Would your wife do this for you?

Yes, she sure would.

I give her massages, cook dinner, and clean her .22, in return she cleans the house and dishes, buys me anniversary ammo (gave me 75 3inch #4buck this year :D) and even names all my guns for me : ) She also usually caves when my gunitis acts up.
 
good shot

Well, she's not my wife....but my girlfriend enjoys shooting clays.

Me, my girl, and a few friends bought a few boxes of clays and spent the day target shooting. Kate (my girlfriend) acted interested, so I showed her how to hold the shotty (it was her first time shooting one) and how to shoot ahead of the clay to hit it. I pulled the cord and blam!.....dear God she hit it on the first try. She's a great shot, she hit 10 clays in a row before she missed one!
 
wife

yep... my first exwife was a real dandy when she was in her 20s. used to shag birds all day long in the heat. dove season was espically hard on her, september can be really hot on the texas border, not to mention rattlesnakes... but as the years went by and she began to complain about shagging birds... well i just had to replace her with a lab. the dog doesn't bitch about anything, wreck the car, or any of the crap my ex did.
 
wingspar -

Sorry to hear about your sore shoulder. I have a Limbsaver on my 870 and it does seem to help some. I took a SD shotgun class and in a half-day we took about 150 shots including 20 or so slugs (some prone) and maybe 30 rounds of buckshot. I was a bit sore the next day but nothing to get excited about. Fun class.

I'll have to look for some lower velocity loads for my wife, if I can get her back behind ol' Mister Twelve. ;)
 
I use to shoot a lot of skeet and trap at least three times a week not counting matches. I was working swings at the time, 4 to 2 am. My wife would stay up after putting the kids to bed and reload my shells for my next days shooting.

I was shooting a 12 ga over and under, Single trigger, the recoil from the first shot cocked the action for the second shot.

I started using winchester paper shells with a paper wad built into the base of the shell, 1 oz shot, and a 2 3/4 dram load. It was so light it wouldn't cock the barrel.

I was also a LE firearm instructor at the time and I was task with working with problem officers who couldn't get the knack of our dept. 870s because of recoil. I used the same load to work with then until I got them to qualify. The light loads allowed them to work with a technique where the buck shot and slugs wouldn't bother them too much.
 
spacecoast said:
wingspar -

Sorry to hear about your sore shoulder. I have a Limbsaver on my 870 and it does seem to help some. I took a SD shotgun class and in a half-day we took about 150 shots including 20 or so slugs (some prone) and maybe 30 rounds of buckshot. I was a bit sore the next day but nothing to get excited about. Fun class.

I'll have to look for some lower velocity loads for my wife, if I can get her back behind ol' Mister Twelve.

I put a Limbsaver on and it didn’t help. I took it with me to the range, took a shot, then installed the Limbsaver recoil pad, and took another shot while the first shot with stock recoil pad was still fresh in my mind. I can’t say that I noticed any difference.

After what seemed like weeks of looking, I found and ordered a box of Winchester AA that are 1 oz loads at 980 fps. I took a shot with the light 1 oz loads, then a shot with the heavier loads (photo earlier in this thread). Big difference. While I wouldn’t call it easy on the shoulder, it was a lot more fun to shoot. After only 5 shells, I ended up pretty sore last night. Looking at adding a padded vest next.

I don’t think I’m going to be able to get my other half to shoot the shotgun. I think she is more recoil sensitive with long guns than I am. However, she is less sensitive with handgun recoil than I am. She loves her .357 magnum. I’ll shoot it, but it’s no fun.
 
Wingspar, If you are that sore after 5 shots you may want to have someone check how you are shouldering your gun. I was badly beaten up by my 870 the first few times I shot a couple of boxes and the primary reason was that I had the stock too far out on my shoulder. Get it in the pocket and pull it tight agaisnt your shoulder. A Wingmaster or any fixed breech shotgun will be harder on felt recoil than a semi auto such as a gas operated 1100.
 
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Soreness after say, two rounds of trap or skeet would most likely find fit the culprit.

Soreness after a mere 5 rounds is almost certainly technique.

Some suggestions.....

First, square up behind the gun. With your left foot advanced (assuming you shoot RH) as it you were walking to the target, mount the gun with your weight more on the leading foot. Get behind the gun, not along side it in the classic rifleman's stance. This allows your spine to act as a spring and absorb some of the energy.

Raise your strong side elbow to about 45 degrees. This opens up the "Cup" inside your shoulder joint proper and seats the butt where it can best be employed.

Use your firing hand to PULL the weapon firmly into your shoulder. Use your support hand to PUSH the weapon away SLIGHTLY so if your shotgun were made of rubber, it would be stretching a little between the hands. However, do keep the weapon firmly pulled into the shoulder.

Practice this say, 25 mounts at home 3X or more a week and you'll be delighted at the result.

Also, 7/8 12 gauge loads are becoming common for a very good reason. They do what's needed and kick less. I use them for just about everything but waterfowl and defense.

HTH....
 
TheKlawMan & Dave McC... Appreciate the advice. I have received similar advice in a shotgun forum, and wrote some of it down to take with me. Squaring off behind the gun just feels strange, so I didn’t do it. Left foot forward is automatic. I probably did not raise my strong side elbow up far enough. Another awkward feeling. The last two times out, I was paying more attention to how the Limbsaver worked, and how the light loads worked, and technique probably suffered. I’m sure the arthritis in my neck pays a large part in this, but I was surprised how sore my shoulder was the other day after one heavy load, and 5 light loads. I’m sure some of it is technique. Also, I have very narrow shoulders, so proper placement of the gun is something I have to consciously think about, and I probably wasn’t.

Here is a link I made to the video I made comparing the heavy load to the light load. You can critique my technique if you wish. I’m sure it leaves something to be desired. It's a very short video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUqdgrxo98w

There are two more videos of me and the 870 on my channel.

Who makes 7/8 oz loads in 12 gauge? I’ve never seen any. Lightest I’ve found are the ones I tried the other day. 1 oz at 980 fps.
 
I looked at your video, Wingspar. I am only a novice and am not the person to tell anyone what to do, but it appears to me like the butt of your stock is out too far on the shoulder and that your right elbow should be elevated so as to form a pocket for the butt of your gun to fit in. The light load you have is what I used to buy before I started reloading.

A trick the guys here taught me, especialy oneounce, was to fill some expended hulls with nothing but shot. On the 879 place one or two in the magazine just before screwing the barrel lug cap in place and place an equal number in the hole in your stock for the receiver bolt. insert a piece of cloth to cushion it from moving around. This added weight will help absorb recoil.

It also appears to me that you need a longer stock, which may mean you cann get a thicker pad. Not all goot pads are equal and I wonder if you can lenghen your LOP by simply using a thicker pad. If not a pad a butt stock spacer.
 
TheKlawMan... Yes, even I see that it looks too far out on my shoulder when looking at the video now. I was concentrating more on how much different the light load recoil was vs the heavier shell, and kind of let everything else go.

I have read that adding weight to the magazine and stock can help. Shot in an empty hull sounds like a neat trick. It’s one of those things I might try.

Yes, the LOP is too short for me by 1 to 1 ½ inches. There are spacers I can buy to put between the stock and recoil pad to fix that, but it’s sort of down on the list of things to try as I haven’t been able to find out if the correct LOP would help with recoil. It is definitely one of those things I intend on doing.

I supposed a quick fix for the LOP, and might even help with recoil, is to put a slip on recoil pad on over the Limbsaver. That should give me the needed LOP and add a little more cushion.
 
Thanks for the video, I see a couple things you can work on.

First, the heel of the butt should be at the top of the shoulder. You've mounted farther down, causing the neck to have to extend and drop.

That probably contributes to your pain right there.

BTW, Arthur I Tiss came to stay with me a long time back and brought his whole family. I sympathize.

The usual advice for how much to lean into the shot is "Nose over toes".

Add more forward tilt and get behind that gun.

Adding some length MAY help, but change only one thng at a time.

HTH....
 
Agree with Dave - you have the gun WAY too low on your shoulder. It needs to fit in the "pocket" with the top of the pad equal with the top of your shoulder.

I HATE 1-1/8 oz loads; unless it is a tournament where I shoot 1oz loads, I will only shoot 7/8, or even better, 3/4oz 12 gauge loads - my shoulder won't allow it.

I am facing shoulder surgery soon with torn cartilage - is it from shooting? Doubtful.....does shooting exacerbate it? More than likely, I am starting to feel it more and more after only 4 rounds of 5-stand - point is this - get that gun in your pocket and get it fitted - there are no "macho" points for beating yourself to death
 
Dave McC & oneounceload... Thanks for the tips on holding the butt of the gun higher up on my shoulder. I’ll add that to my list of things to do that I keep in my case. Next time out, I’ll be thinking more about proper methods rather than recoil. Mounting it a few times in a mirror should help too.

I will add some more length, but only one thing at a time. Only way to figure out if what I’m trying works. I wonder if adding more LOP would help make proper placement on my shoulder easier and more natural?

Not sure when I’ll get out to the range again. Almost 7 inches of rain yesterday with hurricane force winds, then gale force wind for the last several days. No end in sight according to the forecast.
 
Change your form first, then see if the hardware needs modifying.

One can change the effective LOP by moving the forward hand. Try different positions and see if one of those helps.

Remington,Winchester, Federal and Fiocchi,among others, make 7/8 oz loads. Look around, they won't be in valu packs at Walmart but will be at the LGS, etc.
 
I don’t live near any Walmarts. Small town. LGS just doesn’t carry 7/8 oz shells. Their turnover isn’t enough to stock stuff that doesn’t sell well. Tho he has told me he does stock this kind of stuff, he always seems to be out. I’ve done a lot of searching online, and have not seen any 7/8 oz loads in 12 gauge. I think I found some once, but at 1145 fps, and that seems to cancel the benefit of the light load. I’ve never seen any 7/8 oz loads on the Remington page, but their site is difficult to navigate. Winchester Winlite is just out of stock everywhere, or only sell by the case. Must have taken 3 weeks to locate the Winchester AA shells I shot in the video. I can order more of the Winchester AA stuff I shot in the video, and just may do that. In the meantime, working on form is probably more important. I appreciate the tips.
 
Wingspar. Don't worry too much about your LOP for the time being. I may have this all wrong, as I am not much more than a newbie, but if you stand more erect instead of scrunching forward over onto your stock a few things happen. This assumes that you are looking straight down the barrel rib inn your video.

Not only will your recoil pad slide up towards the top of your shoulder, but you will find that that the distance between your right thumb and the bridge of your nose will increase. You may or may not find that you still need to lenghten the LOP, but leave that alone for now.

I think I have this much correct. If not Dave McC or any of the veteran shooters please feel free to correct me. I will only cry a little.
 
You guy's are lucky, my wife is trying to put me in the poor house! She wants a Remington 870 riot gun, S&W M10 (current department issue), S&W M&P9 (What they are upgrading to soon), and an AR-15 so she can practice more than once a year with her issue weapons. I'm just glad she hasn't mentioned practicing with the MK19 gas canister or stun shield! LoL :eek:

In case you are wondering, she is a correction's officer. She has her CCW and carries either her PT140 or RIA compact 1911 but when we go to the range her favorite guns are my 3" M66 with full house loads or the Mosin Nagant 91/30! Yeah I taught her to be a recoil junkie like me.
 
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