Lots of folks talk about felt recoil...but did you know??

B

Big Shrek

New member
That your individual hand strength and build have more to do with how you feel and perceive recoil?

It's why some pistols feel better than others...
and why some feel better static, and then feel painful when you shoot them.

So how can you fix that??
STRENGTHEN YOUR HANDS!!

There are a huge variety of hand/finger exercisers that should be used by every gun owner.
ESPECIALLY as we get older...us old guys ain't climbing trees & whatnot like when we were kids...
dang sure ain't doing fingertip pushups anymore...
went to show my kids how to do it and got a reminder that I'm old as dirt.

That being said, it led me to an epiphany...
as I worked on hand strength, noticed that the felt recoil in my pistols has reduced.
My grip is stronger, nice & firm without being a Death Grip...
just well-controlled, and that's something that can benefit us all!
Even us Old Pharts!!
 
While hand strength is vital in keeping the grip from moving, it is the forearm muscles that control muzzle rise, so it is important to develop arm strength as well.
 
Yep, strengthen shoulders, arms - upper and lower, and wrists help a lot.

I am 68 and use 25 LB dumbbells a couple times a week as you want to rest a few days between workout of a muscle group so muscles can repair/grow when trying to build strength.

I like the MummyFit grip strengthener too as it is variable from 55-154 pounds resistance again twice a week with a few sets of 8-12 reps resting about 90 seconds between sets where the last rep is difficult to complete/partial.

https://www.amazon.com/MummyFit-Strengthener-Adjustable-Exerciser-Exercisers/dp/B00VIGEQXC
 
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Recoil control, steadiness and trigger control are all enhanced by improved hand & forearm strength.

Hand and forearm strength are mostly the same thing as most of the muscles that run the fingers are actually in the forearm. There are some muscles in the hand, and not all the muscles in the forearm are for controlling fingers. The muscles on the palm side of the forearm (for the most part) cause the fingers to close while the muscles on the otherside of the forearm are mostly for extending the fingers.

Here's an interesting video of Jerry Miculek coaching a couple of shooters. Some good information in it. Not that it's going to have you shooting like Jerry after just a few minutes of watching, but there are some good things to work on, and hand/forearm strength is definitely part of the equation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pic_C6Adt3Q&feature=emb_logo
 
Yup, glad someone else said it. I didn't want to come across as condescending telling folks that they need to strength train. Before I started working out regularly about 7 years ago, I thought shooting a 38 Special snub was harsh. These days, shooting a 44 Mag doesn't bother me.
 
I have been doing hand exercises every day since I started shooting, same with pushups and free weights. Absolutely they make a difference. That doesn’t mean differences in recoil still aren’t a thing. It often seems portrayed as if someone is just “strong enough” the differences between say 10mm and 9mm will disappear. That’s not my experience. I absolutely believe someone can shoot 10mm well, plenty do. But that same person should be able to shoot 9mm faster with less recoil. It’s not as if strength training only impacts the use of one cartridge.


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Never knew that.

Would have loved to have kept the beautiful, very appealing "Made in Germany" Walther PPK/S, but it wasn't as pleasant as expected.
It reminded me of the smaller Polish P-64 in 9x18 Mak.

Maybe a slightly wider plastic grip was avail. a few years ago to spread out the recoil.
At least my CZ PCR, German Sigs and Walther P99 are so different.
 
Big Shrek said:
That your individual hand strength and build have more to do with how you feel and perceive recoil?
Click to expand...

I wonder if that's why my XDS45 went from being OK to being a bit painful to shoot. (Medical adventures, that last half decade or so, from which I don't think I fully recovered from.)
 
That your individual hand strength and build have more to do with how you feel and perceive recoil?

It's why some pistols feel better than others...
and why some feel better static, and then feel painful when you shoot them.

So how can you fix that??
Click to expand...

I am not sure where this is going. My 12 ga. shotgun felt fine static but would sting when I shot it. I didn't work out. I just got used to holding it properly and the sting and bruising went away. Technique has a lot more to do with the pain issue than strength.

Whether or not a pistol feels good in my hands, static, has nothing to do with my strength, although I supposed if I was in absolutely terrible shape, pistols would feel too heavy. That isn't the case now and there are some pistols that feel good to me and some that do not. The issue of ergonomics isn't a strength issue in these cases. It is a grip size, grip shape, weight distribution, length of pull, etc. set of issues.

Having sufficient muscle strength can help with certain things, but it doesn't make pistols feel good that don't.
 
^^^^^^^^^^
It's not that one needs hand strength to shoot a gun accurately, but it's when time is a factor and the muzzle rise of the gun needs to be controlled that hand and arm strength are more necessary.

Bullseye shooters can shoot a hardball one handed all day with a relaxed grip. Even in rapid fire one has 2 seconds between shots, but in practical pistol when one has to fire off 5 rounds in less than 2 seconds, the minimizing of the recoil becomes critical.

People too often generalize recoil as one package, but you have the actual physical opposite power pulse and the muzzle rise and each affects a different perception of the recoil. So when you hear someone say
"it got a good KICK" (LOL), you are left in the dark what they actually are referring to, the recoil impulse that hurts their hand or the muzzle rise that knocks the barrel to their forehead!
 
That your individual hand strength and build have more to do with how you feel and perceive recoil?

It's why some pistols feel better than others...
and why some feel better static, and then feel painful when you shoot them.

So how can you fix that??
Click to expand...

How can you fix that?? You can't.

Hand and arm strength have nothing to do with felt recoil. They are critical factors when it comes to managing recoil, recovering from recoil, or even just holding the gun, but they have nothing to do with the feel of the recoil. That is the result of other factors.

Size and weight of the gun, size and shape of the grips and how they fit your hand, and the actual amount of recoil are what affect what you feel.

AND, for a lot of people, muzzle blast also plays a part in what they "feel" and call recoil.

Sticking with one common caliber (9mm Luger), I have (or had) several different guns, P.08 Luger, Walther P.38, Browning Hi Power, Ruger Blackhawk, Cobray M11/9, Tec 9, a Bolo 9mm Broomhandle Mauser, and a T/C Contender.
Shooting the same ammo, which of those do you suppose felt worst?? (to me, at any rate)

the Broomhandle. At nearly twice the size of "regular" 9mms, you'd think its size and weight would tame the recoil. It was instead, actually PAINFUL to shoot barehanded. The balance of the gun, combined with the small, nearly round grip would have been bad enough, but the large metal slot in the grip (for the shoulderstock) was painful, as it dug into my hand. It bites!! Cool gun to look at, sucked to shoot, unless you had the stock on it.

Next on my list, slightly better than the Broomhandle (it didn't bite) was the Cobray M11/9. It was quite uncomfortable to shoot (as a handgun). The 90 degree grip angle simply amplified the heavy bolt's "fore and aft" movement, seriously "rocking" the gun on the pivot point of a straight up and down grip. Added to that was a strong "slap" to the trigger finger when it reset. Not comfortable at all. The Tec 9 is better, it has a decently angled grip, but with nearly the entire mass of the gun "hanging" infront of the hand, its not good.

The guns with the least felt recoil were the Blackhawk, and the Contender. Size & weight, shape of the grip, fit in my hand, and lack of moving mass added to the feel result in a gentle recoil, feeling rather light.

What you feel depends on what you're hanging on to, not the strength of your grip or your arms.
 
I’ll load up my 13oz 340m&p with some full power 125 gr loads and I guarantee you, regardless how strong you think your hands, upper body is, most dudes can’t take more than a few without stepping away.
 
Same here on hand, forearms and overall upper strength as well as the reast of the body.

I am 72. Used to be a very strong fellow. Played some college football for a year.

However last year I went through treatment for upper throat cancer. Lost 65 lbs from not being able to eat and later being on a feeding tube for several months.

Through the recovery process I tried to shoot in my back yard range. Horrible, Horrible, Horrible! But the mental aspect of being able to do it badly but at least do it was therapy.

I could not stand because of the weakness. Shot from a rolling stool.

I was determined to regain my previous fairly good command of various and sundry handguns.

I started working on my hands and my forearms and upper body strength and pushing my leg strength to exhaustion.

Months of therapy via the gun. I kept working and slowly but surely I am able to stand and shoot several hundred rounds with 3-4 inch accuracy from 10-12 yards. I will get better.

I will never be a many shots one hole shooter, but I am now comfortable with my accuracy. Not like a young man, but it will get the job done. Still working on the strength.

I have other medical complications.....5 missing toes and several bones removed from my feet. Back problems. Left shoulder replaced. I used a cane but am now not using it unless I take longer walks....for me that is 50 ish yards. Due to have back surgery next month.

Most of my physical disabilities come from an excursion in Southeast Asia many years ago.....and, of course, age. Mortars and/or RPG rounds can be hazardous to your health.

Strength training has greatly helped my being able to be somewhat satisfied with my handgun shooting.....it takes persistence.

When I started shooting again after the cancer, I could not control a pistol enough to get even remotely timely follow ups...could not hold the pistol through the recoil. Now, I can follow up fairly rapidly. Strength training helped that...I could grip the gun tightly.
 
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