I'm assuming this is a fit problem...maybe it's technique but I don't seem to have the problem with any other shooting.

Every time I hunt with my rough weather gun, an 870 Express Super Mag (synthetic POS stock, great for hunting salt marshes and dust storms like yesterday), I have a sore cheekbone. If the shooting is really hot and heavy I will even have a streak under my eye that makes me look like I took a punch. I'm assuming that the stock fit is such that when I shoulder the gun the recoil is jumping it up and 'punching' me in the cheek. I do shoot with that cheek pretty firmly pressed to the stock...

I don't like the pads you can buy, as they raise my head up too high and throw off my shooting. The cheek pressed against the stock pretty much seems to align us properly...

What's the quick and dirty fix?

Thanks in advance!

quote:

Originally posted by CDH:
I'm assuming this is a fit problem...maybe it's technique but I don't seem to have the problem with any other shooting.

Every time I hunt with my rough weather gun, an 870 Express Super Mag (synthetic POS stock, great for hunting salt marshes and dust storms like yesterday), I have a sore cheekbone. If the shooting is really hot and heavy I will even have a streak under my eye that makes me look like I took a punch. I'm assuming that the stock fit is such that when I shoulder the gun the recoil is jumping it up and 'punching' me in the cheek. I do shoot with that cheek pretty firmly pressed to the stock...

I don't like the pads you can buy, as they raise my head up too high and throw off my shooting. The cheek pressed against the stock pretty much seems to align us properly...

What's the quick and dirty fix?

Thanks in advance!

Loosen the recoil pad screws and place 3-4 washers between the recoil pad and the stock at the heel. This will change the pitch. Give it a try. You can add or remove washers until the it either quits hurting, or, you go numb. You can do the same to change the toe angle. Once you have it where it feels right, you can make it permanent by cutting the stock and refitting a good pad. Good luck.

One more thing, depending on how far you have to go, you may need to use a longer screw to hold the pad in place.

quote:

Originally posted by CDH:
...What's the quick and dirty fix?...

Take the Strain Gauge wires loose so they don't keep beating you.

The "quick fix" is to load some "Woosie Loads" for it.
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Anyone else I'd recommend Magna-Porting, but I doubt you would like it.

CDH,

I've got a couple of the Speed Feed black plastic synthetics on an 870 & an 1100. I've got a giraffe-like neck and added these especially for the Monte Carlo feature since I DID want to raise the comb and attempt to lower the buttstock into my shoulder "pocket". It worked for me but apparently from other threads it's been noted I'm an anatomical wonder anyway. I would imagine for someone with a short neck there may be the opposite effect.

IMO these stocks are pretty thin (sharp) in the comb and the seam isn't exactly condusive to pure pleasure either.

While I've never been beat up or suffered any discomfort I still added thin cheek pads from Brownell's just for the comfort factor and to cover up the seam.

I think they work pretty good and haven't noticed any great POI change actually the 870 hits better (read: really good) with the pad.

I like the idea about the washers from Malm, too - I'm gonna try that.

quote:

Originally posted by malm:
Thanks in advance!

Loosen the recoil pad screws and place 3-4 washers between the recoil pad and the stock at the heel. This will change the pitch. Give it a try. You can add or remove washers until the it either quits hurting, or, you go numb. You can do the same to change the toe angle. Once you have it where it feels right, you can make it permanent by cutting the stock and refitting a good pad. Good luck.

One more thing, depending on how far you have to go, you may need to use a longer screw to hold the pad in place.[/QUOTE]

If that doesn't work for you try loosening the stock thru bolt and put a match stick or something similar between the stock and the reciever on the left side if you are right handed. Don't get crazy as this will change your POI.

Some good ideas, thanks! Maybe there is a thinner pad available now that I wasn't aware of previously. Since the stock is a POS anyway, I need to replace it with a better fitting one down the road.

quote:

Originally posted by Hot Core:

quote:

Originally posted by CDH:
...What's the quick and dirty fix?...

Take the Strain Gauge wires loose so they don't keep beating you.

The "quick fix" is to load some "Woosie Loads" for it.
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Anyone else I'd recommend Magna-Porting, but I doubt you would like it.

Nope, I've hunted with guys using ported guns, and I like my hearing. Bruises heal, hearing doesn't. Besides, I expect a bruised shoulder on my skinny frame after opening day...but a black eye is too much after a mere 2 boxes of shells. I don't reload for shotguns either...no economy at $3/box unless we have to go all steel, and that hasn't happened yet.

I figured you of all people would be orgasmic over me shooting a synthetic stocked Remington product...and Rem. Heavy Dove shells too! Too bad this shotgun has made me a Mossberg fan, but that's another story. This one would be a saltwater hunting only gun expect for the fact that a 30+ MPH wind in a plowed field qualified as a 'hard hunt' where the nice guns stay home.

The dove loads are pretty much in the 'woosie' category, even in 12Ga., when you're used to duck hunting with the 3 1/2" shells. Those will get your attention. I like to hand this gun to people asking to try it, slip in a light load before a 3.5" shell and tell then to let'er rip. They get cocky after the first...

quote:

Originally posted by CDH:
...Nope, I've hunted with guys using ported guns, and I like my hearing. Bruises heal, hearing doesn't.

I "hear" you. A buddy of mine has an 870 MagnaPorted on a short Slug Barrel. And I have a similar short one that is not MagnaPorted. Between the two, I really can't tell a difference in the noise. Both are 3" capable, but not 3.5".

Not arguing with you though, cause you might be able to tell a difference, but I can't.

quote:

Besides, I expect a bruised shoulder on my skinny frame after opening day...but a black eye is too much after a mere 2 boxes of shells.

It would be for me too.

quote:

I don't reload for shotguns either...no economy at $3/box unless we have to go all steel, and that hasn't happened yet.

Completely understand.

quote:

I figured you of all people would be orgasmic over me shooting a synthetic stocked Remington product...and Rem. Heavy Dove shells too! Too bad this shotgun has made me a Mossberg fan, but that's another story. This one would be a saltwater hunting only gun expect for the fact that a 30+ MPH wind in a plowed field qualified as a 'hard hunt' where the nice guns stay home.

I do like my 870 and apparently it just fits me better than yours fits you. Nothing at all wrong with the old Mossburg shotguns. The ones I've used have a different sound to them(when cycling the action) than the 870, but I don't believe I can remember a Mossburg letting a guy down afield.

quote:

The dove loads are pretty much in the 'woosie' category, even in 12Ga., when you're used to duck hunting with the 3 1/2" shells. Those will get your attention. I like to hand this gun to people asking to try it, slip in a light load before a 3.5" shell and tell then to let'er rip. They get cocky after the first...

Oh yes, that is an excellent method to work a fellow over. I did that to a buddy(Skip) I've known for over 5 decades with a 3" shell and he thought his Mossburg had exploded. He liked it so well that he "passed it on" to anyone he could get to shoot his shotgun.

By the way, I guess you already know there is a HUGE difference in recoil using the Full Choke with the 3.5" shells compared to ANY of the other chokes.

If you are close enough to a Gun Club with a Skeet & Trap Range, you might consider going to try a few other guns.

The same guy that has the MagnaPorted 870 Slug Gun also has a Benelli semi-auto that he uses for Dove Hunting and tells me it really works well for him. I may be wrong, but I'm fairly sure his is a 3" version, because I seem to remember us talking about there also being a 3.5" version of the same Benelli Model. He decided the most he would ever need for Doves and Ducks is 3", primarily because of a Pacemaker he was wearing back then.

I can't imagine "me" using a 3" or 3.5" shell on Doves, but that is not intended as a slam on anyone else.
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Gerry has a good suggestion about the add-on cheek pads. In fact, there used to be a product available at local Drug Stores called "Mole Skin". You could put it inside a shoe that was bad about putting a blister on your heel. It might fix the "sharp edge" issue for you. It is sticky on one side and like a Mole's Skin on the other. And you could cut it to fit so it would look nice too.
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I worked with a guy(Steve) back in about 1972 that used to "brag" on his shotgunning ALL THE TIME. He had a "Venerable" Ithaca M37. But, he had no idea how much we used to shoot.

So Skip(mentioned above) showed up one day and said we needed to get a shoot up. Fine by me and of course we invited Steve. I think we had right at 15 or 16 couples come to that shoot.

When we began laying out the Guns, Steve had one of the 4 3/4# straight stocked short barrel M37s with a Phenolic Pad. Most folks I know who have them, use them for Bird(Quail) hunting in KY with all the up/down terrain. Lots of walking and very few shots.

Skip noticed it first and told me, "This won't be nice at all to him!", and followed that with a big .

Skip even pulled the old 3" trick on Steve - after Steve was already Black and Blue from the center of his chest(directly under his chin), all the way out to the inside of his elbow.

We don't start with the guns "in the shoulder" and Steve had beaten himself silly with that super light M37.
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Anyway, best of luck to you with the problem.