As I get older, I find myself noticing the recoil of the bigger boomers a little more. When I was younger and probably had a little less sense. I didn’t think I would ever find a handgun that I couldn’t shoot.
Well, tonight while setting at my reloading table. I started thinking about this subject a little more. And I figured I’d throw it out on this forum, and get everyone’s opinion.
Is there such a thing as a breaking point for you? Is there a certain pistol or caliber, that you have said to yourself, this is as far as I go?
I think all of us folks on this page, are a little different then the normal shooter. I know myself, I like the feeling of the shock to my hand when I pull the trigger. My wife has always said. That the harder it kick, the bigger the grin is on my face.
Just wanted to get some of you guys thoughts on this.

Well I can relate but the key is moderation and loading down to make aiming and squeezing the trigger more likely. I own a 500 S&W X-frame with a 6.5 inch barrel ported barrel. Not in the catalog anymore at S&W. A 460V 460 S&W magnum with a 5 inch muzzle brake equipped barrel. And a model 329PD with a quad ported by Mag-Na-Port 4.25 inch barrel. All can be a handful of grin inducing pleasure. But 500 JRH 440 grain hard cast loads at 950 fps, and 45 Colt Garrett Cartridges of Texas loads pushing a 360 grain hard cast gas check bullet at 1300 fps, and 310 grain 44 magnum loads from Garrett Cartridges of Texas especially for 4 inch barreled 44 magnum revolvers at 1000 fps put some fun back in the shooting.

I believe my message was misinterpreted, from what I was trying to ask. My apologies. What I’m asking is, what’s your breaking point. When is too much, too much?
Is it the 500 S&W without a break, shooting 700gr. Bullets?
Is it the 50 Alaskan?
Or maybe larger, or even a smaller caliber.

Oh! Well mine would be the 50 Alaskan in any handgun. 500 S&W magnum with 700 grain bullets are also too much for me in my revolver model. It can be done but no grin afterwards.

The 500 S&W shoot 700gr. Does peak my curiosity. The 50 Alaskan is definitely pushing the limits of grin factor. And the 700 nitro (which I’ve only seen in video) definitely is something I think I’d rather be a spectator of. Lol

I haven't found my breaking point yet. I am a little nuts. The hardest recoiling handgun I know of if the Kahnke 82 muzzle loader with their original load data. We ran it through the computer and came up with 98lbs of recoil at 48fps. It makes the hottest .454 feel like a cap gun. I shoot it 3 times a year then hunt with it. I called them years ago and he told me tat they had backed way off of the original load recommendations. At one time (early 80s ) it was the most powerful handgun in the world. I meant to order a more docile barrel for mine. They are interchangeable. I was going to get one of the .50 with factory scope mount barrels but waited too long.

I have NO DESIRE to EVER shoot another 454 Cassuel pistol! My 15 in Encore in 30-06 will NEVER be shot by me again, without the muzzle brake installed! With the brake it is shootable. When we shoot silhouette matches I need to shoot the .22 first, as 45 rounds of 308 or 3oo Whisper both with brakes, makes the tremors in my hands bad enough that I can barely keep the .22 on the targets. All my hunting revolvers start with a 4, and are all ran at 1100 to 1200 fps.

In Revolvers I have marked the Line In The Sand at a the 480 Ruger Super RedHawk.
I now have GOOD make that VERY GOOD Muzzle Brakes on almost every single shot I own. With a Very Good Muzzle Brake one can stand a lot more cartridge. BUT today I will probably draw the line at 308 Win / 150 grain size cartridges in a comfortable platform to shoot. I am sure I can stand larger cartridges, but I really have no need for them. I do not enjoy being beat up in my old age.

Bob R

You ask a hard question to answer, depending on the gun a .357 can be too much in a scandium frame 2 in pistol with hot loads and is for a lot of people. My tolerance varies depending on platform a light 4 in .44 mag is too much for me whereas in my 10 in Blackhawk its shootable. My 15 in 30-06 Encore is NOT shootable for me without the brake, with the brake it is a very shootable gun, my .480 Ruger Super Red with Pachmayer grips is ok ,with Ruger grips NO! so a lot depends on the platform and how it is set up. A 454 Casuell is NOT shootable in any gun I have tried, a .475, 500 linebaugh a short barreled Ruger Alaskan in any flavor, or any Scandium framed revolver, hell no. That's where I draw the line.

I agree, it's a hard question to answer. Coming to hand gun hunting/shooting late only a few years ago, my tolerance for recoil has increased significantly and seems to be still growing. I love the push and thunder of a +p 45 colt 4" redhawk, but couldn't stand the snap of a 44 mag in a 10" contender. A good muzzle break makes a hot 45-70 encore a blast (pun intended) to shoot. I have a 454 SRH that wouldn't get much (any) range time if I didn't have a light 454 load that it likes.

So far, my recoil tolerance has not been met, not yet at least….450 Alaskan, comes close…..411/338 Mag, comes close……my 2 500 S&W Encore pistols are easy to handle with “gorilla” loads, but the muzzle brakes are very effective. My buddy is building a 458 Lott Encore pistol…when I shoot it, I’ll let you know…..big, heavy handguns with muzzle brakes, tame recoil miraculously well…shot, light single actions would plant the front sight in your forehead with similar power.