III. Firearm Information by Type

E. Shotguns

4. Miscellaneous

c. Reducing Recoil

A rec.gunner asks: If I'm not mistaken, recoil is reduced as the gun's weight goes up. The synthetic stock is hollow, so I'm thinking about filling it with lead shot contained in a plastic bag or something... Will this work? Also, the buttpad that came with it is rather unfriendly... Will a softer pad help? Or make it work...

Adding weight will help the recoil. It will also change the handling characteristics of the gun.

A better recoil pad is a good investment. You can retain it if you go with something in the stock later. I recommend a Pacmyer Decelerator or a Kick-Eez.

Here are a few more exotic alternatives:

There are alot of recoil supressors that get "built" into the stock. They can be broken down into 3 groups:

1. Weight/spring: These are the Breako's, the C&H, the Dead Mule, etc. They amount to useing mass and/or a spring to widen the recoil pulse and in some cases, re-direct it via an angled deflection of the mass.
   • ADVANTAGES: Easy to install, most require drilling a 7/8" or 1" hole in the stock parallel to the barrel and dropping them in. Cost is around $50 retail.
   • DISADVANTAGES: They are only somewhat effective.
2. Air/Oil damped moving butt: The two biggies here are the Counter Coil and the Soft Touch. They are basically oil or air dashpots (shock absorbers) with internal springs to return the butt to it's nominal position.
   • ADVANTAGES: They work very well. Since there is a dashpot involved, the recoil is spread out over a longer time but some energy is also disipated. Both brands may be made to incorporate "sliding combs". In this arrangement, the comb and the part of the recoil reducer which contacts the shoulder are fixed and the gun "slides" under the shooters face. This is very comfortable to shoot.
   • DISADVANTAGES: They are difficult to install. The Counter Coil and the Soft Touch both require the stock to be shortened approx. 3/4" to retain the original length of pull. They also require 3 somewhat precise holes to be drilled perpendicular to the butt of the gun. Not an easy task without a jig and a mill. Expense. Typical installation of the reducer is $150 - $200. If the sliding comb is desired, tack on an additional $150 - $300. Both the Counter Coil and the Soft Touch collapse if the gun is held tightly to the shoulder. People who use them get used to this and have good luck with them. I personaly find this annoying.
3. Counter acting impact device: This is the device manufactured by Browning and installed by them in their BT-99+ and Citori+ only. The device is basically a giant automatic center punch. It consists of a weight with a hole in the center and a small plunger held off to the side of the hole by a conical spring. As the conical spring is collapsed, the mass is pushed back against a spring until finally, the plunger moves to the center of the hole in the mass and the mass "snaps" foreward. This causes the recoil to be spread out into 2 small, wide pulses rather than one large one.
   • ADVANTAGES: They work very well. Effectiveness of this system is as good or (in my opinion) better than than 2). The difficulty to install is between 1) and 2). Only one hole needs to be drilled but it must be recessed so a mill is still very usefull. Unlike the systems in 2), the portion of this system hich contacts the shooter's shoulder is very stiff and will not colapse when the gun is held tightly. This system may also be made to incorporate the "sliding combs" but as far as I know, only one shop does this, mine!
   • DISADVANTAGES: Expense. Typical installation of the reducer is $150 - $200. If the sliding comb is desired, tack on an additional $150 - $300.

I have installed all these systems in various guns and have shot nearly all of them. I have chosen the Browning system for all my competition guns. I like the stiffness during mount, especially when I shoot sporting clays since uniform gun mount is important and it is difficult to get a uniform mount with pieces that move.