Stock Design for Managing Recoil

by AaronB, Friday, December 13, 2024, 14:02 (8 days ago) @ JohnKDM

I have heard a lot of stories about the kick of the old H&R "Topper" design, of which the NEF Handi-Rifle is a variant. "It's got a stock like a two by four," my cousin used to say, accounting for what seemed to be extra-heavy recoil from the old Topper 12-gauge we had around the place.

I will agree, the buttstock on the H&Rs and the NEFs seems pretty artless, completely unlike the lovely and thoughtful wood design on the big-bore rifles built for hunting dangerous game.

But what particular aspects of stock design enable the stock to reduce the punishment of recoil, i.e. "perceived recoil"? I'm wondering whether a redesigned stock on any light single-shot could improve the matter.

-AaronB