New gun, middle finger bruised up bad.
- Thread starter Ed Askew
- Start date
Pete McMiller
Well-known member
The Sims pad probably added, what, maybe at least a half inch to the LOP. If you are smacking your nose your stock is too short. Likely the same reason he is smacking his finger, stock is too short and therefore his hand is creeping up on the wrist and bearing down on the trigger guard.
Andy Grant
Well-known member
I have the same 870 3.5". It doesn't kick at all. No, just kidding. I haven't shot any 3.5" shell through it. I have some, but now I am too scared! I have a 10 ga for the big stuff anyway. It doesn't kick any more than the 12 with 3".
Mark W
Well-known member
So, do you pull the trigger with you pointer finger? I pull the trigger with my middle finger and I guess I always have. Never thought about it until you posted this. Do most people use their pointer finger or middle finger to pull the tigger? Never had the problem of beating up my knuckles but have had the combing scraping the snot out of my hand/fingers after a long day of shooting (Benelli M1 Super 90). Hasn't happend this year since there is no shooting to be had..
Mark W
Mark W
Dennis Smith
Active member
Ed
As a seasoned veteran like you should have known to work up to heavy loads after you have gotten used to the gun first. We all seem to rush into to something when we know better and we just have to learn the lesson all over again. Save those long shells for larger shot like BB or BBB were you need more capacity. My 3.5" Rem. 11-87 has been a winner for me when I think more shot is (better ?). I hope this experience does not give you an incurable flinch for the dollars spent.
.
As a seasoned veteran like you should have known to work up to heavy loads after you have gotten used to the gun first. We all seem to rush into to something when we know better and we just have to learn the lesson all over again. Save those long shells for larger shot like BB or BBB were you need more capacity. My 3.5" Rem. 11-87 has been a winner for me when I think more shot is (better ?). I hope this experience does not give you an incurable flinch for the dollars spent.
.
Jesse
Member
Ed and the rest of you guys,
I've shot a 3" SBS since I was a young lad. I used to get the same middle finger injury many of you have experienced. There is a solution. I don't remember who made it but there is a soft rubber pad that attaches to the back of the trigger guard that absorbs the impact of the recoil on the middle Finger. I'm sure if you look around you will find it. Any of you who have this problem look into it. My old double 3" Zoli still has it attached to the guard although I rertired the old beast this last year in favor of the new Benelli 3 1/2" my lovely wife got me for Christmas last year! Wow! What a woman! The new gun has not yet bumped my middle finger, but if it ever does I'm going to install the soft rubber bumper.
Jesse
I've shot a 3" SBS since I was a young lad. I used to get the same middle finger injury many of you have experienced. There is a solution. I don't remember who made it but there is a soft rubber pad that attaches to the back of the trigger guard that absorbs the impact of the recoil on the middle Finger. I'm sure if you look around you will find it. Any of you who have this problem look into it. My old double 3" Zoli still has it attached to the guard although I rertired the old beast this last year in favor of the new Benelli 3 1/2" my lovely wife got me for Christmas last year! Wow! What a woman! The new gun has not yet bumped my middle finger, but if it ever does I'm going to install the soft rubber bumper.
Jesse
harry whitley
Well-known member
Capt. Ed,
I've owned and shot several 3 1/2" guns and even a couple of 10 Ga. guns. I have now settled back in on 3" guns. I finally figured out that the few extra shot in the pattern wasn't worth the weight or punishment or extra cost. Developing a flinch from excessive recoil is a real danger when using a gun or load that kills on both ends. Shooting a 31/2 12 Ga is pretty close to shooting a 10 Ga and I cannot imagine either would be anything but brutal on cheek and shoulder when fired in a pumpgun. It has nothing to do with a shooter being a wuss. It has to do with physics and ergonomics.
Let your comfort level be your guide,
Harry
I've owned and shot several 3 1/2" guns and even a couple of 10 Ga. guns. I have now settled back in on 3" guns. I finally figured out that the few extra shot in the pattern wasn't worth the weight or punishment or extra cost. Developing a flinch from excessive recoil is a real danger when using a gun or load that kills on both ends. Shooting a 31/2 12 Ga is pretty close to shooting a 10 Ga and I cannot imagine either would be anything but brutal on cheek and shoulder when fired in a pumpgun. It has nothing to do with a shooter being a wuss. It has to do with physics and ergonomics.
Let your comfort level be your guide,
Harry
Ed Askew
Well-known member
No, Tod, but thank you for your suggestion.
Thanks to all, lots of good advice to be had here.
Geoff, You da man, that's just what I'm looking for. Joe O., I may give that recoil reducer a try. Thank You, Sir.
I guess when I said the gun kicks like 2 mules, I meant it kicked my finger like 2 mules. You know as far as my shoulder is concerned, no worse than my SBE. I grip this thing like any other shotgun, I'm a tall long fingered guy, and my middle finger is no where near that trigger guard when I pull the trigger. I think that super absorbant recoil reducer pad it comes with lets it move back too much.
That SBE does kick a good bit, but I'm used to it, makes me wonder with what some of y'all said, that the decreased shooting success I've had may be due to a flinch I'm not aware of. Prior to that gun I shot a 2 3/4" 12 gauge 870 my parents gave me for Christmas when I was a boy. So I'm used to this model shotgun, it's like an extension of myself, and I need the power of the long shell to reliably kill ducks on their very last stop before they, I guess, cross the Gulf for Mexico. If I can't shoot this gun with a 3 1/2 I'll need to go back to the SBE. Maybe I could make a slug gun out of the 870 in that case.
Ed.
Thanks to all, lots of good advice to be had here.
Geoff, You da man, that's just what I'm looking for. Joe O., I may give that recoil reducer a try. Thank You, Sir.
I guess when I said the gun kicks like 2 mules, I meant it kicked my finger like 2 mules. You know as far as my shoulder is concerned, no worse than my SBE. I grip this thing like any other shotgun, I'm a tall long fingered guy, and my middle finger is no where near that trigger guard when I pull the trigger. I think that super absorbant recoil reducer pad it comes with lets it move back too much.
That SBE does kick a good bit, but I'm used to it, makes me wonder with what some of y'all said, that the decreased shooting success I've had may be due to a flinch I'm not aware of. Prior to that gun I shot a 2 3/4" 12 gauge 870 my parents gave me for Christmas when I was a boy. So I'm used to this model shotgun, it's like an extension of myself, and I need the power of the long shell to reliably kill ducks on their very last stop before they, I guess, cross the Gulf for Mexico. If I can't shoot this gun with a 3 1/2 I'll need to go back to the SBE. Maybe I could make a slug gun out of the 870 in that case.
Ed.
Geoff Pike
Active member
Easiest way to check for a Flinch?
Go shoot some clays or pattern the gun. BUT have someone else load it for you....
Tell them to fake you out. Example load it with live rounds 3 times but leave the chamber
empty on the 4th.
When you squeeze your eyes shut, tense every muscle in your body, and turn your face away from the stock....
only to hear CLICK.
You have a flinch.
( I've never had one, can you tell?)
Go shoot some clays or pattern the gun. BUT have someone else load it for you....
Tell them to fake you out. Example load it with live rounds 3 times but leave the chamber
empty on the 4th.
When you squeeze your eyes shut, tense every muscle in your body, and turn your face away from the stock....
only to hear CLICK.
You have a flinch.
( I've never had one, can you tell?)