Recoil of 1911 vs. polymer .45s

I've fired 1911s but not any of the polymers in .45 cal such as the Glock and the Springfield XD. The polymers are lighter (about 10 oz. less)

Overall, how much more do the polymers in .45 recoil compared to standard weight 1911s?

 

I have a glock 21sf and an ATI FX GI 1911. The ATI kicks much more than my glock.

 

My 1911's recoil much more than the Glock. The Glock sets much lower in the hand, combined with the grip angle results in much less muzzle flip. The wider grip spreads the recoil out over a much larger area making for one of the most comfortable shooting 45's I've ever used. The same gun really tames hot 10mm loads too.

I've never owned an XD in 45, but did have one in 40 briefly. Because of the straighter grip and bore so high in comparison to the hand it had quite a bit of muzzle flip.

The S&W M&P 45 I owned was pretty good too. About the same recoil as the Glock. I liked the Smith quite well, but preferred the Glock and didn't see keeping both.

 

The 1911's generally definitely recoil more. The slides weigh more. However the difference between a full size 1911 and a compact is night and day.

I have had a very small Kimber 1911 that I could barely control because it recoiled so violently. I have an Officers now that I have tuned to be more manageable. I have had a few other full size 1911's and they were, by comparison to the smaller versions, easy to shoot.

I had a Glock in .45 and it was nothing compared to either one of my 1911's. Still had a lot of muzzle flip but I could easily shoot it faster one handed than either of the 1911's. I shot an XDs in .45 recently and they are, in my opinion, every bit as good if not a bit better than the Glocks. Very easy to shoot and mild compared to the best compact 1911.

 

I started shooting 1911s in 1979. The second biggest surprise the first time I fired a Glock 30 was the mild recoil. The biggest surprise was the accuracy. I currently own three full-size 1911s, and five .45acp Glocks.

 

I have a springfield xds and the recoil is mild considering the size of the gun. When mine went out for the recall, I bought a glock 36 and love shooting it. Very accurate. I've since bought a glock 30 lower and now have the option of a 36/30 hybrid. My xds and full size 1911 stay in the safe. I just shoot the glocks better.

 

I'm a 1911 fan. I have seven of them at the moment counting "Commander" models. Nevertheless, I must say that perceived recoil is less with the Glock and Kahr which are the only polymer framed .45's that I've fired extensively.

 

I also agree with what has been said. I have a Ruger SR1911, and several poly 45s(FNX-45 and a Ruger P97). The 1911 has greater felt recoil

 

I have a Gen4 Glock 21 and a SW1911, and these two are probably my favorite pair to shoot together, so I often take them both to the range; using the same ammo, the Glock has less noticeable recoil, but the SW1911 recoils O.K. The SW1911 has the lighter trigger and hits the target a little better.

 

I agree with the earlier poster who stated the wide grip of the Glock helps spread the felt recoil out. When shooting hot loads out of the Glock 30, 30 SF, 30S, and Gen 4 Glock 30 I find the the trigger starts to sting my finger a little bit. I don't notice this with my full size Ruger SR1911.

 

Due to the lower bore axis and wider grip, I find the recoil for my G21 to feel less than the recoil of my 1911s.

 

I only have experience with one polymer .45 ACP and that is my Glock 36.

Compared to it, a full size GI type 1911 seems to recoil much less. While a 3" barrel compact 1911 seems to recoil much more.

 

Yep the poly framed .45s seem to soak/redirect recoil better than a 1911. The beauty of the .45 is that it manages to remain a very controllable round regardless of the recoil. When it comes to high pressure rounds like the .40, I find the gun really does make a difference.

 

I have a Glock 30,Sig p220 and a Springfield XD 45. I find the Glock and sig recoil about the same , the Springfield the worst of the 3.

 

I had a G30 and a G21. I have also had several ful size 1911s. I guess I am the odd ball of the group because I like the recoil impulse of the all steel, full size 1911 over the poly guns. Having said that, I do realize the wider grip (more surface area) and the flex of a polymer frame does seem to reduce felt recoil for many shooters.

 

I currently have a Sig Sauer 1911 Scorpion (5" barrel) and a Glock 30S. Shooting them both during the same range session, I can tell you that the 1911 is by far the more comfortable of the two to shoot. Don't get me wrong, the Glock is great for what it is - a compact, lightweight, concealed-carry 10+1 that is quite accurate and quite controllable. But, it does have more bite and more flip than the 1911. The Sig is a pleasure to shoot - smooth, fast, minimal flip and a slick, quick trigger. I'll carry the Glock all day, but for shooting all day give me the 1911.

 

I've shot a friends GI 1911 and it kicked more than my 30sf and I shot them back to back.

 

If the 1911 has a good beaver tail grip safety that lowers the gun into ones hand (and thus lowers the bore axis) I find they don't kick much more than any polymer one.

Deaf

 

Putting a slight twist on my answer to the question. I recently shot rapid fire sequences at 25yds with a G21 and SW99. the muzzle flip and recoil felt more pronounced than my S&W4506. The load used for all three 5.6Grs W231-230Gr-FMJ.

 

Recoil sensation is very subjective. However, I believe that the recoil from my full size S&W M&P45 is less than my 1911's.

 

Does "a good beaver tail grip safety" actually lower the bore axis on a 1911? I don't think it does. I think it just makes for a more comfortable grip and eliminate hammer bite.

 

Glock 21 recoil feels harder than 1911 for me.

However, I did not feel that much of a difference in terms of recoil controllability.

 

Somewhere along the line physics must come into play. For instance, how could a 26 ounce G 30 SF recoil less than a 40 ounce all steel fulsize 1911?

 

The SIG P220's recoil is fairly soft and rolls more than the Glock 21 or Glock 21 Gen4.

 

Bingo we have a winner! Perception of recoil is what is influenced by the differences in design. All other things being equal, muzzle rise can be reduced by a lower bore axis.