Fleece Waist Coats for Ladies with Recoil Pad - Help!

[Peteri]

Hi

I hope someone can help me, I’ve got a Schoffel fleece ‘gilet’ which has a built in pad at the shoulder, works great - like it a lot. My (female) partner has just started shooting and would like to get something similar, but try as we might - we can’t find anything like it, women’s either seem to be just normal fleece gilets - ‘for when the ladies help with the dogs’, skeet vests or the longer tweed waistcoat design - which just isn’t what we’re looking for.

Anyone got any pointers?

thanks in advance 

 

[Jan Powell]

Give the Gun Room a call. They have a good selection and if not in stock they may be able to help you out.

https://thegun-room.co.uk/

 

[Will Hewland]

Hi

I hope someone can help me, I’ve got a Schoffel fleece ‘gilet’ which has a built in pad at the shoulder, works great - like it a lot. My (female) partner has just started shooting and would like to get something similar, but try as we might - we can’t find anything like it, women’s either seem to be just normal fleece gilets - ‘for when the ladies help with the dogs’, skeet vests or the longer tweed waistcoat design - which just isn’t what we’re looking for.

Anyone got any pointers?

thanks in advance 

Really look at why you need the pad. It really makes it hard to mount the gun consistently and takes away the feel (or even possibility) of where the gun sits. Recoil is something you can deal with in several ways that are better than these awful things. They maybe have a place on a corporate day where there is a beginner with an ill fitting gun who doesn’t have time to get sorted, but that’s about it. You will find young teenage girls shooting without them with no ill effects. 

 

[donna]

Agree with Will, if the gun fits properly you shouldn’t feel recoil, start with 21 or 24g cartridges and get the gun fitted by someone who knows what they’re talking about. Also when picking your shooting gilet, or whatever you will wear, remember when trying it on to wear something similar to what you would wear when shooting. Good luck 

 

[Freddypip]

I would repeat Will's (& Donna) comments. A pad within clothing rarely mounts in the same place - the gun might but the pad will slip & drag and as Will points out the shooter will feel where the pad is not where the gun is giving poor feedback. You are much better getting the gun to fit properly including sticking a "KickEzz" or similar on it.

If you are keen on the pad approach, the Musto D3O pad was the best I came across with my daughter - not because it was good with recoil but because it was more flexible than the browning alternative she tried. Both are now in the box of unused stuff.

 

[Peteri]

Thanks for the replies. 
 

does seem odd it’s very easy to get this for a man but not a woman

I get your points on the pad, and broadly I agree - still odd tho

 

[ehb102]

Thanks for the replies. 
 

does seem odd it’s very easy to get this for a man but not a woman

I get your points on the pad, and broadly I agree - still odd tho

Numbers. No more than 6% of licence holders are female. So mass manufacture is less applicable. 

 

[donna]

When I first started shooting many years ago I had a recoil pad that you strapped round you but it was uncomfortable so I removed the straps and had it sewn into the inside of my skeet vest so it didn’t move.  I then removed that and had a kickeeze pad fitted on my gun which was brilliant. Since having my K80 fitted properly by Ben (who is going to be doing FREE gun fitting at Kibworth) I have no problems whatsoever. Gun fit is the key.

 

[Luke_(NL)]

Gun fit is the key.

As is a proper mount, which will come from practice rather than a fitting. Many on here will tell you that a fitting is pointless prior to having developed a consistent mount. While I agree that a well fitting gun and ‘lighter’ cartridges may work better than a pad, the pad may help the reluctant shooter to develop the confidence on which to build from there on in. Your own experiences starting out with a pad didn’t stop you from shooting. 

I’d suggest following Donna’s example and find a pad you like and have it sewn into a well fitting vest. Shoot with your partner as much as she likes and possibly go from there for a ‘proper fitting” gun and all. Also, lighter loads don’t mean less broken targets… 

 

[Fred Flintstone]

If you want something in the interim, Caldwell make a 'recoil shield' for women, which is basically a (what seems to be quality) pad that affixes to a bra strap via 2 velcro loops. Obviously it can be worn under absolutely anything. It's ambidextrous and I'd say the pad is about 10mm thick.

How do I know? I just got one for my wife who is very new to shooting (3rd outing this weekend)! Even using 21gram carts she feels it at the moment, so we'll try this for the first few months.

Was recommended to me by a very knowledgable gun shop in Kent. £26.

 

[MartynB]

One thing I’ll chuck into the discussion , my late wife had 4 various models of Beretta over the years , she never used a recoil pad . However she did have the toe of the stock modified so it didn’t interfere with female anatomy . Equally useful for some gents of the pie eating persuasion , 

 

[donna]

One thing I’ll chuck into the discussion , my late wife had 4 various models of Beretta over the years , she never used a recoil pad . However she did have the toe of the stock modified so it didn’t interfere with female anatomy . Equally useful for some gents of the pie eating persuasion , 

I remember a very great female shot from years ago who took me and the hubby aside one day and suggested we took the toe off the pad and cover it in clear nail varnish, as I was shooting a lot of fitasc at the time it worked a treat and didn’t catch on my female bits when mounting!!
I also remember a senior ref taking me aside one day and asked it I would have a quiet word with another female shooter as she was having trouble mounting the gun on fitasc and she kept saying she couldn’t “mount over her ****s” when I asked out of all the other females he had picked me, he replied “well, you look like you’ve got the same size” No offence meant and none taken I hasten to add. 

So, yes, us females have to be a bit careful with our bits, and recoil and mounting but once you’ve got it right it works, I also found on my old gun the kickeeze pad worked really well. After years of trying things out, I think the way to go is to have the lighter cartridges and the correct pad fitted to the gun rather than in your skeet vest etc where it could move.

 

[Fred Flintstone]

One thing I’ll chuck into the discussion , my late wife had 4 various models of Beretta over the years , she never used a recoil pad . However she did have the toe of the stock modified so it didn’t interfere with female anatomy . Equally useful for some gents of the pie eating persuasion , 

This was also mentioned to us by her coach last weekend (light sanding of the butt pad to create a curve on the toe)!

@donna I've not really looked into the Kickeeze before (I have no need for it personally) - sounds like you'd recommend for her as an option?

 

[donna]

This was also mentioned to us by her coach last weekend (light sanding of the butt pad to create a curve on the toe)!

@donna I've not really looked into the Kickeeze before (I have no need for it personally) - sounds like you'd recommend for her as an option?

Yes I would, definitely takes out the recoil and Dave Izzard (the gentleman who designed them) is one of the nicest and truest gentlemen you could ever wish to meet, so phone them and have a chat, he will put you right on which one to get, he suffered from recoil himself and definitely knows what he’s talking about. 

 

[Fred Flintstone]

If you want something in the interim, Caldwell make a 'recoil shield' for women, which is basically a (what seems to be quality) pad that affixes to a bra strap via 2 velcro loops. Obviously it can be worn under absolutely anything. It's ambidextrous and I'd say the pad is about 10mm thick.

How do I know? I just got one for my wife who is very new to shooting (3rd outing this weekend)! Even using 21gram carts she feels it at the moment, so we'll try this for the first few months.

Was recommended to me by a very knowledgable gun shop in Kent. £26.

If any of you are interested, Mrs Flintstone is very happy with the new pad. Worked well for her last weekend on her (2nd ever) 100 ESP. No bruise!

Recommended !

 

[donna]

If any of you are interested, Mrs Flintstone is very happy with the new pad. Worked well for her last weekend on her (2nd ever) 100 ESP. No bruise!

Recommended !

Well done her! Another lady shooter!  

 

[Fred Flintstone]

Just back from today’s 100 bird fun... shot with her new pad using 28grams, no problems !

@donna yes... she was one of only 2 female guns today at our SG. Shame, because it’s a great sport and clubs are very welcoming. She is already settled in our usual squad and feels one of the team. Now, if only I could get her to enjoy cleaning the blo*dy things after...!

 

[donna]

Just back from today’s 100 bird fun... shot with her new pad using 28grams, no problems !

@donna yes... she was one of only 2 female guns today at our SG. Shame, because it’s a great sport and clubs are very welcoming. She is already settled in our usual squad and feels one of the team. Now, if only I could get her to enjoy cleaning the blo*dy things after...!

I must admit I don’t clean mine either, the hubby does it as my job on arriving home is to take the bags in and put the kettle on!  Plus if Phil does it he knows it’s done properly! 

 

[Will Hewland]

I must admit I don’t clean mine either, the hubby does it as my job on arriving home is to take the bags in and put the kettle on!  Plus if Phil does it he knows it’s done properly! 

Yes, my wife’s gun just magically reappears gleaming after every use too.. Many years ago she did attempt to break it down, but it was immediately apparent that an expensively finished fingernail was at risk via the forend latch, so the process was abandoned.