I have an older friend who is looking for a way to reduce the recoil from his pump shotgun he uses for waterfowl. He doesn't want to use an automatic so that option is out. We've discussed barrel porting and adding weight in the stock. Any other options?

G23

Lighter loaded ammo.

Put on a softer recoil pad, lighter loads or a better fitting stock.

Stock fit is critical to felt recoil and most pumps can be shimmed between action and stock to change both the way the gun fits and by extension the way it recoils. A piece of credit card stock on the outside edge of the action will dramatically reduce cheek slapping and hammering.

After getting the stock right replace the shim with epoxy.

Pachmayr Triple Magnum pads can really soften it up.. Should be room in the buttstock to install a mercury reducer too.

Get him away from 3-3.5" shells too.. Simply not needed for most waterfowl..

What he said ^^^

All the above suggestions will help, I will add a Pachmyer Decelerator recoil pad.

Has anyone ever tried lengthening & polishing the forcing cone? It's done on all trap & sporting clays guns. I think the best way to describe how it helps is that it lengthens the recoil impulse, making it less sharp and the result is less felt recoil.

The effects on recoil are negligible since your talking time differences measured in microseconds.

The effect can be felt, however.

Expensive, but if he is serious these work.


http://pmsfirearms.com/recoil.php

http://www.softtouchstocks.com/customer-pics.php

This. Mount is important too but you're probably not going to be able to change that if it's a problem though maybe a cheek pad or pull length adjust. Seems to be some controversy on the effectiveness of mercury recoil reducers. Bought one for my Benelli Nova and 3" shells feel like 2-3/4 field loads TO ME. Changes weight and balance but this is waterfowl hunting. Don't think I'd want it (or 3" shells) for upland.

If I ever need it that ISIS system at battue's link to PMS Firearms looks very interesting.

Lighter loads. Period.

I live in an area where waterfowling is King, and I haven't fired a 3", let alone 3 1/2", shell in over 20 years having killed more than my share of ducks and geese. My go-to load for the last 15 years is 1 1/8oz. of #2 Bismuth/ITX/Nice Shot at 1200fps- think of it as a light field/heavy trap load in terms of recoil. Likewise for turkeys- 1 1/4oz. lead 6's at 1150 fps. Everyone of my buddies who made the switch to my loads report increases in kill rates because they aren't flinching anymore.

The myth that you need heavy kicking ammo for anything is just that- a myth, propagated by the good folks who want to sell you expensive ammo.

Too true...

Where is he feeling the recoil? Is he getting slapped in the face, or getting a sore shoulder and /or headache.

If it's face slap then the first thing to do is look at gun fit. As Sitka suggested, reduce/remove cast by inserting a shim on the right hand side (for a right handed shooter).

Also look at reducing pitch by shiming the bottom of the recoil pad. Try to head towards neutral pitch (the pad at right angles to the barrel). It's probably got down pitch at the moment (put the pad against a wall and you will probably see that the barrel points down).

If it's plain out recoil (sore shoulder, aching neck, headache) then your only real options are increase the weight of the gun or (easiest) reduce the load (see gnoahhh's advice above)