Smacked in the face by my gun

[Ashley]

After shooting my gun ( miroku 3800) for the last 6 months recoil free, in the last couple of weeks it is taking skin off my face leaving a nasty burn like mark.

The only difference is that I've recently fitted an x pad instead of the traditional trap pad.

My scores have remained at about 85% throughout and I'm using the same cartridges.

I have had this problem in the past with different guns over the years, to the point of blood running down my cheek after just a few shots, ( gun then sold, sometimes only a day old ). I really like this miroku and wondered if anyone could throw some light on the problem, I don't want to go the cheekeze way as the gun has really nice timber and I think it would spoil the look.

The x pad is nice on the shoulder, could this be the problem?

Any advise is greatly appreciated

 

[Shaun Hopkins]

Never heard or seen anything like you describe in my life of shooting but would only assume your putting way to much pressure on the stock with your face so my only advice would be to relax the gun mount a tad and maybe try a thin neoprene pad for comfort until you get used to less pressure nice wood or not its pointless if its ripping your face off :fie:

 

[maddmatt]

Standby for the torrent...

This sounds like cheek slap and is usually caused by: pitch and/or comb. If the new pad has changed the pitch or has changed the length of pull you might experience this. Bit tricky without seeing you shoot the gun.

 

[Buffalo]

I had a similar issue many years ago with a Browning 325 shot this for a few years then it started to bruise my cheek, continued use eventually resulted in face being cut, and like you blood running down my cheek. The issue you will have is that as your face heals during the week, it will continue to open up at the weekend unless you fully address the issue. The root cause for me was a combination of holding the gun to tight in my face and too many mince pies at Christmas (putting weight on). I eventually learnt to shoot sporting gun down - my weight however has always yo yoed.

 

[clarkeyk80]

get a krieghoff ashley. nice bit of weight to absorb all the recoil.... be like shooting 21gram loads.

 

[Ashley]

I had a similar issue many years ago with a Browning 325 shot this for a few years then it started to bruise my cheek, continued use eventually resulted in face being cut, and like you blood running down my cheek. The issue you will have is that as your face heals during the week, it will continue to open up at the weekend unless you fully address the issue. The root cause for me was a combination of holding the gun to tight in my face and too many mince pies at Christmas (putting weight on). I eventually learnt to shoot sporting gun down - my weight however has always yo yoed.

Your dead right about face healing then opening up again on the weekend, I've always sort of buried my head into the stock, though like to see plenty of rib ( 2 pound coins on breach just covers the end bead )

It must be the shape of my ugly face but any sporting miroku all I see is the back of the action

Over the years I've tried all the different guns, the ones that are pretty but couldn't shoot them because of the face problems , others I could shoot but didn't like the look off, and so it goes on and it's getting me down. Shooting the gun well and have plans to shoot a couple of big ones this year

 

[Hamster]

After shooting my gun ( miroku 3800) for the last 6 months recoil free, in the last couple of weeks it is taking skin off my face leaving a nasty burn like mark.

The only difference is that I've recently fitted an x pad instead of the traditional trap pad.

My scores have remained at about 85% throughout and I'm using the same cartridges.

I have had this problem in the past with different guns over the years, to the point of blood running down my cheek after just a few shots, ( gun then sold, sometimes only a day old ). I really like this miroku and wondered if anyone could throw some light on the problem, I don't want to go the cheekeze way as the gun has really nice timber and I think it would spoil the look.

The x pad is nice on the shoulder, could this be the problem?

Any advise is greatly appreciated

This is very interesting save for the unfortunate reality of drawing blood  , a very good friend of mine who I regularly shoot with has recently gone to a new 32" Browning XS which he shoots annoyingly well. He traded two 30" Brownings XS's in the deal one of which he shot regularly with no issues but the other which he had also shot with no problems before, bloodied his cheek by the second stand a week or two before his switch. Both guns looked and mounted the same and it was difficult to see what the cause was. 

My guess is very much along the lines of what Matt has hinted at, namely that the new pad has somehow managed to alter the pitch a tad which coupled to the way the new pad dissipates the recoil has resulted in the problem. 

How you hold the gun and your contact with the comb is also a factor; your best bet is to start experimenting with washers between the stock and pad to arrive at the right angle, only you can tell whether to start off at the top or bottom but the answer is probably thereabouts.

 

[Ashley]

get a krieghoff ashley. nice bit of weight to absorb all the recoil.... be like shooting 21gram loads.

Clarkey mate it's the only make I've never owned , but as you know I've probably had 70 guns in the last 10 years chasing the holy grail

My scores show I shoot best with a miroku, tried a mates k gun and done well with it. I'm loathed to go and spend upwards of 6 k only to find I'm having the same trouble. ( been there done that with the so 's)

 

[Ashley]

This is very interesting save for the unfortunate reality of drawing blood  , a very good friend of mine who I regularly shoot with has recently gone to a new 32" Browning XS which he shoots annoyingly well. He traded two 30" Brownings XS's in the deal one of which he shot regularly with no issues but the other which he had also shot with no problems before, bloodied his cheek by the second stand a week or two before his switch. Both guns looked and mounted the same and it was difficult to see what the cause was. 

My guess is very much along the lines of what Matt has hinted at, namely that the new pad has somehow managed to alter the pitch a tad which coupled to the way the new pad dissipates the recoil has resulted in the problem. 

How you hold the gun and your contact with the comb is also a factor; your best bet is to start experimenting with washers between the stock and pad to arrive at the right angle, only you can tell whether to start off at the top or bottom but the answer is probably thereabouts.

Thanks for your interesting post hamster , never occurred to me about washers, any ideas where to start ?

 

[Hamster]

Thanks for your interesting post hamster , never occurred to me about washers, any ideas where to start ?

B&Q.  :lol:  My instinct says start on the bottom of the stock (toe), this tends to make the recoil more in-line. Incidentally as much as I love a nice bit of walnut, I have trouble with the concept of refusing to fit a sorbothane type sheet or one of these : http://www.recoilsystems.com/combraiser/combraiser.asp

if they make the recoil cycle more bearable.

 

[Hotshot100]

Standby for the torrent...

This sounds like cheek slap and is usually caused by: pitch and/or comb. If the new pad has changed the pitch or has changed the length of pull you might experience this. Bit tricky without seeing you shoot the gun.

Sounds good to me.

 

[Les53]

I've had this problem over the years at various times. When it first happened I went to see a coach that knew how I shot, after one shot he had spotted a problem!!! I had changed my gun mount, even though I hadn't realised it I was mounting the gun low in the shoulder and I was then forcing my cheek into the comb. Once the target was on it's way I lifted my head a bit as I fired and the comb smacked me in the face! It was cured very simply by putting my gun in the correct place in the shoulder and not forcing my face down onto the comb! I sometimes still get the odd whack now and again and I just need to remember to re adjust the mount. So why don't I just get it into the right place every time? Good question, I doubt if there is a trap shooter out there that hasn't called for a target whilst knowing that the gun is not exactly in the right place!!!! Muscle memory tells you that you've done it wrong, but at times it becomes easy to ignore the fact, the next thing you know is it's two late because the target flies on untouched by your two shots at it!!!!

 

[jwpzx9r]

I do that from time to time. I know I have not got it right but carry on regardless instead of starting again. Happened the last time out but I was lucky it was a no bird so a double whammy I got make the mistake to see the bird and then shoot it after remounting my gun.

 

[Les53]

I do that from time to time. I know I have not got it right but carry on regardless instead of starting again. Happened the last time out but I was lucky it was a no bird so a double whammy I got make the mistake to see the bird and then shoot it after remounting my gun.

John I don't think there are many trap shooters out there that haven't done it mate. I just cannot understand why we carry on with the shot knowing the mount is wrong! Madness!!!!!

 

[jwpzx9r]

One reason I carry on shooting is because they can get a bit tetchy when you take too long to call and shoot the target... well if it does not coincide with their own time schedule!

 

[Les53]

One reason I carry on shooting is because they can get a bit tetchy when you take too long to call and shoot the target... well if it does not coincide with their own time schedule!

Well I know what you mean, however it only takes a second or two to re mount the gun. I tend to mount and shoot fairly quickly though!

 

[ips]

One reason I carry on shooting is because they can get a bit tetchy when you take too long to call and shoot the target... well if it does not coincide with their own time schedule!

You have 10/12 secs so stuff em john, the impatient beggers will have to wait till its there turn like everyone else has to do.

 

[Les53]

You have 10/12 secs so stuff em john,

Ian you really have missed your vocation mate, you should be working in the diplomatic service!!!!  :laugh:

 

[jwpzx9r]

I get me gun to the shoulder fairly quickly but have a longish dwell over the hold they hate that .

Back to the issue of recoil. I shoot a browning XTR, its a heavy beggar and notice and feel very little recoil when I shoot. I get no bruising, reddening of the cheek or tenderness of any kind but usually after a four or five round day I feel a bit woozy and possible light headache after when I am relaxing. I am assuming it is recoil related anybody else get this? I was using up some 28g carts the other day and shot four rounds in slightly less than 2hrs was a bit tired driving home and felt quite sleepy early evening could it be the powder smoke fumes ? I know from working in labs my entire life that if we had fumes such as these for however short a time we would be forced to were some sort of breathing filter! It is strange that out side of  the work these sort of H&S issues are completely irrelevant... not that I advocate the use of any PPE for shooting when it comes to the fumes... can you imagine wearing a gas mask while shooting :fie:    :crazy: