Shot my Stevens 320 today..

K

Kev

New member
First time at the range with my Stevens 320.
No real history with shotguns. Just small caliber rifles and handguns.

Well....
Tucked her in tight, racked the pump and lit a slug off.
Ouch...repeat and Ouch! :p
Looking at slip on recoil pads..
Any recommendations?
 
Lol...well there's that. I don't know why I didn't think of that!
The range here only allows slugs.
I need to get to an outdoor range that will let me try some of my low recoil LE rounds of 00.
 
Try shooting VERY light target loads to get a feel for the gun. Shooting uber loads like that will do a LOT of permanent damage to your shoulder
 
Thanks
Here's a quick pic of the bruiser lol
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I was not in the military with the M4, so I find those types of pistol grips to transmit more recoil than a standard shotgun stock. Those type of grips really punish the web between thumb and forefinger - which generally means your grip changes and you let more recoil pummel your shoulder; adding weight to the stock will help reduce actual recoil. try taking lead tape, or fill empty hulls all the way with lead or similar

The heaviest gun with the lightest loads will give you the least recoil
 
I saw the gun at end of thread and attest to what BigD said and second that the stock is not the ideal recoil mitigatory option...

Brent
 
Thanks. I really had no idea that the pistol grip changes the dynamics so drastically.
The only other SG I have shot was a Remington 1100 semi (beautiful gun) and a double barrel coach gun
Neither in any quantity, too busy emptying 45 acp magazines lol
 
Stevens states that the Model 320 weighs in at 7 pounds. A Remington 1100 autoloader comes in at 8 pounds. A Ithaca Featherlite weighs in a 7.6 pounds.

That Stevens is a VERY light shotgun compared to the loads you have used. No wonder it kicks! Slugs/buckshot will kick like heck with that light a gun.

You might want to consider adding some weight to the stock and forearm to bring the guns weight up to help reduce recoil under those slug loadings.
 
Thanks, I like the gun, but honestly I couldn't through 5 rounds.
The funny thing was I took my wife with me and I was going to enjoy watching her shoot it..but she was smarter than me and said NO WAY!
Lol

I will still look for a heavy duty recoil pad as well as adding weight.

I may have been a victim of tacti-cool itis with this purchase.
 
Also the angles of a an AR style stock usually leave your face (eye) too low so you raise off the stock (lose cheek weld) and beat your face up too...

Brnet
 
That's the one thing I did right.
Kept her snug and cheek to stock.
Just felt like a gorilla punched my shoulder that's all
 
Limbsavers large slip-on recoil pad. I put one on my M320 and I can shoot it with 3-inch magnum loads all day long. Liked it so much I put one on my Franchi SPAS-12 too. Works like a dream
 
Before you add or do anything how is the length of pull and drop at comb and heel compared to a shotgun that fits you. I can shoot 3 1/2" slugs or buckshot in my 10 gauge without batting an eyelash but one of my 12 gauges knocks the mucus clean out of my sinus cavities shooting 2 3/4" #6 bird shot. It's a family heirloom so I'm not touching it but I don't shoot it much either. Fit is everything.
 
Well Old Grump...
This is my first shotgun purchase.
Never really wanted one till recently then got a wild hair and bought this one.
I shot a friends Remi 1100 that was almost a joy to shoot....It also had about 18 more inches of barrel on it compared to this.
So I don't have a long history of "my old 870 fit just as good" to compare it to.
 
The Remington 1100 is considered as a soft shooting gun. The gas operation takes up some of the recoil, plus the extra overall weight.

Give the gun a try with some light skeet loads, or if you can find some Winchester AAL12 Xtra-Lite 2 3/4 dram 1 oz. load of shot, 1180 fps.
 
AA is good, so is Federal and Remington low recoil 2 3/4" shells and I like the Fiocchi reduced recoil 00 for rapid fire drills on multiple targets. I wouldn't hesitate to use the Fiocchi for self defense if needed, they aren't shabby.
 
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