.40 s&w recoil

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Levergun_lover94

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Hey everyone I was just wondering how much recoil a glock 22 gen3 in .40 s&w has. The most powerful handgun I've shot is a ruger security six .357 magnum with standard power factory loads and I want to know how the recoil compares. I want to know this because a buddy of mine offered to trade me his gen 3 glock 22 for $200 any feedback would be appreciated, thanks.
 
.40S&W out of a full size hand gun like the Glock 22 isn't bad at all. I put a couple mags through a friend's GEN3 a couple weeks ago and it was manageable.

I haven't shot .357 Magnum in quite awhile but I would say the Glock would have less recoil. And it's only $200!



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In representing Glock of Smyrna GA, in the sale of 5000 Glock Pistols, to Toronto Ontario, Canada Police Force. When Revolvers were replaced. The Chief Firearms Instructor bent the results of a general testing of the rank and file, found that the .40 S&W recoiled less than the 9mm?

The small statured Officers shot the G22 easier than the G17? Yea right.

Still better than a 4" S&W Revolver.

The thousands of $s in the extra cost of training ammunition, .40 S&W versus 9mm?
A drop in the bucket. And no Company loaded .40 Ammunition in Canada at that time! In fact, .40 was really scarce during the Gulf Wars.

I was working with a Deputy Chief at the time, he could not change the results, his expert, knew best?
 
I have 4 40s. Two FN (X and S) are full sized pistols. Also a G27 and a Shield 40.

All have a 9mm barrel and three have a 357 Sig barrel. I do not notice much of a difference between the 40 and the 9mm recoil. The 40 is only slightly more of a muzzle rise.

In the two smaller guns the recoil of both 9mm and 40 is felt a little more, but even with that, they are both carried concealed.

I also have arthritis in my hands and the only gun that give me any pain is another snubbie 357 magnum when I shoot 158 gr in it.

When I shoot my 357 magnum and, especially, my 44 magnum and then shoot the 40s I hardly feel the recoil of any of the 40s.

If possible, shoot your friend's 40 before doing the trade. I think you will like it.

My guns are teaching me that with age and a loss of physical abilities that I should have paid more attention to grip and trigger pull and hand/arm positions years ago to minimize recoil and shoot more precisely. When I was younger physical abilities probably mitigated improper techniques.

Good luck!
 
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You can do the math and see which has more recoil. Use the recoil calculator at the link below for your comparison.

http://kwk.us/recoil.html

You'll need to know gun weight, bullet weight and speed and the amount of powder. You can look up the first three values on the web and get actual values for the ammo and gun you're considering.

For powder weight use 5-7 grains for the 40 S&W and 15-20 grains for the 357 Magnum. Those will give approximate values for most loads in those calibers.
 
I have that exact pistol. The recoil is no big deal to me, certainly less than full-power 357's. It's a nice big pistol. The weight and size help mitigate the recoil. I doubt if I would like 40 caliber in a pocket pistol, but in a full-sized service pistol like that it's very manageable. $200 is a screaming deal. You should jump right on that.
 
Of course it depends on the gun, load, and shooter but as others have said out of a full size gun I think most people can handle .40sw just fine.

However, if you decide not to go through with it tell your buddy I might :)
 
The .40 SW I have (Px4 Compact) has no where near the recoil of my .357s (M60 & M65). To be honest, I don't perceive much difference between a .40 & a 9, recoil-wise, but then my primary handguns are .45 acp & .357.
 
Disclaimer: I'm not a big Glock fan...lukewarm at best.

Recoil of the Glock 22 .40 S&W will be less than the .357 magnum you shot.

That said, you should know that ammunition varies. You could buy powder puff target loads for the .357 that may recoil less than some of the full bore chest thumping rounds you could buy for the .40 S&W.

https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_list&c=25

And that said, $200 for a Glock 22 3rd gen is a pretty good deal unless the gun is all beat up...maybe even if it is beat up. Glocks have a good reputation to keep on shooting.

One thing you might or might not be interested in is that Glock has a program where you can send in just the slide and they'll put a decent set of night sights on it for around $70. Because you send in just the slide you don't have to go thru FFL's and 'special firearms rates' shipping. Some review info is here:
https://www.glocktalk.com/threads/glock-factory-night-sights.1677735/
 
If a 357 doesn't bother you, you'll never notice 40 S&W. For that matter even the hotter 10mm loads will be softer shooting.
 
^^^^^^^^THAT!^^^^^^^
Not even close, no matter what the calculator says.
The semi auto cycles the slide taking away any of that hard snap that you get with even the steel frame .357 revolvers with the exposed backstrap.
I've shot some of the hottest 10mm and the hottest .357 and the .40 and 10mm are WAY SOFTER!
 
Were you shooting .38 Special or .357 Magnum in the Ruger? The Security Six can shoot either.

The .40 will have less recoil than .357, but probably more recoil than a .38.
 
Recoil of ..40 S&W's is way over rated as far as I am concerned. Too many folks on the forums act like it just too much to handle for normal folks, but it ain't necessarily so..
 
I have a number of Glocks as well as 1911s and SA pistols in various calibers so I'm use to different recoil feels. I shoot 40s&w, 45acp, 45 Super, and 10mm from my Glocks in a G20L custom, G21, G21L custom, G22, G23, and G24 custom. I don't own a 9mm because I handload and can make my ammo the way I want it.

I've found that the best combination of performance and lower snap in recoil is found in 180grn loads, especially in my CCW piece, my G23. However, with their polymer frame that flexes under recoil, none of the Glocks have the sharp recoil of my 1911s with full power 230grn 45acp+P loads, not even my Custom 6" G20L shooting 165grn 10mm at above 1,500fps.

Bore axis plays a part in that the Glock's bore axis is lower than the 1911's and considerably lower than my SA revolvers as well. My only heavy recoiling Glock is my G21L shooting my 230grn 45 Super handloads at 1,300fps.
 
When I was a kid, I had about zero possessions. I was grateful for anything I got. And if you weren't grateful, you better act like you were. There was no "this don't fit my hand" or "this kicks too much". Chances were your gun would be taken back and given to someone else.

I think some people need to harden up.
 
>>Recoil of ..40 S&W's is way over rated as far as I am concerned<<

I agree. It's a bunch of hooey.
 
I took a friend shooting for his first time a couple months ago.
We started with a .22. Did a single stack 9 and then a compact 9, then a full size walther p99 in 40 last.
Hands down he liked the 40 best.

A person's impression of 40 recoil is completely dependent upon his or her grip imho.
 
I've shot both Gen 3 and Gen 4 .40 Glocks and I feel that the Gen 4 and the dual recoil spring does reduce felt recoil because when I shot the Gen 3 Glock... there was more recoil. It could have been that the recoil spring was worn, it was a range rental.

Then in a Glock 27 Gen 4... the recoil is there, but it's not so much a snap as it is a bounce. I think if you've shot .357, you'll be just fine with the Glock 22.

But, if anybody offered me a Glock 22 for $200, you bet your ass I'm buying that.
 
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