Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Are there any studies of what recoil does to the human body?

Reason I ask is because I have an Aortic Aneurysm. The Cardiologist told me not to shoot guns with heavy recoil especially since I'm left handed. I don't know what that means. The only cartridge he was familiar with apparently is the 5.56 as he told me that would be fine. But I'm trying to research if I can safely continue shooting things like my .300 Savage and .308 and cannot find the answers I seek? Any thoughts or help is appreciated. This is serious for me because if I rupture it I'll die within seconds.

Yes. Explore every surgical option. If it pops, one will bleed out in seconds.

Thank you Barm. The surgery is high risk and can lead to an Ischemic stroke. They prefer to monitor it and try to let you live with it.

I plan on shooting this weekend

I would be switching to a crossbow.

Worked in Cardiology for about 10 years...most enjoyable jobs I've ever had...Loved it

but after reading your initial post yesterday Mike, I have to admit, instead of posting
I figured you wouldn't be short for advise....

I just put your good health in my prayers...

yeah,it was Thanksgiving 1968, but lost my grandfather on my mom's side
to an aortic aneurysm, at 61 yrs old.

ain't worth playing Russian Roulette with it.

I would second that.

Even though the doctor is not too familiar with guns err to the side of caution and stay with a 223. The 22/250 burns about 10 grs more powder and the recoil goes up quite a bit when going from the 223 to the 22/250.

For instance a 223 with 55 gr bullet, 25.0 gr of powder, @ 3200 fps

Recoil Velocity: 5.9 ft/s Recoil Energy: 3.8 ft•lbs
Recoil Impulse: 1.3 lb•s

a 22/250 with 55 gr bullet, 36.0 grs of powder, @3550 fps

Recoil Velocity: 7.4 ft/s Recoil Energy: 6.0 ft•lbs
Recoil Impulse: 1.6 lb•s

both calculated with a 7# rifle weight.

Take a look at the difference in recoil energy - it is quite a bit more.

It's your life, but if it were me I would limit my shooting to rimfires and the 223 Rem.

drover

Yes, I've had CT scan , echocardiogram, and I'm not sure about an angiogram. If they ever told me what it measures I don't remember.

Mike, that info COMPLETELY changes the picture!!!

Aneurysm of a coronary artery (which is what the left anterior descending or LAD is) is a totally different animal than an aortic aneurysm. Aortic aneurysms are quite common, and normally managed by monitoring with ultrasound or CT on a regular basis. When the aneurysm gets to a given size (depends on what part of the aorta we are talking about, thoracic vs abdominal) they recommend fixing it with a mesh insert, then it's good to go.

A coronary artery aneurysm is a very different animal, which is both bad and good. It can't be followed by external imaging quite as well as an aortic aneurysm can. And spontaneous rupture is far less likely. But fixing it is a much more complicated picture, as it requires an open heart procedure on bypass pump.

That's as much as I know off the cuff. I have no idea what recoil management level is dangerous for such a condition, and I suspect the cardiologists have no idea either. But the fact that the doc has authorized you to shoot a 5.56 is encouraging. I'd stick with that, preferably in an AR-15 platform, which will reduce the recoil even further, which means you can then handload heavier bullets in the 75+ gr class for hunting larger game like elk and bear. Anything smaller than that down to deer/hog size should be easily managed with a 62-65 gr load, and small game and varmints should be easily managed with 40 gr bullets.

You're a lucky man. The rest of us don't know what rifle we would pick if we could only pick one... and you, you lucky dog, have had the decision made for you! So get out there with your AR and start shootin' stuff.

And good luck with the further workup and eventual treatment of your aneurysm.

My Daughter Sandi has had 4 operations at Stanford for brain aneurysm's. Two in the last year. The Doctors think she is doing good enough to go hunting next month. They will monitor her twice a year though. She shoots a Tikka compact 7-08 for deer, a Tikka 308 with a shortened stock, Edwards recoil reducer and a limbsaver stock for pigs and she has a Tikka 7 mag for Elk if she ever gets drawn which I am trying to find a gunsmith to shorten the stock and install a recoil reducer. If I were you I would certainly look at the 7-08 over the 308 if kept factory. The bottom line is they are nothing to fool around with. If the ambulance had gotten there 30 minute later she would not be with us today as it had ruptured in two places. Thank goodness they got her to Stanford in time with Doctors that knew what to do. Best of luck to you.








deer

A young sailor in my command dropped dead at 20 years old from one. He was in the ER within 5 minutes of the rupture. The cardiologist at the hospital said he would have not made it even if he was lying on the OR table prepped for surgery when it happened. Prayers for your good health and finding a new doc. Happy Trails

I had an abdominal aortic aneurysm until about 16 months ago. The docs monitored it for 2 years until it grew to a little over 5cm. I could not get a definitive answer from the doc about shooting any caliber so I chose caution and did not shoot at all. I still made two hunting trips and enjoyed the woods and the campfire. The two years of monitoring was no fun despite the docs assurance that monitoring was safer than surgery. Even when it reached the threshold size the doc suggested we could wait a little longer. I told her that I want it fixed now rather than have it rupture at a time of it's own choosing. We went into surgery and she put in a little piece of "radiator hose" and I was good as new. Recovery time was only a few weeks and I can do anything I choose now. Still can't play the piano, but shooting is no longer a concern.

Recoil has created a right eye issue for me.
About 6 yrs ago, I had a vitreous detachment when duck hunting.
Apparently it can occur playing contact sports, shooting a gun, sudden impact, car accident etc.
At the time, I just assumed it was powder residue. About a week later I went to see my eye doc and ran tests. It's still a bit blurry at times but that big of an issue. I was early 40's, which is uncommon at that age. Occurs more frequently at 80.