Use 2-3/4" sabot rounds with lighter bullets.
The first 3 or 4 rounds don't hurt........prolonged shooting, especially from a bench is pure hell. Recoil flinch is a factor (with me anyway) and my shoulder got that yellow greenish bruise. Recoil doesn;t bother me hunting but it does from the bench. I stagger my target shooting over several weeks/
By the way, I was using a Virgin Valley Kevlar stock, which is VERY light weight. Total weight of this Encore in 12 gauge with factory barrel is around 6 pounds. A dream to carry in the field but hell on the bench.