breakthrough
Moderator
what would you say they are from your own experience?
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guns in different calibers that have low felt recoil/muzzle flip
- Thread starter breakthrough
- Start date
Any power firearm will give muzzle flip, heavier frames can help minimize the flip. The flip is caused by the "rocket" effect of the muzzle. Shorter barrels are more susceptible to muzzle flip. What you would need is practice, practice, practice with follow-through after each shot to get back on target for the next shot.
Rangerrich99
New member
Full-size Glocks, 4- and 5-inch 1911s, Sig P229 up to .357 Sig, Beretta PX4 Storm up to .45 acp, medium/large frame revolvers with at least 4-inch barrels. Just as a general guideline, not as an absolute.
+1 to what jmr40 said.
Plus there are specialty handguns like the Chiappa Rhino that put barrel of the revolver in line with the bottom chamber of the cylinder.
http://www.chiappafirearms.com/products/75
Additionally you can have something like magna-porting done to you firearm to reduce muzzle flip.
http://www.magnaport.com/hgun.html
And compensators just to mention those too.
http://yhm.net/pistol-compensators-1157.html
Plus there are specialty handguns like the Chiappa Rhino that put barrel of the revolver in line with the bottom chamber of the cylinder.
http://www.chiappafirearms.com/products/75
Additionally you can have something like magna-porting done to you firearm to reduce muzzle flip.
http://www.magnaport.com/hgun.html
And compensators just to mention those too.
http://yhm.net/pistol-compensators-1157.html
Well, semi-automatic pistols chambered for .22lr shoot pretty soft even in straight blow-back designs.
I would agree that 38 Special shot from a full-size metal revolver like the GP100 or S&W 686 are quite soft-shooting.
Next in line would be 9x19mm full-size, all-metal, locked breech pistols like the CZ75, Beretta 92FS/M9, or SIG Sauer P226 for example.
I have not shot many .380 Auto pistols but those I have had pretty sharp recoil since they were direct blow-back designs that relied on still recoil springs to hold the breech closed, plus were compact pistols with relatively narrow grips that were light in weight.
I do not find the bore axis to be much of an issue if the pistol is well-designed ergonomically. I have shot plenty of Glocks and do not find their recoil characteristics to be generally more pleasant than those of many other pistols.
A lot of other issues come into play including grip and tang design and pistol weight. Glock grips don't fit or fill my hand well so the recoil is not distributed over as much area of my hand as it is with quite a few other pistols.
I would agree that 38 Special shot from a full-size metal revolver like the GP100 or S&W 686 are quite soft-shooting.
Next in line would be 9x19mm full-size, all-metal, locked breech pistols like the CZ75, Beretta 92FS/M9, or SIG Sauer P226 for example.
I have not shot many .380 Auto pistols but those I have had pretty sharp recoil since they were direct blow-back designs that relied on still recoil springs to hold the breech closed, plus were compact pistols with relatively narrow grips that were light in weight.
I do not find the bore axis to be much of an issue if the pistol is well-designed ergonomically. I have shot plenty of Glocks and do not find their recoil characteristics to be generally more pleasant than those of many other pistols.
A lot of other issues come into play including grip and tang design and pistol weight. Glock grips don't fit or fill my hand well so the recoil is not distributed over as much area of my hand as it is with quite a few other pistols.
Spats McGee
Administrator
In .45, the G21 and the XDs are pretty soft shooters. I found that surprising because one's great big and one's itty-bitty.
Primary things that cause recoil ..:
Weight of the bullet
Velocity of the bullet
Weight of the gun...
That is why higher velocity calibers - like most guns in a .40 S&W - tend to be a little snappy...
but you can overcome that with a heavier gun ....so a gun like a Sig X-Five all stainless model ( that is about 55 oz with a full mag in it ...in .40 S&W feels about the same as shooting many guns in 9mm).
For an all around gun -- with reduced recoil, reduced muzzle flip ...I like a full sized, all steel, 1911 with a 5" barrel in 9mm. Its a very easy gun to shoot...and it fits a lot of medium to smaller sized hands over most any of the double stack weapons.
Weight of the bullet
Velocity of the bullet
Weight of the gun...
That is why higher velocity calibers - like most guns in a .40 S&W - tend to be a little snappy...
but you can overcome that with a heavier gun ....so a gun like a Sig X-Five all stainless model ( that is about 55 oz with a full mag in it ...in .40 S&W feels about the same as shooting many guns in 9mm).
For an all around gun -- with reduced recoil, reduced muzzle flip ...I like a full sized, all steel, 1911 with a 5" barrel in 9mm. Its a very easy gun to shoot...and it fits a lot of medium to smaller sized hands over most any of the double stack weapons.
felt
About "soft" shooting guns....
If I shoot the same ammo out of three different guns of the same weight and barrel length...assuming the same velocity, "free" recoil will be the same.
There are other elements of gun design that may/will "soften" the "felt" recoil: the materials used in construction of the gun, the location of the boreline of the barrel in relation to the hand and bones of the forearm, the design of the grip -width, length, depth, angle (ergonomics) and materials used in for the grip, the compression value of the recoil spring(s) (if a semi-auto).
I have a Ruger SBH in .44 Magnum. The factory grips allowed the gun to move in my hand more than I like. Recoil was not unmanageable but not fun either. Change to a wider, softer grip...a bigger grip overall...and the gun became less of a task to shoot..."softer" if you will.
Pete
About "soft" shooting guns....
If I shoot the same ammo out of three different guns of the same weight and barrel length...assuming the same velocity, "free" recoil will be the same.
There are other elements of gun design that may/will "soften" the "felt" recoil: the materials used in construction of the gun, the location of the boreline of the barrel in relation to the hand and bones of the forearm, the design of the grip -width, length, depth, angle (ergonomics) and materials used in for the grip, the compression value of the recoil spring(s) (if a semi-auto).
I have a Ruger SBH in .44 Magnum. The factory grips allowed the gun to move in my hand more than I like. Recoil was not unmanageable but not fun either. Change to a wider, softer grip...a bigger grip overall...and the gun became less of a task to shoot..."softer" if you will.
Pete
Tucker 1371
New member
Softest shooting handguns I've ever shot are (In this order)-
Glock 42
CZ75 SP01
Beretta M9
Glock 19
My 5" Colt isn't too bad but I don't think it qualifies as "soft shooting"
My work gun, a Glock 22, isn't terrible but isn't great either.
My Gen3 Glock 23 is a snappy little thing. I won't own another .40 in anything less than a full sized gun.
Glock 42
CZ75 SP01
Beretta M9
Glock 19
My 5" Colt isn't too bad but I don't think it qualifies as "soft shooting"
My work gun, a Glock 22, isn't terrible but isn't great either.
My Gen3 Glock 23 is a snappy little thing. I won't own another .40 in anything less than a full sized gun.
g.willikers
New member
Talking about stuff seems to be far more popular than talking about how to use stuff.
But pistol design cannot overcome poor technique.
If recoil is a problem, for pistols in pistol calibers the solution is usually with the shooter more than the gun.
Kind of true even for pistols in rifle calibers, too.
But pistol design cannot overcome poor technique.
If recoil is a problem, for pistols in pistol calibers the solution is usually with the shooter more than the gun.
Kind of true even for pistols in rifle calibers, too.
Mike Irwin
Staff
The H&K P7 series has a very low bore axis and gas retarded blowback, which combine to make for very low muzzle flip.
G.gwillikers talking about stuff is what happens here! There are very real differences in recoil in pistol calibers, and very real differences in pistols within those calibers. My LCP will not be much fun to shoot with hot self-defense ammo regardless of how good my technique is. That same ammo in a G42 will be much more pleasant. Technique doesn't change physical characteristics of handguns or how those characteristics affect one's comfort in using them. It will make a difference in how well one shoots, but that is another topic.
Among 9 mm pistols, the softest I have encountered is the Beretta PX4. It is even a little softer than the heavier 92FS; the rotating barrel gets a lot of the credit. I have not shot a 1911 in 9 mm, but folks say they are sweethearts.
In .380, I am sure the bigger pistols are even softer, but among the pocket pistols the little Sig P238 is very comfortable to shoot.
In .380, I am sure the bigger pistols are even softer, but among the pocket pistols the little Sig P238 is very comfortable to shoot.