Amazing recoil reducer

[Matt3357]

Ok now that I have your attention.  I am in the process of getting my Ultra Varmint Hunter 223 fitted with a 20 ga. Ultra Slug Barrel.  The stock is the Boyd's Laminate thumbhole stock.  Now that you know that, let me tell you the rest.  About a year ago I had the pleasure to go skeet shooting with some of my friends from college.  We went shooting at one of the girls' houses and her dad has an amazing gun collection.  He had an entire room dedicated to his guns, with a 12 foot long gun safe and enough ammo to hold down fort knox in post Armageddon chaos.  Well we were shooting clays thrown from his remote electric pigeon thrower when he asked if I wanted to shoot his gun.  It was a browning something or other, I cant remember exactly what it was as I was in complete awe that he let me touch his at least $2000 gun.  I tell you what, I hit every single clay with that single shot 12 gauge.  It was the most amazing gun I ever shot.  The best part, what led to my amazing accuracy, was the GraCoil Recoil Reducer.  That thing made the 12 gauge kick like a 22lr.  It was amazing.  Now the question.  Have any of you ever installed one or used one period on an H&R Ultra Slug Hunter?  I want to use 3" magnums but I'm afraid that the kick will destroy my accuracy.  Where I hunt I am on a 20 ft tripod and can see out past 400 yards and last year I shot a nice 10 pointer at 165 yards last year with my 12 gauge Ithica model 87 by pure luck.  I think he fell over out of sheer amazement more so than the bullet that through his lungs, actually found the bullet inside him, still whole, it was moving so slow, its a wonder it didn't just bounce off.  Well the reason I am posting this in here is because the stock for the slug barrel will obviously still be used for my 223 rifle.  Now the 223 doesn't kick hard but any reduction should help my accuracy.  The questions I have for you amazing people who know more about H&R guns than H&R(at this point I think that is a safe assumption given the current circumstances) Do you think it would be possible to fit it to an H&R thumbhole stock? Ant Brownells has two different versions of the GraCoil recoil reducer, the Shotgun and the Rifle.  The Shotgun is for like skeet shooting and lightweight loads.  It goes from 14 to 70 lbs and all I can find about the rifle GraCoil is that it is stronger for heavier loads and harder hitting shotguns.  The Ultra Slug is a Bull barrel so I don't know if that will have any affect on the amount of recoil needed.  Any advice you gentlemen can give me would be much appreciated. 


Matt

[PHATINJUN]

Matt thanks for the report gives us all something else to consider...but starting at about $170 would be very hard to put on a $250 gun not so hard to do on a $2000 gun. But then it may be a consideration for me on the new ULSH 20 ga and when I get the new 45/70 Varmint I may not have to worry about down loading both of those. Now ya got me thinking  Kurt

[Matt3357]

To rationalize the price I have a birthday coming up and might have to start dropping hints if it comes to something worth while.  I just could not get over the difference it made.  Plus after I it is all said and done with this gun set up I will have around $600 in the 223 and 20 gauge. 

Matt

[quickdtoo]

Matt, ALL H&R butt stocks will fit all of their single shots, the t-hole stocks come on several production H&R firearms including the USH, and can be ordered from H&R in cinnamon or camo when they have them in stock for $122 shipped. I would suggest a good recoil pad like a Limbsaver and instead of that expensive contraption, a mercury recoil reducer(~$40) which fits nicely inside the stock bolt hole, see the FAQs for more info on both. 

Tim

[Matt3357]

As always, your advice is down to earth and right on.  How much do you suppose the mercury would reduce the amount of felt recoil? And what recoil pad would you recommend? I have a limbsaver on my 12 gauge shotgun and it works, just wondering if you know of something better. Also, what size of mercury reducer should the 20 gauge with 3" magnums require? Brand recommendations?

Thanks,
Matt

[quickdtoo]

There's a link for a source of MRRs in the FAQs along with how to mount one, but I'd go with just the pad first, then get the MRR if you feel you need it. The 20ga USH shouldn't kick that much, I shoot  3"- 1Ľoz  turkey loads thru a syn stocked Topper Deluxe 20ga, it's very light, the recoil feels about like a 30-06 with just the Limbsaver pad, I patterned it standing using a tall bipod since there's no bench at the public trap range, a dozen shots later I felt fine and I only had a T-shirt tween me and the pad. The MRRs come in different diameters and weights, you'll want the 7/8" diameter, I use the 16oz version in heavy kickers.

Tim

[Matt3357]

Thanks Tim, I found that post about how to mount it right as I read your post.  Thanks for being patient.

Matt

[Graybeard]

The mercury recoil reducer will reduce recoil by precisely the same amount as an equal weight of lead. Guess which is cheaper?

I kinda find it amazing that you guys will spend so much money on these low cost handi rifles in the first place but find it even more amazing that you'd hesitate to put the money into a device like the gracoil that can actually make a heavy kicker a light kicker and thus drastically increase and improve it's effectiveness.

I'm sure many have spent far more to have a custom barrel made for one. You can do the same thing by adding enough weight for far less money of course but do you really want to tote that much weight around while hunting?

[Busta]

Matt,

Your thumbhole stock does not have a hole for the MRR, unless you drill one yourself. The 20 ga USH is easier on your shoulder than any other slug gun I have shot. I took the steel bar out of the Monte-Carlo stock on mine, and it is still a pussy-cat even with the standard recoil pad. The Limbsaver pad will help to further reduce felt recoil. I mostly shoot the 1800-2000 FPS 2-3/4" Hornady SST's, Remington Ultra Core-Lokt, Winchester Partition Gold in mine.

I say shoot it first, then deceide if you want to spend the money.

[quickdtoo]

Good catch Busta, I missed that Matt already had the t-hole stock on his Ultra Varmint    Although it wouldn't be hard to drill a short hole for an MRR, but I seriously don't think you'll need it, a good pad will work wonders, the thin Marlin pad that's on it may even work well with the t-hole configuration on a 20ga.

Tim

[Matt3357]

It always was my intention to shoot first, spend money later, but since I don't have my gun right now I have to occupy my time some how...    well thanks a lot for all of your advice, We will just have to wait and see how this thing kicks.  Oh and on the limbsaver pad, is there a precision fit that will fit the T-hole stock or is a grind down a must?  If the latter, which size?  Sorry to be asking so many simple questions but I figure you all have gone through this already.  Thanks again.

Matt

[quickdtoo]

There's no prefit specifically, but there are a couple that may fit close and the small grind-to-fit will always fit with a some grinding and sanding!! See the FAQs info on the subject HANDI/ULTRA RECOIL PADS, Limbsaver has templates for all their pads, print those that are close and put your butt on them to see how they compare!!  

Tim

[Matt3357]

Thanks Tim, can't beat your experience.

Matt

[PHATINJUN]

GB I here what your saying and I keep thinking the same thing...but I got rid of the USH because of the # for the ULSH then seeing this Gracoil thingy got me to thinking and by reading the claims and we all know what marketing can do for ya. Thought this might just be the ticket I could use on 2 guns. Maybe I'm just gettin soft and for as long as I put off buying known quality scopes for considerable money and not being disappointed once I did for these guns .I find myself looking at these contraptions. But then again I sometimes find myself buying fancy coffee beans to try over the Butternut. Go figure. Kurt

PS I think the main reason I am considering this is I have never had a problem in the field with recoil but when I get on a bench and I will be spending a considerable amount of time developing my own slug loads and working with the 45/70 when I get it . I seem to think that I want to keep the gun as is instead of removing the wieghts or shooting it from a Caldwell rest at least that my reasoning.

[briannmilewis]

Here is what I am doing to reduce the recoil of my Tracker II 20g.

1) Filled the stock bolt hole with 20oz of #8 shot, extracted from a cheap box of Federal 1oz shot shells (Walmart $4.75).

2) I have added a slip-on small Limbsaver recoil pad (Walmart $20) that extends the length of pull by 1", which also reduces recoil in addition to the pad's recoil reducing effect.

3) I am about to drill two holes of modest diameter the length of the forearm and fill those with #8 shot too, in order to bring some of the balance back after the addition of the stock weight.

Here is what I have collected off the web regarding recoil reduction.

+10% weight of rifle = -10% reduction in recoil

+10% muzzle velocity = +20% recoil increase

-10% Projectile weight = -15% reduction in recoil

Good luck!