16ga.com ~ View topic - Recoil pads--do they really make a world of diff.?

I had the opportunity to shoot trap with a 20 ga. today (my first time with this gauge) and I couldn't believe how pleasant it felt. Compared to my 16 it was like shooting a .22lr compared to a .30-30. I swear I am not exagerating. I couldn't believe how pleasant it was. My sixteen felt like it nearly broke my shoulder.

Then I started thinking about why the 20 was so much softer recoiling? The only difference was that the 20 had a nice recoil pad. My 16 doesn't.

On the other hand, my 16 feels about 50% heavier.

The 20. ga. load I was shooting was 1 ounce (I believe, but it could have been significantly less. It was a 2 3/4" shell from Federal No. 7 1/2) steel shot at 1425 fps.

In my sixteen the load was Remington Long Range 1 1/8 ounces lead at 1295 fps.

I realize that a 16 should have more umph than a 20, but the difference was really night and day. I could have shot 100 rounds out of the 20 and not battted an eye lash. I can't even imagine shooting 50 out of my 16.

My guess is that the recoil pad made most of the difference. Or is the 20 really that much softer shooting?

Member Joined: 08 Nov 2005 Posts: 3438 Location: Illinois

Several factors affect felt recoil-weight of the gun,weight of the payload and the design/fit of the stock being a few.If a simple recoil pad made that much diffrence to you a R.A.D. unit would blow you away---one what can be set for recoil and four way adjustments to fit the individual shooter Wink

Joined: 13 Jun 2006 Posts: 145 Location: minnesota

rem high velocity field loads for trap Question

those 41/2" disc's are made of clay Exclamation

very easy to break.
i think i know where your recoil problems are coming from in 16ga gun Wink

Member Joined: 25 Jul 2006 Posts: 781

The recoil is primarily driven by the mass and velocity of the load, everything else is secondary.

A 1 1/8oz load is at the maximum of a 16 ga. Your shooting a magnum load stop buying them. Stop shooting with whoever recommended them.

Sixteens are made for 1 oz and they can do more than almost all shooters need or expect with 7/8oz.

Long before you modify a gun, trade it or change gauge learn what shells work best in it.

Now before we can give you more adcvice than that tell us what gun your shooting and what your shooting with it.

Jeff

The Federal steel load you were shooting wasn't anywhere near 1 ounce; it was likely 3/4 ounce. Felt recoil is largely determined by three variables (in no particular order): weight (mass) of gun, gun action (pump, fixed barrels or auto-loader) and weight of load.

In my opinion, the easiest variable to control, and the one with the most effect, is the weight of the load. Simply, a 3/4 ounce load has far less inertia than does the 1 1/8 ounce load you were shooting through the 16 (optimum loads for clays in a 16, by the way, would be a 7/8 ounce or one ounce load). Less inertia equals less felt recoil, given that all other variables are equal.

You don't mention what the actions were of the guns you were shooting. Generally, autoloaders deliver the least felt recoil, while pumps and fixed-barrel guns the most -- if the other variables are constant. If you shoot 3/4 ounce loads through a 20 gauge autoloader versus 1 1/8 ounce loads through a 16 gauge pump, for example, the felt recoil would probably be much more noticable in the 16, despite the added mass of the 16. Lighten the load in the 16 to one ounce or 7/8 ounce and the felt recoil might very well be less than that of the 20 gauge. In any case, in my experience the recoil pad has very little to do with reducing recoil.

*Last edited by revdocdrew on Sun Oct 22, 2006 8:49 pm; edited 1 time in total*

For trap: 1 oz at 2 1/2 Dr Eq (1165 fps) which is the loading of both the Federal Game-Shok and the Winchester Super X Game Load. The Remington Game Load is a little hotter at 1200 fps.
Or start reloading a 7/8 oz load at 1200 fps-sweet Very Happy

BTW: I agree with Jeff and haiwee BUT a quality pad and especially a correctly fit gun will diminish perceived recoil (kick) Foot pounds of energy are not diminished by using an autoloader but some of that energy is used in operating the action and recoil is distributed over a longer period of time.

Guest

I believe you answered your own question in the question..........yes recoil pads do make a difference.

Member Joined: 20 Mar 2005 Posts: 1522 Location: NH

Recoil doesn't really bother me but I did add a Pach Decelerator pad on my Browning Feather 16ga for trap shooting. It does make it a bit more pleasant than it was.

I use Rem Game loads for trap and sporting clays in the above gun. Very pleasant to shoot at both games, 150-200 rds at a time.

Dump those loads you are using and get some low velocity loads. You are trying to kill a fly with a sledge hammer. Wink

A good recoil pad on any target gun over 28 ga. is a good idea. Another solution that has already been mentioned is reloading 3/4 ounce and 7/8 ounce target loads at or around 1150 FPS. This velocity will reliably break clay birds out to 40 yards or more.

I shoot a lot of skeet with any of my 16 ga Citori models. None have pads. I use a 3/4 ounce load of #9 shot at 1150 FPS. Recoil is a non-issue with these delightful to shoot little poppers. What's more, they crush clay birds to powder at typical skeet distances. At 1250 FPS, with #8 shot, they are dynamite on smaller game birds like quail out to 30 yards or so.

I also shoot an occasional trap round. Here the 7/8 ounce load of hard #8 shot through a fulll choke will reliable hammer any clay target out to 40 yards at the same velocity. Again, the recoil level is comfortable. Plus, a 7/8 ounce load of hard #7 pigeon shot at 1250 FPS will dump early season pheasant and any grouse you can hit anytime.

One more point. If you are going to shoot a lot of targets, reloading either of these rounds is easy and will save you money if you buy your componants in bulk. Loading your own is also the only way to get them domestically and reliably. It will certainly save you imoney if you are shooting those 1-1/8 ounce express loads. a box of these loads now goes for over $9.00 at best price and usually more. you can load a box of target loads for under $3.00 if you buy your componants the smart way at the best prices you can find.

Member Joined: 28 Oct 2005 Posts: 665 Location: Louisiana

If you're interested in recoil you may calculate it for any gun with the following formula:

E= 1/2(Wr/32)(WbxMv+4700xWp/7000xWr) squared

E= energy in foot pounds
Wr= weight of gun in pounds
Wb= weight of whot and wad
Mv= muzzle velocity in fps
Wp= weight of powder in grains

This does not reflect FELT recoil with a recoil management device but does give accurate energy transfer at a solid butt plate.