Hi,
I´m wondering about those mercury "tubes" that can be put in a stock to deminish recoil -do they work? how do they effect balance? which brand/make would you recommend?

I´m turning a bit recoil shy with age and even if I can handle my .416 Rigby a little less recoil probably wouldn´t hurt my shooting.

They work, and for $50 that's pretty hard to beat.

It's true that they work, but I see little difference in their effect and that of putting a similar weight of lead in your stock. Some people claim that the liquid mercury spreads the recoil out over a longer period and thus gives a "softer" feel than just adding weight alone, but I've never seen any data to verify this claim.

Whether you add a half-pound of mercury or a half-pound of lead, your balance will be affected. If I want my gun a half-pound heavier, I'd prefer to put it in the barrel, where you not only get the advantage of the greater weight in recoil reduction, you also place the weight higher than the center-of-gravity of the gun and thus reduce muzzle rise, too.

Logically I can see how mercury could slow down the reaction but it would be hard to quantify the effect scientifically.

I´ll give it some thought, I do prefer weight up front...on women AND rifles!

quote:

Originally posted by cewe:
Logically I can see how mercury could slow down the reaction but it would be hard to quantify the effect scientifically.

I´ll give it some thought, I do prefer weight up front...on women AND rifles!

Just like women, too much up front without sufficient counter balance makes for less than optimal esthetics.

tt:

I have used mercury recoil reducers in pump shotguns, rifles and and now a muzzleloader. I believe that a combination of mercury recoil tube and a limb saver pad is at least, in my perception, a 40 % reduction in recoil.

Can anyone recommned a brand or make? I´m thinking of putting a reducer in the butt and some lead in the front...

quote:

Can anyone recommned a brand or make? I´m thinking of putting a reducer in the butt and some lead in the front...

Try Brownells http://www.brownells.com. They have several to choose from. I have used C&H Research, but they may not be better or worse than others. They have worked for me.

quote:

Originally posted by cewe:
reducer in the butt and some lead in the front...

Lead in front? Mercury in the butt?
Cewe, my friend, bite the bullet and buy a rectal thermometer!

Sorry,couldn´t resist..

Boha

I'm having a Hiram's Bear Trap lefthanded one (Yes, they come that way and No, they are no longer available) put into the buttstock of my big gun and a Breako merc tube put in the fore-end. Weight is not a factor with this gun. I am hoping it takes most of the kick out of a 300WSM.

Try these guys.

I've got a 16 oz one in my .458 and it seems to help.

In well over half a century of reading the gun press, I have never seen a test where the mercury recoil absorbers were compared with simple lead cylinders of equal weight in the same locations. I have always suspected that there would be little or no difference.

I suspect all they do is add weight..I dispise them, they through your gun totally out of balance and if you add weight up front then they make the gun heavier and that probably reduces the recoil..All in all I don't want any part of them...Id rather use a muzzle brake, they really work, but I use neither...