Recoil

[JEBar]

I just ran a forum search for "recoil" and found 38 pages/372 post .... I don't like heavy recoil .... in spite the hunting firearms I have chosen to use over the years, recoil has long been an issue for me .... now that I have to be on blood thinning medication, recoil has become even a stronger concern .... consequently, I have a strong interest of what can be done to help reduce felt recoil .... what I have come to believe, not listed in any order of importance :

1. firearm caliber selection : as an example, many people deer hunt with 223/243's on the one end and 300 Mags/45-70's on the other .... the recoil produced varies widely

2. firearm action : all else being equal, manual actions will produce more felt recoil than semiautomatic actions

3. firearm weight : all else being equal, the heavier the firearm the less the felt recoil

4. design of grip/stock : the size of the grip and the grip material play a part .... single action, western style grips on larger calibers seem to be harder to control ....

5. OEM recoil suppression : all else being equal, rifles/shotguns with factory recoil pads produce less felt recoil than those with hard plastic/metal butt plates .... the addition of modern suppressors can play a major part

6. shooting style : all else being equal, standing free hand shooting seems to produce less felt recoil than locked in on sand bags on a shooting bench or firing from a prone position

7. ammunition used : light loading/using Cowboy Action style loads will produce less recoil that full power hunting level loads .... to a lesser degree, the lighter the projectile the less the recoil


all of the above can be dealt with in making a decision as to what firearm to purchase and what ammo to use


for those who have a firearm they like and are determined to use, I've found the following mods can be effective :

1. aftermarket barrel mounted recoil suppression .... in this area, I favor suppression that doesn't redirect some of the muzzle blast back into the face of the shooter ... the old Browning BOSS system was effective but its redirection of muzzle blast put it on my, I won't use list .... Mag-Na-Port's classic system ===> http://magnaport.com/ <=== is one I have found to be effective on hard kicking rifles and revolvers .... my hope is to have them work on our 45-70 this spring

2. install/upgrade recoil pad .... for those who do not want to permanently install a pad, slip on ones are available .... historically I've gone with Pachmayr's F990 Triple Magnum Field pad ===> http://www.pachmayr.com/home/F990.php <=== last year, based on advice from a gunsmith we tried KICK-EEZ Dual-Action recoil absorbing pads ===> https://kickeezproducts.com/recoil-pads ... ecoil-pad/ <=== for me the jury is still out as to which is the best

3. in stock recoil suppression .... there is no doubt in my mind that properly installing a Mercury Recoil Suppressor ===> http://www.mercuryrecoil.com/ <=== in a rifle or shotgun does reduce felt recoil .... we have had it installed in 6 and plan to add 3 more in February


suggestions/recommendations in the area of reducing felt recoil would be appreciated

[North Country Gal]

Good points and excellent discussion.

One you can add to that list is shooter's experience. Recoil with guns that I wouldn't even rate as an issue can scare the daylights out of new shooters. Those of us who do shoot heavy kickers on a regular basis and know how to manage recoil don't regard recoil in the same light as those who only seldom shoot hard kicking guns.

Have also noticed that when discussing recoil with new shooters, they are as intimidated as much by the noise and concussion as they are the actual felt recoil in the hand or shoulder. For them, it's all one and the same though - scary and unpleasant.

For myself, there is also a distinct difference between my tolerance for recoil, rifle versus handgun. I shoot big bore magnum handguns and some truly insane calibers in specialty handguns and do fine. In fact, when it comes to handguns, I'm something of a recoil junkie. Rifles, though, are different story. I bruise very easily. Even a 30-30 lever gun can leave me black and blue after a few shots where I got sloppy with my hold on the gun. I have a low tolerance for recoil in rifles and shotguns, but actually enjoy it to some extent in handguns.

[JEBar]

excellent points .... experience in learning how to properly hold both long and short guns can make a major difference

[ditto1958]

excellent points .... experience in learning how to properly hold both long and short guns can make a major difference

Yup. When I first got a Marlin 30-30, I bruised my shoulder shooting it. I didn't know enough to snug the butt up to my shoulder. Nowadays I never get a sore shoulder from shooting rifles.

[RanchRoper]

The recoil on my 45 Colt Big Boy is pretty mild, however the leather stock cover reduced it even more. Maybe not so much from the padding side of it, but the fact that it sort of locks tight to the shoulder instead of the brass moving around a little. Maybe I imagine it, but it feels solid and less recoil as a result.

[BigAl52]

I always used a latex slip over pad called shooters friend on my 45-100. It definitley did the trick. Reduced the recoil to less than half and no more black and blue shoulder. When your in the prone position with those big guns they would smack you pretty hard. Al

[RanchRoper]

How about a frock coat with a leather shoulder pad like Everett Hitch (Viggo Mortensen) in Appaloosa?

[JEBar]

I've owned and worn shooting shirts and vest with a pad .... never did seem to me that they did any good

[North Country Gal]

I've owned and worn shooting shirts and vest with a pad .... never did seem to me that they did any good

Yes, but did you look good? That's important, too.

[JEBar]

Yes, but did you look good? That's important, too.

.... it would be a stretch to say looked good with or without the shooting shirt/vest

[Sir Henry]

In basic training the drill instructor took an M14 and placed the buttstock against his testicles and shot it showing us it didn't kick all that much. Later when I shot the M14 for the first time I thought it kicked a lot more than what I was expecting but didn't say a word after seeing the drill instructor put the family jewels on the line. From that moment on I viewed recoil as something you just accept. If you think about recoil too much you will flinch.

[North Country Gal]

... If you think about recoil too much you will flinch.

Yup, that's very much the challenge of shooting guns with a lot of recoil. As a gal, I'm proof that it isn't about strength; it's all mental discipline and, of course, practice.

[Sir Henry]

I shot high-powered military rifle left-handed for decades and didn't really think too much of it. But then when I switched to right-handed it took me a long time to find that sweet spot for the butt and to tighten just that part without going too rigid on my entire arm and shoulder.

[JEBar]

If you think about recoil too much you will flinch.

I couldn't agree more .... as noted in another thread, at our son's request, I've been working with our 8 year old grandson for well over a year .... I've never let him fire anything that kicks .... consequently, he has no fear of recoil .... he doesn't flinch, has a smooth trigger pull, and really concentrates on his sight picture .... the young'un can shoot and shoot really well .... he enjoys firing 22's but he's fallen in love with his Henry 357 .... inside of 50 yards, I'd put him up against most anyone .... when things warm up in the spring I plan to move him back and by the fall to have him working at 100 yards

[JEBar]

a few weeks ago we took our Henry 45-70 and Remington 11-87 12 ga (along with 2 other log guns) to a gunsmith who we've come to trust .... as one who has been on blood thinning medication for over a year and who may well be on it from now on, felt recoil has become a significant consideration .... his upgrades to all of them was to replace the OEM recoil pads with KICK-EEZ Dual-Action recoil absorbing pads https://kickeezproducts.com/recoil-pads ... ecoil-pad/ and Mercury Recoil Suppressors http://www.mercuryrecoil.com/ .... improperly installing a Mercury Recoil Suppressor can change a rifle's/shotgun's balance, properly installing them can enhance their balance .... in addition, honing a shotgun's forcing cone is said to help reduce recoil and improve pattern density .... to test the mods we went to a range .... after firing 10 405 gr HSM full power Dangerous Game Loads and 5 of our full power 300 gr jacketed hunting loads our of our 45-70 and 10 rounds of 3" 00-buckshot our of our Remington 11-87, I'm happy to report no bruising .... a bit of stiffness to be sure but no sign whatsoever of bruising .... for me that is a major improvement .... in addition, the 00-buck shot pattern at 50 yards with a Modified Choke Tube was truly impressive .... based on his recommendation, we plan to have both the 45-70 and 11-87 Mag-Na-Ported http://magnaport.com/rifle.html /// http://magnaport.com/sgun.html .... really looking forward to seeing how the porting adds to the reduction in felt recoil .... will try to post a picture of the KICK-EEZ upgrades

[North Country Gal]

My experience with porting has all been on handguns, but it's been very positive in terms of dealing with recoil. On some brutal kickers, porting made the difference between a gun I could practically shoot and one I could not. Porting does introduce issues of its own, though, so it's a package deal.

One place I do not recommend shooting ported guns is at a range with other shooters, nearby. Shooting a ported gun, then, will make you a lot of enemies. The blast and concussion can be punishing for those on either side, even from mild cartridges like the 223. When someone at our range shows up with a ported black gun, I move as far away as possible.

Shooting ported guns from a prone position or even a sitting position can kick p a lot of dust and debris that can interfere with your shooting. Ask me how I know.

Shooting ported handguns at a bench can be especially tricky. Actually blew an expensive spotting scope right off the bench, once, when sighting in a compensated 460 S&W revolver. Shooting a ported gun adds a whole new meaning to muzzle awareness.

[Henry88]

If you think about recoil too much you will flinch.

I couldn't agree more .... as noted in another thread, at our son's request, I've been working with our 8 year old grandson for well over a year .... I've never let him fire anything that kicks .... consequently, he has no fear of recoil .... he doesn't flinch, has a smooth trigger pull, and really concentrates on his sight picture .... the young'un can shoot and shoot really well .... he enjoys firing 22's but he's fallen in love with his Henry 357 .... inside of 50 yards, I'd put him up against most anyone .... when things warm up in the spring I plan to move him back and by the fall to have him working at 100 yards

I don't bet JEBar, but if I did I think my money might be on NCG for now; at least until he turns 9

I'll tell ya, I shot my .308 last weekend and it hurt. Never remembered that in over 40 years of owning that gun.

I think that if I had a pad, I might want to shorten the stock that same amount to keep the dimensions the same.............

[JEBar]

My experience with porting has all been on handguns, but it's been very positive in terms of dealing with recoil.

One place I do not recommend shooting ported guns is at a range with other shooters, nearby.

Shooting ported guns from a prone position or even a sitting position can kick p a lot of dust and debris that can interfere with your shooting. Ask me how I know.

very true for systems like the old Browning BOSS .... effective yes .... fun to shoot, nope .... Mag-Na-Porting doesn't redirect muzzle blast toward the shooter .... the sound/blast generated is the same as from an unported barrel that is a couple of inches shorter .... Mag-Na-Port's newest development is called their Mag-na-brake .... per info they provide in this link http://magnaport.com/rifle.html, "A forward angle directs sound pressure away from the shooter. " .... I don't pretend to understand how that is possible but having used their service for decades, I have no doubt they can pull it off .... right out of the box our 300 WBY mag, 30-06, and 44 mag revolver all had a major bark ... we can't tell one bit of difference in muzzle blast before and after having them Mag-Na-Ported

[North Country Gal]

Thanks for the update. I will stow that one away for future purchases that could use a little recoil taming.

[JEBar]

one of our sons is strongly considering having their Mag-Na-Brake installed on one of his rifles ... if he does, I'm certainly looking forward to giving it a try