Im seriously frustrated with being a wuss with a rifle...

Queen Bee

Queen Bee

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I'll be the first to say while i make good hits with a rifle i am recoil sensitive / Shy

all skin and bones in the shoulder area , so no padding . And ive got issues with the thump of firing a centerfire rifle, or maybe its the bolt carrier moving back and forth that i dont like the jump near my face?

Another problem is even in .223/5.45 i end up with my shoulder withe small broken red marks from the stockall around in my shoulder and im not a fan.

Ive almost given up trying to shoot rifles except in .22lr

I love the ak platform as its fun and easy to use ,easy to take apart. my sgl31 is nice to look at but if i dont want to shoot it due to being uncomfortable with it , whats the point. Should try the ar-15 again. I think it had a little less jump to it ? and now considering a heavy bolt action remington 700 sps tac that has just one big houge grip stock on it to maybe try to reduce the recoil of the .223/5.45 recoil?

I gues part of it could be the regular metal ended stock on the ak platform? Any ideas should i try something else in the stock department? Or quit dumping money into rifles.

One thing i dont like is the idea of having to use a PAST pad thing that wraps around my shoulder . One more inconvience to shooting

Should i try out an ar-15 again? Or go to the bolt action ? Or save the money and buy a .22?
 
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Well if you are a frail person and bruise easily, I really don't think that there is much more you can do. If an AR is bothering your shoulder, then nothing else is going to be better at all. Now when shooting my Mosins and Axis in 30-06, going to the AR feels like a .22lr too me. Could you get one of the rubber pads to put on your stock, or maybe just change out your stock completely?

Charles.
 
If .223 is hurting your shoulder I'm almost inclined to think there may be something medically wrong with you. I'm not trying to knock you. But I've seen 60 pound kids soaking wet shoot and have no problem with .223.
What about shotguns? You have any trouble with those too? There are some things you can do to help with recoil, limb saver pads and such. But if .223 bothers you I can't imagine such devices would help you with anything bigger.
If .223 is a problem for you, if you ever have thoughts about something bigger, like a 30-06, don't do it.
 
I think the ar had better length of pull, the ak stock is too short id like a good 3 inches to it i think.

I know the ar with the stock almost completely extended felt better as far as ergos go. But should i convert the ak stock to AR type? Or just go to AR?

Would a DI ar have less recoil. ? I have only shot a piston AR

Its funny when people dont believe me that i get red marks from .223 but you can ask f2blica or sniper from the forums who shot with me. I just cant help it. They said i had good form while shooting.

Its not like i end up with a super sore shoulder at the end of the day with .223. Its more about how do not end up with red marks on my shoulder. So i dont think there is something medically wrong lol but maybe my skin is just delicate?

On the recoil shyness issue i dont know what to do about that.
 
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You may want to try a shotgun style slip-on type recoil pad.
It's extra cushy and spreads the energy over a wider area.
You can also take it off quickly and put it on a different rifle.
They may look a bit awkward, but who cares if it helps you shoot better.

s7_221946_999_02


As for going with a bolt action centerfire, they kick harder than a semiauto, because the bolt doesn't move upon firing, there's zero recoil mitigation in the action.
 
Queen Bee said:
I think the ar had better length of pull, the ak stock is too short id like a good 3 inches to it i think.

I know the ar with the stock almost completely extended felt better as far as ergos go. But should i convert the ak stock to AR type? Or just go to AR?

Would a DI ar have less recoil. ? I have only shot a piston AR
Click to expand...

the piston ARs have a little more muzzle jump, but I don't think they have any more or less recoil.
 
Queen Bee said:
I'll be the first to say while i make good hits with a rifle i am recoil sensitive, all skin and bones in the shoulder area , so no padding . And ive got issues with the thump of firing a centerfire rifle, or maybe its the bolt carrier moving back and forth . Dont really know

Another problem is even in .223/5.45 i end up looking like a bear mauled my shoulder with broken blood vessels all around in my shoulder

Ive almost given up trying to shoot rifles except in .22lr

I love the ak platform as its fun and easy to use ,easy to take apart. my sgl31 is nice to look at but if i dont want to shoot it due to being uncomfortable with it , whats the point. ive tried the ar-15, cant remember what it felt like though. I think it had a little less jump to it ? and now considering a heavy bolt action remington 700 sps tac that has just one big houge grip stock on it to maybe try to reduce the recoil of the .223/5.45 recoil?

I gues part of it could be the regular metal ended stock on the ak platform? Any ideas should i try something else in the stock department? Or quit dumping money into rifles.

One thing i dont like is the idea of having to use a PAST pad thing that wraps around my shoulder . One more inconvience to shooting

Should i try out an ar-15 again? Or go to the bolt action ? Or save the money and buy a .22?
Click to expand...

What do you want to do with the rifle? Plink? Home defense? If it's just plinking go with a 22lr, for a fighting rifle I'd try the AR again, but with a tuned gas/buffer system to smooth it out. A mid length/Vltor A5 system is about as smooth as it gets.
 
oilspill said:
What do you want to do with the rifle? Plink? Home defense? If it's just plinking go with a 22lr, for a fighting rifle I'd try the AR again, but with a tuned gas/buffer system to smooth it out. A mid length/Vltor A5 system is about as smooth as it gets.
Click to expand...

add in a full auto carrier and an H2 buffer to slow the action a bit and soak up more recoil too.
 
Based on your avitar photo, the stock doesn't fit and you are firing a right ejecting gun from your left shoulder. This can't be good for correct stock placement. Get a bolt gun in .223 and bring it to a gunsmith to adjust the length of pull and install a thin pad. Of course if the avitar is not you and the rifle, nevermind.
White Feather
 
If you have somewhere to shoot an AR, I'd be game for coming up with an AR and an M&P 15-22 for you to try out.
 
image.jpg Heres a photo from today. Shot 90 rounds and had to move the rifle around on the shoulder because i was getting soft spots all recovered by the time i got home

Excuse the bad photo

- - - Updated - - -

Lol!!!
 
Zappa said:
You may want to try a shotgun style slip-on type recoil pad.
It's extra cushy and spreads the energy over a wider area.
You can also take it off quickly and put it on a different rifle.
They may look a bit awkward, but who cares if it helps you shoot better.

s7_221946_999_02


As for going with a bolt action centerfire, they kick harder than a semiauto, because the bolt doesn't move upon firing, there's zero recoil mitigation in the action.
Click to expand...

that would also give you more stock length!

-or stop wearing armless shirts so it doesn't show.
[grin]
 
There are pads for shotgunners that go over the shoulder as there are pads for the stock itself. Walmart usually has both and they are cheap.

Hold wise, do you flex your muscle or keep it completely relaxed, the muscles against which you lean the rifle? I also have bony shoulders (my hookers keep telling me that ... rugby) and positioning buttock against a collar or bare bone is just bad idea. It's good to experiment with the hold when your shoulder is not hurting. Also, men typically develop muscle around that area different than women, so may be some exercise would help to build up muscles and improve circulation.
 
If you aren't even sore afterwards, it just sounds like you have sensitive skin. In general, I get red marks all over the place from any type of 'contact'... like if I scratch my arm, it will likely swell up (pending how hard the scratch is) and definitely turn red but it will go away after a bit. No pain at all.

Like others have said, if possible, try a recoil pad if you're sensitive to the kick.
 
Have you ever had anyone show you how to properly hold an AK? They are indeed short rifles but I know guys that have long arms that can tuck in and shoot them effectively.

If its definitely the recoil thats bothering you, UTG makes an AK butt pad that adds about 2" and looks like the Russian military ones.
LEAPERS UTG AK47 Saiga Original Recoil Stock Pad Butt

And if its the length of pull that bothers you, there are longer stock sets like the NATO length ones.
Saiga AK47 K-VAR Stock Nato Length style
 
i don't hvae sensitive skin but i get those broken blood vessels just from practice shouldering my AK.
same goes for ar.

i don't think length of stock has anything to do with it. AKs have nice rounded grenade-launcher stock pads, they are not trully recoil-pads since they do not really have all that much give.
however they will eliminate sharp edges from ak but-plate and increase surface area of contact. they do add some length of pull as well. i think you should try it on your ak. no reason to give up a gun that you love.

AK-005B-Buttpad-K-Var.jpg
 
I can tuck it in pretty well. Pulling it into my shoulder so its tight with my arms and pushing slightly forward with my shoulder joint while leaning forward .
 
SKS Ray said:
Have you ever had anyone show you how to properly hold an AK? They are indeed short rifles but I know guys that have long arms that can tuck in and shoot them effectively.

If its definitely the recoil thats bothering you, UTG makes an AK butt pad that adds about 2" and looks like the Russian military ones.
LEAPERS UTG AK47 Saiga Original Recoil Stock Pad Butt

And if its the length of pull that bothers you, there are longer stock sets like the NATO length ones.
Saiga AK47 K-VAR Stock Nato Length style
Click to expand...

Ray is correct. i forgot to mention that you need to use different stance when shouldering AK. a lot of folks in us who grew up shooting long guns with long LOP having trouble with AK. just a different hold.
when holding AK your chest is almost perpendicular to the axis of the gun, unlike with longer stock guns. there is a pic floating around showing difference and correct hold for standard length stock AK

couldn't find that diagram but here is what i mean. notice difference?

425115.jpg
AK-47%20shooting_stag%20prague(2).jpg

images
wln_creedmoor_web300.jpg
 
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