Is there a special way you need to hold a shotgun?

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KennyTHX

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I've only fired a 12 ga. on a few occasions, but each time the kick was just way more than I was comfortable with. I'm not sure if there's a fair comparison, but I could handle the recoil of .30-30 and 8mm a lot more comfortably, whereas I can only get off a couple of shots of the shotgun shells before it hurts too much. The last time I got to shoot a .300 Win Mag once ( friend was sighting it in for elk season so I just wanted to try it ) and I didn't think that even kicked as much, so I think I'm just holding the shotgun wrong somehow.

I know I'm supposed to hold it tight, but I think maybe I'm putting it in the wrong spot, because after shooting my bicep hurt more than my shoulder really did.
 
I just think you are worried too much about the shotgun kicking!!!

But depending on the activity you are doing with a shotgun. You generally don't have to aim down the barrel like a rifle. This is especially true in the clay sports. Your eye is the rear site and the bead is the front.

On with recoil -- depending on the shell a 12 gauge can recoil 18 - 55 pounds. 18 being your lighter 2 3/4 1 - 1/2 oz #8 target loads to your 3 inch magnum #00 - #4 buckshot loads. Then the 10 guage 3 1/2 inch magnums kick over 60 lbs !!! I cringe thinking about it

So yes they kick more than a 30-30 (about 10 lbs or so) or any medium bore rifle. Not sure about the .300 Win mag comparison because they kick about 25 lbs. A 7mm Rem Mag is 20-22 lbs

http://www.chuckhawks.com/recoil_table.htm

http://www.chuckhawks.com/shotgun_recoil_table.htm
 
There is also fit to be considered. Shotguns that don't fit right(LOP, cast,drop) HURT. You can have all of your mechanics right, but if the gun does not fit you at least somewhat, you will feel it. I have to have a very long LOP (15 3/4-16") to keep from getting bopped with my thumb, for example. Perhaps one of the sages can elaborate further..
 
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Okay, thanks for those charts. I was firing 4 1/2 and 000 from a Remington 870, for a little more information.
 
Have you determined which is your dominant eye? Are you shooting on the same side as your dominant eye? See http://www.archeryweb.com/archery/eyedom.htm

Number one thing - START WITH LIGHT LOADS. One ounce shot loads are available, there are even a good many 7/8 ounce 12 gauge loads out there now.

Gun fit is important in managing recoil. A stock that's too long is often a culprit in forcing a shooter to mis-position the gun butt. The butt of the shotgun should fall into your shoulder pocket, the meaty area between your collarbone and shoulder joint. Stocks that are too long can wind up in the wrong place as the gun is brought to the shoulder. Raising the elbow on your shooting arm can help define the shoulder pocket.

Proper stance is important, you need to have your weight forward a bit, that is, your weight distribution should be skewed a bit toward your front foot. The front knee should be flexed a bit so you can 'give' a little with the recoil. You can't stop the gun from recoiling, no need to try, it's just physics at work (every action has an equal and opposite reaction). But you can ride it, not fight it. Take a look at the various discussions at http://marauder.homestead.com/files/Reducing_Shotgun_Recoil.htm .

hth,

lpl
 
Guess it turns out I'm left-eye dominant, but I'm right-handed so I've been using my right hand as the trigger finger and aiming with my right eye.
 
Guess it turns out I'm left-eye dominant, but I'm right-handed so I've been using my right hand as the trigger finger and aiming with my right eye.
Click to expand...

What are you shooting shotguns at? If the targets are moving, you do NOT aim, you point - if you are LH eye dominant then you need to shoot from the LH side

If your bicep is hurting, then you do not have the gun mounted in your shoulder, but on your arm

Winchester has an AA target load that runs less than 1000 fps and is designed for new shooters and those who are recoil shy.

Do NOT listen to those who will say to suck it up and be a man - that BS bravado is pointless when you need shoulder replacement as you age. The damage from recoil is serious, it is cumulative, and like hearing loss, does not go away (without major surgery), so shoot light loads wherever possible and the use the heaviest gun you can that FITS
 
Old threads on Proper Mounting Techniques,etc will help. So will lessons from a qualified instructor.

How close are you to central MD? Maybe we can do Shotgun 101......
 
Yes, there is a technique for managing heavy recoil.

If the gun kicks like a mule, pushing away hard with your forward hand, and pulling back hard with your trigger grip hand at the same time, with only moderate contact with your shoulder will help dramatically with the recoil on your shoulder.

I'm a 155lb 5'11" guy with a thin build, and I can shoot magnum slugs out of my lightweight 870 18" riot gun all day if I use this technique.
 
I'm going to say that the gun doesn't fit you. I've owned several 500's and they all seemed to have more recoil than my 870 with the same loads. The 870 just fit me better and that's all I shoot now.
 
Okay, thanks for the advice guys.

From what I can gather I've been putting the butt stock in the wrong spot. I've always mounted it on my shoulder area where you would carry a crutch at, but from what I'm hearing here I need to put putting it on the meatier section a little to the left ( my left ) that between my clavicle and the joint itself?

Anyone have a diagram?

I was shooting at some stationary skeet I hung from a tree. Is it a real written-in-stone rule that you have to shoot on the side of your dominant eye? I tried handling a rifle that way real quick and it feels so unnatural to me.
 
If you try to "slouch" your shoulder a little forward, you will find a "pocket" - THAT is where the gun goes

It SHOULD feel un-natural - for the first few shots it isn't going to come as quick as playing a video game, but once mastered, you will look at it and realize it was the best method - there are folks who can bend wood stocks into shapes unimaghinable - but that is not the best method
 
YEP, this is good stuff!

I'm considering a 12ga with the "full" stock and Pistol Grip combo........
will this lessen the recoil at all?

I'm just thinking if the hand/arm is holding as well as the shoulder that the recoil would be "shared", or is that totally wrong?
 
"full" stock and Pistol Grip combo........
will this lessen the recoil at all?

Since you need to be pulling the butt of the shotgun firmly back into your shoulder pocket with your shooting hand, it won't be able to do much to help with recoil. As was suggested earlier, keeping some dynamic tension on the gun by pushing forward with the support hand is more likely to help with recoil.

If you are in good physical health and uninjured, there's no real reason even a heavily loaded 12 gauge should be difficult to shoot. But you need a good stance, proper form, a good gun mount, a properly fitted stock and a good recoil pad to do it. Some of those things can be learned, some are hardware dependent. And it's best to learn with light loads.

As a rule it's easier to adjust to a shotgun stock that is too short, rather than use one that's too long successfully. The 'house guns' here have 12.5" lengths of pull so they fit my 5'4" wife, but I (6'3") can use them with no trouble. Take a look at http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/ayoob031221.html for a rundown on some general shotgun basics.

hth,

lpl
 
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