reduced recoil loads: concept

[z7]

i have read to the best of my ability various "reduced recoil" loads around the web and it seems that a heavier bullet gives less perceived recoil.

my question, do you want a low charge with a light weight round or a low charge on a heavy round.

i shoot a Glock 23, for example a 135g jhp can run ivo 1000fps and 330ft/lbs

a 200g jhp ivo 900 fps is 360ft/lbs

physics tells me that a light round, low charge would work better, less force to get it moving at an acceptable velocity, less surface area for drag in the barrel etc.

what factors dictate the felt recoil, with reliable function in an autoloader?

EDIT: i might have answered my own question, browsed Hodgdons data, a 200g xtp loaded with WST velocity is 650-729 fps and 250ft/lbs. a 125g slowest is 1041fps 300ft/lbs. it looks like science works. i assume its a pressure relationship then in order to reliably cycle a weapon?

 

[Nickb45]

WST is a very soft shooting powder. I load all of my .45 acp range ammo with it. It's clean and the recoil is just not there.

 

[GJSchulze]

A heavier bullet has less felt recoil because the recoil has a longer duration; a push vs. a snap. That's if you are comparing two rounds with the same power factor (velocity x bullet weight).

For any light bullet with the minimum charge to cycle the slide, a heavier bullet will require less of a charge to cycle the slide, so it still will have less felt recoil.

I personally don't buy that a particular powder is soft shooting. Recoil is a function of bullet weight, velocity, and acceleration. Any powder that pushes the bullet with the same velocity and acceleration should have the same recoil.

 

[Wreck-n-Crew]

I personally don't buy that a particular powder is soft shooting. Recoil is a function of bullet weight, velocity, and acceleration. Any powder that pushes the bullet with the same velocity and acceleration should have the same recoil.

I think the reason for them being called "soft shooters" is because they have lower velocities within the listed data, not because they shoot softer at the same velocities with the same bullet weight with a different powder. As you describe the push vs. snap description the different burn rates act the same way on bullets though one can argue it is not something any normal human can feel the difference between. Slower powders continue to push the bullet at higher velocities as it continues to burn whereas fast burners reach higher pressure more quickly and don't continue to push and burn like the slower ones.

WST is a very soft shooting powder. I load all of my .45 acp range ammo with it. It's clean and the recoil is just not there.

I have had great success with WST in 45acp and one of my favorite powders for it. I also like the 200 Gr SWC's to cut nice big holes in the target.

Some fast powders don't reach higher velocities without overpressure and are better for softer to medium loads. Pressure is the key to powder capabilities in a given round as far as velocities go. I have noticed how clean the fast burners are too.

physics tells me that a light round, low charge would work better, less force to get it moving at an acceptable velocity, less surface area for drag in the barrel etc.

Different powders have different inherent qualities such as burn rate. As already stated a different bullet weight can be more push vs. snap and the same qualities can be found in the way different powders produce pressure at different velocities or burn rate. Fast burners produce high pressures very quickly and slower burners continue to produce pressure after the bullet begins to move much more than fast burners. As it turns out Velocities are usually higher with slower burning powders.

You may be able to reach the velocities of a slower burning powder with a fast burner but as I noted your pressure will likely be outside of SAAMI specs and so will your charge weight in most cases.