Shotgun hurts my face

Spydr

Spydr

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I have a remignton 870 express that I use for clays and hunting. Its a great gun for under 500 bucks but the problem I have is after 100 rounds of clay shooting, my cheek gets pretty sore and swells up. I have to believe it is because my head is so big that trying to get my eyeball down the barrel causes the gun to rest right on my cheek bone. Has anyone else had this problem and what did you do to obsolve this problem?
 
My first impression upon reading the title "Shotgun hurts my face" is that you're using it incorrectly. :)

Reading on I see it's just from resting your cheek on the stock.. Maybe a cheekpad or adding some custom sights that are higher up would help.

I had a similar problem, but it turns out I am right handed and left eye dominant, so I was really trying hard to get my left eye over those sights. Your problem dosen't sound much like that at all.
 
Suck it up! :)

Actually, it might be due to the fact that you are canting your head to the side too much, and not keeping it as 'level' as possible. If your cheekbone is resting on the TOP of the stock, the recoil is delivered kinda up and into your bone.

Hard to say, but try different head positions and placing your cheek closer or further from the action.
 
Wood stock? If so and you are having a hard time getting your eye low enough for the sights the easiest thing to do would be shave down the stock to where it is comfortable. You should be able to pick up a 870 buttstock for a song and mess around with it until you find a comfortable design.


SS
 
I feel your pain...... It seems that without fail, at some point during the shooting season I end up getting nailed on the cheekbone. After the first solid hit, even a light hit hurts like a bastard. I have an adjustable stock, so I can modify it so that it doesn't hit back so bad (normally I drop the comb 1/32nd to 1/16th of an inch on the forwardmost part of the comb.

It won't be as easy for you to make the adjustment, but a simple/minor stock adjustment could save you a world of hurt.

Brad.
 
If I mount my gun wrong I get it in the face a bit. However, when I miss a target I tend to force my face down on the stock so that my cheek bone is grinding on the top of the comb....instant pain.

After a lesson from a guy at my club I found it is all about gun fit. We adjusted my stock over to the right about 1/8" and I haven't had a swelled cheek since. My mount is more consistant and I don't have to grind on my face on the comb.

Jacky
 
I would suggest an adustable butt plate so you can cant the gun for a better fit. Also have some one watch how you shoulder your gun you may be resting your cheek on top of the gun instead of on the side. A mole skin may help.
 
(Welcome to the CGN forum, gun lady!)

SPYDR, are you shooting gun high? (Gun mounted to the shoulder before calling the bird?), or do you mount your gun after calling?

It might make a difference in the way your gun mounts.

Also, I find that keeping my right elbow up helps me maintain a consistant mount. As soon as my elbow starts to drop, I don't get the same positioning.
 
Field guns have that low sight of aim. Good for hunting, but trap shooting can be a problem for some guys. Make sure you keep the gun firm against your shoulder (if you keep it kind'a loose the gun travels back too far on recoil and gives you a ding where it smarts). Also, keep the stock up, not your head down. To help do this, stand straight, and bring the elbow on your trigger arm higher in the air. If you still get hit, then shave some wood off the top of the stock (about 1/16th at a time). Or better yet, install a Morgan recoil pad which (if I remember correctly) allows different postions to customize shouldering your gun. Good luck, and remember, sometimes it's a love-hate relationship when inking those clays;)
 
If you're getting hit the gun doesn't fit. It could be LOP, drop, cast, pitch measurements or some combination of the aforementioned that are not right for you.

In some situations it could be stance or grip but if the gun is hitting your face constantly then it's probably a fit issue. You may also be adapting your stance to the stock which happens frequently when shooting the pre-mounted gun games and the gun doesn't fit.

If you can try some other guns with different stock configurations to determine if one is more comfortable. You might also try some lighter loads to reduce felt recoil.
 
I would seek the advice of a local, knowledgeable shotgunner to help you with gun fit, and possibly how you mount the gun. My first suspicion is that you are primarily a rifle shooter, may have some difficulty in how you are mounting the shotgun, and that you likely need some adjustment to reduce the amount of drop at comb & heel, and very likely a fair bit of cast-off.
All conjecture on my part, (but seems likely given you are getting bumped in the zygomatic arch , i.e., under your cheekbone I suspect) Good shotgun fit is paramount - and when it fits correctly, recoil is barely noticeable. I have no problems whatsoever shooting 3 or 4 hundred targets a day. A good shotgunner can help you get to where you need to be to help that gun fit better.

( P.S. none of my rifles fit particularly well, they're all too low, too short & none are cast-off - but I don't shoot a hundred roounds a day with them !)
 
What claybuster and berettaboy said. Gun fit is everything. The best money you will ever spend is finding a competent fitter and spend some time with him/her. Your local gun club should be able to reccommend someone .
 
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