Shotgun recoil

[Combat-wombat]

Well at our latest THR shoot I shot my first shotgun (Benelli M3 12 ga.). I really envisioned the recoil being worse, and I could handle it. However, I wasn't really all that comfortable with it. It did give my shoulder a considerable beating. Also, in a HD situation, I probably wouldn't have the time to allign it properly and hold tightly with my shoulder, making the recoil worse. It would be pretty hard to deal with both recoil and stress, and I probably couldn't effectively defend my home with it.

That being said, are there any stocks that would make a difference in recoil on a standard HD 12ga, like a Mossberg 500 Persuader/Mariner (which I'm liking the price on)

 

[kudu]

In a huniting or HD situation you will never even notice recoil, your attention is on other things. Now a few hours later you may notice a bit of discomfort if the gun doesn't fit.

There are many threads that talk about gun fit and add on recoil pads such as the Decelerator, but recoil should not effect your performance under stress.

 

[461]

I'm real new at shotguns for fun as I was turned off by the recoil as well having 00 buck 12ga with a steel buttplate as my only experience . After getting the advice to try superlite target loads and get used to them before moving up I've since moved into shooting on a Trap league, buying a second shotgun and deciding to reload for it.

I'm a revolver shooter primarily and had the same problem with the .44 Magnum after shooting one incorrectly and with hot loads fifteen years ago. I now own two, and shoot them more than any other guns I own. working your way up is the best way to handle recoil in any weapon.

 

[Chuck Dye]

I, too, recommend recoil pads but would like to add an additional thought. In others threads you have alluded to your youth. If you have not yet reached your adult size, you may want of look at what goes into replacing the stock of whatever you do buy. Shorten the first stock so that it fits well with the minimum thickness of pad you are comfortable with, then compensate for growth with thicker pads. You can only compensate for so much growth by switching to thicker pads but at the point you replace the stock, you will have a selection of pads in your drawer to work with on the new stock. I shoot with an extended family who have done this successfully over the years with at least one shotgun and several rifles. It makes an odd sight when a guy 6’8" weighing 260 pounds shoulders an old bolt action .22 with 1¾" of recoil pad! There is a 20 gauge in that family for which there are three buttstocks and probably eight or ten recoil pads. When, or if, my friend can pry it away from his cousin it will reach its fourth generation of shooters.

 

[TimRB]

My shotgun (Winchester 1300 Defender) has a plastic --uh-- I mean synthetic stock. Since the gun is light, its recoil was downright brutal, especially firing buckshot or slugs. I took off the stock, and put a baggie with about a pound and a half of shot in there, stuffing any leftover empty space with foam. This brought the overall weight up to about 8 pounds, and made the recoil *much* easier to get along with.

Tim