SEVERE recoil often spoils marksmanship. Even when the kick feels OK, it may hurt the firearm's accuracy. So, many shooters are interested in recoil reduction.

First we need to distinguish between "actual recoil" and "felt recoil":

Actual recoil is what the firearm genuinely does when it is fired. It involves three things: recoil velocity (speed of the firearm as it accelerates backwards), recoil energy (strength of the push against the shoulder) and the kick-up or muzzle lift (a further product of recoil velocity and recoil energy).

Felt recoil, on the other hand, is what the shooter thinks the firearm is doing: it is what he or she feels.

In the final analysis, the one whose kick feels worse will also be harder to shoot straight. So the key question is: "How can we reduce the felt recoil?" The following seven guidelines refer mainly to rifles and shotguns but pistol shooters will find some of them useful, too.

Because a significant part of felt recoil is the bang, not the bump, we can gain from wearing good hearing protectors.

Clothing should help to cushion the shoulder. Wear several layers, or a shooting jacket with appropriate padding, for example. However, it's wise to remember that the buttstock's fit is affected by the thickness of one's garments.

Holding the firearm properly is also important. When a shooter pulls a rifle or shotgun firmly against his shoulder, he adds part of the weight of his body to the weight of the firearm, so the firearm acts as if it were heavier. Its recoil velocity drops, and the shooter feels more of a push, less of a punch.

But if he holds the firearm loosely against his shoulder, he gives it a small running start and it jolts him.

The same applies to contact between the shooter's cheek and the comb (the top edge of the butt). The effect of the upward component of recoil, the kick-up, is accentuated by loose cheek contact.

We can add weight to the firearm itself, though competition rules and the effect of any extra weight on the firearm's handling qualities must be considered. That old maxim, "the weight of a shotgun should be 96 times the weight of its shot charge," is still useful as a starting point.

The actual recoil and therefore the felt recoil will lessen if we switch to a milder cartridge. This may mean firing a lighter bullet or shot charge at the same velocity or firing the same projectile weight at lower velocity.

A genuine shock-absorbing recoil pad will help, too. If possible, increase the area of contact between butt and shoulder by fitting a wider pad.

These guidelines were chosen because they are relatively simple and easy to apply. We'll delve deeper into the recoil story in a future column.