Does recoil affect your buying decision?

[BigGuy52]

When you are planning to buy a gun, does the recoil ever effect which gun you choose?

Although I'm a bit limited in mobility, I have always liked a gun that has a good oomph (recoil) to it. My most pronounced recoil guns are a .357mag, 4" barrel, my 1911 .45acp Kimber, and my pocket cannon, a .38spl + P S&W snubnose. My future gun will be a .44mag, 7.5" barrel.

I can't imagine why anyone would want a gun like the EEA Witness Gold that has a 12 hole ported barrel with a 2 chamber compensator in the barrel, where's the fun in that?

My first job I had as a young man was at the local rifle range. The owner had a strange sense of humor, making all the 'new guys' shoot his rifle on the 100 yard range. I knew something bad was about to happen as I held the rifle, because the shells were so damn long. I shot the rifle, and as I remember, missed the target. My shoulder felt like a mule hit me. I found out afterward that it was a .458 Winchester Magnum. About tore my shoulder off!

Any how, I do like a nice recoil. Maybe it's the sense of power felt. Anyone else feel the same way?

 

[PT1911]

recoil has no bearing at all on my decision to purchase a gun... Use of the gun, versatility, availability and price of ammuntion or reloading supplies, accuracy, durability, dependability... ETC... recoil has no bearing at all..

 

[Avenger29]

YES!

I'm not a fan of recoil. Not a bit.

 

[bobotech]

I'm not so much into the big rifles (308 Saiga is my favorite) but I am into big hand cannons.

I have a 460 Smith and Wesson and a Desert Eagle in 50 AE. Those are my fun range toys. I bring them to the range when I want to have some fun make some big noise.

My co-worker wants to go shooting with me tomorrow evening. He only has a 9mm Beretta and wants me to bring my big boomers.

I will also bring my Ruger 22/45 only because that is just such a fun gun to shoot and cheap to shoot.

Both my Desert Eagle and my 460 Smith have ported barrels so they don't roll back so hard that they make the guns uncomfortable to use. I like my big boomers but I don't want guns that are hard to handle.

 

[owlhoot]

I selected a Kahr MK9 as my EDC gun because it has less perceived recoil than any other handgun of comparable power/size that I know of.

I have a couple of .44 mags and there is no way that I want to put a couple of boxes of full house loads through them in an afternoon.

If I feel the need to abuse myself, I'll just look up my ex-wife.

 

[raskolnikov_22]

Figure .44 Magnum is the biggest handgun I would ever need.

 

[colorado_handgunner]

Like the snap of my .40 subcompact (3"). I shoot guns with a bit of recoil better for some reason.

 

[AKElroy]

Recoil I can deal with, pain is something else. Firing my scandium .357 w/ .38+p's = acceptable, proper recoil. Launching hot 125 gr .357 loads with this rig is ridiculous, stupid pain. I laughed and cried at the same time at the absurdity of it. I own it & carry it, (w/ .38+p's) and I am still glad they don't make it anymore. Next time I get the itch to see what that was like, I'll save the ammo for my 686 or 19 & just slam my hand in the car door instead.

 

[fireman 9731]

I enjoy the shove of my 45-70 rifle, but when it comes to handguns, I don't look for a hand cannon..

 

[mljdeckard]

Yes and no. Mostly no. When I bought a shotgun, I went with a vanilla 870 express synthetic, and my little brother got a old model 12 from a pawn shop. I thought, "I'll bet his shoots better than mine." But when we went out t bust clays, we traded, I shot his twice and said a dirty word. It freakin' hurt.

I buy the guns I shoot best, which usually means the heaviest option. No alloy frames.

 

[Hungry Seagull]

Im a recoil nut for the win magnums in the 3 inch slugs. Love em.

But I do take into consideration and tone down the ammuntion a bit because it may be more important to resettle weapon onto target if you miss.

 

[inSight-NEO]

When considering handguns (particularly when comparing revolvers to semi-automatics)...yes. When considering shotguns...no.

 

[Tiomoid]

To some degree, I have shot some long barrel .44 Mags that were very unpleasant to shoot. I have also shot some that were comfortable to hold onto, if not a bit challenging at times. When it comes to recoil I weigh a lot of factors, mainly its functionality to kick ratio. If I'm uncomfortable shooting it (which I haven't found much of yet) I'm not going to be accurate. I like to stay around .357Mag for hand guns, and usually don't break .30-06 for rifles, but if I get a free shot with a "big boy" I'm taking it.

 

[John Wayne]

I'm really glad you brought this up.

Yes, recoil is a consideration for me. I make it a point to rent or borrow a gun and shoot it before making a purchase. Guns that recoil more do not allow me to make follow-up shots as quickly, and that alone is an issue to me.

Also, between carpal tunnel, playing racquetball and shooting handguns, my wrist has started to hurt during the course of normal activities throughout the day. Just because you can handle a gun fine at the range does not mean you can do so when weakened or under stress. I try to take this into consideration; i.e. although I might shoot a .44 mag well on one day, have good shot placement and followup shots at the range, doesn't mean I'll be able to do it when I'm tired, or my wrist is sore, or the adrenaline is pumping. Power is nothing without control.

OTOH, I love shooting Mosin Nagants. I love the 91/30, M-44 and M-38 simply for the cheap ammo, recoil and muzzle blast. I don't even notice the recoil before north of 30 rounds, even with the steel butt plate because of the giant grin on my face.

 

[HK G3]

Considering the fact that I am currently in the market for a S&W 460 XVR, nope

 

[jakk280rem]

i'm a realatively healthy 30yo with opticaly enhanced vision and no ailments to my hands, arms, shoulders or back.

recoil sensitive? no. do i only buy heavy recoiling magnums?. no. when it comes time to purchase a new gun, its usually on a whim (cz 527 in 222rem), but sometimes after weeks or months of careful planning and research (walther P99 AS).

i do enjoy bigger bore handguns. i'm in the market for a 44 rem mag now. possibly a 460 s&w in the future. yet when it comes to rifles, the smaller the better. the biggest i own is a .30 bore. and short of winning the lottery and going on african safari, i don't have any interest in bigger. i will admit though, after a while, 22lr pistols and rifles bore me.

 

[loop]

Not a consideration in buying, but perhaps in usage.

A gun that is uncomfortable to shoot may not see much recreational use, but may still serve its intended purpose.

I have a pistol-gripped 12 ga. that is a hoot to shoot once or twice, but I have yet to meet the individual who wants to shoot five rounds. However, there is nothing better to take out the front door when there are suspicious noises outside.

 

[209]

I find as I get older I enjoy a heavy recoil less and less. If I live long enough, I'll probably end up just shooting .22.

Bad back, bad neck, wrist and arm issues all come into play.

 

[WTBguns10kOK]

First time I ever shot a handgun was the famous Federal 357B's out of my Ruger revolver. I knew they'd kick, but I was a bit surprised to feel it shockwave through my body. Well skip ahead after 38's, 38 +P's etc...I finally got some of the 180 gr. Buffalo Bore loads the other day, and I loved the first one I shot...don't know of any stronger factory loads for a .357. Now I love it and feel like I could go for a .44 mag. I just think people should give different guns a chance and a careful analysis. No need to hurt yourself with excess, but you never know what you may grow accustomed to. Think about loads, grips, how you hold the gun, the different weights of the gun if you have options on that, etc...(Yes I still prefer .22 long and short guns above all else)

-- Recoil Junkie in training

 

[MarineOne]

Which recoil are we talking about?

The recoil of actually firing the weapon, or the recoil I get from being chastized by my wife for buying it?






(And no, I don't worry about recoil ..... either of them.)


Kris

 

[Bradym77]

Yes, but I tweaked my wrist in a bad mountain bike accident so generally anything bigger than a 9mm hurts after 50 or so rounds. So all my handguns are 9mm, cheaper ammo and only have to buy one caliber.

 

[1moa@500]

I have paid for and sold all of my hard kicking rifles and pistols. I shoot for pleasure and some guns are just plain painful to shoot. I had to have a 50th anniversary blackhawk in 44 mag. I just couldnt get used to the recoil even with specials. I top out at 30-06 in rifles but if I had a need for something bigger I know I could manage.

 

[CoRoMo]

I guess so.

I'll never own a magnum level rifle because... well, I don't believe there is any necessary need for such a beast.

I'll never buy a .44mag Derringer because... well, same reason.

Guns like that, can in fact recoil a lot more than would be comfortable, but there are other, quite adequate, arrangements that could prove even more effective when recoil affects the user's performance.

If a shooter is less accurate a shot when sitting behind the .375H&H, he's no more effective with it and would be better off with a .25-06 if he can send the bullet where it needs to go.

If you carry a large bore Derringer for concealed carry, I hope you shoot it a lot, and shoot it well, because when TSHTF, you don't want the recoil to rip it from your hand, you don't want to miss your target because of the kick, and you don't want to have a single thought of recoil enter your mind when there is no time to think in the first place.

 

[Sav .250]

No.......

 

[Walkalong]

I find as I get older I enjoy a heavy recoil less and less. If I live long enough, I'll probably end up just shooting .22.

That's about it. I don't shoot much heavy rifle anymore. I don't shoot much .44 mag anymore. I download my .357's to midrange levels and lower, and I wish there was a good .32 revolver out there besides the K-32 that is so pricey, if you can find one.

Shoulder and wrist.....Worked too hard, played too hard, shot too much, got too old.......