Dave McCracken
Moderator In Memoriam
The scene was a classroom on the Regional range, smack dab between several prisons in Jessup Md. Time was the 80s. I was the big guy at the front of the room with the Instructor's hat. I addressed the crowd of preservice trainees thus....
"Some of you have heard the war stories about how bad the kick from a shotgun is. Shotguns do kick. The ones telling you how much they hurt after shooting are the same ones that didn't LISTEN and do as they were told. Do it the way you're shown and you'll get through this painfree. Be a knucklehead and hurt. It's your choice.
Some of us, including me,LIKE shooting shotguns. There's no big red S on my chest, I enjoy it because I know how, and that's what we're going to teach you, IF you're willing to get with the program. Let me remind you that passing the shotgun segment of training is essential to keeping your job. Good news, they're hiring down at the Burger King for those that do not listen and do".
With that motivation in mind, I'd pass out the 870s and have them go over the proper firing position. Besides being in their course materials, there would be demos and dry fire, using dummy rounds and under CLOSE supervision. With all that, failure to pass the easy qualifier ran over 10% the first time through. Remedial gave them one more chance, then out the door if not up to snuff.
Back to the present...
Kick is why not everyone is a shotgunner. Shotguns are wonderful tools for defense and recreation,but they come,like all in this world, at a cost. All that energy going out the barrel means an opposite reaction. Just ask Isaac Newton.
Free recoil is simple to measure. Energy equals Mass times Velocity squared.
Felt recoil, AKA kick, is dependent on Free Recoil, but is subjective. Some shooters, regardless of size, handle recoil better than others.
The reasons for that include better form,better fit,better padding and mindset.
Good form for shooting a hard kicking shotgun includes leaning well into the shot. If your nose is over the toes on your leading foot, you're in the zone.
One also has to ensure there's solid contact between the pad and shoulder, and that ALL the butt is firmly in touch to spread the push over the greatest possible area.
Both hands should grip firmly, of course, and help pull the weapon back into the body. Stance is behind the weapon, not facing sideways like a Medieval archer. This helps the upper body act as a spring and absorb kick, then quickly return to the firing position for another shot.
Fit is covered elsewhere.
A good pad really helps, and a wearable pad like the PAST is excellent for certain types of shotgunning.
As for mindset, it's like I told those rookies....
"If you think you can't do this, you're probably right. If you think you can, you're probably right too".
Another invaluable tool is light loads. Once some confidence is gained after shooting light loads with good form and fit, then one can help a student advance further with progressively heavier stuff. Light loads are an oz of prevention, you know the rest of the cliche.
"Some of you have heard the war stories about how bad the kick from a shotgun is. Shotguns do kick. The ones telling you how much they hurt after shooting are the same ones that didn't LISTEN and do as they were told. Do it the way you're shown and you'll get through this painfree. Be a knucklehead and hurt. It's your choice.
Some of us, including me,LIKE shooting shotguns. There's no big red S on my chest, I enjoy it because I know how, and that's what we're going to teach you, IF you're willing to get with the program. Let me remind you that passing the shotgun segment of training is essential to keeping your job. Good news, they're hiring down at the Burger King for those that do not listen and do".
With that motivation in mind, I'd pass out the 870s and have them go over the proper firing position. Besides being in their course materials, there would be demos and dry fire, using dummy rounds and under CLOSE supervision. With all that, failure to pass the easy qualifier ran over 10% the first time through. Remedial gave them one more chance, then out the door if not up to snuff.
Back to the present...
Kick is why not everyone is a shotgunner. Shotguns are wonderful tools for defense and recreation,but they come,like all in this world, at a cost. All that energy going out the barrel means an opposite reaction. Just ask Isaac Newton.
Free recoil is simple to measure. Energy equals Mass times Velocity squared.
Felt recoil, AKA kick, is dependent on Free Recoil, but is subjective. Some shooters, regardless of size, handle recoil better than others.
The reasons for that include better form,better fit,better padding and mindset.
Good form for shooting a hard kicking shotgun includes leaning well into the shot. If your nose is over the toes on your leading foot, you're in the zone.
One also has to ensure there's solid contact between the pad and shoulder, and that ALL the butt is firmly in touch to spread the push over the greatest possible area.
Both hands should grip firmly, of course, and help pull the weapon back into the body. Stance is behind the weapon, not facing sideways like a Medieval archer. This helps the upper body act as a spring and absorb kick, then quickly return to the firing position for another shot.
Fit is covered elsewhere.
A good pad really helps, and a wearable pad like the PAST is excellent for certain types of shotgunning.
As for mindset, it's like I told those rookies....
"If you think you can't do this, you're probably right. If you think you can, you're probably right too".
Another invaluable tool is light loads. Once some confidence is gained after shooting light loads with good form and fit, then one can help a student advance further with progressively heavier stuff. Light loads are an oz of prevention, you know the rest of the cliche.
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Could you please explain the term to this neophyte?