It was a lovely day yesterday, with no wind, so decided to go out and spend the afternoon shooting the 450/400 and 416 Ruger. My 25 and 50 yard groups are great, both off-hand and on the shooting sticks. Recoil on both rifles is substantial, but not unmanageable, and somewhat more than the 375 H&H. I like to start with the 22's for trigger control, then work up to the bigger guns, and taper back off with the 22's again to make sure there isn't a bad habit developing. Shooting a box of each load is certainly good practice, without developing a flinch.

I decided to use the last 3 rounds of 416 DGX and try for an excellent 3 shot group at 100 yards, just to see where it printed with them. Then I was going for some work with solids.

Decided to use my Caldwell bag off the hood of my jacked-up Suburban, as that was almost perfect for a standing rest. Couldn't quite get set, so I angled my body a litle more than usual, let go of the fore-end to cushion the back of the stock, and touched her off.

You guessed it! Stout 400 grain loads in a big-bore do require a two-hand hold, or at least a tight one hander. Got the tears and bleeding stopped, and then shot the next two rounds. No, the group wasn't great either.

The result of being lazy and careless was my very first scope incident in over 40 years of shooting. Guess I'll have to stop making fun of others now. At least the Ruger Hawkeye is blooded now, and I can look forward to animal blood next time.

i did the same thing, TWICE in a WEEK with a 416 rem on a win m70 ...

TWICE .. i've got this cute little "Y" scar in my eyebrow, and it tooks months to get rid of the flinch

I've only gotten one scope cut from a 243! I was shooting prone several hundred rounds a long time ago, the sun was starting to glare so I must've kept creeping up on it over the hour or so. Soooo embarassing ....

A couple of ideas besides being careful.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/produ...ativeASIN=B001HN5GKI

https://www.natchezss.com/Cate...FID=3199139&CFTOKEN=

I already have the leupold alumina on my Leupold 1.5 x 5 scope, but it's hard rubber. May save a cut, but not a bruise. I plan to try the other one in conjunction with the alumina for range use with my 500 Jeffery.

Of course the best thing to do is shoulder the rifle the same way everytime but no one is perfect.

Remember, chicks dig scars ...


Chuck

I always carry a packet of quick clot and super glue on my trips to Africa.Last time I had to use them on a German hunter in the camp who wacked himself good.
Your either creeping the stock or you cheek weld isnt tight enough or your scope needs more eye relief. Dont let it happen again or you will develop a flinch that will be very very hard to get rid of.-Rob

Yeah, I realized as soon as I did it that my form was sloppy, and I crept up - mostly because of the way I was standing. Shot another 10 rounds of solids with each caliber with no issues, and no flinching. Actually my best groups were after the bite, as I was paying atention then!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As for the links above, you have to chuckle if they can make money selliing the products to all the people who do this.

My condolences.
I have been kissed once by a .416, but it did not break the skin.
My brow is scarless, but I don't care anymore whether the chicks dig me.

Those .416s are dangerous!
Right at the recoil level where you might relax your hold, get too comfortable, and think you can hold it like a .22 rimfire!

The first teller of the tale has no chance. I had a 458 double with a scope double on me. Silly thing had set triggers and I think the recoil set the off trigger and both barrels went off. Any way to make a short story long. It didn't hurt to bad, just made feel pretty stupid. I pinched the cut together and wasn't worried but when I blew my nose to get the blood out of it snot and blood went flying out of my fore head like a blow hole. The scope had cut all the way into my frontal sinus. Got it sewed up and since I wasn't exactly Robert Redford to start out with it's okay. Be careful out there

I been bit by my marlin 45/70 a couple of times , it has a 1X4 leupold on it, I should no better than to turn it up to 4 when i am at the bench but what the hell, I was not to prety anyway.
...tj3006

quote:

Originally posted by els:
The first teller of the tale has no chance. I had a 458 double with a scope double on me. Silly thing had set triggers and I think the recoil set the off trigger and both barrels went off. Any way to make a short story long. It didn't hurt to bad, just made feel pretty stupid. I pinched the cut together and wasn't worried but when I blew my nose to get the blood out of it snot and blood went flying out of my fore head like a blow hole. The scope had cut all the way into my frontal sinus. Got it sewed up and since I wasn't exactly Robert Redford to start out with it's okay. Be careful out there

The first big field trip for one of my 50 B&Ms I had received a new rifle, had a great looking stock on it. I had already got permits for it in advance, but only got the rifle two weeks before leaving. I had never been hit with these guns, as from all controlled situations I have a good tight hold. Shooting a 510 gr Solid at 2100 fps, 8 lb rifle, 1.5X5 Leupold. In the field check the scope time--BAM-right between the eyes! Blood pouring out, the whole works! I knew I had to shoot again, and probably more. I did, next shot of course off 3 inches from the snatch! No blood, shoot again to regain my confidence. 3rd shot back with the first all is well.

Shoot an elephant-turn around, big smile, everyone looks at me, but not smiling? What the hell? Blood pouring down my nose, another big cut between the eyes! This goes on nearly the whole trip, with more cuts and gashes between the eyes! Finally I got home, and started checking, the scope on this rifle was just 1/4 inch too far to the rear compared with the others! 1/4 inch is all, moved it forward and no more issues with those guns! I could have done that in the field, but I did not look at that! Instead, just kept on taking the beating! For the life of me I can't figure how I kept on shooting and hitting, other than the fact that my concentration was on the animal 100%. You know, sorta the same deal you have when hunting and shooting your ears never ring? But if you did that on the range the ears would explode. I guess something like that.

What a mess I was with multiple hits between my eyes!

Michael

Those little Leupold Ultima rubber eyecup inserts are probably a good thing for that rifle lol



Chuck

Hey Chuck

I assume you are addressing me, and probably some others. Thanks for telling me now! Heh! Yeah, me too, LOL!

Michael

I got "angel kissed" by a .54 cal muzzleloader that hang fired on me. No cut but it just gave me a little touch. I was at the range about 4 months ago and a fellow came and set up. He was going to teach his 100lb girlfriend how to shoot w/ a 12ga Benelli Slug gun w/ 3 inchers. (For the sake of this story I have to also mention that after her arrival my groups started to open as she was quite "distracting"!)
He sets up and I hear him shoot and then "OH MY GOD WHAT DID YOU DO!!!!!" I looked up from sighting the old .458 Winny and looked their way. I think he bled a quart of blood instantly.
I mean he was gushing and I could see skull!!! So I helped the get the bleeding stopped then I spent the next 5 minutes trying to unload that damn Benelli. He was in shock about instantly and was no help and I know less than nothing about autoloading shotguns. I finally packageed his gear for her and she left w/ him. I guarantee he has a scar from that one. Another guy at the range said he was probably good for 20 stiches or more. Made me take the 500gn'ers a little more seriously that day LOL!! Long live the 1.5-5x Leupy!!!!!!!! (and its very forgiving eye relief)

Welcome to the club! When I got my 404jeff put together, I shot in excess of 300rds off the bench doing lead dev. & getting sigthed in. No problem, sometimes the scope would just kiss my brow. Then I tooka shot off sticks & crawled the stock, ouch! Not how I want to bloody my rifles!

I took the Brake off of my 50 BMG so I could shoot a SLAP (Sabotted Light Armor Penetrator)



and did not realize how well that brake worked,
long story short, OUCH...



Alas... these things seem to bleed forever.

Scalp wounds always bleed all out of proportion to the injury.
I just got my first "scope kiss" from muy 9.3 shooting off a bag in a hurry.

First liar really doesn't have a chance.

The first 458 I ever shot was a rebarreled and scoped ( Weaver 2 1/2) old military M-98 still wearing the original military stock with steel butt plate. The first shot standing bloodied me so I held it harder the second time and it bit me again. by now the blood was pouring down my face but I was determined to shoot it correctly so held on real tight and fired the third shot.

Not only did that short pull, steel butt plate hurt like hell but the scope hit me a third and final time. I finally called it quits and dug out some paper towels and duck tape and patched myself up and gave the guy his rifle back.

It has not happened to me since - even though my
Primary using rifle for the past twenty-five has been my 8 3/4# .458 with only a 13 1/2" LOP as the little 2 1/2X Leupold scope it wears has plenty of eye relief.

If you are going to be stupid you gotta be tough.

great stories...

making me want to use red dot sight systems on big bores.

I am still pretty though... no scope scars yet

I don't remember being "Pretty" before the scar

I've actually got the T-shirt that says that "If you're gonna be stupid, you've got to be tuff". The word TUFF is spelled out in Band-Aids!

Guess I'll have to break it out for the next range session, just in case.

Pretty went out the door when I got my nose broken in the first round of the golden gloves semifinals at 16 years old lol. I lost that fight on decision and won the consolaton round 3rd prize. Doc rebroke then restraightened it with a small prybar, ouch ouch ouch



Chuck

I think RIP had got it right. The .416 Rigby is so darn easy to shoot that if you do alot of target style shooting you tend to want to shoot it the same way. Thats a mistake as it does move quite a bit and needs a firm hold. Thats another reason why I dont like reduced loads in a big bore. they let you get used to holding the rifle differently than you would with full power loads. Personally, I'm a fan of open sights and leupold compacts with their huge eye relief on my Big Bores.-Rob

quote:

Originally posted by Robgunbuilder:
I think RIP had got it right. The .416 Rigby is so darn easy to shoot that if you do alot of target style shooting you tend to want to shoot it the same way. Thats a mistake as it does move quite a bit and needs a firm hold. Thats another reason why I dont like reduced loads in a big bore. they let you get used to holding the rifle differently than you would with full power loads. Personally, I'm a fan of open sights and leupold compacts with their huge eye relief on my Big Bores.-Rob

I agree with RIP and Rob. My only ding so far was by my 416 Taylor, and was abolutely the result of letting my guard down after shooting it and quite a few much bigger rifles a bunch of times earlier that day.

quote:

If you are going to be stupid you gotta be tough.

Phil,

Funny!

I've never been "Kissed" but did get the message (felt the scope just ever so lightly skim my eyebrow) with my first ever shot from a .460 Weatherby. 9 shots later I quit because I had a headache. You can believe I was ensuring my head was real far back on that stock.

A South African colleague returned to work from a vacation in RSA. We met & I noticed a "Goose Egg"; so I asked? "Oh", he said, "I bought a .338 Win. Mag. when I was home". "Got bit on the first 5 shots before I realized I had mounted the scope too far back."

i picked a nice scar a few years back searching for light on an early morning buck with an old straight tube redfield scope. 350 mag. i had scope caps on my 458 lott when carrying out load development. left strange looking bloody wounds on my forehead. i don't think i will be firing that rifle off bags again anytime soon.

Fifty odd years of loading and shooting my own and I got scope rash for the first time last fall. Went out into the deer stand about 11:30 on a cold day. Sat until a little past five when Bambi came out to commit suicide. I was so cold I couldn't hold the gun steady. Forced myself to relax but forgot to hang onto the gun. The shot was perfect but I got cut on the nose and between the eyebrows. I was so cold I didn't even notice getting hit.