And the answer is no, we do not, so why do people expect us to be able to shoulder the same size rifles or grip the same size handguns comfortable?  Even if you’re a guy, you’re not all built the same, and luckily the military has caught on to this.    If I had a nickel for every WWII vet I know that made a comment on how big the Garand was and how many of them had trouble shooting one, I’d be rich.   The M1 Garand is a very accurate and powerful rifle, but not everyone could hand them.   If you field a rifle of the same caliber today, and allowed people to adjust the stock for their comfort, recoil issues go away.

In the last few months I’ve had a lot of consultation with new gun owners about home defense weapons and assessing how they could be deployed and used within their homes.   Many of them always thought about handguns being used in their homes and never rifles but there are carbines with rifle stocks that use the same rounds as the pistols.  Everyone seems to think that a rifle is too much or too hard to manage, but now that pistol caliber Carbines are so prevailant.  Why not.    I prefer to mount lights on rifles rather than handguns, and I also know that most novice shooters will be safer and more proficient with a Carbine over a handgun.   At the very least, a rifle is easier to retain and become a baseball bat than a handgun.   Please keep in mind that bullet selection is extremely important when deciding on a Carbine or rifle in your home.   There are some very well thought out M4 rifle stocks, Beretta Storm, and shotgun stocks that are very good for home defense.