- A cap with visor, glasses, and ear protection needed.
- If you don't have a shooting vest with pad, a PAST womens recoil pad is recommended. See link on this page.
- Women/children ear plugs can be purchased. They are easier to fit as sized to fit smaller ear canals. If your hearing protection is not doing the job, some shooters use a combination of ear plugs and earmuffs for protection.
- The gun will seem heavy the first time out, especially for women shooters. Practice lifting the shotgun several times a day, two weeks prior. If you don't have a shotgun, lift a 5lb bag of flower at arms length (developes upper body strength)!
- A semi-auto gas operated shotgun has the least amount of felt recoil. A shotgun that you need to pump to eject or feed shells is not a semi-auto!
- 1oz 12 gauge shells give less felt recoil than 1 1/8 shells. 2 3/4 dram less recoil then 3 dram.
- If your lucky a gun will be available that fits. Many shotguns will not fit a women without modification, but models are available.
You'll likely find the stock too long and the comb (the part you rest your face on) is not high enough. Guns can be purchased with adjustable length of pull and adjustable comb. A gun fitter can also fit you to a gun.
- A quick check for gun fit is to close your eyes and mount the gun. if you have to move your face and make adjustments after you open your eyes, the gun doesn't fit.
How to Tell if Your Shotgun Fits (video)
- Don't be afraid to ask women shooters you see at the club if you can mount there shotgun. Most if not all will be more then happy, more then a few will offer to let you shoot it. They can fill you in quickly on what was needed to get a shotgun to fit properly!
- Many older shotguns have fixed chokes, not recommended if your thinking of purchasing a used gun. A gun made for skeet (with fixed skeet chokes) can only be used to shoot skeet and not recommended for sporting clays or trap. Look for a shotgun with changeable chokes.
- Many right hand women are left eye dominent. Just close your left eye and don't attempt to shoot with both eyes open or try to shoot left handed.
- Recommended you view the posted videos for expert advice!
The Lost Target
A web based news service for gun enthusiasts.
