How to manage recoil
Recoil can leave you feeling battered and affect your accuracy when pulling the trigger. Sam Rickitt advises on how to minimise the issue.
Recoil can equal a sore shoulder
Whether you are an experienced game shot, a competitive clay shooter, or a young gun just starting out, shotgun recoil is an unavoidable fact of our sport. Coming home tired and bruised, after a busy day in the field or shooting a rapid flush on the clay line, is something that affects us all. Recent lessons at the clay ground with my young nephew highlighted the problem of gun fatigue and necessitated a break mid-lesson for rest and chocolate-fuelled recuperation.
Fortunately, there are several strategies to help against shotgun recoil. It can be managed, making the day more enjoyable and improving your accuracy.
The right load is important
The right load
One of the most important choices available to all shots is the choice of cartridge for your shotgun. Heavy loads designed for faster speeds typically produce more kick. A 32-gram 12 bore cartridge with size 5 shot and a muzzle velocity approaching 1,500 feet per second (fps) will typically deliver more force to the shoulder than a 28-gram size 7 load at 1,300 fps. Using lighter loads and smaller shot size, especially when practicing at the local clay ground, can lessen the impact and is especially beneficial for beginners entering the sport.
Obviously when in the field, the appropriate shot size for quarry should always be used, so check with the shoot you are visiting.
Eley Hawk is a leading manufacturer of quality shotgun cartridges for game and clay shooting. They design a superior range of loads and produce precision-made cartridges with different formulas that affect performance, muzzle velocity and recoil.
Their VIP Game cartridge has been one of the longstanding choices for game enthusiasts, with premium powders producing consistent patterning and comfortable recoil to ensure clean kills.
With a range of cartridges specifically for the clay enthusiast, their Superb cartridge offers smooth recoil without compromising on performance, using slow-burning primers and a unique blend of powders. For competitors shooting faster cartridges, some clay grounds may allow plastic wads to be used (always check). Plastic typically has less gas leakage in the barrel than fibre, and more energy is directed into the shot, potentially reducing recoil.
For the game shot Eley’s recently released 20 Gauge Pro Eco Zenith features not only copper-coated shot, engineered to deliver tighter cleaner kills with less pellet deformation, but also their Pro Eco biodegradable wad. Biodegradable wads transfer energy in a manner similar to plastic ones, and this biodegradable option may help with recoil, whilst reducing environmental impact and delivering uncompromising quality for today’s sportsmen.
Choice of shotgun is another factor in recoil management
Gun type
Choice of shotgun is another factor in shotgun recoil. Twelve bore shotguns typically use larger loads (thus more recoil) than twenty or twenty-eight bores, and seasoned game shots often graduate onto these smaller gauge guns later in their career. But even here there are options. A heavier shotgun absorbs more recoil energy than lightweight ones, and side-by-sides traditionally kick more than an over and under. Which gauge gun to use does of course depend on what you are doing. Competition clay guns can be heavier as they are often used with faster loads and do not need to be carried all day on the moors or a day’s walked-up sport.
Grand Prix Traditional is a cartridge designed by Eley Hawk for use in traditional side-by-sides, with a muzzle velocity under 1,200 fps. Eley Impax has been designed with a gentle, progressive burn with lighter weight guns in mind, perfect for those traditional walked-up game days.
Make sure you have the correct gun fit
Fit it right
Having the right gun fit, a stock and pull length that is best for your body, is another aspect to managing recoil. A poorly fitted gun will amplify the effect, but something professionally fitted or adjusted will improve how the recoil is felt, giving confidence in your shotgun.
Ensure proper shooting technique
Shoulder it and have a go
A proper shooting technique will help not only with your accuracy and consistency. A good steady standing position, leaning into the gun with the stock firmly pulled into your shoulder will distribute recoil more evenly throughout the body. Regular practice and shooting lessons will helps build those skills, along with the confidence to manage recoil in live firing situations.
Softening the plate
There are other options that can be added to the mix, such as a good recoil pad. Replacing the butt plate on the stock with a softer butt pad will cushion the impact, or adding a recoil pad fitted within the shoulder of your shooting gilet can help soften the blow.
Managing recoil when shooting will reap dividends
Enjoy the day
Managing recoil when you are shooting, whether for that crucial clay competition or a day on game, will reap dividends with your shooting. It will help with accuracy and reduce shooting fatigue, making the day more enjoyable whether you are a seasoned game shot or a young nephew enjoying a day at the local clay ground with the promise of chocolate for a clay well broken.