recoil with the TC .44 Mag

[barber]

When shooting a Contender  .44  mag,  10 or 14 in barrel, do you hold the grip real tight tight,  to keep it from thumping you in the head?  Sounds like a stupid question, I know, but I have a real problem with the recoil, 'specially with the 10 in barrel.

[Curtis]

If I hold too tight on any grip my accuracy suffers.  Also, fatigue is a factor during a long day at the range.  However I have never had one try to come back far enough to bean my noggin.  That includes my unscoped lightweight octagon barrel when stoked with 300 grain XTPs with 19 grains of H110 (standard disclaimer: safe in my gun, you assume any risk in yours).  I have given up trying to enjoy those loads in that barrel though and some time ago decided to only shoot heavy loads in my scoped 10" heavy barrel.  When I get time I'm going to develop some reduced loads for the open sighted octagon barrel so that I can again enjoy shooting it.

Is your barrel scoped?  I find the added weight of scope and mounts really makes a difference.  Also you should try different grips until you find some that fit you well.  I have not ventured into custom grips yet, but none of several configurations of wooden and rubber grips that I have are without some compromise.  I do have more preferred and least favorites among those though.

Curtis

[Ladobe]

As Curtis said, tight grip usually means less trigger control and so accuracy.   I've always shot Contenders and Encores (and all other handguns) with a light hold, including the meanest of the mean handcannons, just went with the recoil/torque and let them roll.   Never dropped one, never got hit in the head by one even though some of the baddest boys came well past verticle.   I didn't control them anymore than needed to stay on target and not drop the handgun before the shot... and then I followed them.   Allows you better trigger control, and if do feel you need a stronger grip, time it for after the shot.   You can also use your off hand to support, but not grip with it and that helps you have a lighter hold.   The 44MAG even in a 10" octagon barrel is not bad if your grip fits you right.   I used to have a 44MAG CCW with a 3" non-ported barrel that makes the TC a real pussycat in comparison.   Custom wood to fit your hand, or Pachy Gripper Decelerators  tames a lot of recoil and torque for most shooters.   They are small for big hands maybe, but they still do the job just fine even if only a three finger hold.

A little story... when the Encores first came out I jumped in getting some from the first batch of 80 received at Bullberry, started with a 454 Casull and 22-250 barrel - one short, one long.   I shot Freedom's hot 454 loads in their revolvers I had for IHMSA, so I also used them for the Encore.   With the factory grips the Casull was brutal because the factory grip did not fit my hand worth a hoot.    Not the recoil, the torque.   Had Bullberry make me an Encore grip that did fit my hand perfectly (with a matching forend), and it came along with a 10" 416 Rigby barrel from them I had ordered.   With the new grip the Rigby was a pussycat compared to the Casull with factory grip, and now the Casull was like shooting a rimfire in comparison.   

As said, scopes/mounts add weight that may or may not be beneficial to perceived recoil.   And they add mass/weight that can get you.   Personally I never scoped my 10" TC barrels, octagon or otherwise.   They were my open sight shooters, the 14"/15" all wore scopes though.   I have never been a fan of brakes either.   A few of my JDJ's had brakes (but none of my Super Bowers), only because I bought 3-4 used that had them.   I never ordered new with a brake.   Can't say I have even seen a 10" octagon with a brake in 44 years, but I guess it could be done, at least M-N-P slots by Larry Kelly.

[grhornet]

the secret to accuracy in a hand gun is the same hold and hand pressure every time. As taught to me by uncle sam.

[shot1]

You need to change your hold. You are taking the recoil by bending your elbows. You need to straighten out your arms making your shooting arms stiffer in an isosceles triangle and not bend at the elbows and take the recoil in your shoulders letting your back flex. Your grip should be enough to hold on to the pistol but not a death grip. Use a grip about like a good firm hand shake. You can't stop a pistol from recoiling but you can control it by a correct shooting form.

[barber]

Thanks for all the replies. I really appreciate them, and I will try them. I have Packmayr rubber grips on it and have a pair of TC rubber grips I've never tried yet,