How do ya'll stand the recoil? Slug shooting that is..

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Redlg155

New member
I finally got my new 870 scoped and now I've got to take her out to get sighted in. They were out of brand I had previously used, Winchester BRI 2 3/4" Sabots so I got to do some browsing.

Well, the BRI slugs are 1oz travelling at a rather sedate 1350 fps and still they thumped me pretty good. Since they were out I had to settle for Winchester BRI 3" 1oz sabots travelling 1400 fps. Hopefully not too much of a difference in recoil or performance.

Now comes what I passed up. Lightfield 12GA 1 1/4 oz 2 3/4" @1450 fps and Lightfield 12 GA 1 1/16 oz 3" Mag@ 1800 FPS.

ARE THEY NUTS!!! Aint' no way I'm going to shoot a heavier slug 400 fps faster that what I shoot now!:eek:

Like they say, If you are skeered, say you're skeered. Well I'm skeered!:D

How you guys do it is beyond my understanding.

Good SHooting
RED
 
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Navy joe

New member
A good pad (stock Remington) and not from a bench. I like shooting slugs actually. Wheras with off-hand rifle somebody might try to mistakenly stiffen their upper body to minimize movement that's probably not a good idea at all w/ slugs. Your whole body should aid in absorbing that recoil, not just your poor shoulder. Now if you take a shot at a deer while your shoulder is leaning on the tree you were sitting under... Well you won't feel a thing, until the excitement of getting the deer wears off.
 
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KSFreeman

New member
Relax, stance should be same as any other weapon (may want to flex forward knee a little more and keep back leg back a little more--you know like an artillery piece that you may have seen before) lean into the weapon, watch your elbows, keep your right thumb on the starboard side.

Red, you're a big fella. You should laugh at recoil. It's the long and lanky that should be concerned. (We whip around like a car radio antenna in a car wash).:D
 
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Redlg155

New member
Hmmm....I'll try relaxing more at the bench. During qualifications I can shoot pretty comfortably, but thats standing. Sitting down is where it clears my sinuses for me! A standing supported position might also be the ticket for sighting in more comfortably.

you know like an artillery piece that you may have seen before
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Ahhhh..and If I could borrow the pneumatic buffer from one of them I'd be in good shape!:D

I'm hoping that the scope stands up well also. I just bought a Bushnell Elite 3200 3x9 40mm to top here with.

Anyway, I'm still kinda peeved. I should be hunting with it this morning but I'm still working on my car. Got the serpentine belt installed the way I think it should go, but now the water pump is spinning backwards!! Aggghh!! well..off to get a Chilton manual, no diagram on the bumper...grrrr.

Good Shooting
Red
 
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ACP230

New member
For bench shooting you can always get a PAST recoil reducer pad to wear, or sling a gun case over your shoulder and rest the shotgun butt on that. I'd done both while shooting slugs and both work to cut recoil.
 
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HSMITH

New member
For sighting in use your head, take a bag of lead shot (25 pounds, cost you about $15 if you don't have it) and put it between the butt and your shoulder. There is nothing manly about getting beat intentionally. Sight the gun in and THEN practice from your field positions to PRACTICE. Offhand it will beat you the least, prone it will beat you the most. Unless you have time to shoot prone where you hunt spend most of your time kneeling and offhand semi-supported, shooting quickly but well aimed.

Sighting in an artillery piece and practice are two different things, treat it as such.
 
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Redlg155

New member
If standing does the trick, why not try African-braced?
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I tried , but he won't hold still.:D

Seriously..Is that something like using a sling to stabalize the weapon? I'm not familiar with that term.

Good Shooting
RED
 
D

Dave McC

Staff In Memoriam
Old threads about sighting in with slugs and slug threads in the archives will give you some hints on handling kick better.

I use a heavy shotgun, a PAST pad, great bench technique, and anti inflammatories in advance.

After zeroing, practice from field positions and while wearing your hunting togs until you get inured a bit.

BTW, at game, the only time I can recall feeeing kick was at geese using a H&R 16 gauge single that gave me my first flinch, along with my first doves, pheasants,mallards, quail and Canadas. 1 1/8 oz high speed loads from a less than 6 lb shotgun with no pad and dogleg stock will tear you a new one.

OTOH, heavy Brenekkes fired at deer have no kick I note,and sometimes I don't hear the thing go off. Adrenaline is wonderful stuff!
 
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Redlg155

New member
I don't think I have ever reallly felt the recoil on my shotguns when hunting except for one memorable hunt.

Gun: Mossburg 835 12 Ga 3 1/2 in Magnum #4 turkey load

I was on the ground yelping when a big ol gobbler snuck up on me down a deer trail 5 feet away from me from the rear. I knew he would come out right beside me and I didn't want to chance a nasty encounter with a angry tom turkey so I turned to my weak side and took the shot. Shot spun me back forward and bruised my cheek. Still smarting from the recoil I, like a fool grabbed the turkey when he was still flapping around. Turns out only a couple pellets had stun him as the main charge of pellets flew by his neck. I was greeted by an angry Tom turkey with pie plate sized feet. I did eventually win the battle and he made for tough eating later, but he did have a 13 1/2 in beard.:D

I still have his beard and fan mounted. The Mossburg I sold the next day.

Good Shooting
RED
 
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HSMITH

New member
Red, great story!!!!!

I would pay to have seen that!!!

A live giant canada goose in the car is not a lot of fun either, from what I hear anyway;)
 
J

Jeff, CA

Guest
Dave McC
anti inflammatories in advance.
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Really? There was a guy in a shotgun class I took a while back who was taking blood thinners; he started getting a bruise in his pocket area that grew all the way down his bicep to the inside of his elbow before the class was over.
 
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nygunguy

New member
Slugs

Here in the Southern Zone of NYS we MUST use shotguns, handguns or muzzleloaders in Deer Season. Most of my partners shoot fully rifled 870's or 11/87's. I shoot a Winchester 1300 fully rifled with a 2.5-4.5 Bushnell.

My gun shoots the best with Federal Classic 2 3/4" sabots. I've grown to like the Barnes Expanders because they really open up a whitetail. This gun has taken close to 20 deer and I can only recall two that haven't dropped on the spot. Most shots have been in the 80-100 yard range.

I can't understand why anyone would want to shoot 3" slugs for whitetails. The 2 3/4" have more than enough stuff. In fact, I've started getting real picky about the shots I take because of meat damage - A bad angle can ruin an entire shoulder.

You'll get used to the recoil. I've just advised my 14 year old nephew to lean into the gun (not the scope) and you'll be OK. I've more than once seen guys open up an eyebrow by getting too close to the scope.
 
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Powderman

New member
I remember when I first got my Winchester Defender for a duty gun.

Having cleaned up the gun, and marveling at the smoothness of the action, I headed to the range. (Of course, I conveniently forgot that the last time I fired a shotgun was with a vest on. This will come into play later.)

Stopped into the friendly hardware store. Asked the clerk for some 2 3/4 inch slugs. "Oh, you don't have any? Well, just give me 'bout three boxes of those 3" Magnum slugs, right there. You know, the ones that say Federal High Velocity. Well, what about some 2 3/4 buck? None of that either, huh? Weeeeellllllllllllll.......... I'll take some of that 3 inch Magnum. Yep, the ones with the triple-ought buck."

(Insert the sound of an orchestra playing doom and gloom music)


Headed to the range, in a T-SHIRT.

Got there and said, "Well, I think I'll crank one off at that 100 yard gong. See how close I get."

Tossed one into the ejection port, pushed the slide forward, and thumbed two more into the magazine. Took good aim, and pulled the trigger.

First memorable thing: brilliant, white, stroboscopic flash.
Second memorable thing: hopping backward on one foot for about five or so feet, shotgun pointing up in the air.

What was going through my mind?

"OKAY, okay--stop moving. Dismount gun, safety on. Set gun on bench. Now---cuss!!!"

Which I did, loudly and long, with right good will.

Flash forward three weeks later.

Back to the range, with the same shotgun. This time, it has a Hogue CompStock mounted--a clever piece of equipment with a spring actuated cam. Now, I had 2 3/4 shells, plus the rest of the 3" slugs and buck from the last trip.

I had mounted the stock per the directions on the package. It was longer now, and felt good.

Got there, on the firing line. Said to myself, "Well, might as well test it out with the big boys." Loaded the 3" slugs.

Took aim, and pulled the trigger.

IT FELT LIKE A LIGHT TRAP LOAD!

Before long, I was rapid firing the rest of the 3" slugs and buck, destroying silhouettes at 15 and 25 yards. Had a blast!!!

Get the Comp Stock. For even more recoil reduction, I recommend the VangComp system with it.
 
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sfoo

New member
Two ways. Shoot a Semi-auto (for serious purposes), or use mini-slugs (when I'm out goofing around). THe Mini's are cheap and feel like lightweight birdshot loads at worst. The full house 2 3/4 loads are next to nothing in the Remington M11 I have.
 
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Dave McC

Staff In Memoriam
Jeff, a bruise that big has more to do with form, fit, and equipment choices more than medications, IMO.

I'm not on blood thinners,am on three BP meds. Don't bruise easily, so my input may be skewed a bit.

As for the Compstock, IMO it's a viable option for those with felt recoil issues. I may have to borrow one for a T&E.
 
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Redlg155

New member
Ok..got a pic up today but I haven't gotten a chance to sight her in yet.
fcee45b4.jpg



My 870 Express Magnum Deer Rifle Sights/Rifled Barrel w/wood slug shooting stock. B Square saddle mount and Bushnell Elite 3200 scope.

The turkey fan is the one I mentioned in the previous post. Starting to look a bit ragged, but it has been with me since 91.

Good SHooting
Red
 
R

Ron L

New member
Well, I try to use my field gun to shoot some trap and skeet in advance of the season. This gets my shoulder used to the gun. Although mine is a semi-auto, if I just throw in some jim-dandy loads and fire away, I STILL know it. I'll use some regular field shot loads. Then I'll do some patterning exercises with some heavier shot, then just for kicks to get the gun back on paper with slugs, I'll start with some of the Remington reduced-recoil slugs and once they're printing on paper a little low, I'll run some of the Brennekes through it to fine tune it and then I'm pretty much done. I don't subject myself to more than is necessary. This keeps the flinching to a minimum too. I've used the filled shot bags idea and it works OK. They're a little thicker than should be so your eye/cheek placement may not be the best but it basically adds 20 or so pounds to the gun as well as displacing the recoil into a much larger surface.
 
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