A stock sawed off to the natural curve of a standard curved shotgun grip works better to absorb the shock to one’s wrist than a standalone pistol grip. The Mossberg 590 Shockwave and the Remington 870 Tac-14 short barrel shotguns both sport a more horizontal grip. I have a titanium wrist so this scenario holds a particular interest to me but I have read where others, even shoulder shooting with a full pistol-grip/shoulder-stock combo, find that a portion of the recoil finds its way to one’s wrist. Some folks are traditional and dislike the added easy-to-snag protrusion of the pistol grip but my forebearance is due to pain avoidence.

My research led me to one recoil reducing shotgun stock that did not have a pistol grip — the Phoenix Technology Kicklite found at kicklitestocks.com. I purchased mine from Amazon but I went one step further and bought the Limbsaver recoil pad. Phoenix Technology claims that their Kicklite stock absorbs 40 to 50 percent of felt recoil and the Limbsaver recoil pad claims a 70 percent reduction.

I chose my Remington 870 X 12-gauge pump action shotgun for modification. The removal of the old stock and installation of the new Kicklite was relatively simple. Once the assembly was complete, I planted the butt into my shoulder and pulled back hard on the shotgun. I found the spring action to be easy at first and progressively stiffer. I was unable to bottom out the springs by hand so I took this to be a good sign.

For the field test, I used a combination of high base buckshot rounds and standard slugs. I would like to mention here that in my opinion, standard slugs are adequate for target practice and perhaps human self-defense. The projectile is nothing but a cup of soft lead. I once shot a moose in the neck at about seventy-five feet with one of these types of rounds and it did little to phase the animal. The moose turned and looked at me as if to ask, “What’s the matter with you, chump?” I ended up dispatching animal with a .41 Magnum pistol.  The slug had flattened out beneath the hide and stopped before striking the vertebrae. After that, I swore to never carry standard slugs as bear protection rounds but I have found Sabot Slugs to be very effective ammunition. Some folks prefer rifled slugs. For a comparison, check out this article, Rifled Slugs vs. Sabot Slugs.

The recoil reduction was great. I found a little more recoil than shooting low recoil rounds with a standard stock but far less than the usual kick from high powered shotgun shells. After about twenty rounds, I began to experience some soreness. I then removed the rubber recoil pad and added the Limbsaver recoil pad. After another thirty rounds, I felt like I could shoot all day. There was a slight bit of instability in the slip-on recoil pad but it was nothing I couldn’t live with and well worth the minimal inconvenience. I felt no awkwardness in the action of the Kicklite stock and the only negative aspect I could find would be the increased cost I would now spend in ammunition because it made the shotgun more enjoyable to shoot.

To summarize, one could save themselves a lot of shoulder pain and wallet strain by using the Limbsaver recoil pad by itself for under $30.00. If you don’t mind spending another eighty bucks, go for the combination and get the Kicklite stock. When used together, they make an unbeatable pair.

Happy shooting

The post Shotgun Recoil Reduction first appeared on Alaska Gun Shipping.

I had mentioned this issue to one of our traveling customers. He was a plainclothes policeman on vacation and visiting Alaska and had shipped his gun through our company, Wolfhawk Gun Shipping. “Check out Stealthgear USA,” he had said. “They make the most comfortable holsters I have ever worn and believe me, I have tried a lot.”

I made it a point to give Stealthgear USA a try. This man, after all, had carried concealed firearms as part of his occupation for 20 years, which to me, made him an expert authority on holsters.

I began with an inexpensive kit version of the AIWB Revolution that they call the Liberty series that was designed to fit my 9 mm Smith & Wesson M & P Shield. They have two types of liners that go against your skin; a rubberized plastic that they use on the Revolution models and a fabric material that comes on the Ventcore versions. The appendix inside the waistband holster was a disappointment but that is probably because I do not like carrying my weapon in the front. It is a great position for quick retrieval but there is something unsettling about having the muzzle pointed anywhere near my nether regions.

The synthetic material of the Revolution made me sweat and itch. When I took it off, my skin was red except for the areas cut out for breathing. When wearing the holster, it worked fine when standing but it tended to gouge me when I sat so I ended up moving it around to the side. The AIWB is narrow and does not distribute the belt pressure as well as other Stealthgear holsters and this contributed to hip bruising and discomfort.

I then ordered a standard inside the waistband holster for the same weapon, which had a much wider rubberized plastic carrier. This distributed the weight much better and I found it to be the most comfortable holster I had, at that time, ever worn. However, the material still made me sweat and itch as well as leaving my skin red. I found that I had to wear a tank top or T-shirt between my skin and the holster but the comfort was wonderful. I had to try the Ventcore. When I tried out the Stealthgear Ventcore, I was blown away. No more hot holster. No more itchy or sweaty skin. No more belt sag. This was by far the most comfortable holster I have ever worn. The IWB Stealthgear Ventcore Standard size is a fantastic holster. I would not go for the mini version just because it does not spread the weight the way the standard does. The Ventcore holster is considerably more expensive than the Revolution but in my opinion, it is worth every penny. I have tried out the IWB Ventcore with my 9 mm Smith & Wesson M & P Shield as well as with my titanium snub nose Smith & Wesson J frame .357 revolver. The revolver adds a little more pressure to the hip due to the width of the cylinder but all in all I have found these IWB holsters one of the best innovations since sliced bread. I have also tried out the OWB Stealthgear Ventcore for my 1911 and also give 5 stars to this holster as well.

The post IWB Holsters – Uncomfortable but Comforting first appeared on Alaska Gun Shipping.