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Thompson Center Encore 416 Rigby Recoil Test, with 460 Smith, 500, 12 gauge and a few other comparisons
The pictures below detail a recoil test of the Thompson Center Pro Hunter Encore Rifle with a 400 grain Hornady Safari Grade bullet. 117 grains of Reloder 22 were used as a maximum (DNE) for this bullet, pushing it at 2705 with a CUP of 51,000. Recoil for a 10 pound gun was calculated at a recoil energy of 58.1 and a recoil velocity of 19.3. Safari PH's know that any recoil energy over 20 foot pounds, and any velocity over 15 will develop a serious flinch over time, and may do shoulder damage, from torn ligaments to eventual bursitis. Velocity is the key measure, although the energy gives the "kick." These recoil numbers compare to others as follow, for foot pounds (RE)/ velocity (RV): 375 H and H: 36/16; .50 BMG: 70/12; 44 Magnum Smith ultra lite: 158/101 (355 grains, 1800 FPS, 21 grains powder).
Shooting a 500 SW magnum or 460 SW magnum through a Thompson Center Encore PISTOL can cause the gun to fly over your head if you don't hang on tight, and the ultra light Smiths have the same recoil as a 577 Tyro, albeit not touching your shoulder! They can damage the integument between your thumb and finger, and fly out of your hand. Compare a 357 mag at 5/7 or a 12 gauge magnum at 51/18. The short barrel 460 Smith mag revolver can be shot with one hand, due to the extremely heavy weight (we've done it many times). Try that with an Encore, and you'll be missing your forehead.
The reason for this test is the incredibly light weight of the T/C Encore Pro Hunter Rifle in 416 Rigby: ONLY 6.5 pounds! According to experts the world around, this is a formula for disaster-- NO gun shooting the monster Rigby should be under at least 10 pounds according to these PHs. T/C counters that the new limbsaver "recoil spring" (see pictures) system and pad, plus the muzzle brake, more than make up for the stunning recoil even at this low weight! Recalcalculating the recoil with our max load and this very light gun gives RE at 130 foot pounds and RV at 36! That beats the .470 Nitro Express by 46 points!
Pictures below detail the results. Our personal evaluation: the muzzle brake on the T/C works better than advertised-- the lift is minimal with even this light a gun. The recoil with the new limbsaver is devastating but astonishing in what is transferred to the shoulder, much sharper than a 12 gauge, but about as painful (or lacking in pain) as a 375 H and H. Is this a 50% reduction as T/C advertises? Technically, it could be, but much of that recoil savings is "spent" by having such a light gun. Compared to the CZ 550 or the Ruger #1, the recoil is very similar. (Double click the big picture below for a detailed description).
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