Reminds me of the movie The Guns of Navarone, when the big guns were firing, the gun crews would all open their mouths and place their hands over their ears.

You ever notice when one of our big battleships were firing off their 16 inchers, you never see many sailors on the decks?

gandog56, that's got to be the absolutely coolest picture representing muzzle blast that I've ever seen! Now I really do feel like a wuss for letting that 'tiny' 45/70 get to me. 

Those are 45/70's.  Just really hot loads

Quote from: sqlbullet on August 31 2015 07:51:12 AM MDT
Those are 45/70's.  Just really hot loads

LOL! Yeah, ++++++++++P++++++++++. 

When you fire a large cal rifle cartridge in a rifle, both hands and arms soak up some of the jolt as well as most of your body.

Put those cartridges in a pistol and it is like standing there with your arms out, hands open, and letting a couple major-league baseball players hit you in the hands with their best swing.

Actual severe damage has been done to shooters of large calibers.
So ask yourself, is this kind of fun worth the result?

I can help you with the 45-70 problem by selling you my Encore barrel in 458 Winchester Magnum.  The 45-70 won't kick less but it will be more fun than the 458WM.

Then again, you aren't holding the wrong end of the gun when you fire it, are you.

Interesting.  I will just stay with 30-06 on my Encore. 

Quote from: screwedby on September 21 2015 09:57:53 AM MDT
When you fire a large cal rifle cartridge in a rifle, both hands and arms soak up some of the jolt as well as most of your body.

Put those cartridges in a pistol and it is like standing there with your arms out, hands open, and letting a couple major-league baseball players hit you in the hands with their best swing.

Actual severe damage has been done to shooters of large calibers.
So ask yourself, is this kind of fun worth the result?

I can help you with the 45-70 problem by selling you my Encore barrel in 458 Winchester Magnum.  The 45-70 won't kick less but it will be more fun than the 458WM.

Then again, you aren't holding the wrong end of the gun when you fire it, are you.

I've been shooting big bore handguns for 30 years, and I can say without exception that technique is the most important aspect to preventing injuries. That, and avoiding truly stupid chamberings. Of course handguns will recoil differently than a rifle, and that recoil will be more pronounced in your hands, wrists, and elbows. I'm a big guy(6'-7", 300lbs.) and my wrists measure 9" around, and there's no way that my body could have survived all these years of big bore shooting if someone hadn't shown me how to shoot correctly.
That being said, I'm going to have to say no to your 458 offer. Besides, I'm not too sure sure it would have felt that different from those insane Buffalo Bore rounds that I touched off. If I wanted to hurt myself, I wouldn't mess around with some 'wimpy' 458 Win Mag chambering, I'd go with the 50 BMG in an Encore, and I'd make sure that Buffalo Bore supplied the ammo. Oh yeah, and I'd remember to hold on to the wrong end of the gun.

The sailors would have their eardrums blown out. Had one troop who blew out one of his ears when he was too close to a tank that let a round go off. This ship is way more powerful.

My Big Nasty:



The chambering:


Rigby case next to a 30-06:


I wouldn't want anything to do with the gun without the brake.  It is a one hand job as long as you just let the recoil move the gun.  Try to keep it stiff and it will move you too.

Greg