# Shotguns with the softest recoil



## Grenadier (Dec 5, 2011)

Those of y'all familiar with shotguns have probably seen, at one time or another, a newbie shotgunner, who takes out his pistol-gripped, 12 gauge, 18" barrel shotgun, loaded with 3.5" shells, and then starts cursing about the horrible recoil...  

On the other end of the spectrum, there's a pretty good article, from Field and Stream, about shotguns with the softest recoil, that might help some of the above newbies:

http://www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/gun-nuts/2011/12/top-5-softest-kicking-semi-auto-shotguns

Looks like Benelli may be onto something with their "inertia" system.


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## Haakon (Dec 6, 2011)

The Benelli M1 Super 90 is definitely the softest firing 12ga I've shot, much easier than the Remington 870 pump. Absolute worst was a 18" break open single shot - ouch.


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## Cyriacus (Dec 6, 2011)

Different Ammunition tends to make it a whole lot easier with any given Shotgun, Ive found.
That said, Ive had a couple of Low Recoiling Experiences with Beretta Shotguns. Now dont ask Me to remember its make. This was ages ago.


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## Skpotamus (Dec 22, 2011)

The downside to the article is it excludes "non sporting" shotguns.  AKA, it's only hunting guns.  The softest shootings ones I've felt were "combat" shotguns.  

Softest shooting semi-auto I've tried was a Saiga 12 gauge.  Even shooting 00 buck and slugs it was quite comfortable and controllable after a couple hundred rounds.  Even lighter recoiling than the benelli M4.  

Softest shooting pump is the mossberg I've got setup with a knoxx spec ops stock.  My 5'1" 120lb wife can shoot slugs and buckshot loads through it comfortably.  This is the softest shooting shotgun I've EVER fired.  It's not the gun per se, but the stock that makes it such a light shooter.


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## Rich Parsons (Dec 23, 2011)

Grenadier said:


> Those of y'all familiar with shotguns have probably seen, at one time or another, a newbie shotgunner, who takes out his pistol-gripped, 12 gauge, 18" barrel shotgun, loaded with 3.5" shells, and then starts cursing about the horrible recoil...
> 
> On the other end of the spectrum, there's a pretty good article, from Field and Stream, about shotguns with the softest recoil, that might help some of the above newbies:
> 
> ...



Grenadier,

Do you have any experience with the M4?

Thanks


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## Grenadier (Dec 23, 2011)

Rich Parsons said:


> Grenadier,
> 
> Do you have any experience with the M4?
> 
> Thanks



I've had the pleasure of using one in a 3-gun match.  I didn't have my usual Remington 870 with me, so a kind-hearted fellow competitor let me use his.  One thing I noticed right away was how comfortable it was to hold.  Normally, I don't like pistol gripped shotguns, but in this case, it just felt so natural, for the lack of a better description.  

This gun was loaded with Federal "Tactical" Buckshot, which is more of a medium velocity load.  

The gun operated smoothly, even with the reduced recoil load, and the recoil was very, very mild, to the point where it felt more like a light target load out of my Remington 870.  The spread pattern seemed to be about the same as my 870.  I only wish I could have shot a few boxes of ammo through this bad boy, since it was certainly a pleasure to shoot.  

Of course I want one, but just don't have the 1600+ dollars needed to get one.


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## Skpotamus (Dec 23, 2011)

Rich Parsons said:


> Grenadier,
> 
> Do you have any experience with the M4?
> 
> Thanks



I know I'm not grenadier, but I've shot the M4 and the saiga 12 back to back at the same match.  The Saiga has less recoil but the benelli is quite nice too.  The saiga ended up getting banned from a lot of competitions because it was smoking the competition on reloads (magazine fed vs tube fed) and nobody (even guns costing a grand more) could compete.


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## Cryozombie (Jan 8, 2012)

Skpotamus said:


> Softest shooting semi-auto I've tried was a Saiga 12 gauge.  Even shooting 00 buck and slugs it was quite comfortable and controllable after a couple hundred rounds.  Even lighter recoiling than the benelli M4.



I disagree... my Saiga is the only shotgun I have fired that after only a couple boxes of rounds left some NASTY bruises on my shoulder.  I fired a semi-auto Franchi and an Ithica and neither of them were as harsh as my Saiga 12.  Not that I would trade that Saiga... I love the AK platform.


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## Cryozombie (Jan 8, 2012)

Although I should mention... It does not have the factory stock... when I upgraded it to be 922r compliant I put an American made AK style stock with a metal buttpad on it, so I suppose that could be part of the issue... no molded rubber pad to nullify some of the recoil.


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## Skpotamus (Jan 9, 2012)

Cryozombie said:


> I disagree... my Saiga is the only shotgun I have fired that after only a couple boxes of rounds left some NASTY bruises on my shoulder.  I fired a semi-auto Franchi and an Ithica and neither of them were as harsh as my Saiga 12.  Not that I would trade that Saiga... I love the AK platform.



Hmmm, maybe your gas setting was off?  I had a buddy who had to have rotator cuff surgery in both shoulders.  A 20 gauge mossberg with #9 shot shooting clays will take him out after about 9 to 10 rounds (he'll have to ice it for a few days and won't be able to raise his arm above his shoulders).  He loads 00 buck and slugs in his saiga and runs through it like candy.  When I first got to play with the saiga I got to shoot a benelli M4 right after it, and the saiga had less recoil than it did.  

Just to make you drool, here's a full auto saiga being fired.  (Note at 51 seconds the guy firing it full auto with one hand)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=6_zIrgtv1J0#!

As an aside, how are you standing when you shoot?  The old way people were traditionally taught had them standing feet perpendicular to the target so the stock is on the ball of the shoulder.  If you square up to the target (I tell my students to imagine a laser in their belly button pointing at the target), it puts the butt in the shoulder pocket and no pain no matter the recoil.  Takes some getting used to, but it's great (works for 10 year old boys trying to get their shotgun merit badges all the way up)


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## Brian R. VanCise (Jan 10, 2012)

Hard to beat out the Benelli in this area.  Then again everything will come down to what kind of ammo you are using or if you have a modified stock, etc.


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## Rich Parsons (Jan 10, 2012)

Brian R. VanCise said:


> Hard to beat out the Benelli in this area.  Then again everything will come down to what kind of ammo you are using or if you have a modified stock, etc.




Brian, Do you have a Benelli or have you shot one?

Thanks


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## MA-Caver (Jan 10, 2012)

What's a shotgun without recoil? To me any .12 ga is going to kick. I've fired .16 ga shotguns before and damn they were pretty harsh... for a 14 year old kid anyway. You want a shot gun with a soft recoil try a .410... otherwise learn how to shoot properly by leaning into the stock, holding the butt firmly against the shoulder ... oh and work out the upper-body to have the strength to deal with the recoil. Or simply... don't shoot.


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## Skpotamus (Jan 11, 2012)

MA-Caver said:


> What's a shotgun without recoil? To me any .12 ga is going to kick. I've fired .16 ga shotguns before and damn they were pretty harsh... for a 14 year old kid anyway. You want a shot gun with a soft recoil try a .410... otherwise learn how to shoot properly by leaning into the stock, holding the butt firmly against the shoulder ... oh and work out the upper-body to have the strength to deal with the recoil. Or simply... don't shoot.



If the shotgun is hurting you during recoil (specifically your shoulder), your stance isn't correct.  I'm a NRA instructor, I teach kids all the way through adults how to shoot shotguns.  I've had 10 year old kids who've never fired a shotgun before shoot 250 rounds in a 4 day period because they loved it so much and didn't get sore (who had trouble keeping the gun up for more than 3 or 4 shots at a time due to their upper body strength).  If you use the stance I described above, no pain and you have almost a 360 degree field you can sweep in to follow your target without having to move your feet.


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## Rich Parsons (Jan 11, 2012)

While I agree with proper stance and process for shooting any firearm, I have to wonder about some of the guys I know with injuries and repitition injuries over time. If I can get a product that is just as reliable and just as accurate and has less energy going into my body, then I will consider it. That is me. I do not expect others to do the same. Just my thoughts on the subject.


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## Skpotamus (Jan 11, 2012)

Rich Parsons said:


> While I agree with proper stance and process for shooting any firearm, I have to wonder about some of the guys I know with injuries and repitition injuries over time. If I can get a product that is just as reliable and just as accurate and has less energy going into my body, then I will consider it. That is me. I do not expect others to do the same. Just my thoughts on the subject.



I Agree.   The benellis had little recoil, the saiga less recoil.  If you want a pump with little recoil, get a mesa tactical or knoxx stock.


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