Shotgun recoil is often one of the reasons why so many people dislike shotguns. I get it. My entire generation was basically raised on intermediate-caliber rifles. We aren’t necessarily used to the recoil a shotgun throws at us. If your primary experience with firearms is some form of AR carbine, then the shotgun feels cruel.
While shotgun recoil can be a problem, if you take what we talk about today and apply it to your gauge, then I don’t think you’ll find it to be a major issue. So let’s jump into shotgun recoil mitigation and what you can do to tame the gauge.
Learn Proper Stance
Good recoil mitigation starts with the fundamentals of marksmanship. This means assuming a good stance. With a shotgun, that means leaning forward and placing your weight on the balls of your feet. This pushes weight forward and aids in resisting recoil naturally, and helps keep the gun on target between shots.
This is fairly basic and is something done with most firearms. One thing I like to do that is a little different from the rifle stance comes from Massad Ayoob’s “Stressfire 2: Advanced Combat Shotgun.” He advocates placing the leg a bit further rearward and compares it to the recoil brace of an artillery piece. This stance pushes the leg slightly more rearward than shoulder distance pressing forward with this foot makes a nice difference in shotgun recoil mitigation.
Remember to keep your weight forward in what feels almost like a boxer’s stance. Learning rearward is often something shooters do naturally with a shotgun, and it can nearly knock you over with the right load. Everything with a shotgun is aggressive, so lean forward and face your target aggressively.
Learn Proper Recoil Mitigation Technique
Some ammo is always going to be harder to control than others. If you are rocking a slug at 1,600 feet per second or a load of Hornady Black buckshot at 1,600 FPS, then you might have a bad time. These are hot loads, and it might be a better idea to step down to something more reasonable.
Does this mean losing any kind of lethality or effectiveness? Nope, not really. If you step down to a reduced recoil load of buckshot or slug, you won’t be harming your effectiveness. That 1,600 FPS load of buckshot might get there a little faster, but it doesn’t make a difference in stopping a threat.
If you step down to a load of birdshot—well, I hope you’re hunting birds because birdshot is a lousy self-defense load.
Maybe A Semi-Auto is Your Jam
A pump action, or any manual repeater, is going to hit a little harder. There is nothing there to absorb any of that blast but you. A semi-auto shotgun takes a fair bit of sting out of the gun. This results in less pain and less felt recoil. Gas-operated guns, in particular, tend to naturally exemplify recoil mitigation.
They also tend to be easier to use with a push-pull method of recoil reduction since you don’t have to release tension to work the gun. Guns like the Benelli M4 and Beretta 1301 are top-of-the-line shotguns and are absolutely wonderful shooters.
What about other options?
There are some gizmos and gadgets out that that promise to reduce recoil. There used to be these recoil-reducing stocks that apparently worked well. However, I don’t see a need for them after using the right technique and stance. They don’t make a major difference, and they often use moving parts that can break under the push from the gauge.
Stepping down to a 20 gauge is an option. Twenty-gauge guns are quite mighty and are still man-stoppers. However, I would advise trying these techniques before buying a 20 gauge. The lethality of a 12 gauge and all the accessories and tactical ammo loads available for it are quite valuable.
Ultimately I think proper technique, stance, and even gun and ammo selection make the biggest difference with a shotgun. Everything else can be seen as a bit of a band-aid that doesn’t necessarily solve the problem. A little training, a little learning, and a lot of practice is the better option in my eyes.
One of the bigger deterrents to good recoil mitigation is stock length and length of pull. If the stock is too short or too long, then the gun will feel unnatural and make recoil mitigation tougher to achieve. It’s often hard to lean forward with a stock that’s too long and also tough to effectively push with your nonfiring hand.
With a stock that’s too short, you’ll have a hard time pulling the gun into your shoulder. Everyone is a little different so make sure the gun fits or can be adjusted to help you achieve a good push-pull technique and allows you to lean forward aggressively.
Good Ammo Selection Goes a Long Way
Some ammo is always going to be harder to control than others. If you are rocking a slug at 1,600 feet per second or a load of Hornady Black buckshot at 1,600 FPS, then you might have a bad time. These are hot loads, and it might be a better idea to step down to something more reasonable.
Does this mean losing any kind of lethality or effectiveness? Nope, not really. If you step down to a reduced recoil load of buckshot or slug, you won’t be harming your effectiveness. That 1,600 FPS load of buckshot might get there a little faster, but it doesn’t make a difference in stopping a threat.
If you step down to a load of birdshot—well, I hope you’re hunting birds because birdshot is a lousy self-defense load.
Maybe A Semi-Auto is Your Jam
A pump action, or any manual repeater, is going to hit a little harder. There is nothing there to absorb any of that blast but you. A semi-auto shotgun takes a fair bit of sting out of the gun. This results in less pain and less felt recoil. Gas-operated guns, in particular, tend to naturally exemplify recoil mitigation.
They also tend to be easier to use with a push-pull method of recoil reduction since you don’t have to release tension to work the gun. Guns like the Benelli M4 and Beretta 1301 are top-of-the-line shotguns and are absolutely wonderful shooters.
What about other options?
There are some gizmos and gadgets out that that promise to reduce recoil. There used to be these recoil-reducing stocks that apparently worked well. However, I don’t see a need for them after using the right technique and stance. They don’t make a major difference, and they often use moving parts that can break under the push from the gauge.
Stepping down to a 20 gauge is an option. Twenty-gauge guns are quite mighty and are still man-stoppers. However, I would advise trying these techniques before buying a 20 gauge. The lethality of a 12 gauge and all the accessories and tactical ammo loads available for it are quite valuable.
Ultimately I think proper technique, stance, and even gun and ammo selection make the biggest difference with a shotgun. Everything else can be seen as a bit of a band-aid that doesn’t necessarily solve the problem. A little training, a little learning, and a lot of practice is the better option in my eyes.
Once you’ve achieved a proper stance, you might be wondering what exactly you are supposed to do with your hands. The good news is that your hands and arms play a big role in controlling shotgun recoil. Firearms instructor Rob Haught came up with something called the Push-Pull technique decades ago, and it’s only now becoming mainstream.
The Push-Pull assigns a task to both hands. Your nondominant hand pushes the gun forward. Your firing hand should be pulling the stock rearward into your shoulder. This creates tension which keeps the gun from beating you up. Push and pull at the same time to achieve proper recoil mitigation.
The best way this works for me is to use your firing hand to first pull the stock rearward into your shoulder and then use the nonfiring hand to press outward. When you first begin practicing this technique, it will feel slow, but as you find that proper level of tension, you’ll automatically achieve the push-pull as you ready the shotgun to fire.
With a pump gun, you’ll also have to relearn to release the tension and then work the action. This is where lots of dry fire will come in handy.
Make Sure It Fits
One of the bigger deterrents to good recoil mitigation is stock length and length of pull. If the stock is too short or too long, then the gun will feel unnatural and make recoil mitigation tougher to achieve. It’s often hard to lean forward with a stock that’s too long and also tough to effectively push with your nonfiring hand.
With a stock that’s too short, you’ll have a hard time pulling the gun into your shoulder. Everyone is a little different so make sure the gun fits or can be adjusted to help you achieve a good push-pull technique and allows you to lean forward aggressively.
Good Ammo Selection Goes a Long Way
Some ammo is always going to be harder to control than others. If you are rocking a slug at 1,600 feet per second or a load of Hornady Black buckshot at 1,600 FPS, then you might have a bad time. These are hot loads, and it might be a better idea to step down to something more reasonable.
Does this mean losing any kind of lethality or effectiveness? Nope, not really. If you step down to a reduced recoil load of buckshot or slug, you won’t be harming your effectiveness. That 1,600 FPS load of buckshot might get there a little faster, but it doesn’t make a difference in stopping a threat.
If you step down to a load of birdshot—well, I hope you’re hunting birds because birdshot is a lousy self-defense load.
Maybe A Semi-Auto is Your Jam
A pump action, or any manual repeater, is going to hit a little harder. There is nothing there to absorb any of that blast but you. A semi-auto shotgun takes a fair bit of sting out of the gun. This results in less pain and less felt recoil. Gas-operated guns, in particular, tend to naturally exemplify recoil mitigation.
They also tend to be easier to use with a push-pull method of recoil reduction since you don’t have to release tension to work the gun. Guns like the Benelli M4 and Beretta 1301 are top-of-the-line shotguns and are absolutely wonderful shooters.
What about other options?
There are some gizmos and gadgets out that that promise to reduce recoil. There used to be these recoil-reducing stocks that apparently worked well. However, I don’t see a need for them after using the right technique and stance. They don’t make a major difference, and they often use moving parts that can break under the push from the gauge.
Stepping down to a 20 gauge is an option. Twenty-gauge guns are quite mighty and are still man-stoppers. However, I would advise trying these techniques before buying a 20 gauge. The lethality of a 12 gauge and all the accessories and tactical ammo loads available for it are quite valuable.
Ultimately I think proper technique, stance, and even gun and ammo selection make the biggest difference with a shotgun. Everything else can be seen as a bit of a band-aid that doesn’t necessarily solve the problem. A little training, a little learning, and a lot of practice is the better option in my eyes.
Once you’ve achieved a proper stance, you might be wondering what exactly you are supposed to do with your hands. The good news is that your hands and arms play a big role in controlling shotgun recoil. Firearms instructor Rob Haught came up with something called the Push-Pull technique decades ago, and it’s only now becoming mainstream.
The Push-Pull assigns a task to both hands. Your nondominant hand pushes the gun forward. Your firing hand should be pulling the stock rearward into your shoulder. This creates tension which keeps the gun from beating you up. Push and pull at the same time to achieve proper recoil mitigation.
The best way this works for me is to use your firing hand to first pull the stock rearward into your shoulder and then use the nonfiring hand to press outward. When you first begin practicing this technique, it will feel slow, but as you find that proper level of tension, you’ll automatically achieve the push-pull as you ready the shotgun to fire.
With a pump gun, you’ll also have to relearn to release the tension and then work the action. This is where lots of dry fire will come in handy.
Make Sure It Fits
One of the bigger deterrents to good recoil mitigation is stock length and length of pull. If the stock is too short or too long, then the gun will feel unnatural and make recoil mitigation tougher to achieve. It’s often hard to lean forward with a stock that’s too long and also tough to effectively push with your nonfiring hand.
With a stock that’s too short, you’ll have a hard time pulling the gun into your shoulder. Everyone is a little different so make sure the gun fits or can be adjusted to help you achieve a good push-pull technique and allows you to lean forward aggressively.
Good Ammo Selection Goes a Long Way
Some ammo is always going to be harder to control than others. If you are rocking a slug at 1,600 feet per second or a load of Hornady Black buckshot at 1,600 FPS, then you might have a bad time. These are hot loads, and it might be a better idea to step down to something more reasonable.
Does this mean losing any kind of lethality or effectiveness? Nope, not really. If you step down to a reduced recoil load of buckshot or slug, you won’t be harming your effectiveness. That 1,600 FPS load of buckshot might get there a little faster, but it doesn’t make a difference in stopping a threat.
If you step down to a load of birdshot—well, I hope you’re hunting birds because birdshot is a lousy self-defense load.
Maybe A Semi-Auto is Your Jam
A pump action, or any manual repeater, is going to hit a little harder. There is nothing there to absorb any of that blast but you. A semi-auto shotgun takes a fair bit of sting out of the gun. This results in less pain and less felt recoil. Gas-operated guns, in particular, tend to naturally exemplify recoil mitigation.
They also tend to be easier to use with a push-pull method of recoil reduction since you don’t have to release tension to work the gun. Guns like the Benelli M4 and Beretta 1301 are top-of-the-line shotguns and are absolutely wonderful shooters.
What about other options?
There are some gizmos and gadgets out that that promise to reduce recoil. There used to be these recoil-reducing stocks that apparently worked well. However, I don’t see a need for them after using the right technique and stance. They don’t make a major difference, and they often use moving parts that can break under the push from the gauge.
Stepping down to a 20 gauge is an option. Twenty-gauge guns are quite mighty and are still man-stoppers. However, I would advise trying these techniques before buying a 20 gauge. The lethality of a 12 gauge and all the accessories and tactical ammo loads available for it are quite valuable.
Ultimately I think proper technique, stance, and even gun and ammo selection make the biggest difference with a shotgun. Everything else can be seen as a bit of a band-aid that doesn’t necessarily solve the problem. A little training, a little learning, and a lot of practice is the better option in my eyes.
