So, I might be one of the few people here to actually own a gun. I've got a 20 gauge shotgun, Remington 870 - I'll use this as a reference point later on. (note - I've fired 12 guage shotguns as well from friendly range buddies, using slugs, buckshot, and birdshot, and the recoil wasn't too much more than the 20 gauge)
I went to a shooting range with my friend, he brought a rifle and two pistols, I brought my shotgun. The rifle was the Mosin-Nagant 91/30. I shouldered the beast, fired it, and there went my shoulder. I probably went through 50 or 60 rounds of 7.62x54r that day, and my shoulders still hurt form that experience two days after. o.O
So, my question - why does this Mosin-Nagant seem to recoil a helluva lot more than what I've seen around the web, and why does it recoil more than a shotgun? Shotguns in general have pretty hefty recoil, but this Mosin just blew apart my left shoulder on the first shot. I know how to hold rifles and shotguns, it comes after hard-earned experience skeet-shooting. The rifle was 1943 vintage, and the ammunition was mil surp, still in the can when we took it out on the field - might the massive recoil have to do with that?
Or is it just me, and the Mosin-Nagant somehow has more kick than a shotgun? I want to know if it's the rifle or the ammunition (or something mechanical and not just my imagination), in case something's wrong with it, maybe it can get fixed.