Futurmec’s technical expertise combines with a passion for clay pigeon shooting, giving life to a new and innovative shotgun stock.
Let’s discover Michele Sideri, the manager who has transformed his passion into a successful project, and the motivations that drive him to innovate in the world of clay pigeon shooting. Edited by Claudio Portavecchia.
Mr. Sideri, what did you want to be when you were a child?
As a child, in an era of limited resources, we ingeniously created everything with what we had available. Our freedom was total, and we dedicated ourselves to building objects that then became our toys. We kept them with great care, fearing to lose or damage them, just as I later did with every project I dedicated myself to. This experience cultivated in me an innate manual and practical aptitude, which I still consider one of my strengths today.
…and then how did it go?
My childhood was serene and full of experiences that shaped me. My parents both worked, and so I grew up with my grandparents. I owe them great respect for the authentic and fundamental values they passed on to me. Then came school, and with it the decision that would mark my path: entering the world of mechanics. I still remember the moment that changed everything: during a school visit to the high schools, our teachers took us to a mechanics workshop. There, for the first time, I witnessed a scene that left me speechless: from a rusty piece of iron, a mechanical shaft came to life, machined on the lathe with centesimal precision. I was fascinated and immediately decided to enroll in a technical institute, convinced that this was my path. From there, everything began: my first job in a mechanical processing company, an experience that lasted 15 years and that, in 2005, led me to the creation of Futurmec.
How did you get into clay pigeon shooting?
During my career, growing professionally, I reached the role of technical-commercial manager. One day, my employer sent me to a company event that included a Trap competition among employees, also open to suppliers. Fascinated by the skill of the more experienced shooters, I decided to try it myself. I took a semi-automatic shotgun from the rack and, with an instructor by my side, I tried my hand on the platform for the first time. Despite never having held a shotgun before, I surprisingly managed to hit 15 or 16 clays. That experience fascinated me to such an extent that, shortly after, I obtained a sports firearms license and bought a Beretta 682 from a relative by marriage, a great enthusiast of the discipline. From that moment on, clay pigeon shooting became a fundamental part of my life.
As an employer, you certainly have many commitments: do you still find time for clay pigeon shooting?
It’s curious how things have changed over time. Being an entrepreneur is undoubtedly demanding, but when the company was still small, I could still carve out time for clay pigeon shooting. With the birth of our product and the growth necessary to establish ourselves as a competitive and structured company, the time to dedicate to clay pigeon shooting has drastically reduced, almost to the point of disappearing. The funny thing is that my friend Fabio, with whom I formed a strong bond precisely thanks to clay pigeon shooting, often calls me to suggest going shooting together. By now, however, he already knows the answer… and ends up giving it to himself! We have a laugh, say goodbye, and return to our commitments, aware that, at least for now, the priorities are different.
What are you looking for during your sessions at the shooting range and, above all, what does the activity at the shooting range bring you?
First of all, at the shooting range, I have fun and completely immerse myself in the atmosphere of clay pigeon shooting. We share impressions, discuss techniques, and compare notes on every aspect of this discipline. I find it particularly interesting to listen to advice and observe how each shooter adapts their mentality, posture, and technique based on their results. Today, the shooting stand is primarily a moment of pure fun, where I make myself available to friends, offering my contribution with advice and suggestions. Always with respect for their ideas, because I am convinced that in shooting, as in life, there is no single solution. And it is precisely this sharing, more than anything else, that is the true value of this experience.
How did the idea of creating the FUTUR-K 6AM stock come about?
While shooting with my Beretta 682 equipped with a wooden stock, I realized how necessary it was to be able to modify certain parameters, such as the height and position of the comb, as well as the overall length, to obtain perfect alignment. To compensate, I tried applying sponges, but the solution was anything but practical and precise. I tried to turn to professionals for these modifications, but their limited availability and the distance made everything complicated. In addition to this, I often returned home with a bruised cheek from the impact of the shots. I remember that, once, only my mother-in-law noticed the bruise! These difficulties pushed me to look for an effective solution. Thus, during the Christmas holidays of 2016, we began to design an insert capable of replacing part of the wooden stock. The idea was to create a high-tech and innovative product, designed to meet these specific needs.
Can you explain what its main features are?
Our product has followed a constantly evolving development process, the result of intense research and a constant dialogue with shooters, who have provided us with valuable insights for improvement. Thanks to this collaboration, we have managed to create a fully adjustable stock in an intuitive and simple way, using a single 3mm Allen key. The most innovative feature, however, is the ability to reduce recoil by 25%-30%, depending on the elastomer used, without the shooter perceiving any movement. This result is not only the fruit of our experience but has been certified by a thorough technical report, which also describes the study method.
To confirm this, we conducted a two-year study, which allowed us to produce a scientific paper in 2024 published at the ECSS (European College of Sport Science) in Glasgow, which attests that our stock, thanks to the reduction in recoil, is particularly useful for the comfort of shooters, reducing the temperature in the anatomical area in contact with the recoil pad and improving sports performance, especially in the final part of the competition. Further studies will be conducted in the coming years to further improve the performance of our FUTUR-K 6AM. This important milestone was made possible thanks to the contribution of a highly qualified team, composed of Riccardo Monzoni, PhD, Alessio Vita, PhD (University of Ancona), and myself, Michele Sideri, CEO of Futur-K 6AM.
On which shotguns can it be mounted?
The Futur-K 6AM stock was designed primarily for sport shooting, particularly for over-and-under shotguns used in this discipline. To facilitate the choice, on our website www.futur-k.com we have dedicated a page to compatibility, where users can find the complete list of brands and models on which our stock can be mounted.
Thanks to our new multifunction plate, installation is extremely simple and requires only two steps. Once mounted, the stock is ready to be adjusted with maximum precision according to the shooter’s needs. For more details on assembly and use, please watch our tutorials on YouTube. Also, follow us on our social media channels to stay up to date on the latest news and interact with us!
How does the shock-absorbing system work?
Our patented shock-absorbing system utilizes the compression of a special rubber pad, significantly reducing the stress from the shot without any mechanical movement or play between the parts. This allows for a feeling of absolute stability, ensuring maximum control for the shooter. Although most of the recoil is absorbed by the mass of the shotgun, our system contributes to a further reduction of 25%, improving comfort and reducing fatigue during the shooting session. The user can easily replace the rubber pad, choosing from different damping options based on their needs and the type of cartridge used. From our tests, the white 70 sh rubber pad has proven to be the most effective: it offers optimal recoil reduction without the shooter perceiving any unwanted movement during the shot.
What are the advantages of an aluminum and wood stock like the FUTUR-K 6AM compared to traditional wooden stocks?
The advantages of the FUTUR-K 6AM stock compared to traditional wooden stocks are twofold, both fundamental for the shooter:
- Maximum customization. Thanks to the combination of aluminum and wood, our stock offers a level of adaptability that traditional models cannot guarantee. Each shooter can adjust the stock according to their physical structure and physiognomy, optimizing posture and alignment to improve precision and comfort.
- Reduction of fatigue. Our patented shock-absorbing system absorbs a significant portion of the shot’s energy, reducing the impact on the body. This allows you to face an entire shooting session with less fatigue, maintaining concentration and stability until the last clay.
In summary, the FUTUR-K 6AM is not just an adjustable stock, but a real technical advantage for those seeking maximum performance in clay pigeon shooting.
And what about aesthetics?
Regarding aesthetics, I admit that it wasn’t easy at first. Our goal was not to create a stock more beautiful than the traditional wooden one, nor to replace it. Wood will always remain a timeless classic! The real challenge was to design a technological product that perfectly adapted to the shooter’s needs, improving performance and reducing recoil without any perceived movement. And I would say we succeeded! Over time, in addition to focusing on structural and functional improvements to make the stock simple and highly performing, we worked on aesthetics, trying to make it more pleasing to the eye. Today, with great satisfaction, many tell us that our stock is also beautiful! And we are happy about this, because it means that our work has been successful from every point of view. But our research and experimentation on the FUTUR-K 6AM system has not stopped at these already satisfying results. We are currently testing the FUTUR-K 6AM D+, where the suffix D+, Digital Plus, specifically indicates the addition of a digital unit that detects in situ the dynamic stresses due to shooting events through the precise measurement of the resulting accelerations. A “measurement chain,” therefore, directly on board the stock, capable of communicating with the smartphone (or other device) via BLE, where a dedicated APP allows the analysis and visualization of all this data, mainly used to evaluate, over time and in relation to the intensity of use, the wear and tear of our shock-absorbing rubber pad so that it can be replaced when the damping performance begins to degrade.
Now, as mentioned, we are in the prototype testing phase and we hope to present this new work shortly, at least to our most loyal friends and customers, so as to receive initial impressions and useful suggestions. I won’t say more for now, but I confess that I am very happy with the results of these initial tests.
We thank Mr. Sideri for the pleasant chat and wish him all the best for the future.
Original interview published in the Magazine N°80 of March 2025 of FEDERAZIONE TICINESE DELLE SOCIETÀ DI TIRO. Here is the link to the editorial.