At a recent competitive event at my gun club I watched a guy shoot all three rifle events with a .375 H&H, the recoil from which, by the way, rocked him back on his heels. Given that most of the other contestants were using more manageable calibers like .243, .270 and .30/06, I asked him why he persisted in having his shoulder beaten to a pulp.
“I never get to shoot it, so why not?”
But somehow I got the feeling he wouldn’t do it again.
Recoil is an inevitable part of shooting, and you sure don’t have to shoulder a big bore to feel its effects. Those tired of being hammered—whether it’s a hard-shooting magnum or a turkey gun loaded with 3-inch shells—have a variety of accessories out there to ease their pain, including lower-recoil ammo, muzzle brakes and recoil pads.
In the latter category, many shooters who use Remington products have opted for the R3 recoil pad. But at a recent new product seminar, Remington announced its replacement—the SuperCell Recoil Pad. It actually weighs less than the current pad and will fit many current Remington models. It’s also been designed to be far less “sticky” than the R3, meaning it won’t hang up on your shirt or shooting vest.
I shot turkey guns loaded with 3-inch shells. I also hunted deer with a slug gun fitted with the new pad. The SuperCell definitely helps lessen felt recoil. Essentially, the SuperCell lengthens the recoil “event” (as the engineers term it), thus softening the blow. I’d definitely recommend it for anyone who shoots slugs or those Roman Candles we call 3-inch turkey loads.
—Slaton White
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