Does having a compensator make a difference in recoil?

M

magnum_force

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Does having a compensator make a difference in recoil?
Does the H&K USP 45 match compensator fit on a full size H&K USP 9mm?
Does H&K sell the compensator separately?
How much is a H&K compensator and where can I buy one?
 
A compensator will reduce muzzle flip. Adding more weight to the gun, reducing the bullet weight, reducing the caliber, or reducing the amount of powder in the cartridge will reduce recoil.
 
Some of the answer has been given here. But there is more to it as well. Talk to some of the long time IPSC shooters and they will tell you to get a comp to work well, the pressure in the gun has to be pretty high. This is one of the reasons many of them shot .38 Super for many years. That is one cartridge that you can load up on the pressure safely. The hotter load actualy had less recoil than a lighter load with the same bullet.

You mention having a comp on a 9mm. The real question would be how much recoil is there in a 9 now? Is there really enough pressure with a standard 115 grn load to be effective in a comp? Take a 124 grn round... load it up hot... and maybe then you would see some difference of note. Not saying you won't have some lighter recoil with a standard 9mm. Just wondering how much there can be with such a light load anyway.

FYI. The IPSC boys have pretty much moved to .40 *&* because they can still get a large number of rounds in the mags and they can load that cartridge up and get the pressures high enough to make their comps work well.

YMMV.

Bubba
 
I don't think the "high pressure" thing is the whole story. I have shot a marlin Guide Gun in 45-70 and the porting makes a big difference IMO. The gun was comfortable to shoot off the bench. And the 45-70 is a long ways from being a high pressure round.
 
1. IPSC shooters embraced the .40 because it can be loaded for 'major' scoring. The 9mm can only ever count as minor as .40 (10mm) is the absolute minimum diameter allowed for major scoring.

2. A few years back, H&K marketed a kind of compensator for the USP that fitted to the acessory rails. This isn't available any more, and there were RUMOURS that there were 'problems' with it...

Hope this helps

...TS
 
Porting isn't compensating. Compensators actually reduce slide speed/recoil, as well as muzzle flip. I shoot .400 Cor-Bon and its big brother, .40 Super, through my G21, equipped with threaded, compensated Accu-Match barrels. Recoil is significantly less with the comp attached. Has very little to do with the additional weight added to the muzzle.
 
Walt is correct. Ports and comps are 2 different animals. With a comped 1911 you will need a lighter (sometimes much lighter) recoil spring to ensure functioning.

IPSC shooters embraced the .40 because it can be loaded for 'major' scoring. The 9mm can only ever count as minor as .40 (10mm) is the absolute minimum diameter allowed for major scoring.

Thats true only for limited class competition. Unlimited is where the Super and other 9mm cartridges can be scored as major (and use comps, red dots...etc not allowed in limted class.

I've owned 1 twin port comped .45, a modified SA 5". A compensator is not very effective with the low pressures of the .45 but really shines wih higher pressured rounds such as the Super. Ports, otoh, can help reduce flip and felt recoil in most any cartridge incl .22LR
 
I guessed someone would pick up on that...

<blockquote>
IPSC shooters embraced the .40 because it can be loaded for 'major' scoring. The 9mm can only ever count as minor as .40 (10mm) is the absolute minimum diameter allowed for major scoring.

Thats true only for limited class competition. Unlimited is where the Super and other 9mm cartridges can be scored as major (and use comps, red dots...etc not allowed in limted class.
</blockquote>

Of course we are talking about 9x19 here aren't we?!
To make 'major' in IPSC OPEN division you would need to make a 'power factor' of 160, namely a 147grains at 1090fps or 124 at 1290. I suppose my head is stuck in the days of 180 power factors when 9x19 was ..er.. let's say <i>impractical</i> in this category.
 
In limited class, .40 or greater caliber is required to make major. In open class any "9mm" bullet (.355/.356) such as .38 super or 9X23 can be used to make major and are the overwhelmingly preferred choice in open class both for mag capacity and recoil/comp. effectiveness. The lighter, higher velocity bullets are just straight out faster to shoot so there is no reason to shoot .40 in open class. The only guys shooting compd .40's are in the modified class which also requires .40 or greater caliber to make major and also allows comps/porting.
 
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