you make sure to use effective gear to mitigate recoil-related shooting issues. I've got a fair bit of experience with Past recoil shields, muzzle brakes, bench-mounted vises, etc, but of course the majority of hunters don't use any form of artificial recoil reducer. My previous comments about my observations were in reference to mostly average hunters that simply shoot their rifles. And without the Cabelas pad, a muzzle brake, bench vise, etc, assuming a sporter-weight rifle, I'd probably win the bet about the bruising.
But that's not the bet you made...
Why argue for a weak rifle that collectively, with rifle, scope, ammo, and time costs $thousands and would be worse than a better rifle if the same person had spent $29 on a pad?
Yes, it is. When talking about shooting rifles and how much recoil is too much, we generally assume no artificial recoil reducers. No rolled up towels, Past recoil shields, no Type-3 body armour placed between the buttstock and your shoulder. It’s simple. Flop down prone, fire 50 rounds from a sporter-weight .340 Mag with no muzzle brake, no recoil shield, no rolled up towel, and you’ll probably end up in some discomfort and be left with some bruising. If you want to use artificial recoil reducers, that’s fine, but that’s not what I was talking about when I mentioned the bruising.
How would a less over-powered rifle be “worse” if it produces equally acceptable results on game? If you want to use rifles that are too much for you, where you need a recoil shield just to manage the recoil, that’s fine with me. But don’t try to tell me that a guy needs a recoil shield and a giant rifle to be “better” at cleanly killing NA’s ungulates. I’ve seen too many critters hit the dirt from a variety of cartridges to buy that nonsense.
It's a bitch dragging the leadsled around the mountains.......
Funny thing about magnums, when you are young they are cool.... as you get a little older and wiser not so much. I have never been injured by magnums before. Yesterday I shot a full house 500gr 458 load and holy crap, it actually hurt.... just a couple years ago that was no problem
Lot of truth to that. I'm crowding 45 and find myself wanting to deal with a hard kicker less. Chalk it up to getting soft in old age.
