Centrefire pistol recoil levels a consideration?

Semi automatic and single shot handguns, revolvers and other pistols

Centrefire pistol recoil levels a consideration?

Post by shazz » 29 Jan 2017, 10:16 am

When talking centrefire rifles recoil is obviously a factor.

Does it make much of a different for pistols? Just wondering.

Talking about practical and comfortable levels here, not just numbers on paper. Obviously .22lr will have less recoil than a 9mm or 45acp.

I know it won't be anything like a .308 vs a 300 win mag, but in pistol calibres is one more comfortable to shoot than the next? Or is it so little powder in common size pistol cartridges it makes as much as no difference?

(I just picked 9mm and 45acp as examples, not specifically talking those two)
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Re: Centrefire pistol recoil levels a consideration?

Post by Baldrick314 » 29 Jan 2017, 10:54 am

Just from personal experience I find the biggest issue with pistol recoil is how quickly you can recover and fire the next shot. I'm yet to experience any recoil from a pistol that would make me flinch or hesitant to fire another shot.
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Re: Centrefire pistol recoil levels a consideration?

Post by bladeracer » 29 Jan 2017, 12:01 pm

shazz wrote:When talking centrefire rifles recoil is obviously a factor.

Does it make much of a different for pistols? Just wondering.

Talking about practical and comfortable levels here, not just numbers on paper. Obviously .22lr will have less recoil than a 9mm or 45acp.

I know it won't be anything like a .308 vs a 300 win mag, but in pistol calibres is one more comfortable to shoot than the next? Or is it so little powder in common size pistol cartridges it makes as much as no difference?

(I just picked 9mm and 45acp as examples, not specifically talking those two)


Best thing you can do is just try some different calibers yourself.
The reason the rifles recoil harder is velocity and bullet weight, and the same goes for handguns.
I found that revolvers tend to recoil a little harder than auto's, but not hugely different.
Another factor that would probably matter is the size of your hands. Small hands trying to wrap around a double-stack .45 grip probably won't control the recoil as well as they might a single-stack frame.
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Re: Centrefire pistol recoil levels a consideration?

Post by duncan61 » 29 Jan 2017, 12:29 pm

Up to 357 mag no big deal.44 magnum will kick hard .I have seen a 4 shot revolver in 45/70 on YouTube but thats just radical.need a bungee cord and rollerskates for that one
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Re: Centrefire pistol recoil levels a consideration?

Post by duncan61 » 29 Jan 2017, 12:34 pm

Up to 357 mag no big deal.44 magnum will kick hard .I have seen a 4 shot revolver in 45/70 on YouTube but thats just radical.need a bungee cord and rollerskates for that one
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Re: Centrefire pistol recoil levels a consideration?

Post by No1Mk3 » 29 Jan 2017, 12:36 pm

There are large calibre handguns that are uncomfortable to fire a competition series with. The same consideration of calibre for rifles applies to handguns, and you should remember rifle recoil is absorbed through the shoulder and body, but handgun recoil must impact the palm of the hand and armbones whilst moving to the shoulder joint. Nobody really wants to shoot Service Match with full house 44Mag, or even 357Max so recoil is a major consideration in choice of gun/calibtre for the competition you intend to engage in, Cheers.
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Re: Centrefire pistol recoil levels a consideration?

Post by duncan61 » 29 Jan 2017, 12:59 pm

Up to 357 mag no big deal.44 magnum will kick hard .I have seen a 4 shot revolver in 45/70 on YouTube but thats just radical.need a bungee cord and rollerskates for that one
.22 winchester .22hornet .222 .243 7mm rem mag cbc 12g
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Re: Centrefire pistol recoil levels a consideration?

Post by superdave » 29 Jan 2017, 1:05 pm

You'll notice a difference from 22 to 9mm to 45. Shoot pistols enough and the the recoil becomes less of an issue unless it's really unpleasant.
You'll find your focus shifts to whether you hit the target or not. What does change as you go up the caliber scale is the muzzle jump, ie 22 is very quick to re sight on the same target and fire. 9mm takes longer, 45 longer again.
As somebody posted earlier, the best way is to try it yourself. Start with a 22, and work your way up.
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Re: Centrefire pistol recoil levels a consideration?

Post by Oldbloke » 29 Jan 2017, 2:15 pm

As a guide just look at the size of the case. More powder = more recoil. If you ignore the weight of the firearm. More weight of firearm = less recoil

More a rifle thing but less weight of shooter = less recoil. This is because you roll with the punch
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Re: Centrefire pistol recoil levels a consideration?

Post by Sumo » 29 Jan 2017, 3:52 pm

Also be aware that reduced loads are often used to reduce recoil if shooting on paper. As already stated, this has the benefit of faster re-acquisition of target I have a 357 Magnum revolver that I load light rounds in 38 special for shooting paper at 25m. So in the one handgun I can have the extremes of recoil from a hot 357 Magnum round to my own 38sp loads which recoil as light as shooting some 22LR.
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Re: Centrefire pistol recoil levels a consideration?

Post by bladeracer » 29 Jan 2017, 4:21 pm

Sumo wrote:Also be aware that reduced loads are often used to reduce recoil if shooting on paper. As already stated, this has the benefit of faster re-acquisition of target I have a 357 Magnum revolver that I load light rounds in 38 special for shooting paper at 25m. So in the one handgun I can have the extremes of recoil from a hot 357 Magnum round to my own 38sp loads which recoil as light as shooting some 22LR.



Also keep in mind though, this is generally only an option with revolvers - auto's need a specific amount of gas pressure to function reliably.
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Re: Centrefire pistol recoil levels a consideration?

Post by duncan61 » 29 Jan 2017, 6:20 pm

My mate was back from Thailand and he did some handgun shooting at a range there and the 44 mag boots your hands up regardless how big you are
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