DIY Recoil reducing devices, which would work better?

[MacTech]

I have a couple NEF 12-gauge singles, an older Topper 88 with nice tiger-stripe case coloring on the reciever, and a Topper Deluxe Classic that I just picked up yesterday, both guns were bought used, the 88 is about 85% of new, and the TDC is about 97% of new

I built a little recoil reducing rig for the 88, consisting of a thick leather disc (a washer without a hole), a heavy spring, a pair of brass shotshells filled with lead shot (LBS) and sealed with hot-melt glue, and another spring and leather disc

The recoil reducer fits in the bolt hole in the stock, and is set up like this;
washer>washer>spring>LBS>LBS>spring>washer>washer

Basically, the recoil reducer is suspended in between the two springs and is free to move under recoil

It worked great in the 88, reducing felt recoil by at least 35-50%, add on a Limbsaver slip on (the 88 had the hard plastic buttplate) and felt recoil drops dramatically

I moved the recoil reducer into the TDC, but it seemed to be marginally less effective, it reduced recoil all right, but for some reason, the recoil from the TDC felt a tad "punchier", even though it has the black walnut stock (which I believe is heavier than the "hardwood" stock on the 88) even though the TDC had a soft factory recoil pad installed, theoretically, the TDC should have less felt recoil

with no added weight, the TDC weighs in at around 6 pounds, the shock absorning system adds about a half pound, so with the system installed, the TDC weighs in at around 6.5 LB, however, if I simply fill the stock hole with lead shot, it takes about a pound or so of shot, bringing the weight to 7 lb or so

I typically shoot the light target loads (WinLites are my favorites, as well as Winchester AA 50% reduced recoil loads) and I use the gun for recreational trap at my local range, I'm trying to determine which would be the more effective way to reduce recoil, adding a pound of lead that stays more or less static in the stock, or a system that uses a spring-isolated counterweight capable of moving under recoil?

I'll try the "pound of lead in the stock" system tomorrow, and bring the recoil reducer system with me, so I can swap them out and see which is more effective, any ideas which is the better system?

[bilmac]

I vote for the solid weight. I never could understand how a moving weight could reduce recoil, sounds like some kind of magic snake oil to me. Now a nice solid fixed weight, that's just high school physics.

[eye shot]

When using the spring system you are turning it into a single shot auto matic and we know they have less recoil. I take the gas rings out of my 1100 Rem. for shooting hot slugs and it recoils just on the spring. The 1100 has less recoil than the heavy USH that I use with the same slugs.

[MacTech]

Here's what I discovered from today's range trip;

Shots 1 and 2; Federal #4 Buck 2 3/4" shells with the hole in the stock filled with 1 Lb lead shot
Recoil impulse was slightly heavier with the lead shot filled hole, a punchier, harsher recoil, but it dissipated quickly

Shot 3; Federal bulk-pack #8 birdshot; due to the lighter load, recoil was less harsh, but still "punchy", noticeable muzzle lift before getting back on target, the lead filled stock slowed follow up shots

At this point, I removed the lead shot and installed the recoil reducer in it's place

Shots 4 and 5; the recoil reducer changed the feel of the recoil impulse, it changed from the "punchy" recoil of the lead shot to a softer "shove", and it seemed to "stretch out" the recoil impulse, muzzle lift was greatly reduced, it was quicker to get back on target, follow-up shots were noticeably quicker, recoil became more of a firm "shove"

Shots 6 and 7; Federal bulk pack #8 birdshot; Recoil? oh yeah, I guess there was a *little*....

Shots 8 and 9; same Federal shells, but removed the H&R recoil pad and put on a Limbsaver slip-on...
Recoil, what recoil?

So, the next plan of attack is to install a Limbsaver recoil pad on the stock

To sum up, the recoil reducer worked noticeably better than the lead shot filled stock, even though the reducer weighs less, it changed the harsh, punchy recoil to a more manageable firm shove

[bilmac]

When magic is better than physics take the magic.