Can recoil affect our accuracy?

[swifty]

Lets go to Post #1 and read the question. Can recoil affect our accuracy?

Newton's Third Law of Motion states ~ For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Related to firearms, this is recoil. If you accept the Third Law of Motion, recoil starts as soon as the bullet starts moving forward.

The factory does have different sights for the same make, model and caliber of revolver. The differences depend upon barrel length. Check out the part numbers for Smith & Wesson.

Now, without limiting yourself to videos or books, try an experiment. The next time you are on the range shoot a group holding the gun as loose as possible. Now shoot a group holding the gun as tight as possible. Compare the results. Provided same shooter, same ammo, same distance, same point of aim, the only difference should be in how recoil is controlled. Did point of impact change? Did group size change?

The original question again is "Can recoil affect our accuracy?"

[BamBam-31]

Ah, the proverbial forest for the trees.

I highly doubt the OP was asking for Newton's Law of Motion and how it applies to revolvers. Rather, he was asking for tips on improving his groupings with his .45acp.

So are your posts helping in that regard?

[9mmepiphany]

The next time you are on the range shoot a group holding the gun as loose as possible. Now shoot a group holding the gun as tight as possible. Compare the results. Provided same shooter, same ammo, same distance, same point of aim, the only difference should be in how recoil is controlled. Did point of impact change? Did group size change?

Once again I have to agree with BamBam-31, but I will address this because I have done this numerous time with new shooters to show that how tightly they hold the gun has no effect on ability to hit a target.

I'll shoot a pistol with just the middle finger pulling the gun into the palm of my hand and just the index finger pressing the trigger. While shooting in SA, there is no change in POI or group size (within a standard deviation)

If you are seeing a POI or group size change, it is due to the amount of pressure and the vectors you are putting on the gun before you press the trigger. What you will see when holding it loosely is that it is harder to get a repeatable grip...because the gun moves differently (more) in recoil, after the shot is fired

[CSACANNONEER]

Anticipation of recoil effects accuracy...

This is the reality.

The bullet leaves the barrel before the recoil effects the gun.

It's most likely trigger control that's causing your issues.

But, this is incorrect. I've had a strain gauge mounted to one of my rifles and watched the oscilloscope read out by the millisecond. Yes, in actuality there is a lot of recoil happening BEFORE the bullet leaves the barrel. Can it affect "accuracy"? Sure, it's possible. It's also possible that it could affect "precision" which directly corelates with "group size". "Accuracy" has about as much to do with "grouping" and "clips" have to do with Glocks or 1911s. All this is pretty much academic though. Again, in reality, your anticipation of recoil is what is giving you problems.

[swifty]

Re-read Post #1.

Say I shoot a 45..
I can't seem to get close grouping.
I'm wondering if it's my aiming or control of the gun.

While the members replying to the thread have taken it upon themselves to assume that he was shooting a .45, that it is the ACP version of the .45 and that he was asking for tips on improving his groupings with his .45acp, I read the questions and saw something differently.

The title of the thread is: "Can recoil affect our accuracy?"
The first question after the title of the thread is: "Is that true?"
These are the only two questions in the entire first post. After that is a half question then an example followed by a statement.

I did not make an assumption, I answered the questions, I also offered advice clear back in post #5.

<<<<<<<>>>>>>>

He probably is shooting a semi in .45acp.

[9mmepiphany]

But someone told me that if you can't control your recoil the shot will be off. Is that true?

I was addressing this question from the OP: Is it true that your inability to control recoil will throw the shot off

...and offered personal teaching experience to illustrate the basis of my answer

[bjl333]

Ah, the proverbial forest for the trees.

I highly doubt the OP was asking for Newton's Law of Motion and how it applies to revolvers. Rather, he was asking for tips on improving his groupings with his .45acp.

So are your posts helping in that regard?

Hahaha !!! Once again ^^^ Nuff said !!!

[ZirconJohn]

Oh... I see where you guys are going with this,

Allow me to simplify for you...

Copy/Paste from: http://en.allexperts.com/q/Physics-1...l-velocity.htm

Question
Can you tell me how you would solve this problem:

Superman weighs 100kg and is standing on top of an asteroid. The asteroid weighs 100,000,000kg (100million). He jumps up, off of the asteroid at a speed of 10m/s. What is the recoil velocity of the asteroid? My teacher said the answer would be really small, but I assumed you would multiply 1 million by 10 and get 10 million m/s. This certainly isn't small. ?

Answer
First of all, the reference of these two numbers, 100 kg and 100,000,000 kg, as weights is just wrong. These numbers are masses, not weights. Weight is a measure of the gravitational force acting on an object. That is not applicable here in any case.
Now to the question. This is a momentum conservation problem. The total momentum at the beginning of the problem will be equal to the final momentum.
m1*v1+m2*v2=m1*v3+m2*v4 v1 and v23 are both zeros since the system is assumed to be at rest initially.
Therefore, 0 = m1*v3 + m2*v4. Solve for v4=m1*v1/m2 which in this case becomes v4=100*10/100,000,000=0.00001 m/s - virtually a stand still!

...So there you have it; when Superman explodes off the asteroid... the ateroid is at 'virtually a stand still', ergo... there is NO such thing as recoil...

[BamBam-31]

^^^ /thread

[FieldsofFire]

Anticipation of recoil effects accuracy...

Yep. You may find yourself more accurate with a smaller caliber gun that has less felt recoil because you are not anticipating it as much.

[orangeusa]

Here's one I learned after I got 'acceptable' at shooting.

Don't LOOK at where your shots are hitting if shooting at same target. I used to do this and it cost me a lot of time and accuracy by pulling gun off target to SEE where I hit. Think about it - to SEE the target, you have to move the muzzle. Obvious, but easy to fall into this habit.

.

[Fishslayer]

Ah, the proverbial forest for the trees.

I highly doubt the OP was asking for Newton's Law of Motion and how it applies to revolvers. Rather, he was asking for tips on improving his groupings with his .45acp.

So are your posts helping in that regard?

Ummm.... the question was "Can recoil affect our accuracy?"

Some seem to be in disagreement with Sir Isaac and wrongfully believe the answer to be "no."

As for grouping, just buy a press & load up some target rounds. WWB isn't match grade ammo.

[9mmepiphany]

Ummm.... the question was "Can recoil affect our accuracy?"

While that is the thread title, that isn't the question of his post

His question is the validity of the statement that the inability to control recoil would throw his shot off

[zfields]

Bullet is long gone before recoil would affect aim.

That teacup grip is killing me!

[Fishslayer]

While that is the thread title, that isn't the question of his post

His question is the validity of the statement that the inability to control recoil would throw his shot off

OK. Fair enough.

I would say the answer to any of the questions would be "more practice."

Doubt there would be much argument that heavier calibers require more practice to be proficient...