Recoil Pads: How They Help Shooters for Fun, Sport and More

A recoil pad protects a shooter from pain and damage when a gun goes off and kicks back. But, these pads also keep the shooter from fouling up a second shot which is usually the winning shot in most cases. The right recoil pad is key to not only better and more accurate shooting but to more comfortable shooting, especially in a situation where you will be shooting frequently or repeatedly.

In some recoil pads, the materials that are used are not durable and will need replaced repeatedly. You may think you are saving money by buying the less expensive recoil pad but after you have bought a new one a dozen times while your shooting partner is still using the same Sorbothane recoil pad with excellent results, you will see the difference between cheap and value.

A recoil pad may consist of one pad or several inserts. These inserts can be adjusted for better fit and for use in the shooting. For instance, in some situations, you might want the additional protection of an increased number of inserts, even if you are giving up some of your finite control in the process. In other cases, such as during a shooting competition, you will want to have the better control rather than the thick padding.

There are a number of recoil pads that are available. For instance, these can include a pre-fit recoil pad, grind to fit recoil pads and slip over recoil pads. The right pad will depend on the type of gun it is being attached to, the type of shooting that is being done and the needs of the shooter as well.

When a shooter lines up a shot, several things happen. First, the gun fires and the bullet is expelled from the end of the gun at an incredibly high rate of velocity. The energy that is created from that shot is not dispersed but rather is shoved directly backwards. That backwards motion shoves the rifle directly into the shoulder of the shooter. This can cause pain or flinching and may cause a problem with a secondary shot. The gun may have to be moved back into place or may have to be completely realigned. In a hunting situation, those motions can allow the prey animal to escape, even if he was wounded with the first shot.

The Sorbothane recoil pads reduce the effects of recoil by as much as 70% while they also stop vibrations in less than a single second. There are other recoil pads but the closest competitor takes nearly twice as long to stop the same level of vibrations. They may not be as effective at padding the shoulder area of the shooter without the increased level of thickness. A recoil pad that is excessively thick may throw off the aim or the shooting ability. With the right recoil pads, you can add or remove inserts to increase comfort level or accuracy to suit the needs that you have for that day.

Want to learn more about Sorbothane’s solutions? Download our Standard Products Guide.