BIG recoil difference is between .40 & .45

[smak28]

Someone call nine wah wah for the waaaaahmbulance

Maybe I didn't make it clear, but my caliber of choice is shooting .40s

[smak28]

Try a Glock 29 with some Underwood in it.

That sounds brutal

[Mayor McRifle]

I had a USP 40 and it recoiled to random side angles, didn't like that at all.

That's a grip issue. The recoil is taking the path of least resistance. Work on building your grip and maintaining proper leverage.

[JTROKS]

Try shooting lighter weight bullets with the 40. If you shoot 180 grain defense loads then it will have more recoil and snappy too. The 45 is almost half the working pressure of the 40.

[smak28]

Try shooting lighter weight bullets with the 40. If you shoot 180 grain defense loads then it will have more recoil and snappy too. The 45 is almost half the working pressure of the 40.

That is what it felt like. It was very surprising to feel that much of a difference. I'll run the Speer Lawman TMJ in 165gr & 180gr and will see the difference. Thanks!

[Air]

45 less recoil, bigger hole.

[smak28]

45 less recoil, bigger hole.

It sure is.

[trackcage]

[crufflers]

Umm...I have 9 other .40s (polymer, aluminum, steel).

HEY GREAT. How do I know? You are just some Doude on the Internets talking about recoil stud with a 3 pound 10mm SHORT to me.

[billped]

HEY GREAT. How do I know? You are just some Doude on the Internets talking about recoil stud with a 3 pound 10mm SHORT to me.

Lighten up, Francis.

[seal20]

Maybe I didn't make it clear, but my caliber of choice is shooting .40s

Ahhhhhhhh, gotcha. Mine as well. I'm so used to it when I shoot 9 or 45 I have to adjust for the less recoil

[ruchik]

I'm the opposite. I found that a .40 in an alloy framed p226 recoiled lighter than a full size all steel 1911 in .45.

[billped]

Great point! I used Speer Lawman TMJ ammo in both: .40 180gr vs. .45 230gr

Edit: Oh wait...the .40 may had been 165gr Speer Lawman TMJ

That's great. It means you aren't likely adding a big variable into the equation. The two rounds are "similar".

If it was some heavily overloaded round in one and a light load in the other, that would be a different story.

[blaser]

Hey OP,

Yep you are onto something. Just my observation from shooting USPs in 9, 40, and 45. The nine is mild, 40 snappy, and the 45 a mush/push. Didn't have to know which round was which. Could tell just by the recoil. Wouldn't call the difference huge, just noticeable.

So now, to avoid all confusion I just shoot 1911s.

[billped]

One thing to keep in mind is that force has a "shock" component and a time component. The latter is probably related to the round's velocity. Since 45acp is slower, the total energy is spread across a longer period of time so the "shock" seems lighter.