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Are Mechanical Recoil Reducers a Good Option?What we’re talking about here are products that use springs and mercury to absorb recoil. The difference between other recoil suppressors is that these devices fit into the stock of your shotgun.
If you remove the recoil pad from your shotgun, you’ll probably find a deep hole at the bottom which is the bolt that fastens your stock to the receiver. There’s usually enough room in that hole to insert a recoil reducer.
In the case of the mercury-based offerings, they shift the mercury to the rear of the cylinder when you pull the trigger -- in effect using inertia to counter the recoil.
It’s difficult to say which design works better -- springs or mercury -- but one is certainly quieter than the other. The spring products can “boing” -- a potential distraction.
Chances are you’ll find either a spring or mercury anti-recoil device to fit straight-away. Make sure you measure the hole in the stock first before making your purchase. In most instances, these are a do-it-yourself fix. You merely need to unscrew the recoil pad and drop it in.
You need to be aware that both these designs add weight to the stock and could significantly alter the dynamics of your shotgun. But since they are relatively low risk, you may be willing to make the leap of faith.
The other alternative is to buy a weight that fits on the barrel of your gun. The theory is that any extra weight serves to absorb recoil. For skeet and trap shooters, the additional weight gives you momentum when swinging your shotgun -- giving you a swing-through boost (especially helpful if you tend to stop your gun before completing the swing).
The downside is that suddenly you have a heavier gun, which poses a problem for longer shooting sessions.
