"Knoxx Recoil Shotgun Stocks Suck" by Nutnfancy

W

Wendell

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Uber Super GunNutz
Rating - 100%
83   0   2
:eek:

I really wanted to like the Knoxx and we actually tried it in multiple shooting sessions over the last year and half. But despite many rounds fired with an open mind....it still sucks.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I41htjbudh4
"Knoxx Recoil Shotgun Stocks Suck" by Nutnfancy

nutnfancy | January 13, 2011 | 722 likes, 45 dislikes

I really wanted to like the Knoxx and we actually tried it in multiple shooting sessions over the last year and half. But despite many rounds fired with an open mind....it still sucks. The Knoxx Recoil Reduction stock, or Blackhawk Spec Ops stock as marketed, has many shortcomings in my estimation. First and foremost it ruins consistency in the art of combat shotgunning, an all-important commodity that allows you to actually hit things with the gun. A shotgun is a high recoil weapon with "high-base" or full-power rounds like 00 Buck or full power slugs. In my experience, that requires a nice low check weld on the stock that is consistent and repeatable, especially when using a simple bead sight (still very effective in most situations and realistic ranges). That results in an effective sighting plane that's fast and solid. This stock should also allow a easily repeatable and solid stock weld as well. Through the recoil of shooting, these "welds" should not change and the should be predictable. The Knoxx stock changes all of those constants and introduces variables in the recoil that sap speed. Like anything else, it's a system that probably could be mastered but other problems nag. The multi-positionable M4-style butt stock can be used effectively on a shotgun but it is fraught with problems if great care is not taken, mainly the variable length of pull will probably be mis-set (Murphy's Law) when you need it most. And that introduces accuracy and speed robbing variation. And then there's the pain: the Knoxx stock can slam your cheek bone hard!. The flare out ridge at the tube portion was found to be a painful reminder that you did not have the stock properly adjusted (too short). And even when it is properly adjusted, cheek smacks with FULL POWER loads can be expected. But it gets worse. To be properly adjusted (for many shooters), the LOP must be increased to uncomfortable lengths. Again speed and accuracy can suffer. Then add in the usual, undulating recoil impulse of the Knoxx stock which transfers recoil more upwards than rewards. It is springy in nature and for me, makes fast shooting much tougher as more time is spent recovering the "wiggling" gun. It can also lead to short stroking the pump gun as well in our experience (the straight-back recoil impulse is lost and in many guns that aids unlocks and ejection initiation). Compared to a conventional stock usually outfitted from the factories, the Knoxx/Spec Ops stock is sloppy in function and feel and, despite all, it still transmit substantial recoil to the shooter. In a rifle or lower recoiling system this is probably more acceptable (as is variable length of pull). But in the combat shotgun it can ruin your mojo. Also the need for a pistol grip in a pump shotgun is debatable as well (makes more sense for the single-hand-capable auto like Remington Tac-2 or Benellis). All of that is plenty enough reason to avoid the Knoxx stock for shotguns (especially the wire fold-over version). But add in the fact that it BROKE as well during our range session. Perhaps a disconnected spring that's easily repaired but no matter, it just made your shotgun much more difficult if not impossible to shoot in the heat of battle. Good luck with that. Again we see that SIMPLICITY is the ultimate sophistication and leads to higher reliablitiy. For recoil shy shotgunners, who in reality will rarely shoot full-power loads anyhow, I recommend more training with conventional stocks OR transitioning to a tactical or patrol carbine. There are many excellent options. It is presented seductively and lauded in many quarters but Nutnfancy is keeping it real: this is not a stock system I would bet my life on. I am shocked I'm the only one saying so. /////////////////////////// Nutnfancy Likability Scale: NOT RECOMMENDED ////////////////////// Music licensed from TNPr www.youtube.com/eldudio

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I41htjbudh4
Click to expand...
 
Mall ninja's will be screaming over this write up.

"Again we see that SIMPLICITY is the ultimate sophistication and leads to higher reliablitiy"
Well said
 
I have one of these for an HP9, and I have noticed a couple of the issues mentioned here. Next time I go shooting, I may have to take the factory stock out with it and do a comparison.
 
I have a Knoxx on my 590 and I'm happy with it, I've shot several competitions with it and haven't had a single problem, it works great. If you don't like it don't use it.
 
never noticed the cheek slap, then again i shoot mainly 2 3/4" shot and slugs.
most of the guy's negatives seem to be due to improper/lack of adjustment of LOP on the collapsible stock. kindof stupid - why not simply adjust it to a proper LOP?

the Knoxx stock certainly has some drawbacks (cheek weld being the major one), but IMO what it excels at is building a fun gun for new and casual shooters. for some reason people unfamiliar with guns will gravitate to stoks with PGs, and i often hear that it just feels more intuitive/comfortable for them to shoulder. the adjustable LOP lets you quickly and easily adjust stock length for multiple shooters without resorting to installing spacers, swapping or cutting stocks - or (what happens in most cases) forcing someone to use a gun that has too long/short a LOP for their body. you cant afford to custom fit a shotgun to every new shooter you take shooting with you.
in addition to the stock fit, the recoil absorption soaks up the majority of the recoil so that recoil is more or less taken out of the equation. this lets shooters focus on firearm safety and handling rather than being distracted by the fear/discomfort of recoil.
once they are familiar with gun safety, no longer intimidated by recoil, and are interested in the sport you can set up a conventional stocked shotgun for them with the correct LOP and a decent recoil pad and focus on teaching them the finer points of shotgunning.

you can take a new shooter out and hand them a $3000 gun, but if the LOP is to long for the shooter, the gun is to heavy, the recoil too punishing - then they are not going to enjoy shooting much and the bulk of their attention will be focused on the discomfort (and theyll already be well on their way to developing a flinch).

ive had great success with the Knoxx in taking out completely new shooters who have never fired a gun before and were highly intimidated by them. at the end of the day they are no longer intimidated by shooting and have been able to learn how to fire a shotgun safely and confidently without being hampered by poor gun fit or put off by heavy recoil. most importantly, they had a lot of fun and several immediately expressed interest in getting their own shotgun. this, IMO, is worth the price of admission.





basically the exact opposite of this:
 
I'm looking over some cell phone video I took of a couple new-ish shooters who wanted to try my HP9 with Knoxx stock. One asked for the heaviest load first, the other had fired some lighter birdshot first without issues, then went to the heavy load (3" 000 magnum buck). Both of them partially or fully pulled the fore end back during recoil, and one lost grip on the fore end as the muzzle jumped. I have personally experienced the "cheekbone smash" against the flared part of the stock, but it was my own fault (rapid fire and inadvertently sliding my face/cheeck weld further forward after each shot).

Now I kinda want to do a video comparison of the gun's behaviour with each stock for a given load, stance, and shooter. Should be a fun excuse to put some lead downrange :)
 
I find nutnfancy's videos entertaining...that's about it. I find a lot of his reviews to be funny. Runs around the desert with his buddies pretending to be navy seals. He lost all credability with me when he went for a "training" session with a patched biker that brags about riding with HA and stabbing people in bar fights.
 
Ya nutnfancy is basically a glorified mall cop wannabe. I would take his reviews with a grain of salt.
 
I had one on an 870......the stock had to be adjusted to an individuals LOP.....otherwise it would "smack" the cheek. I never had a problem with it, and could shoot birdshot and reduced recoil slug pretty damn fast with it. When shooting heavier recoiling rounds, it did buck more, and the stock would "bottom" out, at the end of the spring compression. All in all, I felt it was a decent improvement, if you like the pistol grip style, and it did reduce felt recoil...

The caveat being, the stock had to be adjusted correctly for LOP...if not, you got bite!
 
Last edited:
I love mine and put a limbsaver pad on it as well. I hate recoil and have the knoxx stock allows me to shoot the gun on a regular basis without getting a flinch. Not everyone likes it and that's fine. But spare me the "ultimate authority stuff". I shoot 2 3/4 and 3" mag slugs out of mine.
 
Any one that's been shooting combat shotguns for 20 years, doesn't like pistolgrips, and prefers beadsights is not going to like the Knoxx Spec Ops.

He should have reviewed the Compstock but he doesn't even mention it as a product in the line for some reason? He dissed the folder which I would agree is crap.

Very biased.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom