870 recoil

[fisher2]

how bad is the recoil on the 870 with a 26" barrel woodstock?

 

[TriTone]

Depends on what you shoot through it.

Don't think of recoil as 'bad" and you'll be in the right mindframe to start with .

That said, the 870 you describe will handle the recoil energy well.

 

[Caliper_Mi]

It won't knock you over unless you are balanced on the toes of one foot like a ballerina. It will not injure you if you have it firmly in your shoulder pocket.

However, if you are a skinny guy like my 6'/155# self, you may appreciate a limbsaver pad for volume shooting unless you like bruises.

 

[NoobCannon]

I had a shortbarreled 870 Express that I earned my first purple shoulder on. Though that was more due to the 100 shells of birdshot, 50 shells of buck, and 10 slugs I ran through it before the pain made me quit.

But, the shorter barrel makes for more recoil, and yours should have less with the full-length barrel.

 

[FIVETWOSEVEN]

Can fire it one handed easy with a 18" barrel, You should be able to handle it fine.

 

[supercalvin56]

I used to shoot an 870 TC at trap. I had to quit using it because the recoil was too much. Having said that, for hunting an 870 would probably just fine. Trap shooters will often shoot many boxes per day. I moved to a gas auto (Beretta) to reduce felt recoil.

 

[Sergeant Sabre]

It all depends on the load you are firing. A Winchester AA target shell barely recoils at all. Same with a Federal low-recoil buck shot load. The Winchester turkey loads I have put 2oz. of lead downrange at 1300fps. Recoil is nothing short of brutal.

 

[al123]

The Remington supercell or limbsaver reduces felt recoil. Light target loads reduce actual recoil. Unless you have a medical condition (e.g. arthritis), the 870 is easy to handle.

 

[herkyguy]

I can shoot target loads all day long with my 28" 870. literally hundreds of shots with no pain. but 5 rounds of magnum buckshot is quite humbling. I put the remington supercell on mine. It's great, but if you don't have it snug against your shoulder, it will bounce around a bit. I've had a few bruised cheeks from not holding it close in shooting trap.

 

[Virginian]

Define what's bad to you. I shoot a 1976 Magnum version, with the original pad, with the heaviest non-toxic non-steel loads I can find and it doesn't bother me. But, I did used to shoot a lightened 10 gauge with the hottest steel loads I could get before tungsten loads arrived, so I guess it depends on your perspective. The 3-1/2" loads in a regular 12 gauge sized gun are pretty sharp, but in a 3-1/2" BPS they aren't bad.

 

[Blue Line]

is a 12 gauge or .410? Are you holding it correctly? If you dont get the stock in the shoulder pocket you could feel some push. My 10 year old son, 80 lbs soaking wet, shoots a 12 at skeet so its not too bad. I give him some Winchester AA loads to use, no magnum rounds till he gets a little older.

 

[Dave McCracken]

I can fill a limit of waterfowl with 1 3/4 oz loads and not hurt.

I can shoot a 50 round tactical match with 00 and not hurt.

A dozen turkey loads leaves me reaching for the percosets.

Six rounds of trap or three of SC with 7/8 oz loads leaves me tired but not in pain.


FYI, the youngest shooter to try a few shots with Frankenstein, my parts 870 and GP trainer, was 8 and used my 3/4 oz training loads. She loved it.

 

[oneounceload]

If it fits, the felt recoil will be negligible. If you shoot basic target loads through it, the actual recoil will also be easier on your shoulder.

If it doesn't fit properly, and you are using some super-duper load, you will notice it immediately