New 404J Owner Recoil Reduction Question

[Eventually_Africa_Again]

Hello to you all!

If you go over to the "Free Classifieds" section then you've probably seen my quest to get a 404J and that it has born fruit! So, now that I have the rifle I had a question about recoil reduction modifications. It's currently weighing in at 8lbs 2oz and that's a bit light for me. I've gotten a custom Boyds stock ordered and when that comes in I'm taking it down to the gunsmith for fitting, glass bedding, free floating and possibly to have another recoil lug added. Someone suggested that I might also want to look into getting a mercury recoil reducer installed. My gunsmith said he would be happy to fill in some of the stock with lead weight (properly balanced) and I was wondering if any of you could say which would be better? I can see the benefits of both and I recall reading that the mercury recoil reducers worked better on shotguns than rifles, is that true?

I want to thank you all for any input you have to give!

 

[BeeMaa]

First of all, congrats on the 404!!

Have a Graco 14 oz BreaKO in the stock of my CZ550 375H&H and put a 12 oz in my wife's Savage Lady Hunter 270Win. My CZ had the composite stock and it has a hollow space behind the recoil pad. I played around with where exactly I wanted it to balance. When I found where I wanted it, used bondo to lock it in place by filling the empty space. Sanded flush and done. My wife's I drilled a 3/4" hole in the stock (not exactly easy) placed it in the hole and bondo over the hole, sanded flush and done. Both rifles balance at the magazine. If I ever want to take them out, I had placed a 1/4-20 bolt in the hole of the recoil reducer before the bondo was poured, so I know exactly where it is and can use a slide hammer to take them out.

I'm not too proud to admit that I don't like a ton of recoil, so with the reducer the 375 shoots like a 308 now. Enjoyable to shoot off sticks, if not a bit heavier to carry. And I'm OK with that. Not a problem for me to carry all day.

Wife is very happy with the way the 270 handles and shoots. It's still light enough to carry all day with no issues.

I can't remember the exact weight of the guns with optics and everything, but the 375 is about 11# and the 270 is about 9#.

 

[AZDAVE]

Getting the fit correct is the most important element (Your gunsmith will be able to take care of the correct LOP, balance point, cast, pitch etc). On big bore it is much more important than on smaller rifles. Proper shooting technique is next on the recoil reduction, the felt recoil will be much better with proper fitting rifle and good shooting technique. Then you can decide if a larger recoil pad or reducer will benefit your felt recoil.

The last option is to box it all up and send it to me in trade for a nice 308

 

[sierraone]

My .404 is 10 pounds plus with scope. No lead, no recoil reducers. I have to use a Past 1 inch gel shoulder pad from the bench. But nothing else needed.

 

[Therack]

A Limbsaver (or similar) recoil pad greatly reduces felt recoil. A hard rubber pad just doesn’t do the job.

 

[Eventually_Africa_Again]

Thank you for your replies! I'm afraid I am a bit of a recoil wuss myself. You may ask "Well then why are you getting a 404J?" Well...because I eventually want to take a buffalo, a hippo and maybe a lion (though these are in the far future) and even though I have a .375 I though I'd feel a bit better with a larger rifle. So I'm trying to see if anyone has used led weight or a mercury recoil suppressor and which gives the better result?

 

[Philip Glass]

I use and recommend Edwards Recoil Reducer. Actually for the big guns two of them installed in the stock. Edwards can do it or your gunsmith. From what I’ve seen mercury reducers are mostly added weight but some like them.
Best of luck,
Philip

 

[mdwest]

and even though I have a .375 I though I'd feel a bit better with a larger rifle. So I'm trying to see if anyone has used led weight or a mercury recoil suppressor and which gives the better result?

It appears the big bore bug has bitten... dont fret... you are not alone

I've got a .375... but now am planning on building a .458 win mag.. for much of the same reasons you wanted the .404... and I too am not a fan of recoil..

My .375 weighs right at 10lbs.. that includes a 16oz mercury recoil reducer in the butt of the stock... Its not a kitty cat.. but its completely manageable at that weight.. I think if you strap another couple of pounds onto your .404 you'll find it manageable..

Honestly I cant tell much difference in terms of just having raw weight, or the reducer in the stock. I think if I poured 16oz of just plain old lead in the same channel it likely would have had the same effect. If I were going to do it all over again with the .375 I probably would just add lead at key balance points and be done with it.. Thats the plan for the .458.. I'll put a little in the butt, and a bit in a channel in the forearm, and forego the mercury recoil reducer..

Just swapping out stocks and going with a boyds laminate is likely going to add a pound to your rifle without doing anything else.. I've got boyds stocks on 4x of my guns.. I love them for their rigidity and price.. but they are pretty weighty all by themselves without adding anything else to them.. I'd recommend getting the glass work, recoil lug, etc.. done and then take it to the range for 5-10 shots to see what you think before you make any decision on mercury vs. lead..

 

[stug]

Download it a bit to start with. 78gr ADI2209/H4350 with a 400gr Woodleigh will give just over 2100 fps.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

I use and recommend Edwards Recoil Reducer. Actually for the big guns two of them installed in the stock. Edwards can do it or your gunsmith. From what I’ve seen mercury reducers are mostly added weight but some like them.
Best of luck,
Philip

Will you be putting these in your Krieghoff?

 

[ActionBob]

My CZ 505 Gibbs came with a mercury to be and I think it helps. Not sure if it's just the weight or the sloshing back and forth of the mercury. I suspect it is both. Would a mechanical one be better? IDK.

On the other hand, my Ruger RSM 505 Gibbs kicked harder. But the stock is different and it weighs a bit less. I'm a bit leary of drilling into that beautiful stock, and at the time was taking it on a hunt. So I strapped on a slip on extra pad And leather shell holder. The weight of 6 of those big shells balanced it out and the extra pad gave the LOP I wanted and I find it controllable.

If I was already having custom stock work done, I would look into putting in both the stock and smaller forend recoil reducers. Other mercury or mechanical. Depending upon balance.

But on a 404 Jeffrey, if it fits you and you learn how to hold it properly, it should be a sweetheart to shoot anyway. At least once you gain expierience.

 

[Shootist43]

Limbsaver first, Past recoil shield second, mercury tube third. Shooting off sticks instead of a bench will help a bunch.

 

[ActionBob]

Limbsaver first, Past recoil shield second, mercury tube third. Shooting off sticks instead of a bench will help a bunch.

I would respectively disagree on the Past.

My opinion on this goes back to advice I received from @matt85 on how to hold a big bore gun. A lot of the perceived recoil on these guns has to do with the shooter getting "slapped around". And in reality, these guns generally tend to give a hard shove but not the slap many of the fast magnums do. So use these factors to your advantage. Pull the gun hard into the soft pocket between the bones in your shoulder. Get your cheek down onto the stock, and push away a bit with the off hand on the forearm. Doing this I have no problem shooting my 505 with nothing but a T shirt. The recoil gets me more in the lower back rather than the shoulder as it rocks my whole body backwards.

IMO, too much padding creates too much opportunity for the gun to move and smack you in the cheek and rattle your teeth.

 

[Shootist43]

I have broken bones in my shoulder that will never heal. Since my motorcycle accident in 1971 I've had to use a Past Recoil Shield to dampen said effect on my shoulder. Since then I've won several State Championships with a rifle. My 416 Rigby has a Mercury Recoil Dampener in it perhaps that is why it doesn't smack me in the cheek or rattle my teeth. If it works for me it may just work for the OP as well. If not there are other options for him to pursue.

 

[postoak]

Is this 8 pounds 2 oz. just the rifle or the rifle and scope combined?

 

[Eventually_Africa_Again]

Is this 8 pounds 2 oz. just the rifle or the rifle and scope combined?

That's the rifle and the scope. As I said, I think that will be a bit light for me. I can very comfortably shoot my CZ550 .375, but I know this will be an uptick so that's why I'm worried.

 

[Therack]

8# 2 oz does seem light for a gun with that big barrel. I weighed my 375 today and it 9# 4 oz with the scope, without ammo.

 

[stug]

My .404J has a very heavy barrel and is 9.5lb unscoped. Recoil is there, but OK. 8lb 2oz would get your attention.

 

[BeeMaa]

I'm a big believer in the mercury reducers.
Changed my 375 from a slap to a shove.
And when I step up to a 416, I will try it without the mercury first...but will probably end up putting one in.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[Ray B]

I haven't figured out the theory of the mercury recoil reducers- other than they increase the wright of the rifle and therefore change the acceleration formula. In that regard I had a M70 338 that a horse rolled on and split the stock. With nothing to lose I bolted and epoxied the stock back together and since it had no further collector value, I routed out a channel in the forend below the barrel and filled it with about 14 ounces of lead, then filled it in, glass bedding the barrel. The process added a little over a pound of weight and moved the balance forward from just behind the front screw to just forward of the action- about an inch or so. With the alterations I notice a significant difference in recoil and a slight muzzle heaviness that helps steady the rifle on offhand shots. Congratulations on your rifle.