Low recoil 45 caliber recomendation

S

SK1911

Inactive
Have a couple 1911’s and an XDS, 45 caliber. Can anyone recommended (actually fired) a commercial self-defense load in 185 grain that doesn’t kick like hell in a Springfield 3.5 XDS. In the 5”1911’s the commercial 185 + p JHP are very manageable, but the short barrel XDS is hard to put back on sight when using them. Being a carry pistol, kind of defeats the purpose of a self-defense firearm if I can’t reacquire a sight picture quickly. I know HP’s need velocity to expand properly, but velocity equals more recoil. Any suggestions? The reason I put post here is I (may be wrong) would think if anyone would know more about loads, velocity, ballistics and flavors of ammo, it would be the re-loaders.
 
Any factory jacketed bullet load is going to be, um, stout, out of a 3.5" barrel. Not enough weight to help tame the recoil.
+P's are about pressure. They'll be hot too.
Personally, I'd just use a cast 230. Any cast bullet will expand upon impact with hard things.
 
Maybe some of the lightweight, super speedy ammo. I think it's marketed as DRT ammo. All copper short slug with "petals" that break off and act as small meat grinders.

Another detective in a neighboring community worked a murder in which the victim was shot with one round of this stuff. He went to the autopsy, and the ME doing the exam couldn't believe the damage came from a single pistol shot. Said it was devastating. One of the "petals" got into an artery in the chest and were pumped with the blood through the artery. They were found in a blood vessel in the leg and completely destroyed the artery as it traveled down with the flow of blood..........

It's like $2 a round though. I shot a few rounds just to tinker and the light for caliber round is easy recoiling, and I have heard reliable proof it works..............
 
Last edited:
Felt recoil is directly related to the weight of the gun. Okay, that's a generalization, not from a physics book but is pretty accurate. I've got a S&W model 39 with a four inch barrel and a 952 with a six inch barrel (quite heavy) and the difference in recoil is considerable.
 
If it'll make the slide function, you might try finding a box of the 185gr FMJWC match ammo to run through it. The stuff isn't cheap, but at 765 f/s, it should be mild enough that you can "get your feet under you" with the pistol before returning to the more powerful defense ammo.

If you are a reloader, 4.0/Bullseye/200gr. LSWC is a decent approximation.
 
I run the Liberty Civil Defense in my S&W 9c and my buddy has it in his .45 XD. they both are very light recoil rounds. I would say almost 1/2 of other target loads, yes target not defense rounds. They don't have the penetration of other rounds but that is why I use them. I live in a ranch house where my bedroom and my kids bedrooms are down a long hallway with no exit. The hallway makes a shooting lane that puts my friends house directly in the background of a stray bullet. These style of bullets will not go through my wall, the garage wall, and into my friends house. If you need penetration then these are not for you. They are a very unique and light shooting round.
 
Maybe a change in technique would improve things.
It's not always how much recoil and muzzle rise there is, but how quickly the gun and sights can return to the target.
It's more about keeping the gun tracking straight up and back down than how high it goes during recoil.
If that makes sense.
Just a thought.
 
Felt recoil is directly related to the weight of the gun
Click to expand...

Incomplete. The weight of the gun combined with the weight of the bullet and the speed at which it is launched from the tube. Lighter bullet = less felt recoil in the same gun.
 
kind of defeats the purpose of a self-defense firearm if I can’t reacquire a sight picture quickly
Click to expand...

Most self defense shooting that I know of has no time for a "sight picture".

It is point and shoot and mostly at <15 yds.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top