So you think you need to own a Stopping Rifle...

[Northern Shooter]

So you’re not a big fan of the wife?

Her shoulders anyway.

 

[Frederik]

Unfortuanately the "practice" there goes in the wrong direction for a dg ph, part of why I stopped participating a long time ago....

Maybe after 100 years of non participating come and join again and give your input, you really have no idea what we do at the shoots.

 

[375Fox]

Maybe after 100 years of non participating come and join again and give your input, you really have no idea what we do at the shoots.

You mean there isn’t a framed portrait of IvW there to remind everyone of the top dangerous game PH in Southern Africa? I never could have guessed.

 

[DWB]

I still can't fathom how learning to shoot fast and accurate, in different positions, learning to reload from your belt, sorting out all the kinks in a rifle, learning how to clear jams, all from different forms or readiness (empty magazine, full magazine, bolt open, safety on etc etc), developing muscle memory, learning to manage recoil from your big bore etc can be bad for you....?

 

[grand veneur]

I find something like this to be very good training for learning to shoot with big bore rifles, especially the very big ones. I had once only the opportunity to take part in something like this in my country, which is scarcely ever organized here. It was purely a coincidence on a shooting range so that I was not able to use one of my big bore rifles but that of another participant's, a rifle caliber 505 Gibbs. It was fun and was the only time I had the opportunity to shoot a rifle of this caliber. I would like to do something like this regularly.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I still can't fathom how learning to shoot fast and accurate, in different positions, learning to reload from your belt, sorting out all the kinks in a rifle, learning how to clear jams, all from different forms or readiness (empty magazine, full magazine, bolt open, safety on etc etc), developing muscle memory, learning to manage recoil from your big bore etc can be bad for you....?

Too much recoil too often = flinch development in many (most?) folks. It can also lead to serious health issues. Difficult to shoot a big bore accurately if you can no longer see the hand in front of your face. Not to mention shoulder injuries.

I have endured more than a dozen laser patch jobs to my retinas. Best way to describe it is a cattle prod going off in my brain. Sobbed like a baby. And then there's the major surgeries where eye is simply pulled out of socket ... with no anesthesia. I wouldn't wish it on someone I hated. Certainly not my wife (maybe my ex wife ). Be careful how much recoil your eyes absorb. I would estimate the risk of retina damage is higher than bull riding.

 

[grand veneur]

We are different, some have no problems with something like that, others cannot. I fired around 25 rounds of 505 Gibbs at this event without any damage.

By the way, anyone who owns a big bore rifle has to train regularly and needs a target that motivates them.

 

[colorado]

Until recently work was all encompassing but i plan to hunt everything locally from jack rabbits, to antelope to elk with my 500 Jeffery. That served me best when my only rifle was my 270. I think it will do the same with my 500J. Maybe go to Texas do some hog culling as well.

 

[RR 314]

Too much recoil too often = flinch development in many (most?) folks. It can also lead to serious health issues. Difficult to shoot a big bore accurately if you can no longer see the hand in front of your face. Not to mention shoulder injuries.

I have endured more than a dozen laser patch jobs to my retinas. Best way to describe it is a cattle prod going off in my brain. Sobbed like a baby. And then there's the major surgeries where eye is simply pulled out of socket ... with no anesthesia. I wouldn't wish it on someone I hated. Certainly not my wife (maybe my ex wife ). Be careful how much recoil your eyes absorb. I would estimate the risk of retina damage is higher than bull riding.

Were you shooting at the time of initial detachment? If so, what chambering?

 

[Tanks]

Too much recoil too often = flinch development in many (most?) folks. It can also lead to serious health issues. Difficult to shoot a big bore accurately if you can no longer see the hand in front of your face. Not to mention shoulder injuries.

That is why the common saying is for one to shoot the biggest bore one can shoot accurately. Those that prefer bigger bores practice and learn how to handle the recoil of the rifle.

If one is afraid of the recoil and thinks of big bores as "too much recoil" then one will never practice and learn the techniques of handling recoil.

 

[SStomcat]

There is nothing called a stopping rifle as such unless you place the shot where you are supposed to.

 

[Tanks]

There is nothing called a stopping rifle as such unless you place the shot where you are supposed to.

Yes and no. My Zim PH will not let clients with .375s take a frontal brain shot. His thinking is that a big bore will stun it in the case of a near miss and allow for a follow up whereas a near miss from a .375 and the elephant will keep running.

 

[grand veneur]

There is nothing called a stopping rifle as such unless you place the shot where you are supposed to.

The brain shot by elephants as @Tanks described it, is a good example of what you expect from a stopping rifle, but this also applies to other hits on attacking big game. I have shot enough buffaloes with various cartridges to be able to compare the working of very big bores with that of smaller calibers.

 

[SStomcat]

Understood on Elephants, but will a ill placed shot on a charging dugga boy have the same effect?

 

[grand veneur]

Sure, the shock effect is completely different. We are talking about stopping, not about immediate killing.

 

[Certus]

If you failed the brain couldn’t you just give a shot to the heart/lungs as they take off? Fairly large area? (No elephant experience here).

This guy went heart/lung to head shot, I thought it interesting. Although first shot is through the trunk (??)

 

[375Fox]

If you failed the brain couldn’t you just give a shot to the heart/lungs as they take off? Fairly large area? (No elephant experience here).

This guy went heart/lung to head shot, I thought it interesting. Although first shot is through the trunk (??)

Yes, but a good second shot is hardly a guarantee especially in thicker cover.

That seems very odd to take a frontal heart shot when a frontal brain is presented. I don’t know why a PH would recommend that. If you listen to video PH instructs between the front legs.

 

[Brian]

Too much recoil too often = flinch development in many (most?) folks. It can also lead to serious health issues. Difficult to shoot a big bore accurately if you can no longer see the hand in front of your face. Not to mention shoulder injuries.

I have endured more than a dozen laser patch jobs to my retinas. Best way to describe it is a cattle prod going off in my brain. Sobbed like a baby. And then there's the major surgeries where eye is simply pulled out of socket ... with no anesthesia. I wouldn't wish it on someone I hated. Certainly not my wife (maybe my ex wife ). Be careful how much recoil your eyes absorb. I would estimate the risk of retina damage is higher than bull riding.

Good post Ontario Hunter,

I will be turning 80 shortly after my next cape buffalo hunt. I have been thinking about recoil.
I finally gave in and built a very ugly tank type muzzle brake for my .577 NE single shot. ( I guess that "ugly" doesn't matter in this case considering that my latest camo and stock configuration for my .577 is also very ugly. chuckle)

Regardless, the muzzle brake really works. The recoil now feels like it's in between a .375HH and a 416 Rigby, I like it! The noise doesn't affect me as I wear electronic ear muffs due to my considerable hearing loss. I have not told the PH about this yet. I think that I will bring him my second set of electric ear muffs. Brian

PS, About practicing, I seldom practice with my .577NE., maybe shoot 10 rounds per year outside of hunting. I have accurate shooting of big bores welded into my brain. B

 

[Beck]

I have a .450 Rigby, and I'd like to buy a .505 Gibbs - while a .500 jeffery is tempting I think that will be too much

 

[Aussie_Hunter]

That is why the common saying is for one to shoot the biggest bore one can shoot accurately. Those that prefer bigger bores practice and learn how to handle the recoil of the rifle.

If one is afraid of the recoil and thinks of big bores as "too much recoil" then one will never practice and learn the techniques of handling recoil.

Agreed, when I do a range session with my 500 Jeffery its quite often 20 rounds or so and it doesn't bother me at all.