Recoil differences

[L. Boscoe]

I just got a Garmin Chronograph, and tested some of my
handloads as well as 10 rds of Atlanta Arms 185 match
ammo.
My 185 SWC gave almost exactly the same fps as the Atl.
Arms, but the recoil was markedly different in that the
Atl. was much sharper.
I also tested some 200gr Hp, and they gave a slightly lower fps but also softer recoil.
Could this be due to crimp?

[Recycled bullet]

In my opinion the biggest contribution to recoil is bullet weight when compared against a different loading at a similar velocity. However without knowing which gun bullet powder casing or any other variable..

[jmr40]

Actual recoil can be calculated using the following info.

Weight of the projectile
Weight of the firearm
Velocity of the projectile
Weight of the powder charge


It is the 4th one that throws people off. I'm more of a rifle shooter so I'll use the following example. You can load 30-06 and 308 so that they shoot the same weight projectile to the same speed from the same weight rifle. But the 308 case will burn about 10 gr less powder to do it. For exactly the same performance 308 will recoil less.

I'd check your powder charges and if you're using less powder in one that is probably the difference. But since pistols use a lot less powder the difference is usually hard to notice.

Another factor is recoil velocity. Some loads recoil faster than others. You get exactly the same recoil, but since it is spread out over more time it feels more comfortable to you. Another rifle example. 35 Whelen and 300 WM have virtually the same recoil. But 35 Whelen recoil is slower and spread over more time so most people will think it is a little more comfortable.

Plug in your numbers here and see what you find

https://shooterscalculator.com/recoil-calculator.php

[74A95]

Different powders require different amounts to push the same bullet to the same speed. As noted above, greater gunpowder weight produces more recoil force. The difference in recoil can be obvious in handguns. The link below demonstrates the different recoil force of different powders.

https://www.shootingtimes.com/editor...n-recoil/99442

[L. Boscoe]

the reason I asked about crimp is the idea that the bullet that is tightly held gives the powder more time (milli sec) to burn at a high level and thus gives more explosive power to the bullet, which would, IMHO give greater recoil. The shooting times says more powder gives greater recoil and fps.

[Recycled bullet]

I wonder if you could glue the bullets into the case mouths as a method of increasing tension upon firing, and how much pressure would change.

What gun and bullet and powder in cartridge are you shooting?

[74A95]

Originally Posted by L. Boscoe

The shooting times says more powder gives greater recoil and fps.

To understand the Shooting Times article, look at Table 1. It shows how much recoil force is produced by different gunpowders for the same 1275 fps velocity. The more gunpowder that is required to produce 1275 fps, the greater the recoil it produces.

[P Flados]

Higher charges to get the same velocity usually means a slower powder.

A slower powder also tends to have a higher pressure in the barrel at the time the bullet leaves the muzzle.

The higher pressure produces more velocity for the hot gas as it exits. The combination of more powder mass and more velocity for the hot gas adds to the recoil equation.

[L. Boscoe]

ok, so crimp does not affect? Shooting times did not raise that question, but I do appreciate smaller charges give less recoil.
Let's hear it for smaller charges!

[Unclenick]

Crimp can improve burn regularity (good for velocity consistency) at the risk of distorting the bullet (bad for balance, though not usually enough to matter at handgun precision levels). Crimping delays the neck lifting away from the bullet, so the powder burn is a little further underway. It has an effect that would be measured in microseconds on the bullet release.

The recoil difference is due partly to powder mass and partly to how high the muzzle pressure is that is accelerating the mass of those gasses to blow them out past the exiting bullet. That gas expulsion is called "rocket effect" and "after effect." In some overbore high-power rifles shooting large charges of slow powder behind light bullets, the rocket effect can account for upwards of 60% of the recoil. Muzzle brakes that just vent gas in all directions rather than favoring pushing the muzzle down, like Magna-porting, or pulling forward on it, like a clamshell brake, are able to reduce recoil because they drop the muzzle pressure just before the bullet clears the muzzle so there is little rocket effect left to push the gun to the rear.

In the case of a handgun, the same principles apply, and the more gas mass there is and the higher the muzzle pressure is, the more rocket effect you get adding to bullet recoil. Broadly speaking, when loads of fast and slow powder have a velocity match with the same bullet, the fast powder will get there with higher peak pressure, lower muzzle pressure, and lower gas volume. The slow powder has to make more gas to achieve the higher muzzle pressure, and that is why, for powders with matching energy content per grain, the slower powder load is heavier, providing more mass to expel and doing it at a higher pressure, creating more reaction force.

[gwpercle]

More likely it was the powder ... faster or slower types give different felt recoil .
To me , loads with slower burning powders give more of a push ... so the recoil feels softer .With faster burning powder it feels sharper ... or more recoil ...
But we all know that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction ...
Gary

[Unclenick]

My experience is just the opposite. Did you measure to be sure your velocities were an exact match?