T-Gewehr Thumping

R

Rescuerandy2

Well-known member
Good Evening,

Shot 15 rounds on Wednesday and took this picture yesterday. I can confirm that shooting the beast without its bipod digging into the ground or the top of a wooden shooting table can result in a good thumping. When using the bipod on a wooden shooting bench, the T-Gewehr normally moves me back about 2-4 inches. With the bipod removed, the gun moved me and the muzzle rest a good 8 inches.

I wanted to simulate the way most of these weapons were used, as pictured in many WWI trench photos, and see if the thumping soldiers complained about is real. YES IT IS!

Randy

T-Gewehr Thumping.jpg
 
Haha thats brutal.
Try shooting an Mg-42 prone on concrete with a short sleeved shirt. I came home looking like someone held me down an burned my arms with a cigarette. Shoulder bruise similar.
But that’s why we love shooting them right!?
 
Thumping is mitigated by getting the buttstock right between your cheekbone and your shoulder. Like tying yourself very tight to a horse for rodeo. Now I get my trigger finger sore or a headache, before my shoulder hurts. 🤣
But, ok, a T-Gewehr or an MG-42 is different than a K98k or a hunting rifle, more bull riding than rodeo.
 
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Recoil impulse is odd and subjective. I can shoot a K98k all day. I really do not like an M1903 Springfield of any flavor. Certain rifles just seem to put more wallop on me than others of the same / similar calibre.
 
Hambone said:
Recoil impulse is odd and subjective. I can shoot a K98k all day. I really do not like an M1903 Springfield of any flavor. Certain rifles just seem to put more wallop on me than others of the same / similar calibre.
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… and it depends on the number of shots.
15 shots with a Tank Gewehr has probably not been achieved in combat or rarely.
Same for a 98k, the barrel becomes very hot after 20 rounds and extremely hot before 40 rounds. Usually handguards are not « toasted » on original examples, so it might have been rare that a fellow shot 40 times in a row in combat or training.
All I am saying is that there are other constraints in combat situation that would reduce the thumping compared to the range.
Also remember that they did not wear ear protection !
 
Hambone said:
Recoil impulse is odd and subjective. I can shoot a K98k all day. I really do not like an M1903 Springfield of any flavor. Certain rifles just seem to put more wallop on me than others of the same / similar calibre.
Click to expand...
My father (Natrona County (WY) HS class of ‘42) said about Springfield rifles, “they killed at both ends” particularly when firing from a prone position. One of my sons ran through two boxes of 06 with a plastic stocked Rem 700 with a cushy pad & showed no signs of distress, but quit after 3 rounds of 8mm. I think the steel butt plate psyched him out.
 
Except for this momenti with the T-Gewehr, I have never had an issue with recoil till meeting my 1861 Springfield. That curved buttplate does me in every time.

Randy
 
Muncher 1953 said:
My father (Natrona County (WY) HS class of ‘42) said about Springfield rifles, “they killed at both ends” particularly when firing from a prone position. One of my sons ran through two boxes of 06 with a plastic stocked Rem 700 with a cushy pad & showed no signs of distress, but quit after 3 rounds of 8mm. I think the steel butt plate psyched him out.
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I think much of it has to do with individual physiology and some technique as well. I’m not a midget but a friend of mine who is 6’5” and outweighs me by 50 lbs really disliked shooting a K98k. I’ll shoot one all day. I also dont care for shooting of Russian MNs. Finn M.39s I like much more. It may be that I’m more comfortable with a K98k and my technique is poor with the others……..
 
Hambone said:
think much of it has to do with individual physiology and some technique as well. I’m not a midget but a friend of mine who is 6’5” and outweighs me by 50 lbs really disliked shooting a K98k
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Was just going to say this. Body type/shoulder design has input as well.
TBH there's not one mulsurp I shoot without a slip on recoil pad.
For me personally it's my Type 53 carbine.
 
Indeed HT. Russian M44 variants are well off the menu for me. Been there, done that, not interested. The K98k becomes an extension of me when I shoot one.

So I can imagine that shooting a T-Gewehr (closest I’ve gotten was a Boyes and a bolt .50 cal) with improper form and ill “fitting” physiology would be brutal. They could have at least put a brake on that thing like the Boyes or Lahti.
 
Hambone said:
Recoil impulse is odd and subjective. I can shoot a K98k all day. I really do not like an M1903 Springfield of any flavor. Certain rifles just seem to put more wallop on me than others of the same / similar calibre.
Click to expand...

57mm seems to be the threshold of pain. Anything shorter, no worries. I was a bit apprehensive the first time I took my Argy out. I was pleasantly surprised. The only exception I have found to the 57mm rule is my SAKO sporting rifle in .308.
 
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Honkey Tonk Devil said:
Was just going to say this. Body type/shoulder design has input as well.
TBH there's not one mulsurp I shoot without a slip on recoil pad.
For me personally it's my Type 53 carbine.
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in northern climes, we can cheat a bit with layers. state of mind comes into play as well, with other guys shooting back at you, probably don’t notice recoil as much as at the range. When I drop a hammer on a whitetail I barely hear the report at all (enough to know for certain it wasn’t a hang/misfire) but I do hear the crash crash crash afterwards……
 
Muncher 1953 said:
we can cheat a bit with layers. state of mind comes into play as well, with other guys shooting back at you, probably don’t notice recoil as much as at the range.
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Agreed! Between the added layers and surge of adrenaline when hunting, my mind is definitely not thinking about recoil. But then again I'm only taking a few shots when hunting.
 
I shot about 50 rounds or so out of a RC today. Firstly my $12 limb saver gel pad that slips on easily and takes 30%-40% of the felt recoil in my opinion. Being hunched over on a bench always hurt me more too. If I am not shooting for groups I prefer to sit up with the rifle in a shooting table or shoot standing.

None of my milsurps will compare to a T Gewehr in terms of recoil. Good on you for taking 15 rounds with no bipod.
 
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