Blood Thinners, bruising from shooting

happy honker · #1 08-21-2018, 11:35 AM

My hunting partner is a bit apprehensive about shooting this year, as he said last season he really had a lot of bad bruising from shooting, especially shotgun/birds...where we are shooting a lot more rounds than big game hunting.

We are going out this week to sight our rifles in and shoot some clays.

Any ideas on what pad we can put on his shotgun that won't impact his fit on that gun too much?

He says the bruising was so bad last year he couldn't wear a golf shirt or t-shirt at work.

thanks

HoytCRX32 · #2 08-21-2018, 11:56 AM

I used to have a great shooting shirt...it was a Browning I think (or maybe Beretta) that had an insert in the shoulder for a pad. Anyone still sell those?

Jayhad · #3 08-21-2018, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HoytCRX32

I used to have a great shooting shirt...it was a Browning I think (or maybe Beretta) that had an insert in the shoulder for a pad. Anyone still sell those?

My Father is experiencing the same issue and he has a browning shirt with the pad.... it changes his bruise from butt shaped to pad shaped and he's gone from 7mmSTW to 6.5 Creedmore. We have been searching other options but nothing solid yet.... currently he doesn't shoot back to back days

nast70 · #4 08-21-2018, 03:28 PM

My dad made himself a 'sissy pad'. Used some old moose leather, sewed some horizontal channels and stuffed with sand. Its contoured to fit over the shoulder around the neck. Can't feel a thing when sighting in a gun. made me one for Christmas with a matching gun rest for the shooting table.
Not the most practical thing for walking the trails after birds though. I find myself reaching for the .22 more often than not for the same reasons.

Scott N · #5 08-21-2018, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nast70

My dad made himself a 'sissy pad'. Used some old moose leather, sewed some horizontal channels and stuffed with sand. Its contoured to fit over the shoulder around the neck. Can't feel a thing when sighting in a gun. made me one for Christmas with a matching gun rest for the shooting table.
Not the most practical thing for walking the trails after birds though. I find myself reaching for the .22 more often than not for the same reasons.

That home made pad sounds like a PAST Recoil Shield available commercially. They do work.

MHW · #6 08-21-2018, 04:20 PM

I put a mercury recoil reducer on my shotgun (12 gauge), plus being a semi-auto the felt recoil is significantly reduced. I also were a shoulder pad. The last thing that I want is a "flinch".

Don_Parsons · #7 08-21-2018, 04:28 PM

You should be able to get a Caldwell pad,.they are about $50

^v^Tinda wolf^v^ · #8 08-21-2018, 07:10 PM

I shoot some serious cannons and have never had any bruising. Is it possible he is holding the gun wrong? I rest the gun on my shoulder vs holding tightly. Maybe it’s just me

Trochu · #9 08-21-2018, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ^v^Tinda wolf^v^

I shoot some serious cannons and have never had any bruising. Is it possible he is holding the gun wrong? I rest the gun on my shoulder vs holding tightly. Maybe it’s just me

Think it's because of the blood thinners he is on....

spoiledsaskhunter · #10 08-21-2018, 08:03 PM

i'm on some stuff called 'xaralto'. shoot all I want without problems.

Rastus · #11 08-22-2018, 07:42 AM

I am on blood thinners, 14 1/2 (gms per week) and shoot about 2000 rounds per year, free style, a 6ppc, at 75000 lbs per firing, and I do not have any bruising, (or maybe I have not noticed it).

happy honker · #12 08-22-2018, 08:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ^v^Tinda wolf^v^

I shoot some serious cannons and have never had any bruising. Is it possible he is holding the gun wrong? I rest the gun on my shoulder vs holding tightly. Maybe it’s just me

I'm sure it's more the thinners than the way he's been holding a gun for 40 years and suddenly getting bruising.

I remember when my dad was on blood thinners years ago he would get bruising from a pat on the shoulder.

I'm not sure what kind he's on, I'll leave that to him and his doc.
I'll probably pick him up one of the pads though.

thanks all. I'll post here if something works.

Don_Parsons · #13 08-22-2018, 08:18 AM

So people are, some people aren't sensitive to brusing in the shooting sports world.

Most of us would agree that a few factors play out in this mix of, shooting fourm, the rifle butt stock, and how many shots are fired through the day.

What works for some might not for others.

I started using the shoulder shooting pad last year, what a difference in shot placement, over all duration of time spent behind the firearm, and the feeling of totally relaxed all day long.

Even using a old folded up baseball cap as a shoulder pad helps the cardboard brim spreads out the recoil shock a bit, even if the rifle has the best recoil pad going.

That "little" extra edge adds a slight fraction of good times, the gel pad is a go for me.

jmedical · #14 08-24-2018, 01:27 AM

Vitamin c/d can help prevent some of the bruising. Helps strengthen the collagen. Iron and vitamin k supp can also help sometimes.

MK2750 · #15 08-24-2018, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by happy honker

My hunting partner is a bit apprehensive about shooting this year, as he said last season he really had a lot of bad bruising from shooting, especially shotgun/birds...where we are shooting a lot more rounds than big game hunting.

We are going out this week to sight our rifles in and shoot some clays.

Any ideas on what pad we can put on his shotgun that won't impact his fit on that gun too much?

He says the bruising was so bad last year he couldn't wear a golf shirt or t-shirt at work.

thanks

If he is a good and experienced shooter there is absolutely nothing you can add to a stock or clothing without changing the length of pull and POI. Generally speaking, the longer the length of pull the more barrel the shooter will see and higher the POI.

I can easily notice 1/4 of an inch. A 1/2 inch gets really uncomfortable and causes me to make some adjustments shouldering and where I view the target. I can't imagine anything less than an inch having any significant impact on recoil.

So assuming that his shotgun fits him now (and this may be a dangerous assumption), he would be best served buying a different gun or have a competent gunsmith shorten the stock before adding a more effective recoil pad and perhaps even adding some weight.

If he is a casual or once in a blue moon hunter/shooter he could make the adjustments necessary to enjoy a day out with the use of an added recoil pad or padded shirt. We have had this argument on here before, but IMO most casual shooters have such poor shouldering technique that they are better off aiming a shotgun anyway as the "fit" changes with the inconsistency of each mount.

One way to combat this when shooting clays with a poor fitting shotgun is to mount the gun prior to calling "pull" like Wakeman does in this video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COPmmJQH-J8 Very poor practice for hunting situations but will get you through some clays.

My advice would be a modern, well fitting, gas operated auto-loader with a kickoff and/or other recoil reducing system.

Viking Caliber · #16 09-01-2018, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmedical

Vitamin c/d can help prevent some of the bruising. Helps strengthen the collagen. Iron and vitamin k supp can also help sometimes.

If you are required to take blood thinners. Vitamin K is the last thing they should take without seeking docs advise. Vitamin K is what thickens the blood.

Had a blood clot in right shoulder several years ago. Part of it broke off and went into my right lung. The doctors said I was lucky it stopped in my lung and didn't go anywhere else. It could have gone somewhere else and really affected me. Was on Warfarin for 2 years. Told to stay away from veggies that were high in Vitamin K (natural blood thickeners) and items like cranberries and alcohol (natural blood thinners). I am on 81 mg of Low Dose Aspirin for rest of my life now. Now I can take vitamin K and eat cranberries as I am off blood thinners.

All I can say to those on blood thinners, please be careful when shooting, would hate to hear of someone needing medical help because of internal bleeding.

My doctor made it clear to me, when I was blood thinners be careful of what I did to prevent bruising and if I were to cut myself bad, chances of getting the bleeding to stop without medical help would be very serious.

wolf308 · #17 09-01-2018, 08:14 PM

Past pad got recommended to me after trying to load develop with a 45-120 sharps and 9.3 back to back.

I would not wear if firing 50 shells myself but load devel is well load devel .... gotta be perfect.

Wear my yellow and blue shoulder like a badge of honour but also still young.... I think ....I like the way it hurts. .... . anyhow. Ya try the past pad thing .... slips on over the shoulder , or there's these slip on butt stock things that are really good.

Got 2 .... think there limb saver slip ons or something, when home next I can get back to you