Recoil management - contributing factors?

sparq

sparq

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Got to thinking about this after reading the ads/manual for my newest aquisition, a Remington 887 Nitro Mag Tactical. Basically, the documentation suggests that the ported door breacher choke reduces recoil and muzzle flip. Additionally, they claim that this is their "Softest-shooting pump gun ever". At 6 7/8 lbs, this is lighter than a standard 18.5" 870 at 7 1/2 lbs.

Now, if the porting on the choke was asymmetrical or angled backwards I might be able to imagine it does something about recoil...but it isn't. And if this gun is lighter than an 870 express with the same choke and barrel length, how can it be softer-shooting while all the parts are locked up (unlike an autoloader that may have opportunity to absorb some recoil with moving parts/cycling action)?

I've heard of mercury stock inserts, lead shot in the mag tube, spring-loaded stock mechanisms (like the Knoxx on my Norc 870 copy), etc...if this particular gun lacks the weight or the more complicated recoil mechanisms, what makes it shoot "softer" than a standard 870? They can't just be taking their recoil pad into account here...or is Remington blowing marketing-department smoke?

I've not had a chance to fire my two shotguns side by side as yet to see which kicks me harder, but I'm wondering if I'm missing something important in my assessment of what affects felt recoil.
 
Porting does reduce recoil a little. However, I do recall reading on their website something about the new recoil pad being awesome. I'd check the site and read up on the material used in the recoil pad.
 
the porting diverts some escaping gases to the sides of the muzzle, instead of blowing it forward thus creating recoil. Same idea as a brake but less complicated and efficient. The way the gun fits you and the way you hold it plays the biggest factor in felt recoil. But as BBB says probably marketing BS. They are a corporation in a competitive market.
 
I have a knoxx comstock on my 590A1...it DOES reduce recoil immensely. I have shot winchester, remington and other mossbergs,...recoil present much more in those..
 
Gotcha. The wording in their advertizing is the same for the non "tactical" version, which does not have the ported muzzle brake. So maybe they're just basing the entire "soft shooting" thing on the big squishy SuperCell recoil pad.

"Ten years of rigorous R&D has produced a recoil pad far superior to anything the world has seen before. So effective in fact, our Model 870 pump shotgun now produces 54% less recoil than competing autoloaders with their factory pads. Welcome the most effective recoil pad on the planet, the 21st century’s most remarkable development in recoil reduction. SuperCell."
 
The Supercell and similar new tech recoil pads don't reduce physical recoil at all, they do however take a HUGE bite out of *percieved* recoil, IMO they hold the same kind of cushioning advantage over a regular type recoil pad as a regular recoil pad does over a hard butt plate.
 
maurice said:
I have a knoxx comstock on my 590A1...it DOES reduce recoil immensely. I have shot winchester, remington and other mossbergs,...recoil present much more in those..
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Does it also reduce the "face slap" when the gun rises up and the stock pushes onto your face ?

I found the face slap more annoying than the backward recoil force on my shoulder.
 
i find after shooting "black rifles" with the butt of the stock positioned higher on my shoulder then shooting a shot gun I get a nice kiss from the shotgun on my cheek - until i remember to position the shotgun butt correctly!
 
No argument here, just thinking out loud. I'll need to shoot my Knoxx stocked 870 and 887 side by side, I think...
 
I found that the knoxx really does reduce the backwards felt recoil, but that energy has to go somewhere, and I've found (in my experience anyway) that it just redirects some of the force upward. I found that with slugs the whole rifle seems to hop upwards rather than the usual push straight back and barrel hop. I guess it'd just take more getting used to. It really does reduce the felt recoil, at least for me, but you get a sore cheek rather than a sore shoulder lol.
 
Actual firearm recoil can only be reduced by using a heavier gun, a lighter shot charge or a lower velocity, its simple physics.

Felt recoil can be reduced by flattening the recoil curve with a pad or a spring loaded stock, or in an automatic by using some of the recoil impulse to work the action. Porting will only work by minutely reducing shot velocity, or if the ports are angled backward by inducing a slight forward thrust on the barrel. Porting may reduce muzzle flip and cheek damage, but then more of the recoil energy will push straight back into the shoulder.

Holding the gun firmly to the shoulder and cheek means that the recoil will immediately be absorbed by all of the body weight. A loose hold gives the gun room to free recoil until it slaps into the shoulder and cheek, ouch!
 
I'll jump in and parrot the other posts.
To me, the biggest things that will help recoil on any weapon are Stance and Grip. Square up, feet apart to your liking, bend the knees a bit, shoulders ahead of the toes and use your dominant arm to weld the stock solidly into your shoulder pocket. This puts the most weight directly behind the gun. If you have a stock that angles down slightly from the receiver, and the recoil is straight back then you'll find your gun may rise a bit at the muzzle. If your stock is straight in line with your receiver (like the Mesa High Tube) you'll find your stay more on sight. The 14inch 870 I shoot isn't ported, no recoil suppression and it barely moves the guys that run it right. Good luck.
 
Beyond all the gimmicks intended to resolve recoil issues, the most basic elements in recoil control are proper gun fit, a good shooting technique, and the choice of the appropriate ammunition to get the job done. Too long a LOP will pound you, to say nothing of making the gun slower to get into action. Shooting from a poor position tends to cause the body to absorb more of the recoil energy, may result in muzzle flip which also makes the gun seem to kick harder than it really does, and if the butt is placed out on your shoulder bone it'll hurt and bruise you. By contrast, a good position, where you lean slightly forward with the butt placed firmly in the pocket of your shoulder, allows the recoil energy to transfer across your body a down the leg you have placed to the rear, and some of the recoil energy can assist you in cycling the action. The choice of 3" slug loads, particularly Federal, or 15 pellet 00 loads are seldom needed to resolve a problem that made you reach for a shotgun in the first place, and these loads in any gun light enough to be handy are just nasty to shoot.
 
A fully stocked Enfield No4 dosen't kick as hard a No5, the weight soaks up some of the recoil,.
Fenix.NZ said:
i have an 887 tactical and 870s in various lengths.. i find the 887 to be softer shooting..

always reasoned it to be a lighter gun means less inertia for your body to counter
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and on that note stock design,recoil pad material,how thick the pad is and width all play a part, as a thin narrow pad will concentrate the recoil force into a smaller area.
 
AManWithAGun said:
Does it also reduce the "face slap" when the gun rises up and the stock pushes onto your face ?

I found the face slap more annoying than the backward recoil force on my shoulder.
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For sure when squeezing your cheek down hard to put a bead over the receiver of a plain barrel riot gun. Classic annoyance made by a heavy fastburning charge, launching a full 1-1/4 ounces of projectiles.:)
 
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