Aside from the occasional front sight tapping our ball caps (or worse, grin) who else has wrist/hand damage from the big bore handguns?

I bought my first Casull in the Bi-Centennial and later graduated to the Linebaughs, my wrist when I pull on it sounds like Rice Crispies and my bro has a small bone near his palm that has shattered.

I'll address the ringing in my ears in another thread, chuckle.

John Taffin has serious wrist damage. You will notice that when he does his "Taffin Tests" he no longer loads hot and heavy. Too many years of beating up the old wrists with the heavy recoilers. A good friend who is a gunsmith also has damage from the big boys. Oh, and I have bounced my red dot of my .475 off of my forehead on three separate occasions -- you have to ALWAYS give it your absolute attention when shooting it!

Yep, read about Taffin and bought the books.

I MIGHT have actually read a consumer warning in a FA manual but ignored it in my quest for the "manliest" big bore, chuckle.

I believe it was Taffin who wrote of getting woozy whilst firing one of Linebaughs calibers, I recall thinking to myself "what a woosy" then later experiencing the same woozy feeling.

I read on another thread I read that Jack Huntington was test firing some big ones and pondered why he's do that? Really, after seeing many machinists with terrible tedonitis from cranking Bridgeports it seems to me it'd be asking for trouble.

The right type of gun and grip will not hurt you as much as the wrong ones. Light Freedoms with the pretty wood grips, some double actions, etc can mess you up.
Shoot a big bore TC contender a lot and you can wash it up. I can shoot my BFR .475 a lot with one hand but just one shot from a TC 30-30 makes me quit. I can't imagine shooting some of the big stuff even with two hands.
Some guys hate rubber grips and want a show piece instead of a tool. How many of you would use a hammer with splinters all over the handle? Then some want a 30 oz, 2" barrel .500 S&W, please make it lighter for carry but how many can really shoot the thing? Crack your head open and you won't feel the crunching bones from the bear!
If a gun is hurting you, fix it or get rid of it. Macho doesn't work if you are crippled.
I have never been sensitive to recoil but some guys here are NUTS!

bfrshooter, your post makes entirely too much sense!

Modern advertising teaches us that too much is an American Value, as for the macho thing it's what I grew up with I spose? Muscle cars, Magnums and Motorsickles.

It's what likely prompted me to load those warmed 500gn .45-70 loads for the short Marlins and also to try a few of those in a Contender 10" (ow!)

Just lucky for me not to ever had the opportunity to try one of the .45-70 Derringers!

I shot a 10mm deringer a number of years ago which wasn't the most pleasant experience I have had, especially with 180 grain factory loads.

Hahahha!
I recall a .44 Maggie a gent asked me to check zero on, I can't recall whether it was a Bond or American but do remember his bleeding hand.

I slipped on my shooting glove (elk w/thermal liner) and on the second shot those beautiful custom Altamont grips shattered! Lucky I had gloves on, a very accurate fist full of fun!

Years ago I damaged a nerve at the base of my right thumb shooting a S&W veryhot loaded 44 mag, and it still goes cold as a cucumber as soon as the temp drops.

I do not shoot a steady bunch of full crank loads anymore.Hands fall asleep on me!!!!

I hurt my right arm near the elbow a couple of months ago working out (sure, it's good for you), and I think my frequent big-bore handgun shooting isn't allowing it to get any better. Problem is that I cannot seem to stop shooting.......

quote:

Originally posted by Whitworth:
I hurt my right arm near the elbow a couple of months ago working out (sure, it's good for you), and I think my frequent big-bore handgun shooting isn't allowing it to get any better. Problem is that I cannot seem to stop shooting.......

I find a good exercise for that to be tilting back some cold Brewskis.usually after about 3 you dont feel the pain .anymore!!!!

quote:

Originally posted by OLBIKER:

quote:

Originally posted by Whitworth:
I hurt my right arm near the elbow a couple of months ago working out (sure, it's good for you), and I think my frequent big-bore handgun shooting isn't allowing it to get any better. Problem is that I cannot seem to stop shooting.......

I find a good exercise for that to be tilting back some cold Brewskis.usually after about 3 you dont feel the pain .anymore!!!!

LOL, I thing you are right, OLBIKER!! Just let it go numb..........

I had a little problem with my hands falling asleep last year, but I was able to shoot thru it. Just like Whitworth said, I just culd not stop shooting.

It seems that my wallet has recieved the most permanent damage from this big bore pistol thing...

I carry and shoot a 4.25" & 7.5" SRH's in 454 Casull and load from 240gr to 405gr bullets.

The snap on the 405gr loads @ 1330fps out of the 4.25" gun is punishing without a wrist brace.

I also shoot top 240gr to 345gr cast loads in my 5.5" Ruger Bisley Vaquero's in 45 Colt.

My wrists especially my right one ache from time to time now...

I even had to have a cordazone (probably spelt wrong) in my right wrist to stop the pain.

Now the only time I shoot the guns without a wrist brace is when I am out in the bush and can't have a brace on.

I now know that I will have this discomfort for the rest of my life but I can't stop shooting either.

Moki, how do you have handguns in Canada? I thought they were a no-no country wide?

My thoughts are if you shoot the real kickers,DON'T fight it,let the gun come up please(but not into your forehead).Then,its not the wrist taking it,its mostly the forearm muscles.The wrist will pivot some,sure,but if your arms come back,it actually helps the wrist some...my 2 cents!...and,I just remembered,a long time back,I hade a 45/70 O/U derringer and I had it magnaported...it still went vertical with each shot!

quote:

Originally posted by 7STDUBBERU:
Moki, how do you have handguns in Canada? I thought they were a no-no country wide?

We have millions of handguns in Canada they have just had to be registered since around 1934.

I work as a prospector so legally am allowed with a very special permit to carry handguns for defense of my life against wild animals while I am working in remote wilderness areas.

Actually there are fewer than 900 non-enforcement remote area handgun carry permit holders out of 35 million people and I am one of them.

Legally I am not to shoot the handgun in remote areas unless it is in a defense situation and I would never break the law...

Now if the lying/theiving Lieberals ever got back and form the government again all handguns and semi-auto long guns will be banned.

In 1993 or 1996 can't remember for sure the then Lieberal Canadian government signed with the UN at the same time that the United Kingdom and Australia signed on to ban all small arms in our countries.

The United Kingdom and Australia were able to ban small arms but it has been more difficult here maybe because we have so many remote rural areas that are full of wild animals.

Anyway yes we do have handguns here example I have 4 Semi-auto's, 2 single action revolvers and 2 SRH's...

quote:

Originally posted by SAFARIKID:
My thoughts are if you shoot the real kickers,DON'T fight it,let the gun come up please(but not into your forehead).Then,its not the wrist taking it,its mostly the forearm muscles.The wrist will pivot some,sure,but if your arms come back,it actually helps the wrist some...my 2 cents!...and,I just remembered,a long time back,I hade a 45/70 O/U derringer and I had it magnaported...it still went vertical with each shot!

SAFARIKID, I have been telling people that for many years. You cannot control recoil, just let it happen.

I have been shooting the 500 mag with heavy loads since 2003, and before that, I shot many 454 Casull's in Freedom Arms and SRH's, and I even had and have a bunch of heavy kicking Encore pistol barrels.

I don't have any damage to my hands, I also use past shooting gloves and let the gun recoil as it likes.
Proper shooting technique goes a long way on preventing damage to your hand and wrist.

corpal tunnel operations on both wrists and permant damage to my middle nuckle on my right hand from two operations for bone spurs that developed there from getting beat by trigger guards. Its good now though as its permenantly swelled and has no nerves left in it so i can beat it to death and it doesnt hurt. the 500s and 475s surely added to that damage but i still blame the square trigger guard supers for most of it. they beat the hell out of it and i came away for range sessions where it blead and some that i couldnt move my finger for days. those session of 500 rounds of full tilt 500s are a thing of the past. Now i go and shoot maybe 50 and put the big guns away and shoot something small like a 44 mag.
I know JT has permanant nerve damage in his wrist and so does my buddy. It surely took many many thousands of round to get it. If you shoot enough it will come. A fully loaded 500 or 475 isnt a plinking toy. I messed myself up and so has a few others i know but if a guy uses common sense he can shoot them his whole life without hurting himself.

There's a really fine line between letting it ride and letting it get away from you. I tend to control my heavy kickers more than others -- meaning that I don't let 'em rise too much. My .475 will crease your forehead if you don't control it well.

quote:

Originally posted by Whitworth:
There's a really fine line between letting it ride and letting it get away from you. I tend to control my heavy kickers more than others -- meaning that I don't let 'em rise too much. My .475 will crease your forehead if you don't control it well.

That also is the experience of the shooter. Knowing how to control the recoil comes with experience.

quote:

We have millions of handguns in Canada they have just had to be registered since around 1934.

Thanks for the info, I did not know this.

Learned not to shoot the. .454 off of a bench rest.
The recoil went straight to my elbows! After a good site in session, my wife asked why my right elbow was all black and blue.

But so far, no complaints. I did put a Houge rubber grip on it, and have worked to stregthen my hands. But it isn't an everyday plinker!

.454s are never pleasant to shoot!!

mmmm how I crave a Alaskan .454 :-)

Justin, you have an SRH with a 7.5-inch barrel, don't you? Do you have a hacksaw? If you have a hacksaw, you can have an Alaskan!

quote:

Originally posted by Whitworth:
.454s are never pleasant to shoot!!

Do you really mean that?

Is the kick of a .475 that much less sharp?

I must say I tested my new .454 last week (photo's are on their way ) and decided to shoot him one-handed in the future ... The two-handed hold gave to much control and hurts! One-handed I only have to worry about not hitting the ceiling with the front sight

In my opinion the 475 in no way is more pleasant to shoot then a 454. Will full power loads its just as quick recoiling and heavier to boot.

quote:

Originally posted by Lloyd Smale:
In my opinion the 475 in no way is more pleasant to shoot then a 454. Will full power loads its just as quick recoiling and heavier to boot.

That is the absolute truth. The .475 offers more of everything and jars your body more than the Casull.

But, the Casull still isn't pleasant -- especially in a DA revolver!

Sorry Marko, no more Casull here. I still have some pistols but nothing larger then 9mm now.

I guess with muzzleloaders, updated archery equipment, 2 gun safes full of guns, and two leases, as well as it being $4.00/gal to get to the leases, my 110 gallon double feeder and stands, corn @ $9.00/bag. I gave up a few things.

No more .40 S&W, .454 Casull, or .308. The guns I have now are ones I will never sell, unless I find someone who is interested in the Sig Sauer 9mm I have that is unfired lol.

Justin

Justin!! You got rid of all of the big stuff!! WHY?!?

Kept the .338

quote:

Originally posted by NEJack:
Learned not to shoot the. .454 off of a bench rest.
The recoil went straight to my elbows! After a good site in session, my wife asked why my right elbow was all black and blue.

But so far, no complaints. I did put a Houge rubber grip on it, and have worked to stregthen my hands. But it isn't an everyday plinker!

Elbow dings are a quick lesson we all (I assume) have experienced.
I like to believe I was the first to comment to a fellow big bore shooter who'd used his elbows on the shooting bench as shock absorbers..."didn't your mother tell ya to keep your elbows off the table!"

I want to thank all those here for their comments, in reading them it reminded me of my own childhood /manhood rituals.
Anyone else bust drywall with their fists? Then find the stud? This was done with a few friends to prove something.

We also had another "test" involving burning cigarettes on each others forearms and of course
Mumbly Peg, throwing knives at each other feet, the winner got closest without actually hitting the foot.

The psychology side my brain calls this pathological self abusive behavior, I can't imagine ever buying a magazine about hammers and then comparing the velocity's and weights of rigging axes and ball peen hammers and then repeatedly striking my palm with....

My wrist really is hurting today!

I have some pretty serious arthritis in my right wrist that may have been accelerated/aggravated by shooting big bores and Contenders (but then at 55, I expect some wear and tear). I gave up the .480 Redhawk, the .44 Magnum and the .375 JDJ, and now like a warmish .45 Colt in a sixgun and .30 Herrett/7 TCU/ 257 JDJ in the Contenders.

While learning the 480 SRH I did off the bench
hit my elbows freehand the reddot scope knocked off my hat while one handing her. My 45/70 rifle did more to hurt than the 480 has( old marlin buttpad)

quote:

Originally posted by Rabbit Creek:

quote:

Originally posted by NEJack:
Learned not to shoot the. .454 off of a bench rest.
The recoil went straight to my elbows! After a good site in session, my wife asked why my right elbow was all black and blue.

But so far, no complaints. I did put a Houge rubber grip on it, and have worked to stregthen my hands. But it isn't an everyday plinker!

Elbow dings are a quick lesson we all (I assume) have experienced.
I like to believe I was the first to comment to a fellow big bore shooter who'd used his elbows on the shooting bench as shock absorbers..."didn't your mother tell ya to keep your elbows off the table!"

It was a great reminder of how dynamic and static forces combine to make pain.

I never develope a maximum load with a revolver without a minimum load for practice. My 500 Linebaugh uses a lot more 450 grain cast bullets at 900 fps than 435 grain bullets at 1300 fps. I keep a record of sight adjustments so I can get back to zero with the other load easily. One of the advantages of adjustable sights or Kentucky windage. I have learned that a 458 Lott does not have to be a 458 Lott all the time, sometimes it can be a .45-70 too. The occasional reduced load is a tackdriver too. My .338 Win Mag with 200 grain Hornady softpoints at 2500 fps is waiting to be a deer rifle, if I run out of revolvers and pistols to "test" on deer.

quote:

Originally posted by 376steyr:
I never develope a maximum load with a revolver without a minimum load for practice. My 500 Linebaugh uses a lot more 450 grain cast bullets at 900 fps than 435 grain bullets at 1300 fps. I keep a record of sight adjustments so I can get back to zero with the other load easily. One of the advantages of adjustable sights or Kentucky windage. I have learned that a 458 Lott does not have to be a 458 Lott all the time, sometimes it can be a .45-70 too. The occasional reduced load is a tackdriver too. My .338 Win Mag with 200 grain Hornady softpoints at 2500 fps is waiting to be a deer rifle, if I run out of revolvers and pistols to "test" on deer.

Used my .338 win mag last year on deer (250 grain Partition Golds at 2,700 fps), and don't intend to use it this year. It will be an all-handgun affair!

While it is smart to use reduced loads to spare yourself some punishment, but I am the type of person who likes to practice with the loads I hunt with as it allows for complete familiarization.