Woman sxs

The 20-gauge shotgun is often a great alternative to the standard 12-gauge shotgun for women shooters.The 20-gauge shotgun provides nearly as much firepower, but with lower recoil.

However, some people complain that inertia-driven semi-automatic shotguns can kick harder than gas-operated semi-automatics.

While shot-load correlation may not consistently be 2:1, it gives you a good idea of what’s possible with other alternatives.

Gun weight and shotshells are certainly a good place to start with your felt-recoil problems.

That’s why so many women shoot semi-automatic shotguns: the semi-automatics bring a reasonable weight to the game while at the same time can potentially reduce felt recoil better than an over/under. Try to shoot a shotgun that’s too long and you’ll find yourself leaning back — the complete opposite of a well-balanced shooter who is supposed to rotate off her front foot.

Try to shoot a shotgun that’s too short (let’s say a youth shotgun), and you could find your face creeping up the stock, and screwing up the alignment between your eye and the beads.