Recoil: check please

Boberama · June 18, 2011, 04:51 PM

Check this out: What do you think of these figures?

.357 Mag, S&W 686 4-in, 40 oz, 125 gr 1440 ft/s, 20 gr powder, gas velocity 3000 ft/s

Recoil: 7.3 ft-lbs, 13.7 ft/s

.45 ACP, S&W 625 4-in, 43 oz, 230 gr 820 ft/s, 6 gr powder, gas velocity 1500 ft/s

Recoil: 4.6 ft-lbs, 10.5 ft/s

Note: gas velocities calculated as 1.5 times the muzzle velocity in a rifle-length barrel

Smaug · June 18, 2011, 10:23 PM

I don't really know what to say about the figures. I assume you calculated them from known data, in which case it all comes down to your arithmetic.

The numbers indicate that a 357 Magnum recoils 58% more than a 45, which sounds about right to me.

That said, if you're going to compare the heaviest bullet in 45 ACP vs. 357 Magnum, you should compare a 230 gr. +P in 45 to a 158 gr 357 Magnum. Max loads in each gun, in other words.

I have no idea about gas velocities, or how they are relevant here. (esp. if they were calculated from a rifle length barrel, and we're talking about handguns here)

WESHOOT2 · June 19, 2011, 07:49 AM

I opine that gas velocities are greater.
Much greater.

brickeyee · June 19, 2011, 01:50 PM

Gas speed is not as big a driver in handguns as rifles.

The bullet mass to powder mass ratio is very different.

The bigger problem with just looking at free recoil energy is that it does not account for perceived recoil.

I have seen rifles that smacked you in the face with every shot (.30-06 pump) while the same diminution in a different gun was perfectly comfortable (bad but plate angle in the pump gun).

The same occurs in handguns.
Things like bore height above the grip, grip size, grip shape, and even the speed of the acceleration (jerk).

SRH78 · June 20, 2011, 01:15 PM

I don't know about the gas velocities but the recoil looks reasonable enough.

I have a 6" GP100 and a 7.5" Super Redhawk and 45 Colt loads out of the SRH have significantly less recoil than 357 loads out of the GP100. Even if the SRH were as "light" as the GP100, I believe the difference would still be pretty noticable. Btw, the 45 Colt loads were hotter than the 45 ACP load listed above.

June 18, 2011, 04:51 PM	#1
Boberama Senior Member Join Date: January 23, 2010 Posts: 189	Recoil: check please Check this out: What do you think of these figures? .357 Mag, S&W 686 4-in, 40 oz, 125 gr 1440 ft/s, 20 gr powder, gas velocity 3000 ft/s Recoil: 7.3 ft-lbs, 13.7 ft/s .45 ACP, S&W 625 4-in, 43 oz, 230 gr 820 ft/s, 6 gr powder, gas velocity 1500 ft/s Recoil: 4.6 ft-lbs, 10.5 ft/s Note: gas velocities calculated as 1.5 times the muzzle velocity in a rifle-length barrel __________________ I just try to be really, really honest with people when I think that they suck. - Santana Lopez, Glee

June 18, 2011, 10:23 PM	#2
Smaug Senior Member Join Date: June 4, 2004 Location: SE Wisconsin Posts: 3,210	I don't really know what to say about the figures. I assume you calculated them from known data, in which case it all comes down to your arithmetic. The numbers indicate that a 357 Magnum recoils 58% more than a 45, which sounds about right to me. That said, if you're going to compare the heaviest bullet in 45 ACP vs. 357 Magnum, you should compare a 230 gr. +P in 45 to a 158 gr 357 Magnum. Max loads in each gun, in other words. I have no idea about gas velocities, or how they are relevant here. (esp. if they were calculated from a rifle length barrel, and we're talking about handguns here) __________________ -Jeremy "Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength." - Eric Hoffer

June 19, 2011, 07:49 AM	#3
WESHOOT2 Senior Member Join Date: February 20, 1999 Location: home on the range; Vermont (Caspian country) Posts: 14,324	I opine that gas velocities are greater. Much greater. __________________ . "all my ammo is mostly retired factory ammo"

June 19, 2011, 01:50 PM	#4
brickeyee Senior Member Join Date: December 29, 2004 Posts: 3,351	Gas speed is not as big a driver in handguns as rifles. The bullet mass to powder mass ratio is very different. The bigger problem with just looking at free recoil energy is that it does not account for perceived recoil. I have seen rifles that smacked you in the face with every shot (.30-06 pump) while the same diminution in a different gun was perfectly comfortable (bad but plate angle in the pump gun). The same occurs in handguns. Things like bore height above the grip, grip size, grip shape, and even the speed of the acceleration (jerk).

June 20, 2011, 01:15 PM	#5
SRH78 Senior Member Join Date: April 18, 2011 Location: Texas Posts: 517	I don't know about the gas velocities but the recoil looks reasonable enough. I have a 6" GP100 and a 7.5" Super Redhawk and 45 Colt loads out of the SRH have significantly less recoil than 357 loads out of the GP100. Even if the SRH were as "light" as the GP100, I believe the difference would still be pretty noticable. Btw, the 45 Colt loads were hotter than the 45 ACP load listed above.