Expert Instruction

Adam Calvert is a freelance shooting instructor with a global reputation offering bespoke shooting instruction in addition to being a Fabbri ambassador.

Q I’ve started to struggle with recoil when using my 12 bore: what can I do to reduce it? Is it time to change to a 16 bore? It’s really strange as my 12 bore fits me well.

A I come across many people who suffer with this and usually it’s a combination of factors which are coming together to cause this recoil. Most people’s solution to this is to buy a new shotgun and in some situations this can help. You can get some good advice in the gunshop and it can cure the problem. In many cases, though, it doesn’t.

I know I will attract the wrath of many 16 bore users but I am not a fan of this calibre. They remind me of 34” guns, which were all the rage at one stage but now you can’t give them away except for a few die-hard users. In recoil terms, most 16 bore users shoot a similar load to a 12 bore, and as a result they often recoil more as they are lighter than a 12 bore.