Jmh Posted March 13, 2015 Report Share Posted March 13, 2015 Hi all Wondered if anyone could give me any advice on which shotgun I should get my wife to try out. I've been shooting clays for the past 10 years and now my wife has shown an interest and would like to try it. She likes the look of side x sides, but she's very Petite 5"2" and not much over 8 stone. Would a heavy gun or a light gun suit?? Obviously a heavy gun would have less recoil but I think she'd struggle with the wieght. But a lighter gun would probably put her on her **** as she shot it. Maybe a 20 gauge.? Any advice would be much appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun4860 Posted March 14, 2015 Report Share Posted March 14, 2015 Personally if its just for clays then an over and under would be best, You could go 20 bore but you could also go lightweight 12 bore and use comp x 21g cartridges, Well worth a look at first, Let her try some comp x 21g through yours first Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ttfjlc Posted March 14, 2015 Report Share Posted March 14, 2015 Personally if its just for clays then an over and under would be best, You could go 20 bore but you could also go lightweight 12 bore and use comp x 21g cartridges, Well worth a look at first, Let her try some comp x 21g through yours first My good lady uses hull comp x 21g or fiocchi tt21's and suffers no ill effect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jmh Posted March 14, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2015 Thanks, I've got a beretta 686 30" or a miroku 28" field gun. which would you recommend for her to use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TbirdX Posted March 14, 2015 Report Share Posted March 14, 2015 (edited) My Mrs, who's 5'2" and quite petite, started off with a Hatsan youth 20g, light and cycled 24g carts without too much recoil. She had that a year or so and moved up to a Maxus 12G, 26" barrel shooting 24g carts. A year or two on from that and she now shoots a newer Maxus 12G, still 26" barrelled and with 28g carts. We did buy her a Lincoln Xtra light O/U though and that is very, very, light and, truth be told, 28g carts in it are a bit much even for me but 24g s and lower are just fine. Edited March 14, 2015 by TbirdX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshwarrior Posted March 14, 2015 Report Share Posted March 14, 2015 With women balance and Gunfit are vital they are differently shaped to us blokes and often lack our up body strength. A front heavy gun tired them very quickly, they also normally need a shorter stock with higher comb due to facial features like long necks and high check bones. Light 21g cartridges will help with recoil but in my experience woman are often more resilient to recoil than given credit for by husbands (but never start with a heavy load) it's fatigue the puts them off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
webber Posted March 14, 2015 Report Share Posted March 14, 2015 I've supplied a number of lightly built ladies with Bernardelli Mega 20 gauge Semi Automatics with shortened stocks and 26" barrels to reduce weight. The gas operated mechanism and 24 gram cartridges work a treat. I must try one with a lighter load. webber Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oliver90owner Posted March 14, 2015 Report Share Posted March 14, 2015 Fit is an important factor. One can never get away from recoil with a shotgun, but the physics is easy to understand. In old units we have an ounce going one way at 600mph so the gun , at 100 ounces, will recoil, in the opposite direction, at 6 mph (Law of Conservation of Momentum). Think here of a 6 lb lump falling on your foot from a short distance (about a foot). It would hurt! Now back to the gun - it hitting the shooter at that speed will (eventually) cause a bruise. Now increase that recoiling mass by about 3 1/2 stone (most of upper torso) and the recoil velocity will be down to about 2/3 of one mph with no impact between gun and shooter. I have never bothered to convert to SI units, but the effect is exactly the same and the energy is dissipated through a much larger area of the flexible human body. Another example might be: How to break a gun stock? Easy, just fire the gun a short distance in front of a solid immovable object and allow the gun to be stopped very abruptly. So loads certainly affect the recoil (as can a loose action!) and also the muzzle velocity. Back to fit. Think how the shape of the stock affects the shooter. A wide, easy fitting pad against the shoulder would be far more acceptable than a stock with a point on it! An effective recoil pad to slow the momentum/energy transfer to the shoulder is also useful for many people and certainly helps those that do not fit perfectly to their gun. So the weight of the gun needs to be sufficient, while allowing good control and handling. Lower velocity and light loads are important. And so is fit, especially for a slightly built shooter starting out. 16 gauge used to be regarded as a 'ladies gun' (or should that be 'lady's'). Get a light gun and use an appropriate cartridge, but make sure it fits the lady is my advice. Gauge makes no difference, all other things being the same. Other factors might come down to things like the type of charge - a slower burning powder might be marginally better than a fast burning one, but that is really going to the extreme, perhaps. RAB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snow white Posted March 14, 2015 Report Share Posted March 14, 2015 Personaly if just for clays I would get a armsan 620 very light gun lot lighter than my best game sxs with 24gram shells she would have no recoil issue at all that my two penath Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M4X Posted March 14, 2015 Report Share Posted March 14, 2015 My wife started shooting (at a well known shooting school / clay ground) with a 12 gauge Fabarm Over and Under with 28g carts, provided by the school tutor, and did not experience any problems - much to my surprise! She then bought and owned a Fabarm for many years. She has moved on now to a Beretta 686 and for live shooting 32g carts, again, no problems. However she dislikes the recoil from my Silver Pigeon! As above, I feel fit and balance is important. Trying a variety of gun and cartridge combinations is possibly as important. I have found that plenty of chaps are only too happy to let a lady try their gun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cookoff013 Posted March 14, 2015 Report Share Posted March 14, 2015 What ever you do get some light subsonics. Even lower recoil than the 21g loads. They are often called trainer loads for women and children. With a 20g sub's is even lighter. At least try sub's in your gun. ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loriusgarrulus Posted March 14, 2015 Report Share Posted March 14, 2015 I had my gun fitted fully after trying out a demo gun at Doveridge. It is a Winchester 12g select light. I started out using 21g Hull comp ex low recoil cartridges. The only problem I had was shoulder ache on my left from supporting the gun. A few exercises at home over the first month practicing swinging the gun built up the shoulder muscles and I rarely get this now. Never had a problem with recoil on my right shoulder. I can now use Eley firsts 28g with no problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rst1990 Posted March 14, 2015 Report Share Posted March 14, 2015 Fit is an important factor. One can never get away from recoil with a shotgun, but the physics is easy to understand. In old units we have an ounce going one way at 600mph so the gun , at 100 ounces, will recoil, in the opposite direction, at 6 mph (Law of Conservation of Momentum). Think here of a 6 lb lump falling on your foot from a short distance (about a foot). It would hurt! Now back to the gun - it hitting the shooter at that speed will (eventually) cause a bruise. Now increase that recoiling mass by about 3 1/2 stone (most of upper torso) and the recoil velocity will be down to about 2/3 of one mph with no impact between gun and shooter. I have never bothered to convert to SI units, but the effect is exactly the same and the energy is dissipated through a much larger area of the flexible human body. Another example might be: How to break a gun stock? Easy, just fire the gun a short distance in front of a solid immovable object and allow the gun to be stopped very abruptly. So loads certainly affect the recoil (as can a loose action!) and also the muzzle velocity. Back to fit. Think how the shape of the stock affects the shooter. A wide, easy fitting pad against the shoulder would be far more acceptable than a stock with a point on it! An effective recoil pad to slow the momentum/energy transfer to the shoulder is also useful for many people and certainly helps those that do not fit perfectly to their gun. So the weight of the gun needs to be sufficient, while allowing good control and handling. Lower velocity and light loads are important. And so is fit, especially for a slightly built shooter starting out. 16 gauge used to be regarded as a 'ladies gun' (or should that be 'lady's'). Get a light gun and use an appropriate cartridge, but make sure it fits the lady is my advice. Gauge makes no difference, all other things being the same. Other factors might come down to things like the type of charge - a slower burning powder might be marginally better than a fast burning one, but that is really going to the extreme, perhaps. RAB Straight over my head, Prob good answer if I understood all the calculations lol Stick to 21g carts whatever you decide to choose Atb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun4860 Posted March 14, 2015 Report Share Posted March 14, 2015 Thanks, I've got a beretta 686 30" or a miroku 28" field gun. which would you recommend for her to use. If the Beretta is a Sporter then use the Miroku, In fact use the Miroku anyway, it's shorter barrels will help with weight and balance, Try with the Comp x 21g then if she is happy enough then try a 24g the next time you go, Eventually work up to 28g, She will let you know soon enough if she feels uncomfortable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westward Posted March 14, 2015 Report Share Posted March 14, 2015 It's aways been my experience that trying to solve a problem before it happens usually ends badly. Since you've got 2 guns already, let her try them both out and at the same time she can get some familiarity with the weight and feel of guns generally. Guns feel much lighter to a novice after the first couple of outings. There are loads of women of all shapes and sizes shooting 12g O/Us with 24 or 28gm shells. Like WW points out women (and youngsters) don't seem to be any more recoil sensitive than men. Gun fit can be more tricky though and some women prefer trap stocks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archiebald Posted March 14, 2015 Report Share Posted March 14, 2015 My brothers wife borrowed my kestrel s/s 20 bore and did really well. She is quite petite and suited her well by the sound of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slimshooter Posted March 14, 2015 Report Share Posted March 14, 2015 Caesar guerini syren if you have some spare cash, the wife's saving! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andypaint Posted March 14, 2015 Report Share Posted March 14, 2015 28 bore is a great calibre Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joecash Posted March 15, 2015 Report Share Posted March 15, 2015 20 gauge o/u or a 12 gauge semi auto - sorbothane butt pads - start with low charge shells and work up - but only when the lady is happy - don't teach her yourself - use someone like welsh warrior off here - no need for the oity toity £100 an hour merchants Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
throdgrain Posted March 16, 2015 Report Share Posted March 16, 2015 A gas powered semi auto would be the best for least felt recoil. A side by side would be the worst Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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