Embrace Recoil

Posted On: 07-18-2023

Recoil is the direct result of firing the shotgun.  In most cases the foot-pounds of energy is slightly above 25, but that number is enough to get the attention of the shooter and make most struggle to overcome the effect.  If one takes the time to watch a shooter they would see the explosive and violent nature of recoil.  For a small frame shooter the recoil may be enough to rock them back, or even make them lose their footing.  In a round, recoil may corrupt our concentration, create anxiety and eventually cause physical damage. 

I taught a class one semester called Recreational Shotgun Shooting and in the course we shot trap, skeet, five-stand and sporting clays, overall about 300 rounds for all the venues.  The idea was to shoot 200 rounds over two weekends, but after the first day, the class wanted to push on so we shot 150 rounds that day.  As I was leaving the range I noticed one of the students sitting in their car so I walked up a noticed they were trying to start the car by turning the key with their left hand.  At that point I knew their right arm and shoulder were disabled from shooting 150 rounds and unusable.  Recoil had claimed another victim. 

Another component I noticed in recoil is it does not always present itself in the first few shots taken.   Instead, say for example a shooter is three shots in on their first round and then start missing.  Like I said, recoil might be starting to rear its ugly head and the shooter is struggling to overcome the impact.  I have read that a ¼” movement at the barrel is 10” 32 yards out to the target.  I have also noticed for most ¼” is a very minimal reaction of flinch when most move the barrel inches each time they pull the trigger. 

I have read of course there are many causes of pulling the barrel off the target line.  Among them are poor gun fit, not seeing the target because the barrel blocks their vision or just an inability to track the target. 

So what are the practicable options in reducing the reaction to recoil?  Of course we call this a flinch, but I am avoiding this word for now.  I see two ways to reduce this problem; first, a forward press to greet the recoil head on or a slight movement towards the target right before the trigger is pulled and second; is dry firing with a snap cap.  Mark a spot on the wall as the target and another ahead of the target as a lead and swing to the lead and pull the trigger.  Do this over and over and over until the desire to jump the trigger due to the recoil is gone both physically and mentally.  Third is to find some 7/8-ounce loads and shoot them for a while then moving to a 1-ounce load finally ending with 11/8-ounce loads.  Work through the desire to over react to the recoil. 

Finally, and I don’t say this in jest, is to simply say to yourself recoil is my friend.  I like recoil I look forward to recoil and recoil is not going to cause me to miss.

Take some time to work on your recoil reaction and soon the “flinch” will depart your metal vocabulary.