I will NEVER do that again - PIC added

[FLINT]

So, I'm all excited about spring gobbler season, and I wanted to make sure that I was well prepared this year. I only own two shotguns. A 12 ga, with a cylinder bore, that was my deer gun when I lived in the piedmont, and a single shot 10 ga with 36" barrel with fixed full choke. Clearly the 10 ga is going to be the superior turkey gun, and I've killed 2 turkeys in previous years with it. But this year I decide that I'm going to do it right, so I buy all 6 currently available lead turkey loads offered in 10ga. Fed. 2 oz in 4, 5, 6. Win. 2 oz in 4, 5. and Rem. 2.25 oz in 4. and yesterday I proceed to a friends field to pattern all six rounds to see which one I should be taking into the field - this is pretty standard stuff, usually. Also keep in mind, that Ive never shot this gun more than twice in the same day before - and for good reason. I would be willing to bet that there are very very few guns of any kind that actually kick harder than this thing.

So, I start the patterning exercise. First shot is very uncomfortable, second shot hurts, and after the third shot, I'm in actual pain - not just uncomfortable, but pain. 3 more shots to go. I do finish all six shots, but in actual intense physical pain. my bicep is super sore and painfull last night and today, and have a very large bruise at the top of my bicep by my underarm, and my cheek is swollen and will probably bruise. I know I sound like a ninny, but I grew up hunting with shot guns - got my 12ga slug gun when I was only 9, so I'm no stranger to recoil. This however, is a whole new level.

I just plugged the information into this online recoil calculator and came up with 75.59 ft. pounds of recoil energy - and with a gun with a horrible stiff recoil pad.

I will take this gun turkey hunting, but from now on, I'm instituting a one shot per day policy.

[Streetstar]

Yes-- i havent had that much "fun" since my encounter with a 30-378 Weatherby with a slim barrel profile

Hope one shot per day works for ya !

[Mescalero]

A lot of that is stock design, I have a Husqvarna .243 that.........................................
it is advisable to blow your nose BEFORE you shoot it, if not the rifle will do it for you.

[Grizz]

great story, I like the rapid learning curve.

there are great recoil pads available, and a stock full of shot can help as well.

Grizz

[Rusty]

Did you know they make 20 ga turkey loads?

Maybe it's time to trade down?

[Blaine]

I have one of those H&R 12ga single shots that I cut down to about a 19" bbl, cyl bore of course. I wanted something that wouldn't tear up small game with that long full choke bbl. I had the bright idea of wanting to see if it shot buckshot. I touched off one (1) 3" mag 00...the snap-on forend came off in my left hand, and I went back two steps. Thus endeth the lesson

[Mescalero]

A large mass to set in motion

[Blaine]

A large mass to set in motion

That was 30 years ago......I'm heavy enough these days a 105mm wouldn't budge me an inch

[FLINT]

great story, I like the rapid learning curve.

yeah, I know. I feel dumb now to have kept shooting - but at the time, it seemed like I should at least be able to shoot six shells. you know the whole man thing.

there are great recoil pads available, and a stock full of shot can help as well.

Grizz

Yeah, I need to put on a better recoil pad for sure - and I think that Mescalero is right also, the stock really hammers me in the cheek.

My dad traded something for this from the original owner back in about 1990 - and the orig. owner told my dad that he had taken the weight out of the stock.
Last year, I found that numrich sells the weights, so I ordered one. Got around to putting it in yesterday, and found out that the stock actually takes two weights. So, I went to the machine shop to get another one yesterday, but the standard 3/4" round bar was just slightly too fat for the hole in the stock, so I need to ream out the hole with a 3/4" bit to make the second weight fit. I'd like to get two pieces of 3/4" lead bar to put in there, that will get me 2lbs of weight, instead of the 1.5 lbs i'm going to have with the steel bars.

[FLINT]

I have one of those H&R 12ga single shots that I cut down to about a 19" bbl, cyl bore of course. I wanted something that wouldn't tear up small game with that long full choke bbl. I had the bright idea of wanting to see if it shot buckshot. I touched off one (1) 3" mag 00...the snap-on forend came off in my left hand, and I went back two steps. Thus endeth the lesson

oh yeah, I've seen those - but the forearm on this gun has a big fat screw in it - to keep that from happening probably.

This gun is a Stevens 9478. I think they called it the Big Tom, or Long Tom or something like that. made in late 70s / early 80s.

[Nath]

Folded newspaper down yer front and don't shoot from a bench!

N.

[BrentD]

I'd like to get two pieces of 3/4" lead bar to put in there, that will get me 2lbs of weight, instead of the 1.5 lbs i'm going to have with the steel bars.

Get a short piece of hard copper water pipe of the correct diameter or one that you can make work, plug one end with a wad of aluminum foil or similar and then pour in molten lead and cut front and back of the pipe to remove the part with foil plug and any extra length on the top end. What you end up with is a nice copper-jacketed cylinder of whatever length you need. Seat it hard into the bottom of the old in the stock and then put a stiff cushion of foam or rubber tubing between it and the buttplate. You do not want this thing moving around in the stock at all. If you need to fatten it up a couple wraps of tape should do.

Brent

[Mescalero]

Pretty clever, I like it.

[BrentD]

It is safer and more effective than a mercury recoil reducer because you can get a lot more weight in the same space. Cheaper too.

Anyone that wants a "Dead Mule" recoil reducer, I have one for the price of postage. (7/8" or 3/4", I don't recall), but you have to be nice.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/138587 ... 4-1-4-long

[Blaine]

It is safer and more effective than a mercury recoil reducer because you can get a lot more weight in the same space. Cheaper too.

Anyone that wants a "Dead Mule" recoil reducer, I have one for the price of postage. (7/8" or 3/4", I don't recall), but you have to ask nice.

I've no experience with those, but, a buddy with a Marlin 450 thought it was the berries....

[Larkbill]

I'm sorry, but I started laughing before I read very deep into your post.

Back in the 80's my two brothers and one bro-in-law all decided we wanted 10 ga. guns for goose hunting. Middle bro's father-in-law was a dealer and he got us each an Italian hammerless single shot with 26" barrels and screw in chokes for $120 @. They were marketed as turkey guns. The bro-in-law and I bought the lightest loads we could find and shot some clay birds with them. We stopped when they drew blood. Mine didn't fire reliably, and after it was replaced by the importer I traded it off for an H&R 10 ga. Stock design and the weights made it much more comfortable, but in the end steel shot 12 ga. ammo improvements made it unnecessary so I settled on my Marlin 120 pump. The bro-in-law was the last one to get rid of his, gave it to his son who keeps it around for people who say they don't mind recoil to demonstrate with.

[FLINT]

I'd like to get two pieces of 3/4" lead bar to put in there, that will get me 2lbs of weight, instead of the 1.5 lbs i'm going to have with the steel bars.

Get a short piece of hard copper water pipe of the correct diameter or one that you can make work, plug one end with a wad of aluminum foil or similar and then pour in molten lead and cut front and back of the pipe to remove the part with foil plug and any extra length on the top end. What you end up with is a nice copper-jacketed cylinder of whatever length you need. Seat it hard into the bottom of the old in the stock and then put a stiff cushion of foam or rubber tubing between it and the buttplate. You do not want this thing moving around in the stock at all. If you need to fatten it up a couple wraps of tape should do.

Brent

Great Idea - I'll have to try that.

I was also thinking of putting a piece of foam pipe insulation over the comb of the stock - anyone ever done this?

[FLINT]

I'm sorry, but I started laughing before I read very deep into your post.

Back in the 80's my two brothers and one bro-in-law all decided we wanted 10 ga. guns for goose hunting. Middle bro's father-in-law was a dealer and he got us each an Italian hammerless single shot with 26" barrels and screw in chokes for $120 @. They were marketed as turkey guns. The bro-in-law and I bought the lightest loads we could find and shot some clay birds with them. We stopped when they drew blood. Mine didn't fire reliably, and after it was replaced by the importer I traded it off for an H&R 10 ga. Stock design and the weights made it much more comfortable, but in the end steel shot 12 ga. ammo improvements made it unnecessary so I settled on my Marlin 120 pump. The bro-in-law was the last one to get rid of his, gave it to his son who keeps it around for people who say they don't mind recoil to demonstrate with.

that is funny, and for some twisted reason it makes me feel better to know that others have suffered in a similar way

[Marlin32]

Probably have same gun. It is light weight for one, especially for big ol' turkey loads. Stock fit is very poor and compounds problem.
I have a couple of double barrel 10s, O/U and a sxs. BOth heavy guns, recoil much tamer, but still not fun to pattern, but neither is a 12 or a 16ga fun to pattern. You just don't normally shoot them like a rifle and the recoil even on a 16ga is going to be heavier than most rifles shot.

I have a new Browning Gold Light 10, much less recoil, but still, about 6 shots in a row patterning at a time is enough!

Worse was an H&R single shot 12ga I bought just for turkey. 24" barrel weighed about 4.5 pounds. Could hardly shoot it, even at a turkey, almost broke my finger a couple of times with recoil.

[BrentD]

I was also thinking of putting a piece of foam pipe insulation over the comb of the stock - anyone ever done this?

Yes, only a bit nicer, leather covered, velcroed on versions. I cannot recommend these guys highly enough. http://www.cheeknstock.com/main.html. They are high quality, low cost, and fast.

But, I wonder if that is really your problem. When a bruised cheek has been an issue for me, I have found that the Length of Pull is the culprit. That may not seem logical but a leather, lace-on recoil pad (see Cabelas) has always solved the problem simply by adding more distance between trigger and shoulder. One of the things that happens to me a lot with off-the-shelf guns is exactly this problem. Often, it is my right thumb that is actually doing the beating on my cheek more than the stock itself. But whatever the direct cause, the ultimate solution has always been more LOP.

[FLINT]

I was also thinking of putting a piece of foam pipe insulation over the comb of the stock - anyone ever done this?

Yes, only a bit nicer, leather covered, velcroed on versions. I cannot recommend these guys highly enough. http://www.cheeknstock.com/main.html. They are high quality, low cost, and fast.

But, I wonder if that is really your problem. When a bruised cheek has been an issue for me, I have found that the Length of Pull is the culprit. That may not seem logical but a leather, lace-on recoil pad (see Cabelas) has always solved the problem simply by adding more distance between trigger and shoulder. One of the things that happens to me a lot with off-the-shelf guns is exactly this problem. Often, it is my right thumb that is actually doing the beating on my cheek more than the stock itself. But whatever the direct cause, the ultimate solution has always been more LOP.

I was actually just thinking about that this morning and I think you are right - I think I need more LOP. My bruise is on my bicep - but I know I was holding the stock on my shoulder. I think that when I shot, the recoil must have pushed over onto my arm - again, maybe because the LOP isn't long enough??

Here is a pic of my bruise today. You can see that there is a little bruise right over my underarm, where I held the buttplate, but the main bruise is down lower.

[BrentD]

Ouch! Been there done that.


There are many out there, but I find this one to work well on many of my rifles and shotties
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Kick-Kil ... l+Products

[Old Ironsights]

I was also thinking of putting a piece of foam pipe insulation over the comb of the stock - anyone ever done this?

Yes, only a bit nicer, leather covered, velcroed on versions. I cannot recommend these guys highly enough. http://www.cheeknstock.com/main.html. They are high quality, low cost, and fast.

But, I wonder if that is really your problem. When a bruised cheek has been an issue for me, I have found that the Length of Pull is the culprit. That may not seem logical but a leather, lace-on recoil pad (see Cabelas) has always solved the problem simply by adding more distance between trigger and shoulder. One of the things that happens to me a lot with off-the-shelf guns is exactly this problem. Often, it is my right thumb that is actually doing the beating on my cheek more than the stock itself. But whatever the direct cause, the ultimate solution has always been more LOP.

I was actually just thinking about that this morning and I think you are right - I think I need more LOP. My bruise is on my bicep - but I know I was holding the stock on my shoulder. I think that when I shot, the recoil must have pushed over onto my arm - again, maybe because the LOP isn't long enough??

Here is a pic of my bruise today. You can see that there is a little bruise right over my underarm, where I held the buttplate, but the main bruise is down lower.

That's not too bad... I've had bruising that went from the bicep to the shoulder pocket then down to my right pectoral.

It came from benchresting 2 boxes of .45/70...

[Griff]

I'd like to get two pieces of 3/4" lead bar to put in there, that will get me 2lbs of weight, instead of the 1.5 lbs i'm going to have with the steel bars.

Get a short piece of hard copper water pipe of the correct diameter or one that you can make work, plug one end with a wad of aluminum foil or similar and then pour in molten lead and cut front and back of the pipe to remove the part with foil plug and any extra length on the top end. What you end up with is a nice copper-jacketed cylinder of whatever length you need. Seat it hard into the bottom of the old in the stock and then put a stiff cushion of foam or rubber tubing between it and the buttplate. You do not want this thing moving around in the stock at all. If you need to fatten it up a couple wraps of tape should do.

Brent

Excellent idea, but... maybe use that new bismuth stuff they're using for wheel weights instead of good lead than CAN be used for boolits!

[cas]

I've gotten two nice whacks from my 10ga. One shooting at a bird where I had the gun just resting on my hands and fist. Neither was actually holding onto the gun. When it went off it jumped into the air, rolled over and came back down right on my head.


The other was during the last minutes of legal shooting time. A flock came in off to my right so I couldn't draw on them. I didn't think I had time to let them pass and try and call them back, so I ever so slowly switched the gun to my left shoulder. When I raised it up to aim one of them saw it and spooked and the birds started to run. I ended up twisting around right, around the tree I was sitting against. But by the time I fired the butt had slipped down onto my bicep, just above the elbow.
Oh Lordy when that thing went off. I looked like the photo from one shot.

[BrentD]

cas, but did you get the birds? ???

[cas]

First story yes, second story no.

[BrentD]

A handsome bird that is. Looks like some real nice spurs and a good beard on him. Must have been at least a 3 yr old I would think.

[FLINT]

Excellent Bird!!!

I've got to get out there - its almost May already!

[piller]

I was 7 and got to shoot my Dad's old Ranger 12 gauge with the 32 inch full choke barrels. If my older brother had not caught me, I would have been on my back. I think that my experience is close enough to what you felt that I can sympathize. I sounds as if we have all been the victim of a mean stock.