Which 9mm pistol will recoil the least? (take a guess)

1KPerDay

Well at least I got the PX4 right! Years ago I had a MAB PA15 which also had a rotary barrel design like the one on the PX4. Even with fairly hot 9mm. ammo it was still one of the softest shooting pistols I have ever used. The fact that it was all steel construction and weighed around 38 ounces probably contributed to the lower felt recoil.

1KPerDay said:

As I said this is subjective and non scientific but my three winners were the two berettas and surprisingly the M&P.

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I wasn't fast enough to respond, but the 92FS, PX4, and M&P would have been my guess.

Arrrgh. Lost the lottery again.

I don't have the two guns I guessed on (Hi-Power and Sig), but I've noticed that in locked breech guns that many times the gun with the larger and heavier slide feel softer in my hand. Of course, that doesn't count for muzzle flip.

1KPerDay said:

The Hi Power and P226 seemed to me to have the most front sight lift.

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I certainly agree with this. Love my Sigs and BHP but they have plenty of flip.

The pistol that weighs the most will have the least felt recoil. It's simple physics.

Sunray said:

The pistol that weighs the most will have the least felt recoil. It's simple physics.

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Excepting, of course, polymer frames that flex and disperse recoil.

Case in point, the Glock 21 is often considered softer recoiling than full size 1911s (an observation i full agree with).

Sunray said:

The pistol that weighs the most will have the least felt recoil. It's simple physics.

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Various aspects of the gun can factor into felt recoil. My blowback pistols seems to have more felt recoil than I’d otherwise expect given their size and weight and chambering.

If you took two identical guns and ported one it would be both slightly lighter and probably have less felt recoil.

Grip shape and grip material also seem to affect felt recoil in my experience.

In sum, weight isn’t the only thing affecting felt recoil.

Sunray

The pistol that weighs the most will have the least felt recoil. It's simple physics.

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I'm guessing you never shot the Astra Model 600 in 9mm. then. Even though it's all steel and weighs 36 ounces the straight blowback operation kind of obliterates simple physics and goes right on through to massive felt recoil.

Lots of factors will control felt recoil. What is the operation? How heavy is the pistol? What is the bore axis? What spring is in the pistol? Even grips can impact felt recoil. I would think a heavier pistol with a low bore axis, a decent spring and some rubber grips or rubber grip overlays would be a fairly soft shooter - just to name a few. For instance and all steel CZ-75 has a low bore axis - add a good spring and some rubber grips and it would be fairly tame recoil-wise. There would be others that would likewise be fairly soft to shoot.

I can see where a big heavy gun could have a higher felt recoil. My reasoning is that it also might have a big heavy slide flying rearward upon firing which would add to felt recoil

Shoot an Astra 600 and you'll know which 9MM recoils the MOST !!!

The Remington RP9 has a very large, very heavy slide on it. I've seen videos of people shooting the new Remington RP9 and it really rocks their wrists. I'm guessing its not that snappy because of the mass, but it seems to require considerable hand and forearm strength to keep it from rocking your wrists back.

I would have guessed the M&p 9L, px4, and p226.

Jonesy814 said:

I can see where a big heavy gun could have a higher felt recoil. My reasoning is that it also might have a big heavy slide flying rearward upon firing which would add to felt recoil

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I am no expert, only offering opinions...

I have heard and agree with the philosophy that heavy frames and light slides will provide less felt recoil. For example, a lot of the high-end Limited guns, like the STI DVC Limited have ported slides to reduce the slide weight, which is supposed to reduce felt recoil. This is pretty common in Limited and Open race guns.

JR24 said:

Excepting, of course, polymer frames that flex and disperse recoil.

Case in point, the Glock 21 is often considered softer recoiling than full size 1911s (an observation i full agree with).

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Do you really think the Glock 21 has softer recoil that the FS 1911? I have a Sig 320 FS in 45acp and I keep having this urge to trade it on a Glock 21. Maybe tis will give me a good excuse.

Just get a 1911 steel .22 and you will see.

I have a 1911 .45 and the recoil is more like a shove than the sharp recoil from a .40 or a 10mm, and I have shot both in a 1911 platform. The 9mm is a pussycat on a 1911 platform.

expat_alaska said:

Just get a 1911 steel .22 and you will see.

I have a 1911 .45 and the recoil is more like a shove than the sharp recoil from a .40 or a 10mm, and I have shot both in a 1911 platform. The 9mm is a pussycat on a 1911 platform.

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It's been a lot of years since I shot a steel 1911 in 22 but if I remember correctly there is almost nothing going on in the recoil department. Shooting a Ruger MK target and a 22/45 lite will give an excellent comparison in how weight affects recoil.

I agree that the 9mm in a full sized 1911 is a pussy cat. It's my favorite 9mm. I also have a 1911 compact in 9 mm. It's not bad at all but you can definately tell a difference between it and the full sized gun.

I never had a 9mm that had any felt recoil????
JD

JD Pinardi said:

I never had a 9mm that had any felt recoil????
JD

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Come on now. Having felt recoil doesn't mean it hurts. It's not unlike feeling the temperature of water. 120 degrees is noticeably different than 60 degrees even though neither one of those temps hurt you.