What kind of recoil padding to pattern a shotgun (#4 buck hurts!)

M

MB2

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I'm gonna get serious about patterning my shotgun this season. I mostly use dead coyote but i'm gonna buy some #4 buck to test and sight the thing in with cause it's cheaper. What can I use as a temporary recoil reducer so I'm not black and blue and flinching like a madman? I was thinking a pillow but something thinner and more shock absorbing would be better. Any ideas?
 
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A piece of sorbathane works pretty well. A sand bag between your shoulder and the butt plate is what I used to use for heavy recoil. A lead sled is nice but kinda pricey if you dont shoot anything with heavy recoil much. A buddy that has nothing better to do one saturday afternoon can take 50 to 75% of that recoil away. May cost you a beer or two later however. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
I Ihave shot some really heavy recoiling rifles. Nothing kicks like a shotgun with a heavy load. The nearest thing to perfect I have found is a flotation vest made for skiers and fishermen. They can be had pretty cheap. Just zip or latch it up and settle into the bags. If done with only a T-shirt on, it is no thicker than a good layer of hunting clothes and a jacket. This helps in keeping the length of pull right. I use one of the tight fitting ski vest. It distributes the impact over a broad range and really helps.
 
I like one of the recoil eliminating rifle rests such as the lead sled. I made one up, but they sure take the hurt out of high recoiling shoulder arms when doing that kind of bench work along with aiding in ultimate accuracy.
 
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I'm gonna get serious about patterning my shotgun this season. I mostly use dead coyote but i'm gonna buy some #4 buck to test and sight the thing in with cause it's cheaper. What can I use as a temporary recoil reducer so I'm not black and blue and flinching like a madman? I was thinking a pillow but something thinner and more shock absorbing would be better. Any ideas?



Get a canvas lead shot bag, partially fill it with corncob polishing media, and sew it up. The pad it light weight and thick enough to dampen the recoil to the point it is insignificant (at least against the shoulder, won't help your cheek, though. LOL)
 
Pact makes a strap on shoulder pad for helping take the hurt out of heavy kicking rifles. I split the stock with a lead sled on a 460 Weatherby mag. The recoil of 3" buckshot is about like a 300 Weatherby Mag.

Don't be surprised if #4 Buckshot out patterns Dead Coyote, it did in my two shotguns.

My Hastings turkey choke produces 20" patterns at 40 yards with #4 Buck, my hand loads and Federal Copper Plated, buffered #4 buck.

The gentleman that suggested wearing a life vest to take some of the kick out gave the best suggestion that I have ever heard.

My wife had a pad that she places under her knees when she is knealing down working in her flower garden, the material in the pad I believe is sorbthane. I placed the butt of my gunstock on the pad and traced and cut out a perfect little pad, next I doubled the pad, taped it on the gun with duct tape...it helped a lot.

Good luck!
 
I am sorry all these guys are WRONG!!!

You gotta get your Macho Buddies to shoot it! geeeez

It dont take a great shot to pattern a shot gun. Tell em you been trying but "just cant take the recoil"
they'l be lineing up to impress you!!

If yer friends are smarter than mine, a pillow, anything, your aren't trying to shoot .5 inch groups.

I did this before, OUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!
Carl
 
One thing I read on a website from a guy who was developing loads for the big African dangerous game calibers (375 H&H up to the 8 bore ). He would go to the range and place a bag of #8 shot between his shoulder and the stock of the rifle. This would do two things. Broaden the point of impact, therefore reducing recoil felt. and also it would put between 18 and 20 lbs between you and the rifle which would lessen the impact felt by slowing or absorbing the recoil. Good luck!
 
Cut off about a foot of blue jean leg. Sew up one end and fill the other with sand. Sew up that end and use it between the stock and your shoulder. Works wonders.
 
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Get yourself a Limbsaver recoil pad for the buttstock. Great investment!


I'll second this too. I put one on my SBE and when I shoot 3 1/2 " shells it just doesnt get me like it used to.
However all the above sugestions are great. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
 
wowzas! Thanks for all the suggestions.
I'll try out every idea mentioned here and get back to you guys. lol
(actually, my dad was just throwing away an old pfd from the 50's, it's really dense rubber, about a 5/8" thick, it should work perfect)
 


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