Robc73

I am new to guns and hunting....I am having trouble with getting over the "fear" of the kick..When buying a 12 gauge does the length of the barrel differ the amount of recoil and what brand of 12 gauge do u guys think kicks the less? I will be mainly usin it for squirrels and deer next year
thx in advance for all ur helpful answers
Rob

pyral

First off, unless we are talking about trap and clay guns where overboring comes into play, the brand of the gun is not going to make as much difference in recoil as the ammunition you feed it.

While there are a few loads (heavy buckshot, slugs, and turkey-3" and 3-1/2") that can really kick you, most of what you should be concentrating on for squirrels...2-3/4" #6's or #7-1/2's... should be of little discomfort when shooting. If you can comfortably handle the "low brass" loads, you should be able to move up to the magnum loads (deer, turkey, ducks, and geese) with a certain tolerance.

I would recommend that if you have little experience with firearms, you should start with a .22. I know, a lot of people are going to say "rifles and shotguns are totally different, or it isn't the same kind of practice, etc., etc." but I still say it will be beneficial. If nothing else, it will at least start you on the path that muzzle blast and report (however little) will not hurt you and it teaches you not to associate shooting with pain.

Lastly, if you find a 12ga. to be too much, but still want a shotgun, try one of the smaller bores like the 16 or 20. Both are still capable of harvesting deer with the right load and each are more than enough for squirrels and rabbits.

pyral

sorry, almost forgot, the barrel lenght is a non issue as well, atleast in my experience. For the most part, a longer barrel only serves the purpose of adding weight up front to allow a more steady and controlled follow through-typical of clays and wingshooting. Most squirrels (while some are shot scurrying across limbs) are shot while sitting still as are deer. Some people even prefer the shorter barrels, 26" and 24" in the woods as they claim that the extra 2 or 4 inches can get hung up on brush.

Hope this helps

Robc73

thank you for response...I must add i shot my friends single shot 20 gauge with a slug in it and the kick wasnt bad at all...how much more would a 12 gauge with regular shells kick more than that?

gopher slayer

I have shot 200 12 ga rounds in 2 hours, they were target loads out of a browning Bps with a 28" barrel. at the end of the day i had a bit of a shore sholder but not bad at all. a 12 ga its as bad as everyone makes it out to be, i have shot hunting loads too not that big of a deal.

CanWoodsman

I agree 2 3/4"ers will kick less than 3"or 3 1/2"ers. As for a type that kicks less that would be one of the autoloaders. They use some of the pressure to cycle the action. Also the heavier the gun generally the less felt recoil.

Good Luck

m.t.hands

welcome, only thing i'll add is when your shooting at game you'll never feel or hear the gun, ditto on the auto loaders, my wife 130lbs. shoots a 12ga benelli auto with no problems

Fireblade545

3 1/2 " High Brass Turkey Magnums kick like a mule.
Dove loads or low brass loads for field / target use are just a big push not much kick to it.

Get a 20 guage is what i recomend. I have killed turkeys out to 50 yards with em with LESS recoil that a 12 would put out.

T/C fan!

Rob, a 12ga in pump action or auto with "regular" shells should actually kick less than the 20ga single-shot you've shot with the slug in it. Like others have said, shooting a 12ga slug at a deer will kick more, but you'll be "caught up in the moment" and won't notice the recoil or the report at all. Good hunting!

jmfa1957

You're much less likely to be bothered much by recoil when swinging a shotgun than you would be by sitting at a bench, taking deliberate aim and getting belted by a rifle with an equal amount of recoil. I would recommend that you buy a PAST recoil pad to strap on to your shoulder. I've got one. It is very unobtrusive and really helps me deal with 12 guage shotgun, as well as .30-06 class rifle shooting.

Pay close attention to your hearing protection, too. Muzzle blast makes me flinch much more than recoil does.[:@]