OMG.....Am I a whimp or do all muzzleloaders kick like a mule???

[jrebel]

I went to the range yesterday and shot my new muzzleloader for the first time.  I am shooting a TC  Black Diamond XR with TC 250gr Sabots and 110 grains of loose pyrodex select.  After 10 shots I had to stop because my should felt like it was going to fall off.    The grouping at 50 yards was awsome with 6 holes touching themselves and two fliers at approx 2 inches left.  I wanted to continue but my shoulder wouldn't take it.  

Do all muzzleloaders kick like this??   I have shot big bore rifles before and the only thing that felt like this was the 416 rigby.  

[rasbo]

I shoot same gun 295 grain powerbelt 110 loose.I can shoot all day..It feels like a push to me

[bobcat]

It shouldn't be bad with a 250 grain bullet. That's pretty light. Try something that's over 400 grains and after that you're 250's won't seem bad at all. You might drop your powder charge down a bit though. 110 grains is kind of heavy. I don't like to go over 90 or 95 grains. When you get up to that level, adding a little more powder doesn't gain you much of anything except recoil.

[stumprat]

I agree with Bobcat. The only thing I have found with using more than 90 grains of loose powder is more smoke and slightly more recoil. But not better accuracy.

[SHANE(WA)]

i shoot 460gr out of my black diamond.I filled the butt of the stock with caulk, add some weight to it

[Skyvalhunter]

vote:Whimp

[deaddog]

vote:Whimp

I agree with all said here, but my vote goes to- wimp.

[buckhorn2]

I have a jacket that has a kevlar pad on the shoulder that really helps if you are shooting alot I got it from cabelas, I also shoot a black diamond and I use 3 50 grain triple seven pellets and 365 power belts and have had good sucess on elk.

[jrebel]

I was waiting for the votes to come in!!!!  "WHIMP"    LMAO.  I was afraid I was getting soft after bow hunting so many years. 

[Blsum]

I have a TC Black Diamond as well. I was having the same issue's as you. I went a put a Limb Saver Recoil pad on mine. What a world of difference. Now I can go to the range and my shoulder doesn't feel like hamburger. You can get them from Cabela's for somewhere around 30-35 bucks.

[stlhdr1]

Shoot triple 7 powder if you want to feel a real kick.........

Knight Bighorn, 295 grain powerbelt with 150 grains of triple 7 pellets.  Knocks you and the animal real goooooood!!..

Keith

[mazama]

I used to think my ml was bad to shoot with 110 of pyrodex and 400gr lead,then i bought a 338 ultramag it proceded to bruise me from my chest alway to my elbow,i changed recoil pad and now take 2aspirin prior to shooting.

[markts]

Whimp.

You get my vote (wimp) :chuckle:Mark

[littlebuf]

six what were touching themselves out at 50 yards? oohhh holes..... holes, read it wrong. i was about to ask what range you shot at

[jrebel]

I'm waiting for my williams peep so I can shoot further than 75 yards.  With the Factory fiber optic sights I can't see the target at anything past 75 yards.  The load seemed to work great, grouping was awsome.  It just hurt like hell......

[colockumelk]

Get a slip on limbsaver but pad.  The difference is night and day.  Bi-Mart has them cheaper as do local gunshops.  Whenever I can I give my business to the little guy.  They need my money alot more than Cabelas does. 

[jrebel]

100% agree, I frequent High Mountain Hunting Supply at least 2 times a week and would rather spend my money there than cabela's anyday.  I do like Cabelas for clothing though because they have a huge selection. 

[BoomWhop]

How many round do most of you take at the range?  I am shooting 120 grains 777,   250 grain shock waves.  after 30 rounds my shoulder does feel like hash.  Is 120 a waist, maybe I could drop down to 110 or 100.  I hope I will be shooting at a big bull this year and thought the extra 20 grains would be needed..

[shoot-em-dead]

If you think that hurts I'll let you shoot my .58 cal with a 660 grain bullet. The catch is you have to shoot it the same way I did. The first time I shot it I had a miss fire. I slowly counted to 30 and then let the gun down and boom. The butt plate is brass and comes to a very sharp point and I felt every bit of it for a month. Still hurts just to think of it.

[colockumelk]

How many round do most of you take at the range?  I am shooting 120 grains 777,   250 grain shock waves.  after 30 rounds my shoulder does feel like hash.  Is 120 a waist, maybe I could drop down to 110 or 100.  I hope I will be shooting at a big bull this year and thought the extra 20 grains would be needed..

This is what I would do since it's early.  Try shooting 110 grains and compare your group to 120 grains.  If the group is the same then stick with 120, if it's better shoot the 110 grains.  Then shoot 100 grains and compare it to your group of 110 grains.  Basically the smaller shot group size is far more important than how fast you are shooting.  After all while yes an elk has huge lungs while broadside what if you have a 350" bull and you have to sneak a shot between branches?  Accuracy is more important.  Oh BTW do all of this at 100yds. 

[MagKarl]

Have you considered the idea of plinking with reduced powder charges?  In my opinion, that's one of the best parts of muzzleloading, I can change my load for every shot if I want to.  I shoot 100gr for deer, but 50-60gr for targets out to 50 yards or so.  If I'm shooting farther, I add more powder.  My hunting load of 100gr puts my sights on at 100 yards.

[Pat/Rick]

I shoot 70-grains of pyrodex select under a 400 grain bullet. Lyman moulds that are a copy of TC maxi. Sorry but they don't make them anymore. I am very closely replicating a 45-70 load. good enough for me. I usually shoot between 20 and 60 rounds when I shoot my rifle. More with the cap-n-ball revolvers but they're just to much fun to put down.

[h2ofowlr]

Yea, the muzzle loaders do kick more than an air rifle and .22.  I see how it might leave a mark.  I would start shooting the .375 H & H and .416 Rigby to break you in for the smoke pole.   

[jrebel]

The 416 Rigby is the only gun that kicked harder than my muzzleloader. 

I just put a limb saver pad on my muzzleloader and Holly s$%^  it ruduce the recoil by at least half.  I could shoot it all day now, as a matter of fact I did and it was great.

[h2ofowlr]

I was used to shooting my Lyman Great Plains rifle.  That didn't kick to bad, but it also feels like it is about 10 lbs.

[B.G.hunter]

my dad has shot more muzzleloader than anyone i know. he says once he gets one sighted in and shots well he'll stop shooting at paper and take the muzzleloader on a hike and shoots rocks, stumps and such to get the feel of shooting off and it reduces felt recoil also. He shoots a 58 cal. under hammer with a 630gr bullet and 130 grains of ffg black powder. I've barrowed it a couple of times and it will whoop your ass if you let it. he currently has 7 muzzleloaders 2 58s, 3 54s, 1 45cal, and 1 36cal and that is what he does everytime and been doing that since the early 70s. that my 

[jdb]

if I vote wimp you wont come beat me up right?

[jdb]

I shoot 90 grains of loose pyrodex and a 370 grain maxi ball  and I am good for as long as the fowling holds out. I started out at 110 and it kicked the snot outta me

[jrebel]

I have been shooting a lot every since i put a Limb saver butt plate on.  I can shoot it all day long now.  Oh and buy the way 150 yards pie plate all day long with 110 grains loose pyrodex and 250 graing spire point sabot.   

[MIKEXRAY]

I was at the range 15 years ago shooting my 54 cal while sitting on a shooting bench, I had the gun tight to my shoulder & it was kicking me like a mule. The old guy next to me was also shooting his ml and informed me I was shooting it wrong. His form was to put the butt of the gun to the right of your shoulder, between shoulder and bicep. ( slips right in there ) He had the gun tight against his chest length wise & his feet were 90 degrees to the target. His theory was that at the shot your torso should rock side ways & absorb the shot in a rocking motion. I have shot like this since & it works. No more black & blue shoulder. Have seen a ton of black powder shooters using this style since. Takes a little getting use to but will cure flinching. Try and let us know. Mike

[westsideoutdoorsman]

Just gotta get some more time on it, you'll toughen up ... 

[mrgoodwrench]

I gotta say WIMP as well.  I shoot the same gun and a bighorn with 3 777 pellets and 295 and 338 powerbelts.  They just push....way less recoil than my 300 win mag I hunted with for years.

[Leanne]

Mules don't kick that hard anyway......lol  WIMP  

[KTMSMOKER]

My Dad has one of those kit 58's.  We could not find any bullets, so we made our own balls out of tire weights.  My dad said grampa would use 2 grains of powder for every grain of bullet.  Not sure where that put us.  It kicked so hard I still have night terrors (this has a great brass butt pad).  My molars were loose from 7 shots, my check was green/blue and black.  My entire boob was green, softball size black mark and a blueish mixture between the two.  I could not hit the broadside of a barn with that damn thing.  This turned me off from mL.  I am thinking og getting back in.  A buddy is probably going to make me a hell of a deal in a cva.  I am guessing my experience with the 58 waa tainted by the lack of knowlege on our part.  Damn that thing hurt.