Felt Recoil
- Thread starter Canadan
- Start date
- Location
- Blaster land, Okanagan BC
I bought my wife a 12.5” grizzly for her birthday one year, not long after we both got our pal/rpal’s. She never grew up shooting and while she was stoked at the gift, she was a bit nervous at her preconceived idea of what recoil from a 12g would be. Up until this point she had shot most of my guns, .22 up to 7.62x54r and she really liked the Mosin. Shot it easily freehand or from a bench, but had no shotgun experience.
To start her off we went to the range, I made sure she had good ear pro on as muzzle blast would be more than a 20-28” barrel. We started out with some 7.5 target loads and clays out around 10-15y, after a handful of those I threw a few for her to shoot. Big grin on her face, I then gave her one 2 3/4” 00buck and got her to shoot a target. Which she said was not bad, let her shoot as many as she wanted and threw some more clays. Then I gave her a 2 3/4” slug, just a standard load nothing stout. She was a bit nervous but shot it and then laughed and proceeded to shoot 4-5 in total, we finished the day with more clays till she wanted to stop. We had the range to ourselves that day which was a plus and she absolutely loved her grizzly from there on, granted she’s normal sized and not a tiny girl so I was pretty sure she wouldn’t have a problem with 12g recoil from a heavy gun if she got used to it in increments. Especially after watching her shoot steel plates with a Mosin for a good hour straight lol.
The big thing, and I do this with anyone that has no or very little experience is to shoot the lighter loads and work up at their own pace, it always works well and they come away with more confidence shooting most things. My wife doesn’t shot very often but she’s not afraid to try something I offer her, she knows there’s no pressure to shoot it and I’m not going to give her some stupid stout load without warning her it’s hot. Just because I’m recoil insensitive doesn’t mean everyone else is, a good recoil pad will make it even easier for her.
To start her off we went to the range, I made sure she had good ear pro on as muzzle blast would be more than a 20-28” barrel. We started out with some 7.5 target loads and clays out around 10-15y, after a handful of those I threw a few for her to shoot. Big grin on her face, I then gave her one 2 3/4” 00buck and got her to shoot a target. Which she said was not bad, let her shoot as many as she wanted and threw some more clays. Then I gave her a 2 3/4” slug, just a standard load nothing stout. She was a bit nervous but shot it and then laughed and proceeded to shoot 4-5 in total, we finished the day with more clays till she wanted to stop. We had the range to ourselves that day which was a plus and she absolutely loved her grizzly from there on, granted she’s normal sized and not a tiny girl so I was pretty sure she wouldn’t have a problem with 12g recoil from a heavy gun if she got used to it in increments. Especially after watching her shoot steel plates with a Mosin for a good hour straight lol.
The big thing, and I do this with anyone that has no or very little experience is to shoot the lighter loads and work up at their own pace, it always works well and they come away with more confidence shooting most things. My wife doesn’t shot very often but she’s not afraid to try something I offer her, she knows there’s no pressure to shoot it and I’m not going to give her some stupid stout load without warning her it’s hot. Just because I’m recoil insensitive doesn’t mean everyone else is, a good recoil pad will make it even easier for her.
I guess alot them women's junior shooters using perazzis and dt10s and k80s didn't get the memo that they can't handle a heavy target gun lol
my son was shooting a 20 ga when he was 12 and had no issues whatsoever
but he shot the 12ga once and put it down for 4 more years
(and both were just using bird shot)
now to discuss the "felt" recoil, the 20 ga is an old heavy break action single shot. Its a fantastic bird gun
Ammo is "harder" to find and bit more expensive but its not impossible to find. Even Canadian tire usually stocks some.
id shop around and when you find what you want, buy 3 years worth and be done with it!
Id go back to what one of the earlier post said of getting a 20ga semi.
If you get it used and treat it well you could likely sell it for very close to what you bought if for if she doesn't like it.
but he shot the 12ga once and put it down for 4 more years
(and both were just using bird shot)
now to discuss the "felt" recoil, the 20 ga is an old heavy break action single shot. Its a fantastic bird gun
Ammo is "harder" to find and bit more expensive but its not impossible to find. Even Canadian tire usually stocks some.
id shop around and when you find what you want, buy 3 years worth and be done with it!
Id go back to what one of the earlier post said of getting a 20ga semi.
If you get it used and treat it well you could likely sell it for very close to what you bought if for if she doesn't like it.
I I realize that I know you are a knowledgeable shotguner I was just reaffirming the weight to body size relationship I have been on the trap line watching ladies try to lift there shotguns to get ready to call for a bird it is a work out for them
Come on, you know they didn’t start with those guns, they worked up to them over years of practice.
I am not a big guy (5' 6", 121 lbs) and I started with a 20ga Remington 870 Youth Model shooting lighter AA target loads. Years later I bought several 12ga semi autos. Shooting slugs through it is not a problem but I think part of it besides the gas and / or inertia operated actions, it is also a nice comfy buttpad. That really cushions the felt recoil.
Last weekend I took my 20ga Remington pump out for the first time in 15 years, found some 20ga slugs in my safe and ran those through. Every shot was an "ouch" moment and I can pinpoint the exact reason as the non-existent buttpad on that thing - after 15 years of being stored, or maybe my memory is not very good, but when I was shooting the slugs, that buttpad rubber had the cushioning consistency of a hockey puck. I would much rather shoot slugs through my 12ga semi auto any day of the week.
I think to a degree, recoil is learned. My son is much taller and bigger than me, but he finds the 12ga recoil on a semi auto too much for him...then again, he seems to just like shooting .22LR rifles. For me years ago it bothered me, but now in getting accustomed to certain guns it is really an accustomization thing as well as just moving with the gun rather than fighting or stiffening up knowing the recoil is coming. But a well cushioned buttpad definitely helps.
Last weekend I took my 20ga Remington pump out for the first time in 15 years, found some 20ga slugs in my safe and ran those through. Every shot was an "ouch" moment and I can pinpoint the exact reason as the non-existent buttpad on that thing - after 15 years of being stored, or maybe my memory is not very good, but when I was shooting the slugs, that buttpad rubber had the cushioning consistency of a hockey puck. I would much rather shoot slugs through my 12ga semi auto any day of the week.
I think to a degree, recoil is learned. My son is much taller and bigger than me, but he finds the 12ga recoil on a semi auto too much for him...then again, he seems to just like shooting .22LR rifles. For me years ago it bothered me, but now in getting accustomed to certain guns it is really an accustomization thing as well as just moving with the gun rather than fighting or stiffening up knowing the recoil is coming. But a well cushioned buttpad definitely helps.
As a new shooter, I would recommend having someone with a lot of experience teach you how to shoulder the firearm.
This sounds like a no brainer, and I watched tons of videos and people shooting at the range, and I could not understand why I could not handle my 30-06 or 12G without resulting in bruising and a sore arm for days. It's only after swallowing my pride and asking a more experienced shooter to show me in person, have then place the firearm in the right spot, explain how to stand, how to brace, etc. was I finally able to absorb the impact properly. Now I can shoot a few boxes of turkey load and and not feel like I need a shoulder transplant afterwards.
This sounds like a no brainer, and I watched tons of videos and people shooting at the range, and I could not understand why I could not handle my 30-06 or 12G without resulting in bruising and a sore arm for days. It's only after swallowing my pride and asking a more experienced shooter to show me in person, have then place the firearm in the right spot, explain how to stand, how to brace, etc. was I finally able to absorb the impact properly. Now I can shoot a few boxes of turkey load and and not feel like I need a shoulder transplant afterwards.
Yup, anyone who has ever used a muzzle brake and then notice how the people shooting beside you are relocating to other benches will realize they didn't move because the shooter has bad BO.
I have been on the other side of this, beside someone shooting with a muzzle brake, and I understand why that concussive blast is so distracting if not annoying.
An excellent point. I find those videos on Youtube like the one where this guy has his wife shooting a 308 and the recoil of the scope hits her in the eye, and the presumed husband starts laughing like an idiot.
With my kids, I start them off light and if that's how they want to stay, that's fine. My oldest son is significantly taller and bigger than me but he seems pretty recoil sensitive, he really doesn't want to shoot anything other than a .22. I am ok with this and rather he enjoy his range time with his old man rather feeling coerced or pressured into shooting a higher recoiling caliber just because Dad can handle it. I'd rather him be comfortable with coming to the range and want him to show up again next time. If he wants to shoot heavier loads next time, I will gradually give him slightly increased loads and let him decide what he is comfortable with.
Unfortunately too many people presume to know what their significant other or their kids or their guests can handle.
Gazelle - your 870 Express recoil pad was a hockey puck from the beginning - you just didnt notice years ago.
You are probably right. I had an additional 60 pounds than what I have now (I am skin and bones now) so maybe that extra padding helped back then. The 20ga AA size 8 loads did not seem that bad, but maybe it was lack of sleep from having a newborn back then. Sounds like the default recoil pad is pretty bad. Not sure I am going to get it replaced, since I can't seem myself shooting more 20ga going forward due to the cost of new loads and my 2007 stash being pretty low.
A very wise suggestion. I recently shot my first 30.06, thinking, oh, the online charts said that a 30.06 is ONLY 3 foot pounds worse than a .308. Based on how sore my shoulder was the next day, no way it's only 3 foot pounds more. But as other posters indicated, a lot of it depends on the gun, whether there is a brake on it and shooting position (I was sitting at the bench). My range buddy took a video of me shooting it and I can't even watch that anymore - it threw me back quite a bit and even though I took ONLY 14 rounds...the shoulder was pretty sore. I could have probably used some advice and guidance from someone who has shot that caliber before. I figured I could handle a 12ga, a 308, what's a bit more recoil? Oh was I wrong on that assumption.
bdft
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
If she wants to shoot trap then buying her a 20G puts her at a disadvantage right off the bat. A properly fitting 12G will work fine once she learns how to shoulder it. Check out Browning's Micro series of shotguns. Pricey but you will only have to buy one. Or go the semiauto route. I have shot in competition with a number of small women and the 12G recoil didn't seem to affect their scores.
- Location
- Blaster land, Okanagan BC
Agreed, I’m just happy the wife wants to shoot periodically. So I want her to have fun when she does come out, getting beat up by recoil won’t encourage her to come out more. She’s happy to watch me shoot stout loads and laugh, fine with me as I don’t mind heavy recoil to a point. I’ll offer to let her shoot some thumpers but if she says no it’s all good.
Falconflyer
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
My wife is fairly dainty and she wields her 8 lb 12 guage at a 200 target sporting clays shoot just fine!
Yes, but not as a beginner. Not a valid comparison.
Falconflyer
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Not true Ashcroft. In fairness she did start with a semi which was probably 7 to 7.5 lbs but soon went to an 8 lb gun. Also, with trap you only shoulder the gun 25 times per round for 1 shot and have a minute or so in between shots to rest, that isn’t too taxing for most women. In sporting clays you may shoot 3 or 4 pairs every 10 or 15 minutes and that isn’t too taxing for most people either.
