Why do muzzles flip up?

because of the direction and location of reciprocating parts in relation to the hands (and shoulder) of the shooter, as well as the vector of the bullet and expanding gases in relation to those hands (and shoulder).

It's about action, reaction and pivot points.

With handguns the barrel is higher than your wrist. When the handgun is fired the forces pushing the bullet down the barrel also push the pistol against your hand. Your wrist become a pivot point for these forces. Since the barrel is above your wrist the firearm will tend to flip up, trying to "roll around" your wrist. Hold a pistol sideways, "gangsta style," and you may note the barrel tends to flip to the side.

Similar holds true for long guns, however the shoulder becomes the pivot point.

Firearms designed to direct the forces into major muscle groups or bones tend to exhibit less flip. Think of the AR platform. While there is a considerable amount of force propelling the projectile, the barrel tends to be low with a higher sightline than many other designs. This directs the reactive forces more into the shoulder instead of over or around it, resulting in less muzzle flip.

Similarly in handguns, there's been recent talk of a new thumb-operated single shot pistol intended for senior citizens (the Palm Pistol). People with limited mobility in their hands are likely to find a design which directs the forces into the palm of the hand (and thus along the line of the bones in the forearm) to be more comfortable to shoot. With such a design there is less "flip" or rolling of the wrist, which can be painful.

Of course, this is just the way I see it. Maybe I'm wrong and a kinesiologist or physicist will be along to better explain it.

so hypothetically if i turn a rifle upside down and shot it, it would go down.

yes.

so hypothetically if i turn a rifle upside down and shot it, it would go down.

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If the barrel is then below the pivot point, I would think yes.

Correct. As for why rifles normally have their buttstock below the center of recoil, there's a very good reason: a muzzle that jumps isn't imparting all of its energy to your shoulder. Part of it is diverted into rolling. Having a stock that goes straight behind the action would seriously hurt you with many calibers, and could even dislocate your shoulder.

And you hold a full-auto sideways it sprays an arc.

Shooting the 45 ACP "grease gun" straight up at the enemy was called "zipping them up." Let recoil climb the muzzle straight up center of mass.

I'll be glad when someone figures out a recoilless handgun. C'mon people, it's 2009 already! Time's a-wastin'!

I'll be glad when someone figures out a recoilless handgun. C'mon people, it's 2009 already! Time's a-wastin'!

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The Gyrojet was recoilless. Did not quite catch on, though.

I always thought it was magic. Hmmm, learn something new every day.

This gun is reputed to minimize muzzle flip as its barrel is lower than usual.



The Mateba.

thumb-operated single shot pistol intended for senior citizens (the Palm Pistol).

to easy to be mistaken for their inhaler.........

about recoil is up because the sky is the limit

I made this to help.



Did it help?

This:

http://thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=417828

If a right handed gangbanger points a sideways Jennings or Glock at you, dodge quickly to your left and duck, then fire as trained . . . he'll probably miss to your right.

Just don't jump to your right!!!

I recall that the soviets had made a competition shooting pistol where the barrel and action was located in-line with the shooter's wrists and arm-bones. The Olympic committee banned it after its debut on the grounds that it gave a far too unfair advantage to the user. One of the grounds was probably that it had no muzzle flip period, allowing for very fast and accurate shooting.

Also, average_shooter nailed it 100%.

...when a gun is fired why does the muzzle flip upwards...

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Cause it would look funny if they flopped down!

well there is this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2kEg8rEPl8 its the kriss sm g .45 cal is not recoilless but dam close there is also the http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dKIZauSf5s aa12 shotgun once again not recoilless but close to it

Why do muzzles flip up?

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Viagra bullets?

Here's a picture of the pistol -v- speaks of, the Russian MCZ (also called the "Hacksaw"; basically, a reworked Margolin target-pistol, flipped upside down so that the recoil goes straight back through the shooter's middle finger); after the Russians took a medal with this pistol (silver, I think), they rewrote the rules to specify that no competition pistol could have a barrel lower than the top finger of the firing hand.

Note that this can help make a revolver have a much lower perceptible "kick" back into a shooters hands. A lot of the recoil energy is absorbed as the handgun rolls up in your hand.

For example, my Ruger Blackhawk in 45 LC shooting 255 gr SWCs has less felt recoil than a pistol shooting a lighter round at slower velocity. Of the Ruger's usually much heavier, which also makes a difference.

Mike