Hello lovelies,
When taking part in Clay Pigeon shooting, the recoil from a shotgun can be quite a considerable and painful force if you are either not used to it, not prepared or are a certain build.
As a woman, we inherently have a more delicate décolletage area, a more prominent collar bone and quite often of slighter build then a male Gun. For one off shooting, the recoil / kickback can be tolerable but for a full days shoot or weekly visits, without proper protection or placement, you can be left with bruised shoulder and breast tissue or a trapped nerve.
On recommendation of several instructors and professionals, I picked up a Musto D30 recoil pad which is made of a special material which has loose molecules that knit together on impact to absorb the force and distribute it between the cells in the sheet. The patented properties of D30 have been used by Musto but are also used in Motorbike helmets, shoulder protection and ‘cups’ for the gents.
Available as either just the sheet itself or in a lovely suede effect holster (shield), you have a choice of applications. I use just the pad on its own, pinned in to my summer clothes, with a pocket for my winter coats to slot the pad in.
I found the holster too constrictive and tight around the bust area so ladies, bear that in mind when fitting.
The D30 was great. It doesn’t stop the recoil but it does soften the blow and makes it less jarring with each shot taken. It made a pleasurable days shooting, using my 12 bore Lanber Shotgun where I usually would have got an ache.
My favourite thing about the D30 Pad is the size. Looking it, being a large rectangle, it may look cumbersome but it means you have space to cover a wider area depending on your requirement. It can cover more of your shoulder, or chest or collarbone as required. A lot of recoil pads are more “anatomically” shaped which isn’t ideal as it’s not a case of one shape fits all!
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| Using my D30 Pad pinned to my jumper |
I’m going to pick up a few extra pads, priced around the £10 mark to keep in my autumn and winter wear, as well as a loose one for summer time to interchange between tops.
If you are a lady Gun or a beginner, a D30 is a great addition to your kit and at £10, is quite purse friendly.
