Recommendations: Low-recoil shotgun for my wife

[racko]

She is not afraid of guns but my Mossberg 500A scares her. 12 gauge please.

[Quiet]

For me, Benelli shotguns (M-3 Super 90 & Nova with mercury recoil reducer installed) have a lower percieved recoil than other shotguns.

You could try useing "reduced/low recoil" 12 gauge ammo (Winchester WINLITE and Remington Managed-Recoil brand ammo) and/or adding a Knoxx Industries Compstock to your Mossberg.

[Flux Capacitor]

You can probably change the ammo and not the gun. I think they sell shorty 12 guage shells.

[krby]

Mt wife recently went shooting sporting clays with me and she liked it. So, we took a lesson together. The instructor recommended she start with a 28ga, then move up as sh got used to the weight and recoil. It turns out the recoil of my 12ga doesn't bother her, but the weight of the gun way out there in front of her body bothers her after a few rounds. The instructor stressed getting the fundamentals right with the lighter/smaller gun until it's second nature to her. Luckily, the sporting clays place her rents 28ga, 20ga, and 12ga cheaply so we're not buying until she's really comfortable.

Now, how do deal with the fact that she easily outshot me? I guess I gotta practice more!

[ysr_racer]

My wife uses a Rem 1100 20ga youth model. It kicks like a "kitten"

[rg_1111@yahoo.com]

Try to find a kick EZ pad.
Or reload a light load shell.

[MudCamper]

Why not consider the 20 gauge? It's arguably a more effective defense gun, because it's much easier to control. As Massad Ayoob put's it in StressFire II, comparing a 12 gauge loaded with 00 buckshot to a 20 gauge loaded with #3 buckshot is "75% as much lead for 50% to 60% as much of the recoil is a favorable bargin."

[M. Sage]

+1 I actually like 20 ga and might get one instead of a 12. Recoil is next to nothing, and they're perfectly fine for 90% of the things you'd use a 12 gauge for. The only thing is it might be harder to hit birds or shoot trap, but you just have to learn to be a better shot.

Can't knock the stopping power, it's still in "OMFG!" territory.

[wooger]

I respectfully disagree about the effectiveness of 20 guage replacing 12 guage for defensive purposes.

[skeetskeet]

Why not just a knoxx?

[WokMaster1]

I respectfully disagree about the effectiveness of 20 guage replacing 12 guage for defensive purposes.

I personally don't want to be shot by either.

[mcubed4130]

She is not afraid of guns but my Mossberg 500A scares her. 12 gauge please.

Racko, you need to say what your wife intends on doing with the shotgun as well.

As noted, a home defense gun vs. a tactic-ool mall ninja gun for breaking paper at the range vs. a trap or clay gun - are all totally different things.

Now on my end - my wife is 5'1" 125lbs - and she can shoot my Mossberg 500A - 12g - with no problems. AFTER I installed - a Knoxx SpecOps and a Limbsaver buttpad. (Note a buddy of mine has just the Knoxxx SpecOps on his Mossberg 500 12g - and he has noted the recoil on mine - with the extra Limbsaver pad - is much lighter in recoil - than his is).

As noted, in my home defense config:



BTW, if you really are looking for a trap or clay gun. Don't do the Knoxx SpecOps, instead do the Knoxx Compstock. (another friend of mine has that on his Remmy 12g - though it's not as good as the Knoxx SpecOps at recoil reduction - it's still VERY noticeable - by comparison to the 12g non-Knoxx and/or non-Limbsaver equiped shotguns - I have in my group of friends.)

-M3

[Baron]

my wife loves to shoot my 500A, but she makes me remove the Sidewinder kit off of it. Because that kit doubles the weight of the shotgun. She doesn't mind the recoil at all. But she wants one for herself now...

This is mine without the Sidewinder...



This was from our last time out shoot'n trap
She looks pretty comfortable to me...LOL


Here's a vid I made

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFy_zMoH03Q

My 500 doesn't have any kind of recoil reduction. It just has the ATI Specops Stock. But I am probably going to get her a wearable recoil pad, just to cut down on the bruising. The key thing is gun placement. just make sure she holds the Shotgun right and keeps the butt of the stock in the pocket. She'll be fine with a 12g.... But if she truley doesn't feel confortable with one she will more likely hurt herself. SO you may want to get her a 20g. My wife refuses to touch my double barrel...LOL

[ZapThyCat]

You can probably change the ammo and not the gun. I think they sell shorty 12 guage shells.

I agree. I use the "Aguila" shells that are shorter, FAR less recoil, and you can fit a BUNCH in your shotty... ever since I discovered these (and they work PERFECTLY in a Mossberg) I was totally hooked on them. They're cheaper than regular shells too.

I HIGHLY urge you to find a few and let her try them. Try them yourself... TOTALLY fun to shoot. There were a few sights (The-Armoury.com, northwestloadingsupply.com, gunbroker.com) that sell them....

[maxicon]

I'd second a gas-operated semi like the Remington 1100 or 11-87. I have an 1100 in 12 and 20 guage, and they're amazingly soft shooters. I can put many more shells through them than my 12g pumps or 20g single shot without it bothering me.

The 1100 is less flexible, as you can't run both 2 3/4 and 3" shells through the same gun, but mine are for clays, so no problem there.

For a multi-purpose semi-auto with soft recoil, an 11-87 or Beretta 391 is hard to beat. The Franchi 712 has a good reputation as well, but I've never shot one.