# Hardest Kicking gun you've ever shot?



## Bob Wright

I am not particularly sensitive to recoil. I say this not as a boast, just a statement of fact. My first handgun shooting as a youngster was with a .45 Colt, and I guess I just assumed recoil comes with the package.

I had a Colt New Service .45 Colt rebuilt to .44 Special, and did my first loading for this gun. Reading a lot of Elmer Keith, I went to his 250 gr Keith SWC and 18.0grs of Hercules (then) #2400 powder. This with the original plastic factory grips. My first outing with this combination left me with two bleeding gouges on my shooting had, one from the cylinder latch, the other of unknown origin. Then I learned about custom stocks.

Later, much later, I was introduced to the .45-70 in a Thompson Contender. This gun kicked hard, but it was fitted with those rubber grips that tried to skin the palm of my hand. Rubber grips and hard recoiling guns don't go together. They left the web of my shooting had raw and blistered. With decent wood grips, the kick is there, but my hand makes it just fine.

A few years back a shooter at the range asked if I would fire his double derringer, a .410 bored over/under that also took .45 Colt. The .410 wasn't bad, but my .45 Colts hurt my hand. The palm of my hand was sore the next day. This gun was stocked with Sambar stag, by the way. With my .45 Colt handloads, this has got to be my most memorable hard kicking gun. The .454 Cassul doesn't even come close.

What's gun lingers in your memory as kicking like a Missouri mule?

Bob Wright


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## scoop

Id have to say my 6 1/2 inch ported Taurus Raging Bull in 454 Casul is as close to a handful of mulekick as Ive ever handled.Is a sharp fast rise that I always am amazed that I didnt slap my forhead with the darn barrel!
I much prefere the recoil from my 7 1/2 inch target grey SRH in 480 Ruger.Not nearly so violent,more of a big push albeit a evry big push.probably twice that of the MIGHTY 44 MAG!


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## jimg11

*Kicking Handguns*

My first revolver was a Colt .357 6" that came with Fitz 10 O Grip in brown plastic. I got a box of 38 special and a box of 158 Gr lead 357 Magnum. Of course the 158 gr round nose lead rounds were ok to shoot. BUT it only took one round of the 357 mag to get good bloodflow from the web between my thumb and index finger. I went back to my neighborhood Gun Store and found a great pair of smooth Rosewood grips and saved a lot of blood.


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## Guest

Hardest kicking handgun was a T/C Contender in .45-70. Hardest kicking revolver was a snub nosed .454 casull. I shot a S&W 500 before, but recoil wasn't hard because of the grips and muzzle brake.


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## Baldy

*Mule Kick.*

A 44 Ruger Mag with a 71/2" barrel loaded to the max unbeknowing to me. I should have been more aware of this nut but I let my guard down for a moment. I had shot the gun several times before this but they were mild loads. The last shot in the gun was a boomer. I didn't say anything but my arm was sore for a week. I got him back though I married his sister and them he went nuts.


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## 223HollowPoint

About 20 plus years ago I had a friend that had a 44 Magnum. Dirty Harry was popular then. I guess he did his own loads too. We were out in the woods, he handed me the gun, and without my knowing - stood way way back.
I took careful aim across the hood of his white pickup truck. Yup big boom. Scared me good. It flew back with an unbelievable kick. But I had the last laugh. You should have seen the big black streak that went across the hood of his pick up. Didn't really ever come off either.


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## bisley45

as for revolvers my ruger bisley with a 5.5" tube with a 300gr boolet and 25.7gr h110 hurt like he^^ 
but the hardest kicking handgun was a thompson contender in 375JDJ man it kicked the sh$# out of me and no it had no brake


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## Richard

The hardest recoiling handgun I have fired is my 8 3/8" S&W M29-3 with the checkered factory target grips. This revolver has a tuned hammer, sear, and trigger; when I fired it the first time the recoil surprised me and I double tapped it. Believe me double tapping a 44 Mag is an experience of a life time. I was sure I had broke my middle finger on my shooting hand as the trigger guard hit it that hard. Regards, Richard


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## js

I'd have to say a Taurus 44 magnum, I have no idea where the bullet went...somewhere downrange........ I think? :neutral:


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## Shooters49

My T/C Contender with a 45-70 Gov. barrel on it..


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## OMSBH44

Back in '76 in El Paso, Texas we all were 
shooting the new game of silhouette at the
range at Ft. Bliss, Texas. The problem was 
the rams were heavy and hard to knock 
down. REAL hard. I had ringers, where the
bullet hit the target but didn't take it down, 
with a 265 gr. load in a .44 mag. We all did!

So my friend found a Thompson Contender
in .45 colt and went to work at the reloading
bench. When he finished what he had was
a .45 magnum. Out at the range he fired it a
few times then handed it to me and asked
me to try it. 

I didn't notice all the other shooters had
backed off the line and were watching the
two of us intently! I didn't notice the
scorched area on the bench in front of my
friend! I didn't notice the tree just to the
left of the firing line was leaning far to the
left, as if blown sideways!

So I chambered a round, closed the action,
hunkered down behind the gun and touched
the trigger. BOOOM!!!!

The Contender had a long barrel. The recoil
started as a counter-clockwise twisting
motion. Then it forced the grip straight back
into the palm of my hand. Then it flipped
up. All more or less at the same instant.
The gun ended up pointing straight up, with
the top to the left. My hand was sore after
only one round!

I believe I said a few choice words, which
can't be printed here! I opened the action and
the empty cartridge came right out, which
says a lot about the strength of the
Contender action.

I gave the gun back to my friend and told
him I didn't need to fire it again! I don't
remember for sure if he used that load again,
but I think he tried it on the Ft. Bliss Rams,
and had ringers anyway. Those Rams were
tough!

I remember one guy put a .458 win mag on
an XP-100 action because of those rams.
That gun must have had some RECOIL! But,
that's a 'hole 'nuther story!

That's my story and I'm sticking with it!


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## Bob Wright

OMSBH44,

I have a photo somewhere of me firing a .45-70 Thompson Contender. The gun is in full recoil, and exactly as you described. muzzle vertical, sights to the left.

This load, incidentally, did not produce ringers, it knocked the rams for a loop. The bullet was a 500gr cast.

Bob Wright


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## SuckLead

I put one round through a 44/73 revolver. I almost want to try to put a second round through it. LOL!


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## stetson

Hardest recoil I've encountered was ruger 357 snub nose
with regular hard grips.About took my hand off with 357
rounds not bad with 38's.


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## Shipwreck

Jennings 22... 1 shot and it blew up :smt082 :smt082 :smt082 :smt082


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## Grayfox

I've shot just about everything up to a .454 Casull without much trouble. I'm not a big fan of heavy recoil, but I can handle it.
Some years ago a dealer in a local shop was trying to sell me on the merits of a .38 Special derringer. I forget the brand, but it was one of the small frame models. We went into the back, loaded up some +Ps and fired them into his test pipe. That little sucker darn near broke my wrist!
No, I didn't buy it.


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## Guest

Rifle: Colt Sauer chambered for the 300 Weatherby Magnum.

Revolver: S & W Model 29, 44 Magnum.

Shotgun: Garcia-Rossi (side by side, exposed hammers) coachgun 12 ga. (3 in. chamber)


Till, I bought the S & W 500 Magnum.


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## awall

I would have to say my 10" Thomson contender in 45-70. I would like to try the new Ruger Alaskan.


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## Charlie

SuckLead said:


> I put one round through a 44/73 revolver. I almost want to try to put a second round through it. LOL!


Please elaborate on the 44/73.


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## SuckLead

See, I messed up and only one person caught it, it seems. LOL! I meant a 45/70. The 4473 is the paperwork I have to fill out and file at work for people to buy a gun. So I will now sit in the corner with my dunce cap on. 

 @ me


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## Bob Wright

Knowledgable that I claim to be, there could be a .44/73 for all I know. Lord knows, there are many combinations of numbers assigned to cartridges nowadays, such as .43 JDJ, .338 Woodswalker, .357 SIG, plus old favorites as .401 Eimer and .43 Eimer. Remember the .357 Atomic? The 10mm Gyrojet?

I once conjured up the .30/44 Carbine, the .30 M1 Carbine necked up to take .429" bullets. Never made one, though.

Bob Wright


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## nike98t

*500*

500 mag.


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## P97

.44 Mag. heavy loaded in a light gun.


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## RonJ

Try full house 357s in a airweight J frame. They're really vicious. Up to that point I'd have to agree with the 45/70 Contender. A hard push with a lot of muzzle rise but not as painful as the J frame 357!


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## Waffen

For me the 454 Casul. I was admiring the gun and noise of the weapon. The guy asked if I wanted to shoot and of course I said yes. 2 1/2" Ruger Alaskan, talk about kick a bit to much for me.

W


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## tex45acp

I would have to say my friends .500 Linebaugh based on a 5.5" Ruger Super Blackhawk. I am 6' 6" and 325 and not only did the gun come completely up to the 12 o'clock position above my head but caused me to have to step back one step to keep me from falling flat on my back. Then he tells me that I had just shot his hottest load....

The next day my wrist was sore as well!!!


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## tuckerdog1

It would be a toss up between my 454 Cassul and a friend's scandium J frame 357. 

Both can be pretty brutal.

Tuckerdog1


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## Richard

Tuckerdog1, 

I agree that the recoil in an airweight or scandium revolver is brutal. I do not even like the FBI Load (158gr 38 Specials) in a Colt Detective, they will get to you after 50 rounds. 

I wonder if anyone else has fired a S&W M296 44 Special, mine got my attention in a hurry! When I mentioned the recoil to Lou Alessi he said: "Richard, why in the world did you buy it? They kick." Terry Murbach once described the recoil of a S&W M329 as memorable. 

Lastly, I have never fired a 454 Cassul nor do I intend to. 

Regards, 

Richard


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## john doe.

I owned a Super Black hawk in the early eighties. It wasn’t too bad for me but when my wife shot it it about put her butt on the ground. Luckily I was behind her to catch her. She had a nasty bruise on her hand the next day. She didn’t find it as humorous as I did.


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## Revolver

I haven't shot a (what I'd consider)"hard-kicking" sidearm. Most powerful I've shot is my own 5" S&W M29. After hearing how much of a "hand cannon" it was, I was horribly dissapointed after firing full-power loads for the first time by the lack of recoil from what I expected from all that I've heard about it. I have fired many rounds since then(it's my #1 and probably always will be) and I love the .44 Remington Magnum cartridge as I find it to pack a nice punch without being hard to handle. I suppose if it were one of those new Scandium framed ones, it may be a different story. But then again, I only like the older Smiths. I'd love to try one of those Ruger SRH Alaskans(in both .454 Casull and .44 Remington Magnum). I find them to be attractive and of course they have that Ruger ruggedness which means that you can get away with loads that would kill a S&W.


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## Guest

*I would have to say....*

*Ruger Alaskan, .454 Casull...damn near knocked me down when I first fired it...but then again, I did do it one handed, and thought it would be no worse than a 44 mag.:smt1099 *


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## TomC

I have a S&W 500 Mag PC Hunter, 6 ½” barrel. It weighs just over 70 oz. without the scope I put on it in QC mounts. Recoil is reasonably stiff with full power loads. Mostly, I shot reduced loads. But the recoil of the .500 isn’t close to the recoil of a S&W Model 360, which is the 3” scandium .357. Full power loads really have breathtaking recoil in a 12 oz. gun. I put Pachmayr rubber grips on it to ease the pain from the hard grips it had.


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## "JB"

I had a Super Red Hawk 7 1/2" that everytime I shot it the trigger guard would hit my middle finger, this of course made me not want to shoot it even with light loads. But my 5 1/2" Ruger in 45 Colt with full powerhouse loads was more than I could take...... my shooting hand hurt for 5 days after.... so I had to back off the loads a bit.

Some grips are designed wrong and cause us problems.

I also had a little Taurus 605 that when shot with 125-gr Mag loads was an extreme handfull.


Maybe I'm just getting old...... like Bob


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## ginkgo

*Desert Eagle .50 AE*

Kicks harder than .44 Mag by far, but the auto action makes it less sharp somehow. Getting off a fast second shot isn't possible because it will rise. The fun factor is enormous. Highly recommended with COR-BON 325 grain.


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## PanaDP

I shot a guy's .460 S&W magnum today that was a real handful. I only shot three of them and my wrist is feeling it a bit this evening. The recoil is something I've never felt, it's the usual revolver recoil but combined with a fairly strong twist. It ends up making the gun go right toward your face if you're a right-handed shooter. I'm not really jumping to shoot something like it again, to be honest.


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## Old Padawan

Wow. this could be a poll. the 45-70 TC would be way up there. I shot it at the range, the guy asked if I wanted to shoot a second round. No, thats ok.


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## vernpriest

I have to go with the S&W j-frame scandium. It wasn't too bad with .38's but loaded with .357 Corbons and it just plain hurts.


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## submoa

Handgun: Charter Arms .44 spc. Bulldog

Rifle: Suppressed TRG-42 .338 Lapua. Reminder that muzzle brakes were invented for a reason.


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## 220combat

Smith and Wesson mod 29 44mag is the worst I shot for recoil. The 460 S&W with a ported barrel is not as bad as you would think.


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## Sig Al

My brother in laws Dirty Harry .44 Mag. I haven't shot it quite a few years but I sure remember the kick. :mrgreen:


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## niadhf

Derringer- .45colt/.410 4" barrel

It wasn't bad in 45, after about 4 rounds my hand ached.. But i only shot 2 .410's out of it in 3 years. However, talk about a pocket pistol- that was a Pocket Pistol.

Rifle, well IDK, i shoot 45-70 out of an 20"NEF as my hunting rifle, but i figure that doesn't count.


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## cupsz71

500 S&W and a .50cal ???? blackpowder of my Brother-in-law's. Ouch.


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## PanaDP

cupsz71 said:


> 500 S&W and a .50cal ???? blackpowder of my Brother-in-law's. Ouch.


My Dad built himself a .62 caliber hawken flintlock and loaded it pretty hot sometimes. That would leave bruises, in no small part because of the plain brass buttplate.


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## forestranger

5 1/2" 45 Blackhawk with PMC 300gr. 45 "magnum" loads. Put on gloves after 3 rounds. Quit after 6! Felt a bad case of wrist "arthritis" coming on.


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## PanaDP

I've felt those before. When you can do that with the old .45 colt, why ever did they invent the .44 magnum?


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## JohnnyFlake

For me, for the longest time, it was a 45/70 TC. I had shot several rounds and it was very memorable! Then, last summer, a relative from California came to town for awhile and we spent several days, shooting, metal detecting and so on. One of the guns he had brought with him was a Freedom Arms .454 Casull. Single handed, the first round I fired snapped the gun up and back so hard that I almost smacked myself in the head with it. I think it scared me more than it hurt me. The next round, two handed, send an electric shock of pain straight through the center of my palm, through the wrist and through my forearm. That really hurt!!! I didn't fire it again!


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## 4X4SNEAK

This one is easy. A buddy of mine bought one of those S&W 329's and 325 grain handloads....ouch!!!


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## Guest

I own a SBH in 44 mag that with the stock grips would bite a little but my hardest kicking firearm is my Winchester 1300 shotgun with 3" slugs. The hardest kicking firearm I've ever shot is a 378 Weatherby Mag rifle.


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## SuckLead

Anyone see the pictures of the guy who blew his thumb off with the 460? Apparently he had his thumb next to the cylinder or something like that and when he fired the gun it blew his thumb off and even cotterized it, apparently.


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## PanaDP

SuckLead said:


> Anyone see the pictures of the guy who blew his thumb off with the 460? Apparently he had his thumb next to the cylinder or something like that and when he fired the gun it blew his thumb off and even cotterized it, apparently.


After shooting one, I believe it. I shot it kneeling taking a rest on the bench and it burned the bench a good bit, more than I expected.


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## aryfrosty

*Hard kickers*

Y'all gonna think I'm a wimp. I might be. I enjoy .44 magnums very much. I have .45Cs I like, also .44Spls. The hardest kicker I ever shot was partially my own dumb fault. I bought a teeney little scandium S&W Centennial snubby. I picked up 90 grain solids and checked them in a M-10...it was like shhoting squibs. My problem is that I thought that because I had Ajax Pearlites on a .45C Vaquero that they were tough, so I bought a set for the leeeetle gun. The first round I fired shattered the grips and gashed my firing hand web so that the next round helped the blood flow a little bit better. I brought the gun home and detail stripped it for a "project". And I may never put the doggoned thing back together again.


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## Ram Rod

Hardest kicking gun I've ever shot? Argentine Mauser in 7.65. Maybe it was the steel butt plate that made it so hard? It bruised me on occassion.


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## p99guy

A friend of mine's Ruger Super redhawk .454 Casul, with hot 300gr bulleted loads.

A close second on the unfun meter was a American Derringer Corp .45acp derringer(230gr FMJ)...even the manual said "do not exceed 6 rounds per day in practice, or nerve damage will result"...they wasnt kidding lol.


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## Deltaboy1984

S&W Model 29 in 44 mag :smt1099


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## unpecador

My uncles S&W .44 mag, not sure what model, it was a while ago and I asked him if I could shoot it and he said yes but only if I shoot all six rounds, I didn't get past the first.


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## swampfox1975

When I was a teenager and we use to load our own brass my dad loaded some "hot" loads for his 44 mag. I had shot quite a bit with my 32-20 and was feeling frisky so I asked for his 44. I grabbed the wrong ammo and away I went. Two handed grip and it split my wig right at the hairline. I didn't know I was bleeding from the pain of my new headache. The sound was so different he came around to check on me and found me bloody. I still shy away from that gun. 
try this one though I think these people will disagree with all of us. It's funny as he^^


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## Pat Az

Same as one of the above members, snub nosed 357 mag with wood grips.


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## davidc128

i would have to say as far as rifles go my marlin .444 ive hunted w this gun for 2 years now and love this gun!! but this past weekend it reminded me to respect it and the old adage if your not comfortable with the shot dont take it... i wanted that hog so bad i disregarded all that and this is what happened:anim_lol:


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## txpete

I think the most miserable handgun I have shot was a ruger sp101 357 mag with 158 hot loads.flames and muzzle flip worse than any 44 mag I have shot.:mrgreen:


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## DJWright

Don't have it anymore, but would be my old Contender in .45-70 with 500 grain Hornadys. But my old Freedom arms .454 with some home cast 400 grain bullets probably hurt the most as the hammer would come back and stick into the my hand behind the thumb. Still have the scars from that POS!


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## DevilsJohnson

I was at a range a short while back and got to shoot a 500 smith. Now I've shot one a while before and it was pretty impressive but not so bad that it hurt or anything. THis guy had one of those Alaskan...whatever models..Really short barrel. Unknown to me was the guy was hand loading and had some ..I don't know..nuklear powered super kill em all round. Well,,That's how I felt after shooting it. I've shot many a big bore and with some powerful loads but that thing I thought was going to take my head off with the recoil. No - I didn't take a second shot...i kid of wanted to but Thought that now that I knew what was coming I'd probably flinch real bad and not get within 5 miles of the target..heh


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## buck32

Many years ago, I had both barrels on my Ruger Red Label O/U 12 gauge go off at one time. My shoulder still hurts when I think about that one.


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## JeffWard

3" magnum 12 ga slugs (1.25 oz as I remember)... suck.

Even WITH a 1" recoil pad.

They say the automatics are better, but I shot a few out of a 870 pump gun. MY 30-year old 870 pump. I was checking it for cracks after I checked my own teeth for chips...

JeffWard


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## James NM

It's the 460 for me.


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## buck32

davidc128 said:


> i would have to say as far as rifles go my marlin .444 ive hunted w this gun for 2 years now and love this gun!! but this past weekend it reminded me to respect it and the old adage if your not comfortable with the shot dont take it... i wanted that hog so bad i disregarded all that and this is what happened:anim_lol:


Scope eye. Been there done that. Sold the gun!


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## Ozzyzig87

Smith and Wesson .44 magnum, 8 3/8 barrel. I thought the recoil wouldn't be too bad, but with wooden grips and 240 grain ammo it was rough.


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## WildBill1260

Well for me it would be my buddy's Ruger Super BlackHawk 7.5in 44Mag and he loads his own and he loaded some so hot it was just unreal.
As for a shotgun it would have to be the old 10ga double barrel that Dad had got from a friend back in the late 70's and Roger had loaded some home loaded 3in mag loads and lucky me(I would shoot anything back then) I got to shoot the first 2 rounds and found myself 10 feet from the firing line and flat on my back.I shot both rounds at the same time.

WB


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## buck32

WildBill1260 said:


> Well for me it would be my buddy's Ruger Super BlackHawk 7.5in 44Mag and he loads his own and he loaded some so hot it was just unreal.
> As for a shotgun it would have to be the old 10ga double barrel that Dad had got from a friend back in the late 70's and Roger had loaded some home loaded 3in mag loads and lucky me(I would shoot anything back then) I got to shoot the first 2 rounds and found myself 10 feet from the firing line and flat on my back.I shot both rounds at the same time.
> 
> WB


That hurt!


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## babs

Would have to say.. a friends .454 casull Ruger. If the shot didn't kill the grizzly charging on me, the muzzle blast would certainly stun the poor thing. dadgum hand-cannon! I'd probably stick with .45 long colts in that thing, except when standing in a Montana trout stream flipping flies waiting on a big furry growly bear to sneak up on me.. Which is pretty much why my friend owns that particular wheel gun.


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## Spokes

Handgun T/C Contender 357 Herritt
Rifle 458 Win. Mag Rem 700


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## D-Ric902

The hardest one that I've ever shot is this one with full house 44 mag hunting loads.


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## Spokes

D-Ric902........ that is one beautiful six gun.
Did you do the work yourself?


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## 48dodge

Dirty Harry S&W Model 29. Not only were they magnum loads, but my girlfriend's father did his own handloading and put a little extra in there for some extra kick. I guess I about 19 or 20 at the time. I had the gun resting on a sandbag and I actually hit around the 7-8 ring. The gun shot up so my arms were nearly perpendicular to where they started. I definitely treated the man's daughter with a little more respect after having shot that gun...


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## D-Ric902

I wish I could do that work, but no Mag-na-port did all the work to it. It is a handful with full blown 44 mags.


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## texgunner

The hardest I've been kicked by a handgun was from a Ruger Blackhawk .45 Colt. Load was a 250gr JHP over AA #9. 

By a rifle, a Marlin lever action 45-70 loaded with 405gr bullet. Ouch!

Tex


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## Steve2112

j.d. said:


> Rifle: Colt Sauer chambered for the 300 Weatherby Magnum.
> 
> Revolver: S & W Model 29, 44 Magnum.
> 
> Shotgun: Garcia-Rossi (side by side, exposed hammers) coachgun 12 ga. (3 in. chamber)
> 
> Till, I bought the S & W 500 Magnum.


I'm glad I'm not the only one familiar with that lovely Rossi coach gun. My dad had one when I was in high school, and that thing kicked like a mule, especially with full power 3in loads. It's lightweight, with a 20in barrel. That being said, I still want it. My brother wound up with it, and I keep threatening to steal it. I just love the double barrels with exposed hammers.

Pistol: As others have mentioned, the Mountain Gun .44. I had a Ruger Redhawk .44 with the 7.5in barrel, and thought I could handle that one. It's amazing what a difference the shorter barrel made.

Rifle: It's tough to call. The Mosin packs a punch, but I have to admit that my dad's Remington 700 in 7MM mag had a kick. My brother's 300 Win Mag wasn't pleasant, either.


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## biotech

444 marlin in a TC pistol frame. Had a buddy offer to let me try his american arms derringer in 45-70. After seeing another buddy shoot it and get a big cut in the web of his hand from the hammer spur rolling back on him I declined.


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## Teuthis

Canon de 75mm Modele 1912.. I was standing a little too close when I pulled the lanyard to fire it, and I got some felt recoil. Second was my Marlin lever action in 45-70,but that wasn't even close to the cannon.


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## Naterstein

12 gauge when I was seven or eight with my Dad only holding it up at the forend stock. Nice bruise that day.


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## bill111444

The worst recoil I felt was from my american derringer chambered in .44 mag. I have the desert eagle in .44 with the 14 in. barrel, it's the largest .44 made, so I bought the derringer to have the smallest .44 made. Boy, talk about a flame thrower!!! I ordered their full sized grips to help tame the gun down; they lasted about 8 rounds, the recoil chewed them right off. I put the reg. grips back on. I bought a base ball batters glove and sewed a thick piece of leather in the palm, it's tolerable now. I shoot it at the end of a session at the range, once you shoot it, your no good to hit anything more. What fun.


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## 48dodge

I didn't even know such an animal existed! I can't imagine holding onto that thing. My NAA 22lr is all but impossible to keep in my hand.


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## DirtyHarryGenX

Good discussion.An old friend had a .500 S&W magnum,I got to unload five rounds.I was expecting a bomb going off in my hands,but the recoil was minor,with it being so damn big and all.His brother had quite a collection.I shot his various handguns one after another,to compare them.A .45 acp,.45 Colt,.357,and a .44 mag.Of all those,including the .500,his little Taurus snub-nose .44 had the best kick.Number one would have to be the 12 gauge wildcats I used to make.I don't mess with the powder anymore,I know nothing of reloading,and I blew up a Win 1400 completely,from the barrel to the frame,it was a shell with 4 times the powder.I injured my left arm pretty good.But my standard wildcats only had double the powder.They performed like cannon shells,in all ways.But even with those I broke up the internal parts of my Revelation 12.Strangely,number two would be my 26.5mm flare gun.I test fired it once,and it really surprised me.I'm recoil tolerant,but that gun flew wildly up in the air,was louder than a shotgun.It's black powder,but they have more powder than a 12 gauge magnum.I'm surprised they can sell those to anyone.


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## Carne Frio

Astra Terminator. It's a 2 inch barrel, custom 44 magnum. Kicks like crazy and louder than my ex-wife.:mrgreen:


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## Q!!

.500 s&w


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## eastlandb1

454. A fun gun to shoot. Robert


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## wiersy111

I recently purchased a Magnum Research BFR in 45-70, I started working with some handloades this weekend. I tried a couple at max recommended load with a 405 gr bullet, they were more then a handfull. Lots of fun to shoot the heavy loads once or twice but thats it!:smt1099


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## bps3040

Single shot 12 guage when I was a kid,lol


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## Glenn

TC Contender in 357 Rem Max with 200 gr handloads. Most impressive to watch was 10" Contender with 223 barrel and some military surplus rounds shot at night. At least a 5 foot ring of fire.

Glenn


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## Glenn

Check this out






If you listen close at first he says this is a half load.
Glenn


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## mikecu

*.50*

.50 cal S&W revolver.


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## jc27310

*greasy fingers?*



Glenn said:


> Check this out
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If you listen close at first he says this is a half load.
> Glenn


ha, ha! :anim_lol:


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## Kyle1337

in the military a 120MM sabot round out of a M1A1, but as a civi pistol: 44 magnum and rifle: .50 bushmaster.


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## YFZsandrider

Glenn said:


> Check this out
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If you listen close at first he says this is a half load.
> Glenn


I think he took that "aim every shot" sign a little too seriously. If you're gonna shoot a gun with that much power, just get it pointed somewhere down range, and be more concentrated on managing the after affects.


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## Glenn

I saw a picture of that gun on line. It's a custom made either 500 or 600 nitro express.

Glenn


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## bill111444

*Ouch!!!*

I think I have you all beat. Back in the day I bought a nickel desert eagle 44 mag. (they only came in nickel or flat black back then) I ordered the 14in. barrel for it too. That was one big and heavy gun! Then I got the bright idea-- since this is the biggest 44 mag in the world, why not buy the smallest and set them side by side and tell everyone- they are the same caliber! So I bought an American Derrenger 3in. 44 mag.(the bullet fits in the barrel) so that leaves about 1 1/2in. of barrel left. Now how do I describe the recoil. It's like holding a 44 mag bullet in your left hand and a pointy hammer in your right--- the derrenger sold for "like new" condition. The lump in my palm healed in about a week.


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## AgentV3

I think the biggest I remember was the first time I ever fired a .44 Magnum. It was a fellow shooter at the range, and I had just finished up with a .357 Magnum when the gentleman offered to let me toss 6 down range in this modified Ruger Redhawk. By modified, I mean he took the stock 6" barrel and cut it down to 2", and had taken his aftermarket rubber grips off and put the stock wooden ones back on. It just about ate my lunch, I remember feeling the impact in the palm of my hand, then the top of my wrist, then through my shoulder and down my spine. Not wanting to waste the opportunity, I let off the other 5, an act of defiance the little [email protected]@rd Redhawk would make me regret later, it took a while until I could feel in that hand again. He mused that he probably should have left the rubber grips on.

Thankfully it didn't turn me off on the caliber, as I just got a S&W Model 629 6" with a Mag-Na-Ported barrel, and before that, had owned and fired a Model 29 before selling it, which was tamer than that 2" beast, and was much more fun to shoot.


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## TheReaper

.44 Mag 300 gr Bullet in a Super Black Hawk. 
458 win in a double barrel guide gun. I hurt for two weeks after.


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## Blackmagic14

Smith and Wesson 340 Scandium... 11.5 ounce .357 it is not fun


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## PT92MJ

I just watched that video. It is a Nitro Express 600. That dude is about twice my size and if he couldn't handle it, I think I will definitely pass. The hardest kicking rifle for me was probably an old .303 military issue Enfield I had as a 19 year old just learning how to shoot. I really can't remember any issues with pistols since the largest caliber I have ever owned is a .40SW.


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## timrosin

*ouch*

Revolver: s+w scandium snubbie with full power 357 hp.
Shotgun: Old old single shot 36 inch barrel goose gun WOW ! It was pretty light and it WOULDN'T
stay on my shoulder !
50 A+E was loudest semi but not hardest kicking !
T


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## VAMarine

I got to shoot a S&W 460 the other day, it was almost as bad as a S&W 360 firing full power .357 Mag loads, the 460 needed 3 shots to "sting" the hands while ther 360 PD will do it with two.


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## oak1971

My 4 inch Ruger Security Six stings me worse than my 44 mag Smiths.


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## Waldo Pepper

A S&W 360SCi I think was the model number, it had titianium cylinder and alumium alloy frame, 3" barrel, HiViz sights, and weighed 12.5 oz and was a hand killer in 357 magnum's. Very little rise of barrel from target, but it came straight back into the palm like a hammer blow and was bruttle. No wonder S&W didn't make but a few of those, and by the way I am 6'5" and no light weight and shoot 357 and 44 mag and 45 and 10mm 1911's on regular basis with out a problem.

Even with 38 spl it wasn't pleasent. I bought it from a guy who shot one round and sold it, then I shot it a couple times and even light loaded 38 spl was rough and was commenting on another forum about thinking I would sell the gun (PC gun to boot) and a guy made an offer I could not refuse.


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## dondavis3

+1 oak 1971

It's a kicker.

:smt1099


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## tateb24

.454 Casull, never again...never ever again


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## Rupert

I've got a Winchester Timber Carbine in .450 Marlin that is just positively brutal, I think it actually is the hardest kicking gun I've shot.


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## ROBINPA

I have always been very tolerant of recoil in both rifles and handguns so not long ago i had a chance to buy a smith & wesson 500 (alaskan hunter i believe) 3" or 4" bbl. thankfully the man selling it ask if i want to shoot it first. I believe that is the only gun that ever really hurt me:numbchuck:No i didnt buy it.


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## bill111444

That would be an American Derringer Corp. 44 magnum, It was like holding a bullet in your left hand and a pointy hammer in your right......


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## The Reaper

My dads .44 Magnum Ruger Super Blackhawk......

thing is ridiculous


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## oak1971

My 3 inch smith 629 44 mg. She's a handful.


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## stevehenry1

The most PAINFUL handgun I ever shot was a Hungarian PA-63 in 9mm Mak. This little guy was an aluminum alloy. With my hand high on the grip like my 1911, that things small beavertail hit the nerves in the web of my hand at the base of the thumb. Hurt! you bet!. Holding the grip lower down made a HUGE difference. Found out later that it has a reputation because of poor ergonomics. It's the only handgun I ever fired that was actually painful.


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## LePetomane

When I was a teenager my father let me shoot his Colt double action revolver with .38 specials. Then he let me try a .357 magnum that knocked me back a bit. But interestingly the most painful gun I have ever shot was the S&W Bodyguard. The gun gave me a slide bite and hurt like hell to shoot.


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## jakeleinen1

Desert Eagle w/ Extended Barrel (compensator) .44 Magnum, I was pretty young lol


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## Packard

I had a S & W 29 with a 6" barrel and I had no difficulties; I had a 629 with a 2-1/2" barrel and round butt and it was impossible to shoot. It bruised the bone on my shooting hand and I could not shoot for 6 months until it healed.

I have a 340PD, and with Federal 125 gr. .357s, it is just as bad. But the rubber grips help keep me from getting that bone bruise.


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## prof_fate

a small snubnose 38 I shot decades ago - every other shot I had to regrip the gun. No fun at all.
Shot a desert eagle 50 and it's not as bad as I had expected.
My old mossberg 12g pump was no fun to shoot a round of trap with.
I think my garand kicks less than my marlin 30-30.
shot a 223 'pistol' and was surprised at how little kick it had - basically none.
my 686 snubby with full house 357 isn't a whole lot of fun to shoot.

overall- the bigger the gun, physically, the less recoil you feel, regardless of caliber/load.


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## denner

300 Weatherby Magnum, the 300 has a very sharp quick recoil, shoulder was black and blue after 20 rounds first time out with weatherby ammo.
Marlin 450 Guide Gun, not bad if you bury it in your inside shoulder and stay away from the bench.
S&W Model 29 6 inch Barrel, shot some very hot loads and it literally loosened all the screws in the pistol and needed loctite to keep em in place.


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## Dangerfield

44 mag


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## MoMan

My 454 casull revolver with full power loads. I use it for deer hunting. Not alot of fun to shoot, but it is effective!


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## berettatoter

A Smith & Wesson in .44 Magnum and standard wood grips. I shot six rounds through it and handed it back to the guy.:buttkick:


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## draak

44 magnum. There should be a law that says, guns that big must have wheels.


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## BlueLineFish

My 629 6" with standard grips. Put about 40 rounds down range the other day. It was pretty uncomfortable. Couldn't find a good grips on that gun


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## LePetomane

BlueLineFish, 

Have you tried .44 Specials in that 629?


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## BlueLineFish

Yeah..not as fun


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## rex

Wow,old post.

Biggest hit I took was from a wildcat 45Colt.Ruger Blackhawk conveted to 5 shot with about a 7" octagon barrell donated from a Ruger #3 45-70 (yeah,I bitched him out for that).The 45-70 case was the base loaded with a powder I don't recall and a 320gr or so lead FP flush with the cylender face.He said when they worked out the ballistics it was slightly better than the Ruger #3 to 100ydsNot sure on that but.... .Basically it was a version of Keith Linebaugh's conversions.

It hit hard.He handed it to me at a pin table,the berm was about 12' behind as memory serves.He said hang on,so I did,and blew a pin into the bank straight off the table,44mags put them at the base of the berm-Holy crap! 2 more shots was it for me.Fully locked down the muzzle broke the 180 over my head,as in elbows up in front if my eyes and hands up high.If you didn't grab on this it would imprint the front sight in your forehead,awesome recoil.Linebaugh's load data for his version is back off when you can't handle it any more,one powder was basically dip the case in powder,level it off and compress it with the bullet.Not exactly like that but the charge was highly compressed.I'd like to try a 475 but only one after this thing.


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## cjs1945

My LCR357, it is more abusive than my Super Redhawk 7.5 in. 454 Casull and the rifle would be a .375 H&H magnum.


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## viper7342

For me , as far as a revolver goes, the hardest recoiling thing I have shot to date, would have to be a 4" Smith Model 29 that belonged to my uncle, we had been shooting some very mild 240 grain LSWC's, when all of a sudden, he thought it would be funny to sneak in a 240 Grain Super Vel "Exploder" Hollow Point, I was only about 13 at the time and the gun damn near jumped out of my hand. As for a long gun, I would have to agree with a previous poster, that a 12 Gauge Winchester 1300 with 3" magnum Deer Slugs is pretty brutal.


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## shawnrbane039

Taurus Judge 45 L/C .410 Short barrel. My brothers conceal carry gun. Kicks like a mule. I would also add the first time I shot my Mosin Nagant. I figured the recoil would be like a 30-06 NO not this Russian beast. Kicked backed and almost took my shoulder off.


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## just for fun

Enjoy shooting my 29, but if I start shooting it too fast it will make me take a step backwards! I consider that just part of the fun. Gettin old and 44 is my stopping point! It was awhile back that one of the club members had bought a new PPK/s. Must say I wanted one since the very first "Bond" movie. I was delighted when he asked if I wanted to shoot it. Given that it is a "blowback" design that little gun recoils more than it should! Shooting it was not a pleasent experence. It was not a gun you would shoot as a "range toy". After 3-4 rounds I thanked him for allowing me to shoot it and gave it back. He offered the rest of the rounds in the mag, I respectfuly declined!!!


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## 60DRB

??? they all kick some or more... 44 mag revolver, 458 mag, .500 nitro, accidental both 12 ga. barrels at once,... The're supposed to kick aren't they? They don't really stand out so much to me. A 100 round burst from my old 20mm Vulcan rocked the boat some I guess. Getting kicked on the chin by a horse hurt some.


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## momtotwo

well it was a rifle not a pistol but it was a bolt action 7mm.
My dad shot a 50 bmg. I would not shoot that. Too much fun. It had so much muzzle blast it blew his wife's hair back. It was awesome!


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## JMessmer

When I was eight I shot a 30-6. Bad gun for an eight year old(I think it was my second time shooting).


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## Jonny_Cannon

My buddy's S&W .44 Mag. Kicks more than my .50 Desert Eagle. We took it to the range and fired his hand-loads. It was like a pumpkin came out of the end of the barrel. I love shooting at the range where everyone stops and looks, like in the movie Robocop lol

Cannon


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## berettabone

Had the experience of shooting a friends Alaskan .454 casull...........I am not recoil sensitive, but that's a bit much....even he will only shoot 2 or three times, enough to get it dirty, then that's it.


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## MoMan

I would have to say my .454 casull as well!! Mine has a 6" barrel and it kicks like a mule! I could not imagine shooting the casull with the short barrel, must be quite the experience!!


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## suchablond1

My first revolver: S&W m&p340 (with crimson trace)

Bought it for personal protection with a reason.

Bruised my hands every time I went to range with it and did not make for fun when practicing but then I didn't buy this for fun.

Sold it once I felt it was no longer necessary to have it and moved on to other guns, But I will never forget how that felt...ever.


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## ares338

My hardest kicker was my Ruger LCR shooting hot magnum loads. This was a real hand whacker.


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## plinker56

Ruger .454 Casull, wow!!!! traded it off for S&W .460, shoots 3 different loads and the compensator and weight make a big difference in recoil. Much better.


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## scrollmaster

May actually been the 44mag 2-3/4inch Titanium Taurus revolver. With full house 44mags, very nasty. Seems like when I weighed it unloaded on the scales and it was 22 or 23 oz. About like shooting the S&W 500 that came in the Survival Kit with the short snubby barrel without the ports, At least the 500 had a chunk of weight behind it but quite a punch itself.


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## Gunners_Mate

Technically speaking the m2HB, but barring that I'm going to say the Taurus Raging Bull. 454 casull, thing made the .50 cal desert eagle seem small and insignificant in comparison.


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## JohnFM

There's a lot of mean kicking handguns around. Those little ridiculously lightweight 357s are terrible. The old Freedom Arms 454 Casull is wicked.
Light weight 44 Mags loose their appeal too.
I've got a 460 S&W Mag in an X frame that's sure no pussy cat, but the design and weight help tame it down.
Those big bore guns are fun to shoot, but my biggest problem is they're all expensive to buy and expensive to shoot even if you reload.


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## Smitty79

C4 Missile from an OHIO class submarine. 18k ton ship shook. Smooth squeeze of the trigger not needed.


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## Charliefox

I fired a friends titanium S&W .357 with full house 125 gr. Magnum rounds. I made it through a cylinder...that was enough. Interesting side note; shortly after this range session my friend quietly sold this gun and bought a steel one.


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## Donn

My S&W Model 29. Don't need any more whack than a 44 mag.


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## Orphanedcowboy

I have a M&P 360PD Airweight 357, 11ozs of anger with full power loads


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## SouthernBoy

I used to do a lot of reloading for .357 and .44 Magnum since I hunted with both of those calibers. When I migrated to the .44, it was in a New Model Ruger Super Blackhawk. The nice thing about those single action revolvers was the grip design allowed the gun to roll up in your hand. This dissipated a good deal of the felt recoil. My pet load at the time was a Sierra 240 gr JHC (Jacketed Hollow Cavity) over 23 grains of Hercules 2400. This was good for somewhere around 1500 fps.

In either '83 or '84 (don't recall which year) I traded that gun for a Ruger Redhawk 7 1/2" barrel. With its stock grips and the above mentioned load, the felt recoil was quite a bit more than the Super Blackhawk. I soon traded that Redhawk for the 5 1/2" version, which I still have, because the balance was far better for me. And I installed Pachmayr grips. Changed the bullet to a 225 grain Speer 3/4 JHP still over 23 grains of 2400. Very accurate and hot at close to 1600 fps. Recoil is quite manageable.


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## MoMan

scoop said:


> Id have to say my 6 1/2 inch ported Taurus Raging Bull in 454 Casul is as close to a handful of mulekick as Ive ever handled.Is a sharp fast rise that I always am amazed that I didnt slap my forhead with the darn barrel!


YEP! I have the same pistol and it definately let's you know you pulled the trigger!!


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## BigCityChief

Smitty79 said:


> C4 Missile from an OHIO class submarine. 18k ton ship shook. Smooth squeeze of the trigger not needed.


Yes sir! There's nothing quite like a US Navy Man 'o War putting steel on target. It literally rocks your world!


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## OldManMontgomery

*One or two.*

Most recoil?

In a handgun, the runner up would be a two-shot derringer (can't remember the maker now; this was around 1980 or so) in .45 ACP. As Mr. Wright said about the derringer in .45 Colt, it hurt to shoot.

The most recoil was a two shot (over and under) Lancaster 'howdah' pistol. When hunting tigers, the tiger would sometimes jump into the howdah (the passenger compartment on top of an elephant in the old British movies in India) with the hunters and a rifle would be useless in the circumstances. The pistol is chambered for .577 Snyder and looks like a two barrel Mossberg Brownie (or two barrel C.O.P.) pistol.

The recoil rocked me back on my rear leg, jerked my fool head out from underneath my hat and ripped out a seam on the shoulder of the shirt I was wearing. Having a tiger surprise one and come for lunch would be about the only way I would shoot that thing again. I don't think alcohol would be an encouragement.

For the record, I've never shot a .45-70 handgun of any sort. Nor can I see any profit in so doing.

I must say, some rather ordinary guns can be painful. Shooting a S&W 1950 Target model revolver (.45 ACP/.45 AR) with hardball and factory grips really pounds on the web and palm of my hand. (Especially when shooting one handed trying to make some points on a bullseye target.)


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## stevehenry1

Don't know about hardest kicking, but the most painful was a FEG PA-63, chambered in 9mm Makarov. That little aluminum pistol hurt the web of my thumb and forefinger worse than anything I've ever shot, up to and including .44 magnum. Lightweight guns can be very unpleasant to shoot in relation to their power


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## GCBHM

Double barrel 12ga both barrels.


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## Cait43

M101 howitzer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## KeithC.

stevehenry1 said:


> Don't know about hardest kicking, but the most painful was a FEG PA-63, chambered in 9mm Makarov. That little aluminum pistol hurt the web of my thumb and forefinger worse than anything I've ever shot, up to and including .44 magnum. Lightweight guns can be very unpleasant to shoot in relation to their power


I agree. It's not the force of the recoil but the sharpness of it. It's like it vibrates at a much higher frequency, instantly affecting nerves. The little Ruger LCR in .38 special firing 158g +p was too much for this man. I can't even imagine the 11.4 oz. S&W Model 340PD in .357 magnum. A box of full power ammo would be instant nerve damage. If you could even finish the box.


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## DirtyDog

Hardest kicking handgun I ever fired was a Desert Eagle 50AE. Not mine. I fired one round. It's an impressive gun in it's own way, but not something I think I'd ever buy.
I was also looking at a Taurus Ultralight 44 mag the other day. I didn't shoot it, but I'm guessing that a 44mag that light might have a bit of a kick to it.


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## Lee Hunter

Some young fellows at one of the conservation clubs I belong to let me shoot their compensated Taurus snubbie in .500 S&W for a terminal ballistic test against soft body armor. The old police vest failed to stop the bullet. And I experienced so much pain from firing that one round offhand, I thought it caused permanent injuries... Never again.

The most painful recoil I ever sustained from shooting a rifle was from discharging a series of hot 45/70 handloads in a Henry lever action model another fellow let me use. The rifle was literally jumping up out of my support hand each time I squeezed off a round. And the steel butt plate severely bruised my shoulder. I've shot hot .458 loads that didn't deliver that much rearward punch.


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## almanor

May not sound like much, but when I was 8yo my dad built a new stock for my grandpa.s 30/06. Converting from military to deer rifle. I got one shot. I may have weighed 40 pounds soaking wet. Shot it from prone at the Boy Scout range. Sliding on your stomach in the gravel really hurts, almost as much as the mule kick in the shoulder.


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## Philco

Mossberg 835 with 3 1/2 in 12 ga turkey loads. Shotgun has fiberglass stock and forearm so there's not much weight to dampen recoil.


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