[Dave McC]

I have to admit, I consider myself fairly tough. I've survived the Nam Mess, 20 years of working in some tough prisons, and a coupla Cub Scout overnighters.I'm big, tough, and when I walk through a room I leave the aroma of freshly made testosterone wafting behind(G).

And while I like shooting shotguns, I don't much care for recoil. I started out at 12 with a H&R 16 ga single bbl,stock crooked as a Clintonista, weighing a good half lb less than it should be. I learned form with that relic, because if I wasn't holding it right it did hurt considerably.And that still happens, but good form isn't the only factor here.

When I graduated to Pop's 870 around 1958, recoil was light, since the standard Remington mag plug at the time was a solid steel cyclinder the length/diameter of 2 shells. Shooting didn't hurt with the plug in place,but that piece was H*ll to carry chasing Pop's great Shorthairs.

Since then, there's been a plethora of shotguns, shot a myriad of ways, at a great variety of things. The common thread, they all kick. And all will hurt you sometimes.

Heavy loads, of course, exascerbate the problem. And testing heavy loads, like benching slugs in a shotgun of moderate weight, calls for anti-inflammatories in advance, and maybe prayer.

So, we've devised better form, and pads,etc, to take the hurt out. And that's where this thread goes.

Padding...
Some goes on the gun, the newer recoil pads are excellent. The Pachmyer Decelerator and others work wonders with reducing the bite and help turn the recoil mule into a pony. But still,when it comes to benching slugs, patterning turkey loads, or using overkill loads,like the 15 pellet 00 3 inch barn burners, that pad just isn't enough.

Hint, if your shotgun hurts you and has a pad, a bigger pad will help. Some shotguns have smaller butts than others,especially shortened ones.

So, let's talk about extra protection.

First, everyone has a shooting vest of some kind, maybe the kind worn on the dove fields, or on the clays course. The common feature here is some kind of padding on the shooting shoulder. My generic vest downstairs has a quilted area there, and it must offer some relief, tho I can't tell much difference. The next step up is the leather faced kind found on skeet,trap,clays vests. Most of these have some more rigid material, a big improvement. This spreads out the recoil over a greater area, reducing the bite.

Next up is the pads sold separately, which are possibly the best solution. The one here is a PAST pad, nicknamed the Wonderbra, which attaches with straps and buckles, providing plenty of protection. The material is semi rigid, and spreads the kick over a much greater area.

I need to do a certain amount of slug shooting each year, and I shoot a variety of rifles and muzzleloaders that also kick. The PAST pad means I shoot my best without again building up the flinch that has plagued me off and on for 40 years.

The only drawback with the PAST pad is it does lengthen the pull a little, like adding 1/2" to your stock length. For most folks and shotguns, this won't be critical.You'll get that much variation in length if the same shotgun is used in the early dove season, and for February Snow Geese.

SO, if you're not practicing enough because pain isn't your thing, or you are but it leaves you sore and cranky,try the Wonderbra.

And trust me on this, when the adrenaline's up, you will not feel the kick. You may not hear the gun go off either.

Questions, Comments, Donations?