Yes this revolver will kick but there are a couple of things to keep in mind with this revolver...........
#1..... is that the barrel is so short that the bullet is in the barrel for such a short ammount of time that the firearm barely has time to begin to recoil. Remember that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. With such short barrels the bullet does not gain the speed that it would on a 7 inch version therefore it also does not gain the recoil in the opposite direction either.
#2..... is that in the 454 casull version you can also shoot 45 colt rounds for practice. Much easier on the wrists.
#3..... this thing still weighs 41 ounces unloaded, so it still aint no lightweight. That's about the same weight as a typical 4 or 5 inch barreled S&W 44 magnum.
#4..... this one is wearing Hogue recoil tamer grips which help to control the sting a lot.
Bottom line is that this gun will make one heck of a defensive weapon against angry and dangerous animal and was intended to be used as a last ditch attempt at saving ones life. I would much rather try to unholster a 2 inch revolver than a 6 or 8 inch barreled revolver. The shorter version would be much quicker handling in a life or death situation and at point blank rnage the velocity loss with a 2 inch barrel won't ammount to a hill of beans..
Besides, when you are concentrating on not getting mauled you won't notice the recoil. Even if it was chambered in 450 Marlin.
BBJ, While no 45-70 I just recently had to test fire a derringer in 410 shot shell. The thing couldn't have weighed a pound if that. But believe it or not it kicked less than a good number of 9mm firearms I have shot. I thought that thing was gonna hurt some kind of bad but the shot was out of the barrel so quick that there was little recoil at all. Actually pretty mild.
Ruger Alaskan
