Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles I've been a rifle guy all my life and I've got to give them up... ughhh

Don't despair, adapt.

One of my hunting buddies, who will be 83 this year, had his shoulder replaced a few years ago. It took him a while and a lot of therapy, but he's still hunting and killing stuff. Things have changed some, these days his "big gun" is a 257 Bob.

The guy inspires me.

A lot of compromises the OP will find. I put a break on my .06. I can still shoot my 6.5 Swede. No problem with my .243. I can get off about 4 shots with my 50 cal muzzle loader. Worst is my 20 gauge Franchi semi auto.That seems to bother my shoulder more than anything.

My old 38-55 with the curved steel butt plate still gets a few rounds run thru it,but they are cast and mild loads

Most of my plinking is with a handgun now. 38 sp loads in .357mag cases or 22's

That's frustrating, I imagine you have tried to come up with solutions.

Hunting (depending on the type you do, might still be an option with a rest. Not sure going up a stand would be right with bad shoulders

Lower recoiling calibers (which you have probably looked into) with pistol grip stocks that are lightweight and with a shorter OAL would allow you to keep your arms closer tucked to your body. If you can handle 30/30 that opens you up to 6.5, 7mm-08, and a few others in the same or less recoil category that would go up to elk, (but you might not want to carry that long or hard).

Is surgery/replacements not an option?

I had to have my right shoulder joint totally replaced. I went for the reverse arthroscopy. That eliminates the need for reattachment of the rotator cuff muscles, which wer torn pretty badly. Didn't want to have to do that as I'm over 70 and had enough arthritis that the rotator cuff fix with a standard joint replacement was an very iffy process with about a 50% failure rate. That also had months of therapy involved. Down time on the reverse replacement is minimal. With the reverse replacement the deltoid does the lifting, or takes over the function of the rotator cuff. There are limits on outward and upward movement, but five days after the surgery I was able to sit the tractor and run a hay baler, albeit carefully and mostly one armed. I only needed the sling for a little over a week. Now I have about 80% shoulder movement and shooting is not a problem. I asked the doctor about shooting. He asked what I was going to shoot. I said 243 and 270. His answer was there should be no problem, but proceed with some caution and use your head in the process. My left shoulder will need the replacement some time in the future as well. I have said goodbye to belted magnums, but I did not use them enough to matter a whole lot.

The point is that it not necessarily a shooting, hunting death sentence. The worst thing you could possibly do, unless otherwise advised by a doctor is to accept fate and just wait. The longer you wait the worse it will get and eventually no surgery will work.

I have had exactly 55 surgeries. I’m recovering from my last - a back surgery. I made it outside twice now since the last surgery. The doctors said if I didn’t get this last surgery I’d lose my left leg.
This surgery scared me more than any previous. I had two friends who became paraplegic after similar surgeries. But I’m recovering and walking around at least half the time. Seeing the surgeon in a couple of days.
This last season I had to have help - I couldn’t even lift a doe onto the tailgate. Luckily friends helped.

Glad you’re walking it off Marine

Seriously, glad you’re mobile.

Glad to hear you are up and moving some. Best of luck

My shoulders are fine, but for other reasons I now shoot with the rifle butt more on the chest/collarbone area. Not sure if that would make a big difference for you. If you could do that and set yourself up with something like a suppressed 243 or 6cm I wonder if that might help.

This...

I would look at the .223, .222, .221 Fireball and the 22 Hornet. Virtually no recoil. You could also pick up a XP100 in .221 Fireball for shooting off of a rest.

I've hearing issues also...

Wished I'd invested in Suppressors many years ago. To the folks that think suppressors/Tax stamp are expensive, price a decent pair of hearing aids. Which by the way are nowhere near as good as your original hearing.

Jerry

I was a medic in the Army, which I went into after college...I came out of the Army with a Paramedic Certification and an LPN certification, which I easily turned into an RN degree also...so I had the knowledge to take care of myself all of these years... both physically and also my hearing...I'll be hitting 70 this coming June... 4 months from now..

shooting, I wear hearing protection... I still have good hearing for a 30 yr old....not using Suppressors and any other fancy stuff, but hearing muffs...

I also don't need 500 yd loads when hunting....shoot a lot of 6mm and 6.5 mm for hunting. .but I also don't load it up as far as I can push it..

right now this week, I've been loading up my first ammo for spring Sage Rats....with the weather the adult males are already out...

going to be taking 3 rifles on my first outings...each bolt action.

1. 223 with 40 grain V Maxes.....3130 to 3150 fps.... 12.5 grains of Alliant Steel Shotgun powder with small pistol primer... 300 rounds

2. 20 Practical with 32 grain V Maxes.... 10 grains of Unique and small pistol primer...200 Rounds

3. 17 Fireball with 20 gr V Max.....14 grains of 4198....200 Rounds...

all good for 250 yds and under...

playing with the 223 and 40 maxes, have been ringing Steel at 300 and 400 yds...last 3 weeks getting some practice to start off the season with.
still wearing hearing protection and safety glasses...

with those loads, the recoil is like a BB Gun or close to it... never lose sight picture..

Guess using all this safety stuff the Army taught me has paid off dividends...

but then again, I have never smoked, used drugs and have pretty much cut out any alcohol 40 years ago....

Quite the choir boy ain't I?.... but I am still in pretty damn good shape for someone my age... hell even for someone 20 to 25 years younger than me...

and since Jan 1st, I've probably put between 1200 to 1400 rounds down range at the range....

of course I could also get hit by a bus tomorrow.....just gotta keep your chin up....

Glad to hear all you're stories. I'm grateful for the well wishes gents.

Glad you are up and about. I’m curious, did the doctor that did the sic surgery recommend physical therapy afterwards? I had a fusion in Nov. 2017, and my back said just to walk, if mistake if you ask me. I now see a chiropractor once a week so I can continue to move, iand I am sure I’m a lot younger than you are as well. If they offer PT, I’d really consider it.

Another way of dealing with shoulder issues…. Prevention and rehabilitation.

Become really close friends with a barbell. Plus buy and use the shoulder rehabilitation system made by CrossOver Symmetry.
Use both frequently.

They definitely told me to have PT. The weather here is really poor and I’ve not left the house since the visit to the surgeon.
One thing they stressed was walking. Start at 5 minutes a time and walk a little every half hour, unless sleeping. A couple of other things I need to have a couple rolled up towels behind me at the small of my back while sitting. They want me to work my stomach muscles in a isometric fashion - that is no movement.
I’ve lost some muscle in my left leg do to nerve damage - why I need to be walking a lot.


Thanks for the best wishes!

I respectfully disagree, a person with shoulder issues should never touch a barbell or a machine. It restricts range of motion, dumbbells, the crossover system you mentioned or exercise bands are appropriate. That comes from both my surgeon and several physical therapist.