Recoil reduction

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ducktapehero

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I grew up loving shotguns but after 3 shoulder surgeries and some nerve damage I can't take the recoil like I used too. I have tried shooting left handed but in my that's just a waste of time. What is the best way to cut down felt recoil. The problem is I like shooting buckshot.

Here's a website that advertises a Mercury recoil suppressor. Is it any good?

http://98.net/chr/

I wonder if I did that, had a decent recoil pad on the gun and maybe had it ported if it would tolerable. Any advice?
 
Ducktape - no experience of mercury dealie - tho i do hear they are effective. Dave will no doubt help on that, as well as sm and H and trapper etc.

I do find on my O/U that a ''Limbsaver'' works great - slip on like a Pach'y but way better. Add to that, a leather padded thingie that I strap on my shoulder (label says ''Past'') - holds slightly like you'd wear a sho' rig. Those two together and bingo - minimal discomfort. This also helps with rifle shooting re any flinch ... I am not a wuss but - have a sho prob' too ... so comfort is everything. :)

Plus at my age ... screw what others think! LOl :D
 
ducktapehero

I am sorry to hear of the surgeries and nerve damage. This makes matters more serious for you and my concerns are what the Surgeons have to say- for now and later years.

My thought based on folks in similar situations -

Mercury reducers do help to a degree. They do add some weight which will affect the balance , which in turn may affect gun fit. Gun fit as you know helps a lot with felt recoil .

I really like the P.A.S.T shooting vests and shoulder pads. You "may" need to take these into consideration on the gun fit when using because LOP will be affected.

I know some folks that HAD to go to .410 only , I mean the Doc showed and made clear what would happen if disobeyed. I know a few allowed 28 ga and no more. I'm talking about using a 1100 in these guns as well.

Which brings us to the gas gun, like 1100s .

Granted the 12 ga is the most versatile, and in a pump gun the 7/8 oz loads are soft recoiling ( Rule Of 96), these loads may not run in a gas gun.

In some 20 ga guns these 7/8 oz loads "can" have a sharper recoil ( that rule again) say in a O/U. In a gas gun , say a 1100 in 20 ga the felt recoil is very mild.

Buckshot and Slugs...going to have recoil no matter what .

I would try someone's 20 ga 1100 and see how it feels. Borrow a P.A.S.T vest or shoulder rig and test.

They do make a stock that "gives" with the recoil , I forget the name, expensive, and one has to be concerned with gun fit just the same. IIRC there may be some concerns on the adjustment and the loads used.

Dave, kudu , PJR ...will know the name of the company.
 
I've shot both 1100's and Berretta 391's and I think the 391 is softer with smae load. Try a 20ga. just about as soft as it gets.
 
You've a couple options, including learning to shoot from the other shoulder.

Whether the mercury units or the spring mass ones noticeably reduce more recoil than an equal amount of weight is a good question.

Porting is another if. More than likely it'll reduce muzzle jump more than kick.

A good recoil pad can work wonders.Installing one and leaving it untrimmed will look funny but work optimally.

Best ways to reduce kick are to increase the weight of the shotgun and reduce the weight and speed of the charge. Since you like Buck, try the reduced recoil stuff from Federal and Estate.

Custom barrel work like backboring and reaming a long taper to the forcing cone are of some benefit, but expensive for the relief given.

HTH....
 
Thanks for the replies, I'l probably end up getting a 20 or 410 in the future. I do like the looks of the Winchester 9410. As far as a 12 gauge I'm pretty sure a recoil pad would be good enough for the light loads. I guess I'll just have to pass on the buckshot and slugs. :(
 
Knoxx CopStock recoil reducing stock. Reduces full power shotgun slug recoil to approximately that of a 5.56mm/.223. (Nothing!)

They run about $100, and are available for the 870, and I think others.
 
ducktapehero,

I hate this situation for you , it really sucks.

MrMurphy's idea of the Knoxx CopStock recoil reducing stock perhaps is the one I am thinking of.

If money and time allows, IF ...you did try some various idea and reported back it would great for others. That taking a bad situation and turning into a good one for yourself and others. I know for instance Preacherman works with folks with various limitations. I have to some degree, and who was it...one of our ladies has had shoulder surgeries , piped up and shared her experiences...bought a 28 ga IIRC .

Now .410 slugs are a LOT of fun...see I had this rock that needed "pruning" and well...
 
That Knoxx CopStock might just be the ticket. Thanks a bunch. I had a sweet Ithaca that I just couldn't handle with buckshot so I traded it for a 270 Remington. Which my Dad has since bought. I'm a wheelin and dealin fool. I'm getting excited of the chance to maybe own a 12 gauge again. As a redneck I love guns but I just don't feel right without a good 12 gauge. :D
 
Other recoil reducing stock attachments include JS Air Cushion (gas in the stock reducing recoil), the Gracoil system, and the Soft Touch system (uses a spring device in the buttplate). Good luck!
 
With my Remington 1100 Comp Master with 22" barrel and R3 recoil pad I use the Federal reduced recoil buckshot loads. I wouldn't hesitate to allow my girlfriend to shoot it. I think starting with a good gas gun and recoil pad combo is the first place to start and then move to a really good compensator. Look to the 3 gun crowd to see what the hot ticket is on the open guns. Porting will keep the muzzle down, but a good comp can tame a Benelli down to where it will have cycling problems.
 
I KNOW THE FEELING

AS A PERSON IN THE SAME FIX, I SHARE THE SAME PROBLEMS. ( I RODE BULLS FOR OVER 22 YEARS AND MY LEFT SHOULER LOOKS LIKE A JIGSAW PUZZLE UNDER XRAY) ALL OF THE GUNS I BUY HAVE FACTORY RECOIL PADS AND BELIEVE ME THAT ISN'T ENOUGH. I LIKE GUNS AND SHOOTING AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT MY CHOICE OF WEAPONS ARE THE LARGE CAL 300 WSM AND A 16 GA O/U. THE 16 DOESNT KICK AS BAD AS THE 12, AND I HIT BETTER WITH IT THAN A 20. BUT, SINCE I'M LONG ARMED, I'VE ADDED A SIMS SLIP ON PAD OVER THE FACTORY PADS. IT ADDS ABOUT AN INCH TO THE LOP BUT REALLY HELPS. A 15 LOP IS ABOUT RIGHT FOR ME AND ITS ACTUALLY IMPROVED MY SHOOTING WITH A LOT LESS PAIN. DO THEY LOOK PRETTY? NO. DOES IT HELP? YES

I AM PLANNING ON TRYING A MERCURY RECOIL REDUCER ON MY 12 GA TURKEY GUN IN THE NEAR FUTURE AND WILL LET YOU KNOW HOW THAT WORKS. EVEN WITH THE SIMS I STILL NEED HELP IN THAT AREA. THE GOOD NEWS IS I USUALLY ONLY HAVE TO SHOOT ONCE.
 
Technique plays a major roll in felt recoil. When shooting anything but a recoil-operated gun I use the push-pull technique. Without going into great detail (a search would reveal that) the gun is basically pushed away frm the shoulder by the force of the support arm. The butt just barely touches the shoulder and most of the recoil is absorbed by the support forearm. I shot a 350 round course in 10 hours with no discomfort whatsoever, unless I let my technique slip.

I was taught this technique by instructor Rob Haught and it works exceptionally well with my 870.

I'm not sure it would work well with an autoloader because without a firm base under recoil, the bolt might not reciprocates completely and cause feeding and extraction problems. I have a Franchi 48 that I'll experiment with someay.
 
I have an O/U sporting clays gun with one of the piston type recoil pads. Difference between that and a standard gun is supstantial. I'd probably suggest one of those on a gas autoloader and maybe ported chokes

You can also have ports cut in the barrel
 
On the less expensive side, the "Limb-Saver" and "Kick-Eeze" pads work well, and the PAST pad is good, too. Youir Mileage Will Vary with what works best for you.

The Knoxx product is probably the priciest option. Haven't tried the mercury tube solution.

For the least expensive fix, a bunch of shot dumped into the retaining bolt cavity of the stock works OK, although that will change the balace point and swing characteristics.
 
RE : Recoil Pad for Mossberg

Does anybody know what size slip on recoil pad a Mossberg Maverick 12 guage takes?

Any recommendations on products?
 
I've gone the recoil-reduction route a fair bit. Both my wife and I have our competition guns modified to a similar extent, so I'll list the modifications in rough order of what I think works.

1) Gun fit. Absolutely critical. A poorly fitted gun can be torture.
2) Premium recoil pad. Mine sports a Pachmyr Decelerator. My wife like's her Kick-Eez. I've also got a Limbsaver on the HD gun and it works well.
3) More weight. Simple physics here. If the gun weighs more, it absorbs recoil better. My clays gun weighs 8.5 pounds.
4) Light loads. I reload a large chunk of our ammo and use 7/8oz of lead moving at around 1250fps in a 12ga. They break targets just fine and don't hurt. The factory ammo I buy is almost never more than a 1oz 12ga load. A good friend uses 3/4oz loads in 12ga with decent results... although the reloading is a bit of a pain due to the use of spacers. If you shoot an O/U or SxS, gauge reduction tubes may be useful.

The preceding items are the ones I think are the most helpful, but a couple others may be worth considering.

5) Long forcing cones. The effect may be slight, but it can help to have the cones done.
6) Porting. As has been said, it will mostly help control muzzle-rise, but it certainly doesn't hurt.

In your circumstance (needing to reduce/eliminate physical injury), my last comment doesn't apply. However, for many shooters (especially new ones), perceived recoil can be decreased through the use of redundant (plugs AND muffs) hearing protection. That "big old 12 gauge" doesn't seem so big when you can barely hear it go off.
 
I like this guys stuff http://www.edwardsrecoilreducer.com/

Edwards recoil reducers. I had him put one in a .35 Whelen and it really brought it down to a more tolerable level for me.

He also does a lot of work on high end shotguns.

Even if you go down to a lower gauge the reducer or the other options might still be a good idea to let you shoot more without the pain.
 
A 28 ga. 1100 would be like shooting a .22. Something to consider anyway....

My bride's 20 ga. 1100 Special Field is a dream to shoot. A 28 would be "like butter".

Mike
 
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