Recoil Question

[ffuries]

Have you ever checked the head space on the M91. Excessive recoil can be caused by too high chamber pressures you know too. Does it show any signs of high chamber pressures on the ammo after it is fired? Things like almost pressure flattened primers that look like light hits, wrinkles or cracks in the shells up toward the bullet end, light damage on the head of the bolt, broken extractors where the head suddenly shows up gone, hard to open bolts, and the list goes on. Generally when I feel a real kicker of a rifle, I mean out of the ordinary for the model, I am real careful around it and look at stuff real close after the range trip I discovered it. It can be an indication of excessive chamber pressures so I go back over things I have already measured again just in case something has changed or I missed something. M91's are usually very calm rifles to shoot one reason I enjoy them so much.

Other things that can effect recoil are the general overall tightness of a rifle, I mean one that has very little wear or is fitted with a new barrel. Ammo is also a great effector of the recoil too but I assume we all know that here. Certain rifles because I have such dang long arms seem to recoil the hell out of me because I have no where to fold my arms and hold the rifle into my shoulder without getting my arms in the way. The SKS comes to mind immediately along with the AK family. Vepr is the first one of those that I am comfortable shooting because I fitted a real long Saiga shotgun stock to mine. Actually after shooting Mosins for so many years I rarely feel too much difference between models because with age I shoot everything off the bench. Hope I gave you some ideas and you continue shooting and enjoying your Mosins. Bill

Head space was checked and it's good, no deformed shells, all primer hits were consistent with the M91/30 and M44. The same ammo was shot between the 3 Mosin's with no issues, I checked the shells after each round of firing, for deformity, cracks, splits, primer strikes etc. The ammo was made by MFS (FMJ 174 Gr). The kick was comparable or slightly lighter than the M44, with the M91/30 being the milder kick of the three. The M91 is a 1917 Tula PTG with a 1917 barrel on it still.

[zeebill]

Have you ever checked the head space on the M91. Excessive recoil can be caused by too high chamber pressures you know too. Does it show any signs of high chamber pressures on the ammo after it is fired? Things like almost pressure flattened primers that look like light hits, wrinkles or cracks in the shells up toward the bullet end, light damage on the head of the bolt, broken extractors where the head suddenly shows up gone, hard to open bolts, and the list goes on. Generally when I feel a real kicker of a rifle, I mean out of the ordinary for the model, I am real careful around it and look at stuff real close after the range trip I discovered it. It can be an indication of excessive chamber pressures so I go back over things I have already measured again just in case something has changed or I missed something. M91's are usually very calm rifles to shoot one reason I enjoy them so much.

Other things that can effect recoil are the general overall tightness of a rifle, I mean one that has very little wear or is fitted with a new barrel. Ammo is also a great effector of the recoil too but I assume we all know that here. Certain rifles because I have such dang long arms seem to recoil the hell out of me because I have no where to fold my arms and hold the rifle into my shoulder without getting my arms in the way. The SKS comes to mind immediately along with the AK family. Vepr is the first one of those that I am comfortable shooting because I fitted a real long Saiga shotgun stock to mine. Actually after shooting Mosins for so many years I rarely feel too much difference between models because with age I shoot everything off the bench. Hope I gave you some ideas and you continue shooting and enjoying your Mosins. Bill

Bill, your post are always appreciated and your opinions respected. We are all lucky to have your experience to draw on.

I hate to admit it but most of the stuff I have learned over the years are from screw-ups I made and that is the reason I try and comment even if I may seem off base at times I just don't want people to make the same mistakes because more than once I have had a real close call as a result of my stupidity. We are as I said often by nature kind of stupid creatures with big egos and that alone makes us very dangerous. I know I can be honest with others more than I can with myself and that can be a big failing! Bill

[ffuries]

Have you ever checked the head space on the M91. Excessive recoil can be caused by too high chamber pressures you know too. Does it show any signs of high chamber pressures on the ammo after it is fired? Things like almost pressure flattened primers that look like light hits, wrinkles or cracks in the shells up toward the bullet end, light damage on the head of the bolt, broken extractors where the head suddenly shows up gone, hard to open bolts, and the list goes on. Generally when I feel a real kicker of a rifle, I mean out of the ordinary for the model, I am real careful around it and look at stuff real close after the range trip I discovered it. It can be an indication of excessive chamber pressures so I go back over things I have already measured again just in case something has changed or I missed something. M91's are usually very calm rifles to shoot one reason I enjoy them so much.

Other things that can effect recoil are the general overall tightness of a rifle, I mean one that has very little wear or is fitted with a new barrel. Ammo is also a great effector of the recoil too but I assume we all know that here. Certain rifles because I have such dang long arms seem to recoil the hell out of me because I have no where to fold my arms and hold the rifle into my shoulder without getting my arms in the way. The SKS comes to mind immediately along with the AK family. Vepr is the first one of those that I am comfortable shooting because I fitted a real long Saiga shotgun stock to mine. Actually after shooting Mosins for so many years I rarely feel too much difference between models because with age I shoot everything off the bench. Hope I gave you some ideas and you continue shooting and enjoying your Mosins. Bill

Bill, your post are always appreciated and your opinions respected. We are all lucky to have your experience to draw on.

I hate to admit it but most of the stuff I have learned over the years are from screw-ups I made and that is the reason I try and comment even if I may seem off base at times I just don't want people to make the same mistakes because more than once I have had a real close call as a result of my stupidity. We are as I said often by nature kind of stupid creatures with big egos and that alone makes us very dangerous. I know I can be honest with others more than I can with myself and that can be a big failing! Bill

It could very well be "User Error" on my part for all I know. That is one reason I asked the collective knowledge base on here. Could be with the rifle being as long as it is, and the fact I fire from an unsupported position (IE Standing) I didn't have the rifle seated all the way. Never know, I'll see what happens on the next range trip. As far as advice and opinions, the more I ask, the more I learn.

Big difference in shooting these, versus the M-16 and M9's I fired in the military, might need to change my stance or something.

[Mike]

I don't have a problem with rifle or shotgun recoil. I pull the thumpers in really tight. It doesn't give them a running start to pound you. I do however have a problem with high velocity light-weight alloy handguns. Sunday, I was shooting my Son's 2" .357 mag, and that sucker lets your hand know it.

I just bought a Ruger LCR, .38 Special +P plastic gun, it weighs less than a pound loaded. I shot some +P tonight, that's not something I'll do with any regularity, it wasn't fun, I can only imagine how .357 would feel, that kicks badly enough in my Security Six.

[jones0430]

All .30 caliber rounds in full sized rifle cartridges tend to be shoulder thumpers. the 7.62x54r has a lot of room for powder, and the Russians wanted to throw that bullet a long ways.

I took the son of a friend to the shooting range, he was 20 at the time, and I let him shoot the 91/30, Mauser Kar98k, and he decided to start with my M1 Garand. I had told him before we entered the bay how to hold, aim, and shoot. As he sat down at the bench I reminded him to pull the butt in tight to his shoulder. He held it loosely for the first shot.

After that shot, he gave me a dirty look, i just smiled. He never forgot to pull the butt in tight again.

[ffuries]

When my dad took me shooting for the first time it was ugly. I was a scrawny 8 year old kid. Shot the 44 magnum first, nice bruise and cut on the forehead, 270 next with scope, nice bruise, cut and scope bite around the eye, 12 gauge next good bruise on the shoulder, Winchester 30-30 next, not as bad as the others but still kicked....He finished up with the Marlin 22, I didn't feel a thing, after I shot it he told me I would learn to shoot, hunt with that until I was man enough to use the other guns.

My mom thought I had gotten my arse whopped by my dad I was so bloody and bruised, but I did learn to respect fire arms that day and still do to this day.