which sporting shotguns recoil the least?

[Billmanweh]

just curious which types of shotguns have the least felt recoil?

[hogdogs]

Auto loader is inherently the softest recoil in most all if not all cases...:D
Brand wise is up to the experts who have owned them...
Brent

[ActivShootr]

Brent nailed it.

It also depends on the guage and load you shoot. Of course a 20ga skeet load is going to have less felt recoil than a 12ga turkey load. What will be the use of the firearm in question?

[Niagara Shooter]

I've shot a Beretta Super Sport 390 12ga, and with normal AA loads all you hear is the spring in the action as the gun cycles, I find it to be almost recoiless, a blast to shoot!!
NS

[Frank Ettin]

In general, the heavier the gun the less felt recoil with equivalent loads. And as others have said, auto-loaders will tend to have less felt recoil. And IME, the better your gun fits you, the less troublesome the recoil will be.

[Double Naught Spy]

Which recoil the least?

The ones chambered in .410.

[birdshot]

im suprised the remington 1100, has not been mentioned. i have fired HK and Benelli and though soft recoiling, i thought the 1100 was noticibly softer.

[nottelybill]

I also vote for the 1100. you don't even have to get it to your shoulder unless you are using mag. loads. Also if you are recoil sensitive as I am get a something like a Limb Saver recoil pad. It really took the sting out of my 870 with turkey loads.

[556A2]

Gas-Operated Auto-Loaders. Form & a good recoil pad works the best though.

[Sebring Pop]

I'd like to try this one

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4ebtj1jR7c

[ammo.crafter]

I've found the remington G-3 to be a powder puff to shoot for clays.:cool:

[BigJimP]

A "sporting" shotgun can be any type, make, action or gague you want.....

The semi-autos are usually the softest - and personally I prefer the Benelli super sport with the comfort tech system in it. I think its softer and a faster cycling gun than the gas guns like Remington, Browning, Beretta, etc.

A Benelli without the comfort tech system in it ( wood stock ) is not softer than the gas guns.

But an Over / Under is the dominant gun on "sporting clays" - primarily because you have 2 barrels - and you can put in 2 different chokes. If I'm shooting new ammo - and want to save the hulls - shooting an O/U means I'm not chasing hulls all over the place. I also like a semi-auto in a 30" barrel for sporting - a little longer sight plane is a plus. My favorite O/U for "sporting" or in the "field" is a Browning XS Skeet with an adjustable comb in 12, 20, 28ga or .410 . In nasty weather - or for a travel gun I will turn to the Benelli Super Sport in a 12ga or 20ga.

[kozak6]

There are some air shotguns out there.

If you mean firearms, there are some smootherbore .22's actually intended to be fired with .22 shotshells :D.

Seriously though, semiautomatics are the way to go.

Just keep in mind that shotgun fit is tremendously important.

A 20 gauge that fits poorly can kick way more than a better fitting 12 gauge.

[Lawyer Daggit]

With shotguns, as with other firearms, the factors that effect recoil are the action- semi auto's absorb it, the guns weight, and finally how well it fits the shooter.

In respect to the final criteria, the gun that recoils least is a purely subjective matter.

[RoscoeC]

Gas-Operated Auto-Loaders. Form & a good recoil pad works the best though.

Absolutely correct. The key is GAS OPERATED semi autos. The gas system absorbs much of the recoil. I have a Stoeger M2000, which is similar to but not the same as the Benelli interta system. I also have a Remington 11-87. The Stoeger definitely has a snappier recoil than the 11-87. I shoot both of them for skeet, so I have several hundred rounds through both. I put a limbsaver recoil pad on the Stoeger, and it is quite comfortable to shoot, but still snappier than the Remington. The Remington is also heavier, so that helps too.

The intertia guns, Benelli, Franchi I12, Stoeger M2000 will have more percieved recoil than almost any gas operated shotgun. If you want it to have the same soft shooting characteristics as a gas gun, then you will need to add recoil absorbing devices as referenced by BigJimP.

As Lawer Daggit said, the Softest shooting is a subjective matter. With that said, I will say, that a friend of mine with back problems just bought a new 11-87, and before shooting it he installed a Limbsaver recoil pad. This is the softest shooting 12 ga. I have ever shot, and I have shot a lot.

I have never shot a Beretta with the Knock out system. It may be even better.

[chris in va]

Pffft. C'mon guys.

The ones with a Knoxx stock.:rolleyes::D

[auto45]

The key is GAS OPERATED semi autos. The gas system absorbs much of the recoil.

Gas autos reduce "Felt Recoil" by delaying the recoil impulse, meaning the recoil is spread out over a longer period of time, compared to a fixed breech gun. The actual recoil is the same.

Actual recoil is reduced only by reducing shell velocity, shot weight and increasing gun weight.

[tx911]

If you are looking for a O/U for sporting clays with low recoil check out the Browning Cynergy sporting. Some poeple think it is ugly till they shoot it, then they want it. I personally think it is one of the best looking O/Us made.