Are all auto shotguns like the Beretta 391?

[AGarbers]

My wife and I both put a box of shells through a couple of Beretta 391 semi-auto shotguns. We noticed a huge difference in recoil over my pump guns. Now we both want new shotguns. Do all semi-autos reduce recoil like that or does Beretta somehow work recoil reduction magic?

 

[gunman41mag]

Semi auto shotguns kick less, except the Browning A-5 that barrel recoils & I don't like it

 

[GMtoblat]

Well it makes sense, the spring to move the bolt back into battery is taking alot of the recoil, instead of your shoulder

 

[Rookie]

Semi auto shotguns kick less, except the Browning A-5 that barrel recoils & I don't like it

Remington model 11 is the same. It has a strange felt recoil.

 

[gunman41mag]

Remington model 11 is the same. It has a strange felt recoil.

Those recoiling barrel really bother me

 

[Wheeler-Dealer]

I've owned a beretta a391 or a390 (can't remember which it was off hand), anyways, and it seemed to have LESS felt recoil than other brands of semi-auto shotguns that I've owned and shot the same shells out of.

I'm not 100% sure but i think that it probably all comes down to a few factors, usually, but the beretta always made me wonder.
One would think that it should come down to:
Weight of gun
Length of barrel
Recoil system used in cycling the next round

Of those 3 things, I'd always assumed that the beretta's that I'd shot must've just had a slightly better cycling system than the others, because the barrel lengths & weights were all very similar.

Otherwise, I'm not sure?

 

[gunman41mag]

You could always put a rubber butt-pad & they claim a reduction of 30% of felt recoil

 

[M67]

I'd like to shoot an automatic shotgun

 

[Expat]

I don't really know that much about the new gen inertia semi-autos. The gas operated like the Rem 1100 which I always used, bleeds off some of the gas to operate the receiver so recoil was reduced that way. I could always feel a big difference with it vs. my 870.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Let us take off our shoes and define our terms. There are several self-loading (proper British term) or autoloading or automatic systems.

Gas-operated reloading - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Gas-operated weapons can seem softer as the perceived recoil is used to operate the weapon.

The 390/391 is a fine choice. You will be quite happy with it.

 

[remauto1187]

Yes most autoloaders "kick" less than their pump action cousin. Some more than others. You will notice that automatics that have a aluminum receiver kick a little more than the steel receiver shotguns like the Remington 1100/1187/1196. These models are gas operated and that means gas is bled off down towards the end of the barrel through a hole or 2 and is directed toward the action for cycling.

 

[Chewie]

Semi auto shotguns kick less, except the Browning A-5 that barrel recoils & I don't like it

Watch it buddy, I am a Browning snob.
I own 2 Auto 5's, a 12 light and a Sweet 16 and those are the only semi auto's I have ever shot.

So I guess that means I can't compare them to other makes (darn).
But they are still the best semi auto's ever made, so there!

 

[daddyusmaximus]

My old 1187 police was a wonderful gun. Never should have sold it.



Note to self: Don't trade. Don't sell. Just buy more.

 

[TJ Kackowski]

As a loooong time trap shooter who still uses 1960 vintage Remington 1100TB's, I caution you to never, Never, NEVER go to the trap field without a second 1100 AND your tackle box full of spare parts and tools. 1100's are like sheep ... they know when they're alone and then they just fall apart.

You won't go wrong with the Beretta. Squirt a little BreakFree in them every 1,000 rounds or so and keep on busting clay.

 

[PGRChaplain]

I have a Browning A5 12 Ga. 3" Mag. Made in Belgium, it's a Fine machine! Best Auto Shotgun I have shot.

 

[LANShark42]

Let us take off our shoes and define our terms. There are several self-loading (proper British term) or autoloading or automatic systems.

Gas-operated reloading - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Gas-operated weapons can seem softer as the perceived recoil is used to operate the weapon.

The 390/391 is a fine choice. You will be quite happy with it.

So only the perceived recoil (and, apparently, not the actual recoil) is used to operate the weapon. Can you tell us how THAT works?!?

 

[remauto1187]

So only the perceived recoil (and, apparently, not the actual recoil) is used to operate the weapon. Can you tell us how THAT works?!?

Wonder why they dont call them recoil operated.....instead they call them GAS OPERATED. So that must mean uh....the Gas is what cycles the action....just like an AR15, AK47,SKS...........

 

[Twangbanger]

Recoil-operated is like the Browning A-5...the barrel recoils backward a short distance under tension of a spring, somewhat similar to a 1911, and this provides the momentum to drive the bolt backwards against the recoil spring and through its cycle.

Gas-operated guns like the Beretta and Remingtons bleed gas through a port under the barrel and into a cylinder similar to your M1.

As to the recoil sensation, I can recall some discussion on a Trapshooting forum by some well-financed trapshooters who liked to experiment, and went to the trouble of doing tests on a ballistic pendulum. The autoloaders really didn't recoil less than single barrels in the absolute sense, but the consensus seemed to be that "peak" perceived recoil force was less because the impulse was being spread out over time in the auto, due to the mechanical workings. This is all somewhat difficult to quantify, since what you're really talking about here is "perceived" recoil, and anytime the human sensor (brain) is involved, what you can measure in mathematical terms doesn't always correlate to what you "feel." It's sorta like suppressors; I haven't done it, but it is said you can take absolute readings with a decibel meter, and find that the quieter sounding device may actually put out more decibels than a "noisier" one, but the quality of its sound doesn't trip the brain's switch as much, for some subjective reason. So it also seems to be with recoil. Two guns may push a ballistic pendulum the same amount, but the auto sure as heck feels better.

I've also found it seems more apparent, when you move to a lighter shooting shell or gun, after you've been shooting a hard shooter for a long time.

 

[TheDoaner]

Yes, any semi auto shotgun should have less felt recoil than it's pump or break open cousin of the same gauge. Gas operated shotguns tend to have less recoil than inertia driven semi-autos like the Benelli or the new Browning A5 but I'm a huge fan of both. There are numerous recoil reduction systems in some stocks and ported chokes can help a bit. I've never worried too much about it myself, but I recently shot a Beretta A400 with the Kick Off system and I have to admit that it was amazing compared to my Benelli Super Black Eagle. If low recoil is what you're after, you've got to experience that A400 with the Kick Off!

 

[Fordtough25]

I didn't notice that much less recoil with the AL391 I had versus my Winchester 1200 or Mossbergs. It shot real nice don't get me wrong but I like my pumps better for some reason.