Advice Needed - Tame Recoil on 870

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1bighead

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I'd like some advice on how to tame the recoil on my rifled barelled 12 g 870. I'm going to use it primarily on hogs and deer. I took it out briefly this fall when I sighted in my .308 and fired a few slugs to get a feel for it. I've had quite a bit of experience firing the 12 guage - but not hunting with slugs - but I cant say my last outing was a pleasant experience ( especially after firing 50 rounds of .308). Now, I've got a nice little red/ green dot optic I'd like to mount on it in the spring and dont really want to throw my shoulder out in the process. Can anyone;

1. relate;
2. provide advise on a decent recoil pad;and
3. suggest a decent type of ammo to use for sighting in and for hunting loads.

cheers;
 
Extend the forcing cone 3/8", pull the stock into your body tighter and stand your ground. A heavier buttstock may also help a bit.

A short barrel helps with recoil. Or at least I think so. I believe the sooner the projectile leaves the barrel, the less perceived recoil you'll feel.

Soft pads are for pussies.
 
Knoxx stocks work as advertised in my experience. Also shooting lighter sabots will kick less than heavy slugs like buckhammers
 
I can do l three:

I have an 870 with rifled barrel as well and was plain scared of the thing after my first outing to the range, shooting off the benches. The Winchester Partition Gold sabots in 3" were what I was using (if I recall correctly) and the recoil was daunting at best. When I moved to the Hornady SST (now FTX) slugs in 2 3/4" the recoil was significantly less. The Hornadys even in the shorter chambering are plenty fast and heavy for deer.
Now these sabots aren't cheap for target practice, but in my gun they have had very good results on game. Save some rounds by using a laser bore sighter to get on paper and shoot close before far. You'll need to sight in with the cartridges you will be using for hunting, they should be one and the same in my opinion.
The Remington R3 pad that came with my gun is great, as are the Limbsavers.
Happy shooting, IBD
 
when hunting you won't feel the recoil. I have gone as far as to place a bag of shot between the butt and my shoulder when sighting in a heavy recoiler. Do what ever you have to to spread out the recoil and get ready to hunt.
 
As already suggested - use 2 3/4in shells. Those are adequate enough out to 100+ yards.

Installation of a Limbsaver pad will reduce felt recoil substantially and remove the pain factor if you are hurling a lot of lead down range.....I found this to be true with a 1895G Marlin .45-70 ..... or else, just move to a 20ga rifled bbl slug gun - you will get your deer.
 
ibdavidson said:
I can do l three:

I have an 870 with rifled barrel as well and was plain scared of the thing after my first outing to the range, shooting off the benches. The Winchester Partition Gold sabots in 3" were what I was using (if I recall correctly) and the recoil was daunting at best. When I moved to the Hornady SST (now FTX) slugs in 2 3/4" the recoil was significantly less. The Hornadys even in the shorter chambering are plenty fast and heavy for deer.
Now these sabots aren't cheap for target practice, but in my gun they have had very good results on game. Save some rounds by using a laser bore sighter to get on paper and shoot close before far. You'll need to sight in with the cartridges you will be using for hunting, they should be one and the same in my opinion.
The Remington R3 pad that came with my gun is great, as are the Limbsavers.
Happy shooting, IBD
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice on the Hornady FTX. I use that brand for my .308 and I like it a lot, very accurate. I also think I may invest in a Limbsaver pad of some type.

Acknowleged the advice for recoil whilst hunting - I'm not really concerned with that - its the range work I'm anticipating. I havent fired sabots yet, just Remington 2 3/4 slugs, but anything thats good enough for deer will likely work on a medium sized feral hog.
 
My supermag also came with one of those very soft pads from the factory and to be honest I enjoy shooting it more than most semis including my fathers 391 with kickoff. So a good pad would be first on my list as others have stated.

For slugs I have a 21 inch rifled barrel and shoot 2 3/4 remington accutip sabots. They group VERY tightly and recoil seems much softer than smoothbore slugs. I actually find that when shooting sabots in general, recoil feels softer than with smoothbore slugs of equal size.
 
easy said:
Extend the forcing cone 3/8", pull the stock into your body tighter and stand your ground. A heavier buttstock may also help a bit.

A short barrel helps with recoil. Or at least I think so. I believe the sooner the projectile leaves the barrel, the less perceived recoil you'll feel.

Soft pads are for pussies.
Click to expand...

Does a rifled barell even have a forcing cone ? Understood with the heavier buttstock, but, its already fairly hefty with the original wooden stock/ butt.
 
1bighead said:
Does a rifled barell even have a forcing cone ? Understood with the heavier buttstock, but, its already fairly hefty with the original wooden stock/ butt.
Click to expand...

An 870 rifled barrel indeed does have a forcing cone. You should be able to see it looking into the chamber.
 
1bighead said:
Thanks for the advice on the Hornady FTX. I use that brand for my .308 and I like it a lot, very accurate. I also think I may invest in a Limbsaver pad of some type.

Acknowleged the advice for recoil whilst hunting - I'm not really concerned with that - its the range work I'm anticipating. I havent fired sabots yet, just Remington 2 3/4 slugs, but anything thats good enough for deer will likely work on a medium sized feral hog.
Click to expand...

Quick and easy.. we have the Pachmayar recoil pad for the 870. Excellent feedback to date.

I used one as well until I got my Hogue stock. Definitely helped with the Remington Slugs I was using.

http://www.technologydirectcanada.com/p1736/Pachmayar-04433-Medium-Black-Slip-On-Recoil-Pad/product_info.html

-Frank
 
Since you only neeed to tame recoil at the range (you won't feel it hunting), if you have a synthetic stock there's a neat trick" Unscrew the butt pad, completely fill stock with lead birdshot, replace but pad. Your felt recoil will drop HUGELY, but you are going to want to make sure you empty the shot before taking it hunting ;)
 
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