Not a lever gun but interesting...I think

[Stan in SC]

The old adage about when it rains ,it pours is so true.Several months ago I decided that I wanted to acquire a Ruger .44 magnum semi carbine of the old tube fed style.I had owned several in years past and never should have sold/traded them.Ah,the hindsight which comers with age is sooo accurate.None of the gun shops in this town or three nearby cities had one.I widened the search to Atlanta(130 miles away)and Charlotte,NC(90 miles the other direction) and found nada.I alerted all of my gun shop cronies to be on the lookout.
I finally found one listed for sale on another forum and the owner was located in California.We struck a deal and I had it shipped to my dealer.THEN several weeks later I spotted a lever action carbine at a gun show.Had to have it.
Meanwhile a friend in North Carolina asked me to advise him if I found another semi auto one.
A month later in June I had to have heart bypass surgery.While recuperating I had my wife drive me by the gun shop.The owner told me that one of the regulars had left a Ruger carbine there for me and the shop had already paid for it awaiting my coming by.Now I have two semi autos and a lever action.
I called my friend in North Carolina and he bought one of the semi's.
THEN my surgeon and my cardiologist advised me no heavy recoil shooting for an indefinite time.Great guys.
Sooo I advertised the lever gun on this forum and sold it here but just couldn't bring my self to sell the semi auto one.Can't shoot it but it sits there in the safe and I can take it out and look at it.Not too much fun there.
Today I was at the shop and the owner tells me Jack(one of the regulars there)came by with a Ruger carbine to leave for me.Whopee yahaa,I now have two semis.Can't shoot either one.
Like I said...when it rains,it pours.

Stan

[Andrew]

Awesome! It is usally like that; "feast or famine".

[awp101]

Keep at least one. Even though you can only fondle it right now, consider it motivation to get over whatever you're fighting right now.

Or load the .44 lighter...

[Borregos]

I used to have one of those little semis, regret getting rid of it!!

[Rusty]

Cheer up Stan, you'll be able to shoot it in a while. They're just worried about your chest where they wired your breastbone back together. This too shall pass. I can't speak from first hand experience, but I'm sure there are some here who can. I don't think you'd want to touch off more than one of anything that had much recoil for a while. The first time might be fun but... well you know.

[AJMD429]

Now, I told the other doctor (we all stick together you know ) that I only wanted him to tell you you had to get rid of the lever gun!

Seriously, I would NOT sell those semiautos! Ask the doctor is he's a shooter himself - and if he isn't, see if you can talk to someone familiar with your case who is a shooter. I can't imagine that a semiautomatic gun would do anything recoil-wise beyond what a good sneeze would do. One problem though might simply be the noise - any loud noise is likely to make your heart 'skip a beat' which might be something best avoided. If that is the case you might have to get guns you could load 'cat sneeze' loads in, or consider the $200-plus option of a removable suppressor. They seem popular these days, even on 'ordinary' guns; saw one at a gun show on a Remington 788 bolt-gun in .44 Mag!

Anyway, I'd definitely ask the docs more questions, because it just doesn't make sense that a semiautomatic would be a big deal unless there's some other factor I'm unaware of. Maybe he just doesn't want you to get too excited , or maybe just wants a couple more months to pass before you shoot; if that is the case, start reloading now and you'll have enough ammo to shoot come spring.

[dr walker]

Heal up quick and you 'll be shooting in no time flat.
Sounds like you put the word out to the right bunch of people.
Sometimes when it pours it floods.

[Pete44ru]

If it's been more than 6 mos since your surgery, without any more probs (stress-tested OK), then you should be about ready to start shooting that gas auto - which has less recoil than other repeaters.

My closest friend had open heart surgery, too, and I had a heart attack/stents - and we're both now back to shooting bigbores after an initial "cool it" period.
My friend's shooting/hunting with my Ruger .44 Auto Carbine, and I've been shooting/hunting all sorts of guns - levers, bolts & autos - w/o any reprecussions whatsoever for either of us.
And, BTW, we both have more extensive, different medical conditions besides the cardiac situation(s). For instance, my friend is also a recent liver transplant reciepient - but hunted those days, prior to the transplant, when not on the dialysis machine.

Don't forget, doctors today are worried more about the possibility of a malpractice suit than "you" - and will generally err on the side of excessive caution.
For that same reason, many doctors refuse to fully diagnose a patient, referring the patient to a "specialist" instead.
B.S. !

.

[Hobie]

I hope you are well soon. Keep those two guns and look forward to shooting them.

[Stan in SC]

AJMD429,The docs just want me to not shoot large calibers for a couple more months.The heart by pass was June 12th.What they explained they were afraid of is too much jarring to the sternum.I'm sure they are wayyyyy on the side of caution.I'm ok with that,just a little antsy since deer season starts in less than a moth here in South Carolina.In fact archery is already open.
I intend to ascess the two guns as far as accuracy and keep the more accurate one.Both are in equally good condition.I sure as heck don't need two of them.
You got a good one for accuracy.

Stan

[Rod WMG]

I'm just going by my own experience, but you should be good to go by now, all things being equal. I wasn't given any instructions like that, but for awhile even holding a handgun in firing stance made my chest "feel funny." I didn't want to shoot. I think you'll be able to tell when you're ready to shoot those Rugers, which as you know don't recoil all that much.

Best wishes to you.

[Stan in SC]

Thanks,Rod.Evidently you have been there.Yes,there are certain things including holding a handgun in shooting position that make your chest "feel funny".Add to that I have become ultra cautious concerning health.
Life is like a roll of toilet paper.The closer you get to the end,the faster it goes.

Stan

[brucew44guns]

Stan, I'm so glad you found all these nice guns, have had fun buying them, and all that stuff. I'm more interested and thankful though, that the old ticker is still ticking, that you're healing, and that a little time here will fix what's left in this matter. Your doc is just watching out for you, so I'm glad you're working with him. Hang in there, time flies when it's fun we're having!!

[Ysabel Kid]

Stan -

A couple of months will fly by pretty quick, and then you'll have to decide which of the .44's to shoot - or shoot them both and then decide which to keep!

[jjames]

I have a different experience. When I buy something after months of searching the same item appears much cheaper within weeks. Drives me crazy but what are you going to do, wait forever. Life is too short and I need to stop looking after I make a purchase. Yeah good luck with the later inquiring minds need to know.

[CaptainFinn]

Stan, best wishes for a speedy recovery.

I dearly love my .44 Ruger Carbine. While it certainly isn't a 'heavy recoil' gun along the lines of a magnum bolt-action, I guess it does kick a bit, and I'd hate to think of what damage the kick could do to a freshly split sternum.

If it helps, the recoil pads for the mini-14 and 10/22 will fit the inletting on a .44 carbine. I mounted a John Mason (Masen ?) recoil pad for a mini-14 on my .44 carbine--ordered it from Midway IIRC, but Brownell's has them as well--and it fit like a charm, reduced recoil and increased the length of pull, which was kind of short to begin with.

Good luck and I hope you're better in time for deer season.