doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Recoil reducer

I read a description of a gun recently, a Citori, with a mercury recoil reducer in the stock. Can anyone enlighten me on this?

Perry -

There are a number of different brands and they are all pretty much the same. Just google mercury recoil reducer to see the lot. AFAIC the same weight of lead in the stock will accomplish the same effect. Shootgun empties filled with reclaimed work for me.

Basically it is tube filled with mercury and placed in the butt stock behind the butt plate. It is supposed to do 2 things. The added weight to the gun should reduce some recoil and the tube is not full of mercury. When the gun is fired the mercury takes up some of the recoil energy as well. At least that is how it should work in theory.

I use one in my Citori and I know the added weight reduces felt recoil. No idea if the mercury itself helps or not.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/100528...d-7-8-x-4-14-oz

I think trying to buy mercury for a project like this is futile. Where would you get it unless you had some stashed away.

I added a set of 32" barrels on to a hammer gun that I like to shoot. I set it up for trap shooting. I added a center bead and also .157 ivory (mammoth) front bead. I put a beavertail for-end on it, and now the balance point was barrel heavy. I remembered the stock had 3 3/4" holes in it. Two were about 6" deep and the other was less. I had some .750 aluminum and turned it down to .700. Still was barrel heavy. Drilled a 1/2" hole 3" deep and taped the opening to 14mm, perfect for the 1/2" hole. Made a cap for it and filled it with #6 shot. After a few trials it now balances 1/4" past the hinge pin.

You can see in the picture the total weight of everything. I didn't do it for recoil but I'm sure it will work. I only shoot 3/4 oz. of shot so I am not worried about recoil.

I'm not suggesting you make your own mercury recoil reducer. I have read somewhere that it is difficult to contain mercury and you should have a sealed unit. How a commercial mercury recoil reducer is made I don't know but I can not find a way to open mine and I don't think there is an opening.

At some level there has to be something to them besides mere weight.

I have had one in a M12 trap gun for probably 40 years. I would have a hard time slamming my fist on the table and saying it makes a noticeable difference, but on two occasions I have come off the line and people who were watching approached me and asked if the gun had a reducer. You have to wonder what it is about that gun that caught their attention and lead them directly to the reducer.

Years ago an acquaintance had a Remington 3200 with twin reducers - talk about going for broke. I shot doubles with it once and it was the most amazing thing. The gun vibrated a little bit, but it sure as heck didn't move that I could tell!

I think reducers are like porting. If you shoot two guns, identical except for the reducer/porting, side by side, there will be little doubt in your mind which is which. If you just pick a gun off the rack, you'll never guess if it has been modified or not.

Remington supplied a free recoil reducer with their 3" 870s, it was a machined steel rod that was installed in the magazine tube. Probably helped your swing too.

They take up recoil in two ways. Additional weight is one, and also the fluid movement of the mercury in it.

They are made in different sizes and weights if younare trying to balance things out. Most of them will make the gun butt heavy. Repeaters have the ability of the reducer being put up front in the mag tube. Or even some are made to attach to or to replace the magazine cap.

A lot of competitive ahooters will add these up front and in back. They like very heavy guns to take up the recoil of the many rounds they will ahoot in a day.

I agree to what Brian stated, mercury is heavier than lead and unlike lead in pellets or solid form, mercury will flow faster and reduce felt recoil much better.

Years ago I worked with someone that used mercury to clean his pistol bores, cleaned them very good. At that time there were mercury boilers on the property but when I came they were shut down, probably in the late 60's to early 70's.

Mercury or as it is sometimes called night silver or Blue Mass, will clean out your pipes or your GI trac. A common use many years ago was to give a constipated person a dose of mercury at night before bedtime. The next morning your entire bowel would be subjected to a complete cleaning. The patient would catch his bm in a chamber pot and take it to the pharmacist who dispenses the mercury. He would stain the mercury out of the stool and use it again. Best to be the first in line for the new mercury shipment. But to be honest nothing organic gets into the metal and stay. It is so dense everything rinses right out. Still the thought is there.

The recoil reduces were fairly popular in the 70-80's. Tried them with no real felt difference. Guess it was up to the user to decide if it was a gimmick or real.