Best Shotgun Recoil Pads: Top Picks on The Market

Shotgun kickback can be pretty uncomfortable, and if you enjoy shooting sports, you might be feeling the effects of recoil after a few rounds. Since shotguns produce energy slightly differently than rifles, there aren’t as many solutions to offset this power. Recoil pads are usually your best solution. 

Various designs and materials placed on the end of your buttstock can help absorb energy transfer, allowing you a more comfortable shooting experience. Take a look at our best shotgun recoil pad picks to find a solution for your needs. 

Comparison Table of The 5 Best Shotgun Recoil Pads

Why Is Kickback So Uncomfortable?

According to Sir Issac Newton’s Third Law of Motion, every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Basically, this explains that energy doesn’t just disappear and transfers from one object to another. 

When shooting a gun, the momentum from an accelerating bullet is transferred to the shooter upon its release from the end of the gun’s muzzle. This is called recoil or kickback and can be felt quite strongly. Although some energy dissipates through the shotgun, much of it transfers into the shooter’s shoulder via the stock. 

Adding more material at the end of a buttstock can help dissipate this energy even further. 

Recoil Pad Effectiveness

Shotguns are popularly used for skeet and trap shooting and hunting: two scenarios that require comfortable shooting experiences for accurate target acquisition and enjoyment of the sport. If shooting your shotgun hurts, it can lead to problems with accuracy and bad habits that may alleviate the overall feel of the kickback but will lead you off target. 

Recoil pads work to eliminate soreness and bruising from the power of your shot, help distribute the kick over a larger surface area, and allow you to focus on your target instead of recovery. They are considered very effective, especially for shotguns that do not have effective muzzle devices for recoil control due to the difference between rifles and shotgun pressurized gas percentages. 

Recoil Pad Buyer’s Guide

When deciding on which recoil pad to purchase, you might consider a few factors in advance. Different ways to install them (all are easy), customized fits, proprietary brand fits, and simple slip-on styles dominate the industry. Take a look at these details to determine which may be best for you. 

Material Design

Polymers and leather are popular materials, made with various cushions and gel fill to maximize energy absorption and muzzle control. These differences are labeled rigid or gel-filled and provide either a solid design made from various plastics and polymer cushioning or neoprene or a leather outer with cushioning gel layered within. 

Both are considered highly effective and long-lasting, and the choice is often personal concerning the overall feel and fits on your shotgun. 

Features

Other details include the internal design of a pad, such as atmospheric chambers that work to dissipate energy and compress energy transfer. This is a standard design in rigid pads. Gels may also be adjusted within pockets to provide a customized fit to your needs. 

Some pads provide a holder for ammunition or a small pocket. These are helpful if you aren’t wearing a hunting vest or have easily accessible pockets. 

You will also see some boasting muzzle lift reduction due to how the chambers within the pad are designed. These are popular choices for competitive shooters who need to acquire targets accurately and quickly shot after shot. 

Surface materials and tapered designs also provide quick shoulder placement without snagging and a good grip to avoid slipping. 

Budget-Friendly Recoil Pads

Recoil pads are extremely budget-friendly and can start in the $10 – $20 range for a basic, effective option. Many fall somewhere between $30 – $40, with a few that may be even more expensive. Overall they all do their job well, and what you decide to spend should be based on the type of shooting you do and the overall effect you need. 

Recoil pads come in a range of budget options. Everything from a standard, the basic rigid pad may start out at $10, while a $30+ choice may provide customization and thicker padding. The important thing is to find the pad that fits both your gun and your shooting needs. 

Our Top Shotgun Recoil Pad Picks

The following recoil pad picks are popular consumer options gathered from customer reviews and manufacturing statistics. There are dozens upon dozens of excellent pads, many made by the same companies we highlight here. These are some of the best in the industry. 

The advanced LimbSaver AirTech Recoil Pad offers this slip-on version for excellent ease of use and convenience. It works great for most shotguns, rifles, and muzzleloaders and comes in six sizes that you can match your buttstock measurements to. Designed with LumbSaver’s proprietary NAVCOM technology, it provides recoil and muzzle lift control. 

The advanced atmospheric chambers work to dissipate energy and vibration in a uniform, controlled manner. Easy to install, simply slip over the end of your buttstock for an all-weather condition, dependable choice all season. For the best fit, remove the factory recoil pad first unless you want to increase the length of pull by an inch. 

Kick-EEZ makes a dependable pad specific to your shooting needs. Their sporting clay pad design is a grind-to-fit option that offers a customized fit for quick move to shoulder and fast target acquisition shot after shot. Created to avoid snags, the face offers an excellent grip with a leather-like texture. 

The soft, springy Sorbothane polymer dissipates energy in a controlled manner and offers a comfortable feel against your shoulder. Easy to shape for a seamless fit on the end of your stock, this is a pad that can hold up to a long day of competitive shooting. Plus, it’s an affordable recoil pad that offers impressive quality. 

Available in multiple colors, the Pachmayr D752 Decelerator Pads are designed for a perfect fit either on their own or with grinding. Made from the proprietary Pachmayr decelerator rubber, these pads feature tapered internal ribbing to help offset energy and vibration for a smoother, more comfortable shot. 

The surface of each has leather-like textured and tapered sides to help avoid catching and keep it where it belongs with a snag-free, graspable design. It is also designed to reduce barrel flip for overall control of your muzzle. 

This is one of the best, high-end slip-on recoil pads on the market. This gel-filled design is encased in soft, supple leather designed for years of dependable use. The half-inch shock-absorbing gel pad reduces recoil by up to 50% and conforms beautifully to your shoulder. 

It is easy to use, it slips effortlessly over your flat buttstock and provides a low profiles design that is snug, secure, and dissipates energy for a more comfortable shooting experience. Available in multiple sizes, e sure to look closely at your shotgun’s measurements to ensure you get the best fit. 

When you shoot trap and skeet, you need comfort for pull after pull. LimbSaver does it again with their trap recoil pad option, which is a grind-to-fit choice for the perfect fit. Made from their NAVCOM technology to control recoil and vibration, this is a choice that offers barrel control over muzzle jump to keep you on target without discomfort. 

Inner chambers work to dissipate energy, and the grippy contoured surface tucks into your shoulder for a secure position and won’t slide. The textured surface offers pressure relief and works well with various body types, including smaller or more petite frames. 

Wrapping It Up

A shotgun recoil pad is a great way to help offset kickback energy in the form of recoil reduction and control your barrel for improved accuracy. Affordable and simple, these are a great choice to make your shooting experience more comfortable. 

Even though we did have favorites, we recommend all the highlighted shotgun recoil pads reviewed above. Be sure to look each over more closely to determine which is best for your needs – and then let us know in the comments below!

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