Cool video: comparing 9mm vs .40 vs .45 acp recoil

[Savago]

Really cool video (and the first I've seen where some real instrumentation was used to perform measuring and plotting the data)!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47ob02Nbn7A

[Chrisj CMA]

Data not worth plotting. All three of those rounds are mild recoil. Mostly depending on the weight of the specific weapon. Felt recoil would not be a factor in deciding between those three. The 45 would have the most felt recoil and that is not very much.  I have shot hundreds of rounds through a 45 and also 9mm. Neither has enough recoil to be a negative in the deciding process. Decide on what you need the gun for. Close range personal protection. The 9mm is probably best for bullet flexibility (well maybe not in CA). And for number of rounds. While none of those calibers are great for any kind of game. The 45 will knock down an animal more effectively than the 9mm

[Serk]

I'll admit I didn't watch the entirety of the video, so this might have been addressed, but I find a big difference between lighter faster rounds (9mm) and slower heavier rounds (45ACP) is the snappiness of the recoil.

Using numbers exaggerated and pulled from the ether to make the point:

100 pounds spread out over 10 seconds is going to feel very different than 200 pounds spread out over 60 seconds...

To me the 9mm is more challenging to shoot than the 45, since the 45 feels more like a long push vs. the quick punch of the 9mm...

[Jess from VA]

Me, I think maybe the biggest handgun recoil issue is the size and weight of the gun (at least up to .45acp).

I have big and heavy, and medium, and a fair number of light.

Shooting .357 out of an all steel K/L frame Smith is nothing like .357 out of an Airweight J frame.

Shooting .44 mag from a big Redhawk with scope is nothing like my over under derringer.

But shooting 9mm out of small polymer (flexible) striker guns, is not bad at all, and more whippy that kicky.  

And you get more muzzle blast from short barrels (usually lighter wt), which isn't really recoil, but it ruffles your eyebrows.

Though 10mm, 44 mag, 454 Casull, .500 Smith, .460 Smith, .45-70 BFR, are pretty wicked no matter what they are in.

It's also true in rifles, but not as pronounced.   (And they don't sell .458 Win Mags and .460 Nitro  Expresses in airweight rifles anyway.)

[Savago]

@Chris: You are right, a good shooter can handle any gun. My concern with recoil is to avoid in the beginning developing bad habits (i.e. flinching, trying to anticipate the shot, etc) until I work my way up to bigger calibers.

@Serk: do you fell that the .45 acp recoil is easier to manage than say, a .40 or a 10mm? I'm asking because I never shot neither a .45 acp or a 10mm.

@Jess: Pretty insightful, thanks for the comment (I'm looking to listen what is the experience of handling varying calibers).
 

[Serk]

@Serk: do you fell that the .45 acp recoil is easier to manage than say, a .40 or a 10mm? I'm asking because I never shot neither a .45 acp or a 10mm.

Objectively I don't know if I could prove it, but subjectively I find .45 softer shooting than 9. To me it's the different between, let's say having a bowling bowl lightly put on your hand vs. hitting a small rock at 80 MPH.... More of a whoooooosh vs. a SNAP..... The total recoil is probably higher, but due to the slower speed it's spread over a longer time.

But really, that's in my hands. The only way to really find out how you handle the differences is to try shooting different calibers, different guns, etc..... Coming to The Republic of Texas anytime soon? If so and the weather's nice I'll take ya' out to my range and let ya' try a few...

[Chrisj CMA]

None of the caliber handguns you listed have recoil you need to be concerned about. All are very manageable. Choose the gun that fits you and the caliber that will do what you need it to do.

[Bighead]

I agree with Jeff and Serk. Jeff’s point being none of those have bad recoil, however my .45 has way less noticeable recoil than my micro 9. But it is all due to the weight of said weapon.  I also find I shoot the .45 much more accurate than the 9. But there again we are talking a 5” barrel vs a 3” barrel.

[signart]

I found the side to side recoil results to be interesting. The .45 acp had little to no sideways recoil. I would think this to be significant in lining up for consecutive rounds toward the target.
 
I love shooting the 45. Shot many thousand of  rounds. Wish I still had every 1911 I've owned .
Down to one

[Bighead]

I found the side to side recoil results to be interesting. The .45 acp had little to no sideways recoil. I would think this to be significant in lining up for consecutive rounds toward the target.
 
I love shooting the 45. Shot many thousand of  rounds. Wish I still had every 1911 I've owned .
Down to one

Yep hard to beat a 911.

[Jess from VA]

It's the weight of the handgun, AND it's the weight of the bullets (and powder charge).

The standard 1911A1 .45acp 5", all steel (like an original) weighs in at 39-42 ounces.

A Lightweight (aluminum frame) .45acp Commander with 4 1/4 barrel is around 30 ounces (and the Glock 21 is about the same empty, but it takes 13 rounds).

But you can get a small polymer .45acp pistols that are lighter.

All these variables apply to .40s and 9mm's too.  Big, all steel, double stack mag guns, or small polymer single stack pocket guns.  

The std .45acp is 230 grains of lead (but vary down to 160), the std .40 is 180 grains of lead (but vary down to 165), and the std 9mm is 115 grains of lead (but vary up to 147).

Rentals and try out are all you can do. And a lot of reading.  

[Savago]

But really, that's in my hands. The only way to really find out how you handle the differences is to try shooting different calibers, different guns, etc..... Coming to The Republic of Texas anytime soon? If so and the weather's nice I'll take ya' out to my range and let ya' try a few...

Thanks a lot for the invitation, next time I'm visiting Texas I will ping you.
 

[cookiedough]

@Chris: You are right, a good shooter can handle any gun.

are you sure about that.  Anyone ever shot these big uns????  Willy bob.....   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5tvTgcdqyo

[Gavin_Sons]

@Chris: You are right, a good shooter can handle any gun.

are you sure about that.  Anyone ever shot these big uns????  Willy bob.....   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5tvTgcdqyo

700 nitro Express? Yes I have shot one. Those guys are idiots in that video.

[cookiedough]

I thought it was a funny video though, thought I'd share.  there are a few of them out there like that one. 

Still remember my aunt's husband who never shot a rifle before came out to the pit to shoot with us when in my youth.  My dad's Savage lever action .308 with light barrel liked to kick UP not back more so than most deer rifles.  We told him to hold on tight since the barrel likes to jump UP risking the scope hitting him in the eye or eyebrow area.  He did not listen,  came away with a very bloody cut above his eye near his eyebrow.  Never did like that gun for some reason it would not shoot reloads breaking off the ends on a few casings ONLY reloads were bad in it.  Plus,  it seems like the .308 caliber always put HUGE holes in the whitetail deer much more so than my brothers .270 or my .30-06. 

they say you can shoot deer with a .223 caliber, but not sure is legal in every state?  Smallest I would go is .30-30 or .243 which both have sufficient knockdown power .30-30 under say 150 yards while the .243 being such a fast bullet and flat trajectory at long distance shots my Uncle has killed deer over 300 yards before with his .243 and the bullet hole was sufficient although not as HUGE of a hole as . 30-06 or .308 or .270.