Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Shoulder Replacement Shooting

Today I was told I have arthritis in my right shoulder. This is effecting my ability to shoulder a rifle and to draw a handgun to position. I was given injections this morning and that seems to be going well. I was told that replacement surgery is in my future.

So I had to research shooting after replacement. Turns out, like most things, it's all over the place. But I found an actual test here:

https://online.boneandjoint.org.uk/doi/abs/10.1302/1358-992X.98BSUPP_8.ISTA2015-006

Note that it says:




I take that as a typo and figure it is 1oz slugs through a single shot. ( Bad enough, right)


But I also notice this:



So That seems like coming off the table and going right to the range.

Now, my heaviest recoiling is a 45-70 1895, but I don't shoot full power in that very much. Just enough to verify zero. Mostly I shoot trapdoor loads in it. My rifle for other states in a 7x57 Remington 700 with 154 grain loads.

I'm not seeing any issues.

I can only speak from my experience. I had my shooting shoulder torn off in an accident a few years ago. My shooting has never been the same no matter the weapon including handgun. My new A400 with KO helps, but time will tell.

Osky

I'm right handed, my left shoulder is causing some pain now, it drops down to the bow some, I'll watch this.

Can we really compare this to a traumatic injury? From how you state it I infer significant ligament and muscle damage.

I had my right shoulder replaced in 2018, December. It was full reverse replacement. Previously because of severe complete rotator cuff tears, I could not even lift my arm above my shoulder . I had a brake put on my .06. By July 2019 I had fairly good movement in my shoulder after extensive PT, but lacked a lot of strength. The muscles that were suppose to be retrained to take the work from the rotator were not doing their job yet.

I did some shooting with a .243 in August and worked up to mild loads in my 50 cal muzzle loader wearing a PAST shooting pad.Tried to go dove hunting Sept 1,but only could fire about 5 shots from a 20 Gauge semi.
.
No shooting in ML season,but I geared up with my braked 30-06 shooting 180 gr Partitions and got a nice 6 X bull. That was only 2shots,but the real problem was loading the rear elk quarters on my mule. Being solo I just barely managed it. Getting back to the truck, I had to get two other guys to lift the panniers off the mule . I had little strength in my right arm and lifting above my shoulder was bad. Being older, rebuilding muscles is very very hard.

Two years out now, I am doing OK, but still lack strength and still don't have100% ROM.I still do PT every other day.

You will never be able to shoot heavy recoil , but a brake ona medium sized rifle like a .270 or .06 is doable,just not a lot.

Compared to a hip,then a knee replacement, a shoulder is the worst. The surgery isn't too painful but the PT will sure make you want to cry mama.Follow surgeon's instructions fully, don't rush the healing process.In the early days, you can pop the shoulder out of joint and it isn't fun getting it back in.BTDT

PM me if you need more info

Good Luck

If you have a replacement, you'll likely be in a sling for 4 weeks. I did 7 weeks as I slipped on ice and fell in my 4th week. Note that my surgery was a partial replacement (ball) of the right shoulder. I had the surgery 12 years ago and have shot pretty normally for most of that time. Was told that the joint as modified would last for about 10 years, and just this year I realized that it was time for the next step, which is a full replacement.

The study you linked to was for a reverse replacement, which is usually used in cases where there is a lot of rotator cuff damage as well.

FWIW, I didn't shoot anything for 4-5 months after my surgery. Then I limited myself to rimfires or moderate recoil handguns for a year or so. After that first year was up I was shooting all of my rifles, up to and including the .300WM, as well as an 870 with slugs. Shooting was actually better after the surgery, and a lot less painful.

Forward 12 years, and I've scaled back my shooting in recent months, as both my original replacement is starting to be painful again, as well as having pain in my off shoulder due to trying to compensate.
I've already talked to the surgeon and he tells me that I will be retired after the next surgery and to plan accordingly.

Have had shoulder problems for years. My "big" deer rifle is a 6.5 Creedmoor, and my small one is a 243. No recoil on either to speak of, and both are deer killers.

I went from a 3 1/2 inch turkey gun to a 20 gauge, and it kills them just as dead.

^^^^^^^^^ this

What I can't do with a .243 or a 25-06 I don't need to do...

Except, of course, in Illinois which requires a shotgun and slugs for deer.

a 350 legend may start to look sweeter and sweeter.

The best thing you can do for a bad shoulder, knee, back you name it is increase the muscular strength in the area. There's no free lunch you can't get said strength from the internet. You have to exercise ask your doctor and follow the advice. Or, deal with a less than good outcome. Good luck.

Actually I was considering selling my 1895 GBL and getting a 350 legend upper. That 45-70 does slap them down but I only use it deer hunting. The 350 I'd shoot a bunch more.

The only shooting that you will want to do is shoot the physical therapist!

Count on a year or more (if you're over 50) to heal up enough to be as proficient as you were before the surgery.

my bud fell off a barn 20 years ago and he has one ordered.

when i go home to hunt i load my 45-70 light and with 250 gr hornadys but it still rocks. got a 450BM also but, well, its not that much better.

I had a total right shoulder replacement on 1-6-20.
Been going in for PT on M-W-F.
Doing home exercise all other days.
I turn 60 next week.

They say it’s going well, just do what they says and no more.

Going to be interesting.
I just inherited a #1 in 458, a Sharps in 45/70 and a Springfield Trapdoor in 50 cal. Not sure when I’ll be ready for those.

At least I love 22 rim fire and 22 K Hornet.

My FedEx guy dropped off a package and mentioned that he had a major shoulder repair, but eventually got back to shooting his bow (modified technique), and every so often when it starts to feel tight, he shoots his .300 Norma a few times and it loosens right up again. The redneck is strong in that one.

I can promise, you won't be shooting for a spell. Mine was left total shoulder replacement, they cut off the head of the humerus bone, drive a metal staub down into the bone, and grind out the glenoid and place a polyethene cup to let the new metal ball ride in. Im left handed, so the affect was substantial for me. 7 weeks in sling, then many weeks of PT, and it was painful at times, both the exercises and the manual manipulation by the Dr. He always told me prior to working on me, scream or yell anything you want at me, just don't hit me.
Took a year for me to say I was ready for any real shooting. I took it slow, no heavy recoiling rifles or shotguns. Even though I feel great, better strength and flexibility than I had prior to surgery, I don't push things. I use a 28 ga for my bird hunting, or if I want to shoot a 12, make sure its an auto gas gun. Feel great but sure don't want to loosen that metal stake in my humerus then have to look at some kind of fix, whatever that would be?
Good luck, but play it smart, the surgery aint no fun.

They want to replace mine. I had a partial surgery two years ago but it didn't do any good so now another. no way, I'm trying acupuncture to see if it helps and am shooting left hand. At 83 don't want to go under the knife again.

Wise man for sure

Replacement is replacement. It strongly doubt it matters how it became necessary in regards to the healing.

I've had 3 rotator cuff surgeries. There is no way I want to go out and shoot a high-powered rifle much before a year of healing.