Recoil Question

Arseno

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Fredericton, NB
Looking for some CGNers who have experience with shooting alot of different brands of shotguns. Which brand/model, in your opinion is the softest recoiling? From what I've heard, its usually a Beretta or Remington gas gun. Thanks!
 
Have an A400 light(under 6lbs) that has very mild recoil. Turkey loads increase it a bit. The older urika2 391 I had recoiled even less but it was probably 1-2lbs heavier and had kick off
 
Recoil in general terms is directly proportional to the weight of the gun. If you shoot the same box of shells in 5 different guns, the lightest gun will kick the most.

Having that said, you don't have to use heavy or magnum shotshells if there are recoil issues. Many makers of shotshells produce low recoil/light rounds for youth, ladies, or just because you don't need a heavy load. A regular shotgun with light loads produces lighter recoil, which is cheaper than buying a new or special gun to mitigate recoil.
 
I don’t believe that is a question that can truly be answered in terms of specific brands and models as there are far too many factors that come into play, especially what each individual considers heavy vs light recoil. Generally speaking gun fit is one of the most critical aspects of felt recoil. Contrary to when I usually say if it doesn’t fit it won’t hit the opposite is true when it comes to felt recoil . If it doesn’t fit it WILL hit....YOU!!
 
Something else to consider is that semi's don't have less recoil that anything else but the recoil impulse is spread over a longer period of time as the action cycles giving the illusion of less felt recoil.
In my experience, the lightest recoiling shotguns are over and under's that are designed for heavy use and are heavier than hunting guns with good fitting stocks, long forcing cones, over bore barrels and long choke tubes. such as 692's, 725's, Dt-11's, Perazzi's, K80's and Zoli's, etc.
 
Recoil is a very strange thing .
i have bad nerve damage in my neck and shoulder so a heavy gun is a problem as is a big charge of shot .
i bought a big O/U a few years back with 3.5” chambers thinking a 2 3/4” shell with a 7/8oz payload would give less felt recoil less in the long chamber.
i was right except the danged thing was too heavy for me to accurately shoot a full round of trap!:bangHead:
I stick these days to light guns and payloads .
Cat
 
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Experience helps a lot not saying that you aren’t OP but even a inexperienced professional athlete shooting is going to get pounded on a 500 bird marathon regardless of how well his gun fits vs a middle age overweight avaid shotgun shooter.

Something to consider is all.
 
Gun fit, weight and shotshell payload & speed are your biggest factors, action follows this. A 9lb trap gun that doesn't fit you will have more felt recoil than a 7lb O/U that does.
 
Anything gas operated will have less felt recoil without a doubt. My girlfriend has a Weatherby 20ga pump, forget the model but it's for smaller shooters. Short length of pull and 20 or 22 inch barrel. I tried some 3" magnums for geese out of it and I swear it kicks harder than my Remington SP-10 10ga!! Mind you the 10ga is about 11-12 pounds with a 30" barrel on it.
 
The thing that affects felt recoil the most is gun fit, plain and simple. A gas operated semiautomatic will have less felt recoil, all things being equal. BUT ... if it doesn't fit you, it will wack you more than any other gun that does fit you.

So, go shoot anything that you can lay your hands on and see what fits the best.
 
I had a Beretta A303 and it was a please to shoot. Then went to a Weatherby and in two shots my shoulder was unbelievably bruised. If I was to get another no question hands down it would be a Beretta. Those that say they are all the same are wrong.
 
It's interesting to see a couple of votes for the Beretta A303. I normally don't shoot semi's cause I hate picking up all the hulls and the finicky cleaning that is involved but I've had an A303 12 gauge for many years, it's the target version that Beretta made and is highly sought after in the states by skeet shooters. I never shoot it but my 3 kids all learned to shoot clay's with it because it's light and I had a second stock cut down for length of pull, the recoil was so soft that it was a great beginners gun. They still shoot it once in a while but mostly it just sits on the shelf and gathers dust, I wouldn't want to sell it, it's just too good of a gun!
 
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