The stock shape also has considerable bearing on the amount of muzzle flip. In recent times stock comb height has risen significantly which is conducive to use with scope sights, especially on large bore magazine rifles. These so called assymetric stocks do not lend themselves to use with iron sights and as such the use of express sights is often subordinate to the scope.

In the case of truly large bore doubles and in particular those above .500 bore express sights will often be the main method of sighting and in all probability the rifle will have sginificant drop from the nose of the comb to the heel plate. With this stock configuration muzzle flip will be accentuated and the bigger the rifle then usually the greater the flip.

Some of the latter Mark Sullivan videos in which he uses his Marcel Tyhs .600 provide a good example of the rise of the muzzle on firing. I do not know just how large a frame Mr Sullivan is, but he appears to have no great problem in soaking up the recoil.

This leads to the second variable and that is the constitution of the person pulling the trigger, a person of small stature will roll backwards more readily than will someone of larger proportions hence the muzzles will be visibly seen to rise more.

The writings of John Taylor were known at times to enhance or gloss on certain facts, so it is not possible to draw any certainty from these, in any event Taylor in writing of the .600 came out in favour of the so-called 100 grain Gordite "Jeffery" load, which generated a slightly less m.v. than the 110 grain load and one asssumes, also less felt recoil.