Recoil and aging

[74honker]

Perhaps it I made sound worse than it is. I have limbsavor pads on two other scatterguns. They're better than factory

As you said, limbsaver pads are awesome and definately help. Believe it or not but adding a good ported choke tube such as CompNChoke or others helps also. While I agree that a 20ga can be just as effective as a 12ga, a lighter 20ga gun with heavy loads will kick more than a 12ga with lighter loads. Wieght makes a difference and fit is very important. Buckshot, slugs, and turkey loads are just in their own little world compared to the average load in any gauge for the amount of recoil! I can shoot my 10ga or 3 1/2 12ga all day long shootin ducks and geese without issue. Slugs, turkey loads or buckshot once a day is enough for me lol.

 

[Iron Worker]

Yes, you have to break in the kick off. takes about a flat of heavy loads. I know they are expensive, but try some 3" HeviXII's with size 4 shot for ducks. This load will kill ducks further than 3-1/2" steel in any size will cripple them. They are loaded with 12gm tungsten. They have a 3-1/2" load of 2's that works well on geese but cripples pretty bad at ducks. the 3" load in your extrema will kick about as hard as target loads in your SX3. Promise. Hope this helps.

Oh really, so it does need a break-in, I was wondering if it was defective. Thanks

 

[Old Rooster]

Can Shooting Cause Brain Damage? The Science, the Bad News, and the Solution

Beyond hearing damage, are shooters and hunters susceptible to Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)? We share the bad news, the science and the solution.

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Recoil can be a sign of something we need to pay attention to,maybe not but maybe so!

 

[Rosebud]

Can Shooting Cause Brain Damage? The Science, the Bad News, and the Solution

Beyond hearing damage, are shooters and hunters susceptible to Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)? We share the bad news, the science and the solution.

shwat.com

Recoil can be a sign of something we need to pay attention to,maybe not but maybe so!

Dang, that explains a lot. My wife thinks I'm just having JB moments. Its all the shotgun sports I was in over four decades. Dain Bramage, its terrible.

 

[Old Rooster]

I asked my doctor why as a youngster trying out for football at Florida State I could shoot anything and did shoot many African hunting guns from friends at Lion Country Safari in south Florida and now I am starting to have recoil problems he said its cumulative effects on the body and brain that get us.He too used to hunt but gave it up before going to med school.Flinch is a brain's reaction to a perceived threat to brain function he said.The bigger the threat the greater the flinch.
I don't know as I can still shoot the 300 win mag without flinch,it just punishes a bit more than last year.He suggested going down to a lessor kicker.
Shotguns are the same thing,going down to a smaller shell like the 20 gauge as many suggested will be a BIG improvement

 

[Rosebud]

I asked my doctor why as a youngster trying out for football at Florida State I could shoot anything and did shoot many African hunting guns from friends at Lion Country Safari in south Florida and now I am starting to have recoil problems he said its cumulative effects on the body and brain that get us.He too used to hunt but gave it up before going to med school.Flinch is a brain's reaction to a perceived threat to brain function he said.The bigger the threat the greater the flinch.
I don't know as I can still shoot the 300 win mag without flinch,it just punishes a bit more than last year.He suggested going down to a lessor kicker.
Shotguns are the same thing,going down to a smaller shell like the 20 gauge as many suggested will be a BIG improvement

Porting and back boring shotguns reduces recoil a great deal. I shoot OU twelve gauge that kicks as softly as my 20 gauge1100.

 

[Old Rooster]

When I lived in the south I lived in the marsh hunting ducks.I had friends that let me hunt their property for geese so I shot plenty of shotguns.
I always picked up my spent shells as I reloaded,that made property owners happy!
I have hunted geese and ducks a little up here but not like the south.Still have shotguns but don't shoot then as much as I used to.All 12 gauge.

 

[blvette75]

I'm 66 and work out regularly; my Winchester 12 gauge SX3 kicks hard with heavy loads. I bought a Beretta 12gauge A400 Extreme Plus yesterday. So my first three shots today were 3" 1 3/4 loads. Guess what? This gun kicks hard; I think this "Kick-off" selling point is overrated. I don't regret buying this gun; it is an elite shotgun. Does it need a break-in period for its recoil system?

Same age and with a bad neck and back, I bought an Edwards recoil reducer and limbsaver recoil pad for my hunting shotguns, just feel it more now with the 12 gauge. Will probably have neck surgery at some point if I want to keep going after the birds.

 

[skipglo]

It is what it is unfortunately! Nice gun though!

 

[mnoland30]

I went sandhill crane hunting 2 years ago, and bought a couple of boxes of 3" tungsten shells. When I ran out, I did just as well or better with the 2-3/4 Bismuth. I wrecked my shoulder a few years ago, and ended up shooting right handed for a year. Recoil matters. My favorite gun to shoot is my TC Contender in 7mm TCU. I use it for javelina. It is a joy to carry because it weighs 5-1/2 lbs.

 

[Old Rooster]

I went sandhill crane hunting 2 years ago, and bought a couple of boxes of 3" tungsten shells. When I ran out, I did just as well or better with the 2-3/4 Bismuth. I wrecked my shoulder a few years ago, and ended up shooting right handed for a year. Recoil matters. My favorite gun to shoot is my TC Contender in 7mm TCU. I use it for javelina. It is a joy to carry because it weighs 5-1/2 lbs.

That's good to know as bismuth is cheaper than Tungsten.