Shotgun recoil is no joke

[Alan]

I went to pattern my 12 gauge for turkey season and after about 15 rounds my shoulder was done. I'm not soft but that gun beats me up. Do you guys just deal with it or is there a way to make it suck less?

 

[WAYNO]

A magnum 12 ga is punishing. But we buck up and live with it.
Some semi auto's mitigate this recoil a little, and there are some butt pads that offer some help, but,
it's still a 12 ga and they can be brutal.

As much as a shotgun recoils, especially while patterning or otherwise shooting at the range, I never seem to notice it while I'm actually hunting.

 

[Alan]

A magnum 12 ga is punishing. But we buck up and live with it.
Some semi auto's mitigate this recoil a little, and there are some butt pads that offer some help, but,
it's still a 12 ga and they can be brutal.

As much as a shotgun recoils, especially while patterning or otherwise shooting at the range, I never seem to notice it while I'm actually hunting.

That’s true, range sessions hurt, but in the field adrenaline takes over and recoil disappears.

 

[Citified]

I have an STS and even though it is semi auto it is brutal on 3 1/2” turkey loads. The good part is it will digest and cycle on 2 3/4 and 3” loads for other types of hunting/shooting. I’m good for about 5 rounds at the range for patterning.

 

[Rimfire Fanatic]

I got one on those vests with the pad on the shoulder. Works pretty good.

 

[Citified]

I should probably get one of those.