TDC

My son who is eleven shoots a Mossberg 500 20GA - with an adjustable LOP. I have made the following modifications to reduce the recoil a lot (less than the 1100 20 GA.) Added a limbsaver recoil pad - $20 at Walmart, put a stock cover on with a padded comb, added a lead bar inside the stock(wrapped in foam). The gun has very little recoil weather he is shooting slugs with the rifled barrel, or using the field barrel and 3" Hevi-shot loads. The combo of weight, the recoil pad, and the padded comb really makes a huge difference. The next step would to get a shoulder pad, but we didn't need to.

Good luck! :-)

Bernie P.

Try the reduced recoil 2 3/4" loads and put a Kick-Eez pad on.

Bible_Man

I'd second what Sheridan and JW! said. I shoot a Mossberg 835, and while I love the patterns it puts out, as well as the maneuverability/short barrel/lightweight aspects, it kicks far more than any other shotgun I have ever shot. Mine has a 20" barrel, so your 28" one should help just a tad...JUST a tad in recoil, but still with a 2 3/4" turkey load and neck problems, I would recommend against it. If I were in your situation, I would be getting a semi-auto and still wouldn't shoot anything over 3"...preferably 2 3/4". It is up to you, but that is what I would do.

Sheridan

"......my neck has been broken 3 times, with the last break left un-repaired by surgery due to the extent of the damage,...."


Are you kidding me - a recoil pad ???


Once again - Gas operated semi-auto and shoot 2 3/4" loads. (consider yourself luckly you can still do that !)


All my best buddy - very sorry to hear about your injuries !!!

mw_Guerilla

I have shot my fair share of turkey loads, and I would suggest getting a primos jellyhead choke (supposedly ported to reduce some recoil) and shoot 2 3/4" shells instead of 3 or 3 1/2". Also, I picked up a Butler Creek recoil pad and these things are very nice for the price.

Bernie P.

Well since he just purchased the 835 it's unlikely he's looking to drop hundreds more on another gun.I put the second thickest pad Kick-Eez makes on my 835 and it made a significant difference patterning hefty 3" loads for possible use on coyotes.With reduced recoil loads and that pad I think he'll be OK.

Voodoo

Well fellas, I thank you all for the great info, and I have an update,....I took the gun out and shot it yesterday with 2 3/4, #7 1/2 field loads... no problem at all so I jumped up to some 3" #6 rem pheasant loads, and still didn't have or feel any ill effects, and today not even a twinge of pain or discomfort, and the blackhawk hasn't gotten here yet so I'll be fine shooting this gun when it does.....I was very hesitant as the docs told me I'd never be able to shoot a gun or a bow ever again when the third break happened, and I didn't either.... for 5 years....... then something happened in April of 05 that made me take stock in my own life and what it had become in listening to the docs......I was a pitiful, weak,pain killer eating, damaged shell of a person that didn't have much if any of a future.....and I wanted out, and almost did it too, but instead I picked up an old recurve we had and went out back shooting it...... and it didn't hurt, I could only pull it back about half way though... but that was enough....I shot it every day after that, soon I was stronger and the stronger I got the less I needed the pain meds.....and within a year I was shooting a 90# longbow at full 30" draw...pain free and without any meds..... and I've been shooting them ever since....... so even though I've been through one hell of an ordeal, I'm far from an invalid, I just never really tested it with the sudden shock of a heavy round, but if yesterday is any indication I should be good to go get me a turkey........but regardless, I thank you fellas for all the great info, it really gave some things to think about.

And as far as the gun goes....I bought it the other day at a place called Easy Pawn, it looked aweful, and they's had it for almost a year because someone had attempted to camo it numerous times and the paint was on there pretty thick, but once I got it off there it looks pretty darn good, and it's not stolen either as it had been checked numerous times by LEO's while in the posession of the pawn shop, of which I know the manager...... and the best part..... it cost me a whole $50.26....but it didn't come with a choke......and that was another $25..... and the stock is another $85....so I've got right at $160 in it so far.....man this turkey hunting is getting expensive!!....lol....just kidding,lol......

luthier

Sorry to hear about your neck injuries, take care of yourself with that!

I sympathyze with a serious lower back injury and a couple of surgeries with permanent damage.

When at the range in California a few years back I shot a 12 ga with some sort of hydraulic recoil system.

The stock had a wooden overboot with a recoil pad and internal pistons fitted to the shortened original rear stock.

I will say I barely felt the recoil from a 3" shell with #7 shot.

Quite the eye opener!

There is another system that is less costly that uses a volume of murcury in a capsule fitted to the gun's forend.

As the gun recoils, the murcury is slammed into the front end of the capsule, essentially pulling the gun away from you lessening the recoil.

For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Simple and elegant!

Good luck on those turkeys and all those nice fly tying feathers, lol

redgreen

You could also try putting a decelerator recoil pad on it. It could be just me, but I found Mossberg shotguns to be nasty in the recoil department. My magnum 5 was a dream to shoot, but my buddies Mossberg was horrible.

Wilcam47

I would suggest a Gel pad for you shoulder...and get one of those slip on recoil pads for the buttstock of your rifle...it will knock out a lot of the recoil.