Good caliber for learning how to deal with recoil?

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eluwak

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I am still pretty new to handguns. For years I exclusively shot my .22 rifle, but last weekend I started shooting my Arminius HW7 (.22LR double action revolver). Having only put ~350 rounds though the pistol since then I found out that I really enjoy firing handguns too.

I would like to add a second handgun that will help me learn to adapt to recoil. The big question I have is what caliber to go for?

Originally I though of going with a 9MM, but now I'm not so sure.

Thoughts?
 
Autoloader?....9mm......revolver?.....357/38.....Or take the plunge and buy one of each,
You know you want to :)
 
The title says "HOT" but the post leads me to believe it should say "HOW".

IMHO .357 is the caliber that starts having any recoil that takes practice to handle.
 
Buy an all steel 4inch barrel 38 spl and shoot standard loads not the +p. There is a million and one of these out there that will do the trick for you.

Find a nice used one for $200 to $300 range for a name brand.
 
Thanks guys! :cool:

Yeah, I meant how not hot in the title.

I have a buddy with a .357 that he let me shoot some light load .38 rounds through last weekend. I'll have to see if I can get some time in using full power ammo to what it's like. The light load stuff he created made it feel like a .22.
 
I'd definitely go with a dual caliber revolver, this way you can get working up the recoil strength without the need to buy a third revolver (though by then you'll probably want more!) The .38Special / .357Mag is an excellent recommendation. Or a 10mm / .40S&W (like the S&W model 610). If that's too big of a step up, the .327 Federal Mag (which chambers 2 other .32 loads) might be a good choice.

If you prefer semi-autos, check out the SigSauer 9mm / .357 Sig convertible.
 
The older I get, the less I tolerate recoil. My CZ 9mm gets the most use at the range, with a few mags of my minimum charge 45acp reloads through the G21. I've got it so the cases fall at my feet.
 
If you purchase a .357 mag, be sure you start with .38. IMHO, you don't need to go hotter than .38 but there are a lot of people that will dispute with me on that.

If you find you are not sensitive to a .38, then my next move is 45 ACP or 45 LC. again, you can keep them mild or you can make them hot, depends on what is comfortable for you to shoot.

I personally like .38 special and 45 LC. (I am a wheel man) but 9mm is comparitively inexpensive to shoot if you do not reload and you prefer an auto. Find your recoil tolorance first, then purchase what fits.

Remember, the lighter the pistol the more recoil you will feel.....a good steel (like a CZ 83 (380) or CZ 75 (9mm)) auto will have less felt recoil than a similar plastic framed pistol. Same goes for revolvers, steel, not aluminum frames...
 
I'm of two minds, so hear me out.

Firts of all, there are some monster revolver cartridges out there that DO require some getting used to. The .460, .500 and .454 come to mind. There are probably more, but I'm not a revolver type guy so do not keep up with the latest and greatest. For these, I'd second the suggestion of a .357.

Secondly, perhaps more importantly, is technique and form. Learning proper handgun form and handling will mitigate recoil to a manageable level and make recoil from a semiautomatic a non-issue. My son was five when I showed him how to hold a .45 ACP, loaded two rounds and let him have at a coke bottle at five or ten feet. If he could hadle it, anyone else can, too.
 
Look for a stainless S&W 357 mag, Model 65-5 comes to mind. Go over to your friend who loads and take along a bottle of trail boss powder, 1000 small pistol primers, 1000 once fired brass, 500 125 grain slugs, 500 jacketed 158 grain hollow points. Ask him very nicely to teach you to load. Try everything from cat sneeze load to full bore 357 mag. Take your friend and his family out to dinner.
Shoot your reloads, take him out to dinner again. These loads will also work in a lever action 357 rifle.

blindhari
 
I agree the 45 (ACP and LC) can be loaded to be really easy to shoot..but a .460? ug, no thanks, I'm too old for that. My .38 at 1100fps or 45 lc at 980 fps is more than enough recoil for these sore old hands. (And those are the HD loads, not practice loads.)

BTW: A CZ97 is a nice .45, and the CZ 75 has a adapter "kit" so you can shoot .22 or 9mm.
 
If you're talking about anticipating recoil, translated flinch, you need to stick with a revolver so you can have friend load it randomly skipping cylinders. I can't think of any better learning tool.
 
Another vote for the 357 revolver. Start with target wadcutters, then std pressure, +P, +P+, and 357. Vary the bullets weights and you have a lot of combinations. Ball and dummy exercise in post #15 will teach you a lot.
 
I’d go with the 9mm-Luger. The ammunition is relatively inexpensive and seems to be available now as opposed to the great “Zero” ammunition scare. WWB value pack is rather mild as opposed to sharp in regards to recoil. As for the platform I’d find a used 3rd generation S&W traditional double action (DA/SA).
 
9mm or .38spl both at larger calibers to learn on, but .22lr is the best to learn technique and form.
 
Sounds like your actual experience has been with a 22 rifle. Since your relatively new to handguns and want to graduate to bigger handguns there is no telling what somebody here will tell you as you can see. Since this seems to be new ground for you; If I was in your shoes I would go to a local gun range and try out some rented guns like from 9mm up to a 44mag before I bought anything. Here in 2011 the 44mag is middle of the road in recoil/power as far as the big handguns are concerned where recoil lives. If you are not a hunter the easy recoiling 9mm's, 40cal's and 45ACP's may be where you want to go for now IMO...
 
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I’d go with the 9mm-Luger.

The problem with any semiauto is you have to have sufficient energy to make the gun cycle. Not a requirement in a revolver. Every revolver round other is expensive compared to the 38/357.
 
Thanks for all the input guys!

I am strictly a target shooter, but am increasingly becoming interested in eventually getting to the competition shooting. In the meantime I would like to get something with more kick to shoot along with my .22 so that I can get used to handling the recoil. I will still shoot the .22 primarily because of the cost of ammo.

Right now I'm leaning toward the .357 and should have some time to run a box of .38 ammo through one this upcoming weekend.

One good point that was brought up by someone was that all of the CF handguns I've fired so far have been lightweight plastic jobs, so maybe I'm just worrying about nothing if I stick with something steel.

:cool:
 
You'll find recoil with an all-steel 9mm is negligible. Bore axis also come into play with felt recoil, so I would try out a Glock 19 sometime...it may surprise you.
 
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