Ar15 unpleasant recoil?

[rwsmith]

Aha

The OP mentioned that he shot a .223 bolt rifle, so I don't believe muzzle blast is the problem, even though the blast can be shocking if you're unfamiliar with it. I agree with fit most likely being a problem, but does anybody think thatf there isn't something about the buffer that's not buffering, too?

 

[CrustyShellback]

Sorry, I'm another that can't see why/how you would have an issue with the recoil, from a .223/5.56, especially the AR platform. Its literally a springy feeling, *SPROING*.

Also, a .223 bolt action, is going to have significantly more kick, than an AR. All the force of the recoil, is pushing back into your shoulder. The only dampening, really... is a recoil pad in that case. My Stevens .308, now that kicks like a horse, kicking thru your shoulder. Bipod helped, considerably, but still. Not a fun rifle to shoot (and expensive), for more than a few groups.

However, I do see the need for a buttpad on the ARs, just simply for shoulder seating/placement and retention... I've got a Tapco Intrafuse buttpad ($10), that just slips right on. Its a nice thick, pad... though not the softest rubber. Its still pretty substantial and has a bit of a curve on the back. It feels and seats, real nice up against where, I like to hold my rifle.

EDIT: Yeah, I know... the .308 isn't that big a cartridge. After having my chest cracked open, the wrong type of big rifle recoil, is very unpleasant. I do not like shooting bolt actions anymore, because of it.

 

[rojodiablo]

Man up...the evil rifle has tiny recoil

Agreed. Rub a little M.A.N. on it, and the pain will go away.

In all seriousness, the recoil IS different because of the weight of the bolt going rearward, then forward with force. Also, with wooden stocks, and synthetic full length stocks, the buttstock DOEs divert energy differently than an AR, which has no such deadening material from stem to stern. But seriously; it's nothing to run 500 rounds and not have a sore shoulder.

The doctors' remedy for AR15 pain? A prescription of 3" 12ga. mag goose loads of 1-5/8oz tungsten. Shoot 20, and call me in the morning.

 

[MichiganScott]

The doctors' remedy for AR15 pain? A prescription of 3" 12ga. mag goose loads of 1-5/8oz tungsten. Shoot 20, and call me in the morning.

I've always believed that I was pretty much recoil proof having shot two boxes of 300 grain .375 H&H off the bench one day while working up handloads. I just fired my son-in-law's fixed breech turkey gun with 2 oz. max lead loads. That got my attention.

 

[bhayles]

I've always believed that I was pretty much recoil proof having shot two boxes of 300 grain .375 H&H off the bench one day while working up handloads. I just fired my son-in-law's fixed breech turkey gun with 2 oz. max lead loads. That got my attention.

Like you, recoil has never bothered me much...though when deer season came around zeroing my .300 Win Mag wasn't real fun each year...except once.

My grandfather had a double barrel 10 guage. Several years after his death I was going goose hunting for the first time and borrowed it from my grandmother.

Well, unbeknownst to her or anyone else, my grandfather had decided that if anyone ever stole it they should pay at least SOME price, and since most folks pull the forward trigger first, then the rear trigger on a double, he had rigged it so if you pulled the rear trigger then the front everything went normally, but if you pulled the front trigger first you got both barrels at once.

Oooops!...

 

[rojodiablo]

Like you, recoil has never bothered me much...though when deer season came around zeroing my .300 Win Mag wasn't real fun each year...except once.

My grandfather had a double barrel 10 guage. Several years after his death I was going goose hunting for the first time and borrowed it from my grandmother.

Well, unbeknownst to her or anyone else, my grandfather had decided that if anyone ever stole it they should pay at least SOME price, and since most folks pull the forward trigger first, then the rear trigger on a double, he had rigged it so if you pulled the rear trigger then the front everything went normally, but if you pulled the front trigger first you got both barrels at once.

Oooops!...

Yes, a lot of good select trigger shotguns have that ability. And yes...... I got caught by a double gun (12ga.) that did the exact same thing. Hard on a 14 year old shoulder......

 

[rojodiablo]

Severely overgassed?

I can't relate.

Even this with its complete lack of stock and super short gas tube is not bad:

To be fair, a good 30% of the powder from that cartridge is burning outside that short barrel.....Hell, I can see the tip of the bullet sticking out of the muzzle, fer crying out loud!!

 

[gunny4053]

OK, iron6, fess up. It's been a couple weeks and the rest of us have discussed this at length, so have you figured it out?

 

[AFischer]

My Sport II stock sucks.

I don't know why but when I shoot my Smith & Wesson M&P sport II. The stock digs in to my solder. Which is uncomfortable but not unbearable. My friend who owns a really nice AR-15 shot it and said the same thing. The M&P Sport II is a very nice AR-15 but it's stock is just ****ing awful.

 

[Kadonny]

Throw a different recoil pad in it and see if that helps. Limbsaver and a bunch of others make slip ons.

 

[cyphertext]

I don't know why but when I shoot my Smith & Wesson M&P sport II. The stock digs in to my solder. Which is uncomfortable but not unbearable. My friend who owns a really nice AR-15 shot it and said the same thing. The M&P Sport II is a very nice AR-15 but it's stock is just ****ing awful.

The basic stock on the Sport is no different from the basic stock that comes on a Colt, FN, or any other rifle that comes with the GI type stock...

 

[Brian in Oregon]

What muzzle brake or flash hider is on the gun? Some of them I nickname "Loudeners". Some like the AK74 style brake are just flat out painful to shoot from a hearing standpoint.

This is my Kel-Tec PLR-16 .223 with a 9" barrel. It is PAINFULLY loud without proper hearing protection, and by that I mean both squishy plugs AND ear muffs. Muzzle flash for most ammo is about the size of a watermelon. It's just not a pleasant gun to fire, yet recoil is like a .357 Magnum in a S&W Model 27.

(And yes, it is tax stamped as an AOW so the vertical fore grip is legal.)

 

[bloodlord77]

You can also run a full auto bcg, an "H", or "H2" buffer, and springco spring if you're not already. This will slow down the action, and soften up the felt recoil significantly over a semi auto bcg, carbine buffer and spring.

 

[hdwhit]

iron6 wrote:
Its almost imperceptible but the ar seems to "sting" or have a certain sharpness to it.

What make and model AR is it?

Has it been modified since it was purchased? If so, what were the modifications?

Are you shooting factory ammunition or reloaded ammunition? If reloads, what bullet weight and powder charge are you using?

 

[Ranger98]

I just added a rubber recoil pad to mine.Problem solved

 

[jake1945]

You need to see a doctor because you definitely have a serious shoulder problem.
A rubber recoil pad on an AR? You're kidding right?

 

[TX-Dennis]

This is perplexing. I would tend toward believing it's a fit issue, but I have shot my two ARs with the stock fully extended, fully retracted, and pretty much everything in between. The recoil is not much more than that of a 22LR. The muzzle blast is jarring, though. Especially to those standing nearby. I don't really notice it when I'm shooting - only when some one else is.

I'm guessing something is amiss in your buffer setup or the stock you are using just hits you in the wrong place. Take the buffer out and clean the tube and spring. See if anything is broken. Maybe try a slightly heavier or lighter buffer or a newer spring and see what that does.

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

Muzzle brake is another consideration.

I did a couple vids of the wife with two of my 16in carbines. See the difference in muzzle rise and her being pushed around between a bare muzzle and a Lantac brake. My wife's review was.... The one with the muzzle thingie is a lot nicer to shoot.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZ37ByaIiKU[/ame]

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyDhqU22asA[/ame]

 

[jabrooks07]

I don't know why but when I shoot my Smith & Wesson M&P sport II. The stock digs in to my solder. Which is uncomfortable but not unbearable. My friend who owns a really nice AR-15 shot it and said the same thing. The M&P Sport II is a very nice AR-15 but it's stock is just ****ing awful.

i agree completely. i think im going with the daniel defense stock on mine. it seems to just fit. I got a really nice ati stock laying around but its for a commercial tube. it came off a DB-15

 

[hugger-4641]

I have a friend who has an Ar-15 with a custom muzzle break that is ported back towards the rifle. It is horrible to shoot compared to my stock Sport II.

 

[kpoesq369]

It may be muzzle blast, especially with a brake as opposed to a flash hider, but it might be the buffer bottoming out. Next time it's field stripped take a look at the rear of the buffer. May need either a new spring or a heavier buffer. For the 16" guns that have 4 different weights, running from unmarked at the lightest and H1,2 or 3 as they get heavier.

 

[Maddmax]

Try going in a completely different direction.

Move up to a mid-length or rifle length gas system and get away from the carbine length system.

That or add a gas block and settle that thing down a bit.

As old as this post is, I'm thinking you already dumped it anyway.

 

[WR Moore]

I didn't post on this because I've never had a recoil issue with .223/5/56mm.

The other night I was shooting and experience severe pain. I realized that I'd assumed a position where the rifle butt was squarely on my collar bone. There's no padding there and boy, that smarts.

OP, if you're still with us, you need to alter your shooting position/gun mount. The rifle butt needs to be on muscle tissue, not sensitive body parts.

 

[Wanderling]

The recoil on AR feels different for someone used to shooting AKs or hunting rifles. But it's also lighter. Just started shooting my AR.
I did feel some discomfort but I think it was purely psychological - an unfamiliar and weird to me "clung-clung" of the buffer.