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Can shooting big bore guns cause heart attacks?

DancesWithSheepDancesWithSheep Member Posts: 12,938 ✭✭✭
edited September 2011 in General Discussion
Was at an outdoor range today. Rangemaster said two guys in the last two years had had heart attacks there while shooting big bore rifles (.458WM, .416 Rigby). Coincidence?
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  • DocDoc Member Posts: 13,898 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Maybe not impossible that the shock of heavy recoil may trigger heart failure. But I suspect one's heart would already have to be in pretty bad shape for this to happen.

    A detached retina is not at all out of the question. My ophthalmologist warned me about this.
    ....................................................................................................
    Too old to live...too young to die...
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  • footlongfootlong Member Posts: 8,009
    edited November -1
    Rigby ammo co$t alone is almost certian to cause one [xx(]
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  • cpermdcpermd Member Posts: 5,273 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by DancesWithSheep
    Was at an outdoor range today. Rangemaster said two guys in the last two years had had heart attacks there while shooting big bore rifles (.458WM, .416 Rigby). Coincidence?


    Yes, it can dislodge a clot from a plaque.

    CP
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  • footlongfootlong Member Posts: 8,009
    edited November -1
    http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=258433 [xx(]
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  • BoomerangBoomerang Member Posts: 4,513
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by cpermd
    quote:Originally posted by DancesWithSheep
    Was at an outdoor range today. Rangemaster said two guys in the last two years had had heart attacks there while shooting big bore rifles (.458WM, .416 Rigby). Coincidence?


    Yes, it can dislodge a clot from a plaque.

    CP
    Holy Crap![:0]
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  • mateomasfeomateomasfeo Member Posts: 27,143
    edited November -1
    Possibly...
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  • SpartacusSpartacus Member Posts: 14,415
    edited November -1
    quote:Can shooting big bore guns cause heart attacks?

    Yes, especially if you hit 'em center of mass.[;)]
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  • select-fireselect-fire Member Posts: 69,491 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    My question is what caliber qualifies. Had they just shot a 45/70 maybe they would be alive. Actually it wasn't the firearm that killed them but the 28yr old redheaded barmaid in the clubhouse.
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  • roswellnativeroswellnative Member Posts: 10,188 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Its a ft/lbs divisible by age...thing... and even if it was a 45 70 at least they went out on their own terms..
    Although always described as a cowboy, Roswellnative generally acts as a righter of wrongs or bodyguard of some sort, where he excels thanks to his resourcefulness and incredible gun prowesses.
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  • use enough gunuse enough gun Member Posts: 1,443 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    The way I look at it is if you're in that bad a shape already, getting up to get that next beer or bending over to tie your shoes could kill you too. Bang away, shoot that Lott, make Butch Searcy proud, shoot that .500 3-1/4 double. Dave[:D]
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  • PATBUZZARDPATBUZZARD Member Posts: 3,556 ✭
    edited November -1
    If it's true, I can think of far worse ways to go. I just pray that if I eventually go that way I have the presence of mind to gently set the rifle down as I fall!
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  • HandLoadHandLoad Member Posts: 15,998 ✭
    edited November -1
    Big Fella I knew (A Cop) was kicked by an Inmate at Just the right time in his Heart Cycle, Burst his aorta and Bled out IN A HOSPITAL. I'll Bet some of those calibers can kick that hard! He was in Great Health, but the Docs said that a hit at just the right point in the Pressure cycle can do that.
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  • 1988z011988z01 Member Posts: 602 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I've heard of that.

    Not sure, but I know it could if pointed at you.
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  • RosieRosie Member Posts: 14,525 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I know if I shot 500 trap targets in one day with a 12 gauge I was always sick for about 3 days. I think it is very possible. My brother has a pacemaker and he was told to stay away from guns that kick pretty hard.
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  • givettegivette Member Posts: 10,886 ✭
    edited November -1
    Blunt trauma injury to the chest. It happens in the classic 'thoraxic flay auto accident', whereby someone is jammed hard into the dashboard of a car during an accident.

    The heart/aorta will move during the impact load, but several inches downstream, the aorta is imbedded in surrounding tissue, and therein lies the weak point. The aorta is severly stressed at that point. Aortic anaeurism.

    If someone is predesposed to an anaeurism, the shock of recoil may be 'just enough' to wrench the aorta into an anaeurism..especially since recoil causes the chest cavity to spin on the horizontal plane, and the aorta has become vertical at that point of maximum stress.

    It is a rather common occurence in blunt-force frontal chest trauma. Joe
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  • He DogHe Dog Member Posts: 51,593 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by roswellnative
    Its a ft/lbs divisible by age...thing... and even if it was a 45 70 at least they went out on their own terms..



    Yeah, well I bet that is damn small comfort.
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  • nemesisenforcernemesisenforcer Member Posts: 10,513 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I don't know, but I'd be willing to buy you a large quantity of .458 Winchester, .416 Rigby, 50 BMG, any of the Nitro Express cartridges, or any heavy hitting Weatherby for you to do experiments to find out.[}:)]
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  • Alan RushingAlan Rushing Member Posts: 8,805 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Darn good question with many great responses and interesting discussion.

    nemesisenforcer -

    Who might your offer be directed towards? [?]

    Is it only to special GB acquaintances? [?]

    What sort of testing were you invisioning? [?]

    Hoping that you were not implying terminal ballistics. [:0]

    Near anything shy of that, I'd be hearing more about. [;)]
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  • CyclonusCyclonus Member Posts: 2,825
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by footlong
    Rigby ammo co$t alone is almost certian to cause one [xx(]


    Id argue that factory .338 Lapua is about some of the priciest ammo I have ever seen.

    but then again that lazzeroni ammo is just plain nasty.
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  • DancesWithSheepDancesWithSheep Member Posts: 12,938 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by nemesisenforcer
    I don't know, but I'd be willing to buy you a large quantity of .458 Winchester, .416 Rigby, 50 BMG, any of the Nitro Express cartridges, or any heavy hitting Weatherby for you to do experiments to find out.[}:)]

    Sorry my cufflinks snagged your colon.
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  • LesWVaLesWVa Member Posts: 10,490 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Boomerang
    quote:Originally posted by cpermd
    quote:Originally posted by DancesWithSheep
    Was at an outdoor range today. Rangemaster said two guys in the last two years had had heart attacks there while shooting big bore rifles (.458WM, .416 Rigby). Coincidence?


    Yes, it can dislodge a clot from a plaque.

    CP
    Holy Crap![:0]


    Basically what happened to Phil Harris on Deadliest Catch. Only his clot got dislodged from hitting his side on a railing during a storm. It did not kill right off, but it got him in the end.
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  • nemesisenforcernemesisenforcer Member Posts: 10,513 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by DancesWithSheep
    quote:Originally posted by nemesisenforcer
    I don't know, but I'd be willing to buy you a large quantity of .458 Winchester, .416 Rigby, 50 BMG, any of the Nitro Express cartridges, or any heavy hitting Weatherby for you to do experiments to find out.[}:)]

    Sorry my cufflinks snagged your colon.


    A new joke. I'm impressed.
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  • bigdaddyjuniorbigdaddyjunior Member Posts: 11,233
    edited November -1
    What a waste giving yourself a heart attack just to shoot a big gun. Probably a compensating issue behind it all. If I ever have a heart attack it will involve whipped cream, fruit salad, mink wrapped handcuffs, 3 large rubber bands, a John Wayne bust, a rotating disco ball, a naked midget lady on a swing and a box of aa batteries.
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  • swopjanswopjan Member Posts: 3,292
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by bigdaddyjunior
    What a waste giving yourself a heart attack just to shoot a big gun. Probably a compensating issue behind it all. If I ever have a heart attack it will involve whipped cream, fruit salad, mink wrapped handcuffs, 3 large rubber bands, a John Wayne bust, a rotating disco ball, a naked midget lady on a swing and a box of aa batteries.


    will she be calling you "Big Daddy" too? [:D]
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  • bigdaddyjuniorbigdaddyjunior Member Posts: 11,233
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by swopjan
    quote:Originally posted by bigdaddyjunior
    What a waste giving yourself a heart attack just to shoot a big gun. Probably a compensating issue behind it all. If I ever have a heart attack it will involve whipped cream, fruit salad, mink wrapped handcuffs, 3 large rubber bands, a John Wayne bust, a rotating disco ball, a naked midget lady on a swing and a box of aa batteries.


    will she be calling you "Big Daddy" too? [:D]

    She may, but mostly she will be running the video equipment and singing Ding Dong The Witch is Dead
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  • SCOUT5SCOUT5 Member Posts: 16,181 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Depends on what you shoot them at.
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  • nmyersnmyers Member Posts: 16,891 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Well, we don't really know if a post mortem was done in these cases, & there was a definitive diagnosis of "myocardial infarction".

    It's possible that the real COD was a "cerebro vascular accident"; i.e., a stroke. If your body gets pushed back fast & hard, your brain doesn't move, & it will smack against the front of your skull causing bleeding. It's not uncommon among boxers; repeated minor injuries to the brain cause long term loss of function at the very least.

    Neal

    "Sudden death is nature's way of telling you to slow down."
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  • givettegivette Member Posts: 10,886 ✭
    edited November -1
    So many theories

    ...so little time
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  • 180A180A Member Posts: 828 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    DEPENDS........

    Sorry, I misread the question.

    Thought it asked "Can shooting big bore guns cause fart attacks"...
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  • Mr. PerfectMr. Perfect Member, Moderator Posts: 66,404 ******
    edited November -1
    Was it a coincidence that you were there, and he was telling you this? I don't know, were you shooting a big bore rifle?
    Some will die in hot pursuit
    And fiery auto crashes
    Some will die in hot pursuit
    While sifting through my ashes
    Some will fall in love with life
    And drink it from a fountain
    That is pouring like an avalanche
    Coming down the mountain
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  • SpartacusSpartacus Member Posts: 14,415
    edited November -1
    quote:Sorry my cufflinks snagged your colon.


    c'mon sheep boy, surely you, of all people knows to take your jewelry off first.
    otherwise you'd have a bunch of leg of lamb dinners.[;)]
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  • SCOUT5SCOUT5 Member Posts: 16,181 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Having read this thread I posed this question to a couple of cardiologist and a cardiothoracic surgeon. None of them thought the recoil would dislodge plaque and cause a clot on it's own. The primary thought was, if the person was predisposed to a heart attack, already having significant coronary artery disease, the increased adrenaline from shooting a large bore rifle along with the activity would increase the hearts demand for oxygen. Increasing the hearts demand for oxygen will exacerbate the underlying condition. Then there is the possibility of physical pain which will increase heart rate and oxygen demand.
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  • toad67toad67 Member Posts: 13,008 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Not sure about a heart attack however I was at a local machine gun shoot and this fella had a light weight 50 cal bolt action kinda like a bull pup or something. He said that I could shoot it for free but I had to read and sign a paper that released him from the possibliity that I could possibly get a detached retina from it. I shot it and got that funny taste in my mouth like just before you get knocked out. Once was enough and recoil does not bother me except for that.

    Todd
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  • DancesWithSheepDancesWithSheep Member Posts: 12,938 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Spartacus quote:Sorry my cufflinks snagged your colon. c'mon sheep boy, surely you,of all people knows to take your jewelryoff first.

    Surely you of all people know I don't. Next time I'll wear the Rolex; I love it when you bite your lip and whimper. Okay, princess?
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  • rongrong Member Posts: 8,459
    edited November -1
    When I had my heart attack in '04
    my doc said no guns for a couple months.
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  • DancesWithSheepDancesWithSheep Member Posts: 12,938 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Mr. Perfect
    Was it a coincidence that you were there, and he was telling you this? I don't know, were you shooting a big bore rifle?

    Yes, a 340 Weatherby.
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