Installing a mercury vial in a hollow bell and Carlson stock

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AaronGer

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My brother wants to install a mercury vial in his Winchester hunting rifle. He got the butt plate off and found that the stock is hollow :confused: he was expecting to find foam. Anyway we're trying to figure out what foam to fill the stock with to hold the vial

Has anyone here worked on such a thing? Would regular expanding foam be ok? I would assume that the foam wouldn't have to be that dense as the whole purpose of the vial is to absorb recoil so it shouldn't hammer back to bad?

Thanks

Aaron
 
Regular expanding foam will pound out. In plastic stocks I have used Auto Body filler and in one case the tube fit fairly tight so just used a cheap mixable epoxy that was similar to fiber glass to fill the whole butt. Make sure the mercury tube is large enough to contain enough mercury to actually make a real difference to recoil. One other thing I have done to reduce recoil with those hollow plastic stocked rifles is to pour in some lead shot and spray it with expanding foam. Do this in layers so the shot is all individually wrapped or it will break loose as well.
 
I've never heard of such a contraption.

What's the benefit of mercury (aside from it being 20% heavier than lead). Does its liquid state accomplish something? Would an equal weight of mercury reduce recoil more than an equal WEIGHT of lead? Are there some tests or trials to show that? (Because I think product reviews for any recoil reducing device are highly susceptable to the placebo effect)

I'm not trying to sound like a skeptic, it just intrigues me. I would think that a solid fixed weight like lead would provide immediate static momentum that the gun would expend its recoil energy on accelerating rearward into your shoulder. Whereas the liquid wouldn't begin to absorb any energy until the rifle had traveled far enough back for mercury to "slosh" to one end and start absorbing the energy.

What am I missing?
 
kodiakjack said:
I've never heard of such a contraption.

What's the benefit of mercury (aside from it being 20% heavier than lead). Does its liquid state accomplish something? Would an equal weight of mercury reduce recoil more than an equal WEIGHT of lead? Are there some tests or trials to show that? (Because I think product reviews for any recoil reducing device are highly susceptable to the placebo effect)

I'm not trying to sound like a skeptic, it just intrigues me. I would think that a solid fixed weight like lead would provide immediate static momentum that the gun would expend its recoil energy on accelerating rearward into your shoulder. Whereas the liquid wouldn't begin to absorb any energy until the rifle had traveled far enough back for mercury to "slosh" to one end and start absorbing the energy.

What am I missing?
Click to expand...
The mercury tube is only partially filled with the mercury. If the mercury is at the rear of the tube, it will remain in place as the rifle recoils. As it contacts the front of the tube it absorbs recoil. When it splashes to the back of the tube, recoil is transferred to the stock. I believe what it does is change the time line of the recoil, change it from a kick to a shove or push.
 
bearhunter said:
Regular expanding foam will pound out. In plastic stocks I have used Auto Body filler and in one case the tube fit fairly tight so just used a cheap mixable epoxy that was similar to fiber glass to fill the whole butt. Make sure the mercury tube is large enough to contain enough mercury to actually make a real difference to recoil. One other thing I have done to reduce recoil with those hollow plastic stocked rifles is to pour in some lead shot and spray it with expanding foam. Do this in layers so the shot is all individually wrapped or it will break loose as well.
Click to expand...

Thanks I'll look into it
 
Ok so I talked to my brother and we've rethought the plan. It fits pretty well in the top portion of the stock so we're think just use bedding compound all around it to glue it in place.

Should be good? He already bought the vial so that part of the plan is set

Thanks again
 
Well the vial is securely in place and we put fifty rounds of 300 wsm down range today. The mercury vial isn't as good as a muzzle brake but it definitely made a difference. The recoil is more like a 308 or 3006 now.
 
This sounds like quite a gimmick... I would think a similar amount of a solid weight or just a good recoil pad or brake would be far more effective and less prone to failure.

I wouldn't put one in my gun from all the research I have put into this topic.
 
I've seen glass test tubes pinched shut.. I don't know if that's how its suppose to be.

have you seen the price of mercury per lbs? its a lot.
 
I have a couple of them in my 45-120 .
they made a huge difference in the recoil .

I epoxied one into the forend and used a shotgun style for the but stock , it is bedded into the stock and the recoil pad holds it into place , so I can removed it and unscrew the butstock ( ruger number 1 action ) . I'm going to have to figure something else for this as the hard plastic on the recoil pad is fatiguing where the recoil reducer sits .
 
Mercury Recoil Reducer as mentioned already.
Trade off is added weight, but the recoil will be tolerable...

Graco BreaKO Mercury Recoil Reducer Standard 7/8" x 4" 14 oz ...53.00USD.

Or this one, Uniquely Uses Mercury Inertia To Absorb Painful Recoil
Helps counteract the painful effects of recoil using mercury, one of the heaviest, densest, liquid elements. Compact, permanently-sealed, steel case is made from bar stock; the only moving part is the liquid mercury so there’s no wear, no chance of leaks. Mercury's viscosity varies only 1% from 0° F. to 90° F. which means the recoil-fighting performance is consistent in almost all weather conditions.

Aaron, what caliber is the gun and is it a bolt action or semi auto ??
There might be some more solutions available to your brother.
Rob
 
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Trap shooters and some big-bore shooters have used mercury recoil reducers for decades. The only ones I have seen are metal - never plastic or glass. They must be set tightly in the stock because if they can move they will act like a battering ram and cause damage to themselves or the stock.
 
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I used to have a Sako L61R (full stock carbine) in 338 win mag and I had a mercury recoil reducer installed, a decelerator pad and had it ported and it made a huge difference - it was like shooting s 270 after all that was done.
So I am a believer that they work.
 
I know these are used a lot in shotguns, but I've only heard of muzzle brakes being used on precision rifles. Would one of these mercury things have a negative effect on the accuracy of a rifle? I'm thinking if all the mercury is not in the same position when the rifle is fired.
 
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