20ga recoil

[jim67]

I ordered a Mossberg Bantam turkey gun for myself, but, if I ever get my wife to go I was wondering about the recoil using the 3" turkey loads. She is recoil sensitive. I guessing I will put the Gobble-stopper red dot on it which will bring the cheek off the stock. this will help reduce the chance of a bloody nose. If she ever encountered that, she would NEVER shoot that gun again,I know.From what ive read on here,most everyone likes the #7 heavy shot, so how is the recoil with that load,out of this gun? Thanks.

[gophert]

It has some recoil.  May I suggest the same load in  2 3/4.  Much less recoil and deadly out to about 35 yards with the right choke.  My 9 yr old daughter killed her first bird (kill shot in avatar) with this load.  Have her practice with bird shot and then load these for the hunt. 

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/product/75878

[R AJ]

If you put a shooters friend pad, sold by Clark Bush for one, even the three inch shell will have a lot less felt recoil.
With a hunting coat and an extra recoil pad it may present some problems shouldering the gun so be sure to try that combo before hunting.

The Hevi-13 3" #7 load has less recoil to me but I prefer the performance of the Fed HW #7 load.

Gophert's suggestion of the 2 3/4" shell is also a lot less recoil  but you also shoot 3/8 oz. less shot.

[jtharpe]

The 3 inch fed 7s rock pretty good in my encore. I had my wife practice with bird shot then switch to the feds on the hunt. She never feels it on a turkey.

[redarrow]

The 3 inch fed 7s rock pretty good in my encore. I had my wife practice with bird shot then switch to the feds on the hunt. She never feels it on a turkey.

What he said. My wife shoots 2 3/4 Lightfield slugs for deer. I wish you could have seen the look on her face when I accidentally handed her a 3 in. Remmy slug at the range. Had she been shooting at a deer she never would have noticed .

[outdoors]

Redarrow  THATS TO MUCH , YA GOT ME CHUCKLING  , IVE HEARD THAT SAME THING OVER THE YEARS , LAST YEAR MY BUDY PUT IN A 3 1/5" Instead OF  3" A SQUIRREL AND THERE WASN'T ANYTHING LEFT   

[FullChoke]

After shooting 12 gauge 3-1/2" shells that kicked like a scared rented mule for many years, the recoil on my 20 gauge feels like a kitten's breath. If you anticipate your wife having problems with any felt recoil, you could add an aftermarket recoil pad from Sims Laboratory or Limbsaver to her gun. Once it is installed, it won't matter what she runs through it.   

[jim67]

All good, thanks. Yea after I posted this, I did a little more research and found the lower recoil 2.75in loads, good idea, also letting her shoot the low brass dove loads and swap out during the hunt. Also I think the extra pad would help, and being the Bantam, its accually 1" shorter than a youth model, then it comes with a spacer to make it a youth size, so should not be a problem.

[the Ward]

You may also want to try a piece of cheek-eze on the stock.It will raise the eye up to align with the sight better and cushion the cheek from any recoil.Comes in different thickness' it's self adhesive, sticks on the stock so it is easy to install.Cheap too.I think it's great your Wive's get out and hunt/shoot with you!Took mine duck hunting with me while we were still dating. Once.In December.In Ohio.She decided there were other warmer,drier pastimes she would rather pursue lol!

[jim67]

Thanks. Dont think she just goes hunting whenever. The stars have to be aligned, hell almost frozen over, and only if there is not ONE single thing to do at home. LOL!  But I would love for her to experience a "gobbling morning" this spring.

[WyoHunter]

I'd go with a 1 oz. load of 7 1/2's if since she's recoil sensitive. If you keep the shot distance to 30 yds. or less it shouldn't be a problem. Good luck to you both!

[gobblergls]

If your wife is of small stature, take out all of the spacers, leaving the section with the butt pad still in place.  Then add a slip-on recoil pad.   If taller, just add the slip on over the gun with all spacers and pads intact. This double padding will do the trick; that and the old switchero between field loads and moment of truth loads for turkeys.  My Super Bantam has the double padding and this helps considerably.  Make sure when she fires the gun that she has on both ear plugs and muffs.  The noise from a blast can add more drama than necessary to shooting a gun at paper, especially for a novice.

Also raising the comb with a neoprene sleeve-padding insert (Bear Creek) with give her head a rest to make sighting the red dot easier.  Any face slap will be reduced with the comb kit.
Here's what I am talking about:

[beagler]

I did more or less the same thing for my daughters 20ga gun. Picked up some reduced recoil Mag Blends for her as well.

[63beards]

Let her practice with the lightest loads you've got, she'll never notice the difference when she shoots a turkey load at the real thing....