I tend to disagree. A Redhawk in 44 Mag with a 7.50 inch barrel weighs 54 oz, with a 5.50 inch barrel it's 49 oz, with a 4.20 inch barrel it's 47 oz and with a 2.75 inch barrel it's 44 oz. There's ten oz difference in weight between the 7.50 inch barrel and the 2.75 inch barrel. Are you telling me that the heavier longer barreled revolver is going to have more recoil than the one with a 2.75 inch barrel that weighs 10 oz lighter?It's contrary to conventional wisdom but I also believe longer barrels increase recoil.
Yes. Longer barrels produce greater velocity and have more leverage against the wrist. Shorter barrels just have more muzzle blast and that makes people 'think' there's more recoil.I tend to disagree. A Redhawk in 44 Mag with a 7.50 inch barrel weighs 54 oz, with a 5.50 inch barrel it's 49 oz, with a 4.20 inch barrel it's 47 oz and with a 2.75 inch barrel it's 44 oz. There's ten oz difference in weight between the 7.50 inch barrel and the 2.75 inch barrel. Are you telling me that the heavier longer barreled revolver is going to have more recoil than the one with a 2.75 inch barrel that weighs 10 oz lighter?
I'm a little surprised that the velocity is nearly 400 fps more with the 5 1/2" additional barrel length. I threw some numbers into a calculator online using 200 fps more velocity with ten ounces more weight. The recoil was almost identical.I don't have a .44 magnum, but I have a calculator. According to "Ballistics By The Inch," the muzzle velocity of a 240 gr Cor-Bon JHP is 1095 fps from a 2 inch barrel and around 1470 fps for a 7.5 inch barrel.
Since energy is proportional to the square of the velocity, the energy of the 3 vs. the 7.5 is in the ratio of 1::1.8. The weights are in the ratio of 1::1.25. That means even allowing for the increased weight, there's like forty percent more energy to absorb with the longer barrel.
I am sure this ignores a lot of issues about how we feel recoil and the structure of the human arm and stuff, so take it for what it is--a first attempt to offer an actual number. I look forward to the people that actually know something about ballistics explaining how I have completely messed it up.
On another issue, I am enjoying all the comments about .44 magnums. I am giving some thought to getting one, and I was thinking the six inch looked way cooler. I have no serious large-animal concerns here in the middle of Minnesota, unless I am charged by a bull.