Lowest Felt Recoil 45

[30-06 lover]

I am in the market for a new 45 and am wondering which model 45 has the lowest felt recoil in your experience. I am shooting mostly Winchester Ranger ammo and it has quite a bit more recoil than standard loads and I am trying to tame it a little. Thanks!!!

 

[JHansenAK47]

Full size steel frame 1911s.

 

[fgr39]

Glock 21

 

[Pilot]

Cz-97b

 

[Chipperman]

No contest

HK MK23.

Hardly any recoil at all. Of course you get tired just holding the darn thing on target for a whole magazine.

 

[thor745]

Tactical Springfield XD

 

[harmonic]

The Sig Sauer P220ST. That sucker is the heaviest handgun in 45 auto I've ever seen. When I CCW it, I look like a gangbanger cause it pulls my pants down to my crack. Good thing I don't carry it unless I'm wearing a jacket.

 

[m4coyote]

I agree with Chipperman about the H&K Mk 23. I do not have the Mk 23, but I do have the USP Expert. My Expert has noticeably lighter recoil than any 45 ACP I have ever shot.

I own or have owned the Glock 21, Colt 1911, H&K USP 45, Sig P220, and several S&W models. The H&K Expert is far softer shooting than any of the above pistols, and the standard USP 45 was a close second. To me there is no comparison, recoil wise, between the USP pistols and any other brand. As a side benefit, they are also extremely accurate.

 

[GaryP]

In comparing all the .45's I have shot over the last 40 years I would have to say the Ruger KP345PR has the least amount of felt recoil of any of them, and this really surprised me the first time I fired one. Needless to say I have added one to my collection of .45Acp pistols, which includes Colt 1911's, HK USP's, Sigs, & Rugers. I have not shot a Glock in .45Acp.

 

[Beowolf1911]

Really GaryP?!?! one of my best friends has one and I like it but I thought it had one of the heaviest recoils of any full size auto I have shot. Especially out of the box, it has broken in well but out of the box it was terrible it jumped up and to the left quite a bit. Even now after it has broken in It kicks more then any of the steel framed compacts I have shot. Did you do any work you yours?

 

[Katana8869]

Another vote for the Ruger P345. To my perception, has by far the lightest recoil of any of my .45's. FWIW my .45 collection consist of 3 steel 1911A1's, a Scandium framed 1911 Commander, a Glock 30, a XD45 Compact and a Taurus PT145.

The Ruger is stock except for the hammer spring. I replaced it with a 19lb one from Wolff.

Beowolf1911, are you sure the trouble you had wasn't due to the trigger pull? The stock 22lb hammer spring really is heavy, especially in DA mode. On my first trip to the range with mine I was all over the place too. After changing the spring, (which literally takes about 2 minutes to do) my P345 groups as well as my Smith Commander.

 

[GaryP]

BEOWOLF1911,

Really!!!

I have been a Colt 1911 Fan since the mid 1960's and it is still my favorite. On the other hand the new Ruger KP345PR fits my hand perfectly and for me recoil is less, perceived or otherwise. To answer your question though No, I have not modified my Ruger KP345PR in any way that would affect recoil.

 

[rhubarb]

In true internet forum fashion, seven different opinions in the first eight posts. That should help you decide real good.

 

[Johnny B]

Whatever fits in your hand best.


Well, I guess it isn't quite that simple. Of all the .45's I've shot, 1911's are the softest shooting, likely because they weigh a ton. However, they also fit my hand very well. My P220, however, did not fit me as well, and as a result I felt more recoil and didn't shoot it as well. Consequently, it went into storage and was eventually sold. My XD-45 feels like it was made for me and I scarcely notice any recoil while shooting. When I first took it to the range, it shot so softly that my wife, who is somewhat recoil sensitive, was eager to give it a try. She got off four shots before clearing the gun and relinquishing it to me, rubbing her hand because the recoil was so uncomfortable. I guess my point here is that it's not just the mass of a gun that factors in to felt recoil, but also ergonomics.

 

[JDGray]

Another vote for the Ruger P345 Of the The 45s that I fired the same day, with the same ammo, the Ruger was way softer. Beating out my fullsize Springfield 1911, and a Kimber 4" Pro TachII.

 

[NGIB]

My all steel Baby Eagle weighs a ton and the recoil is hardly noticeable. It would also make a nice club if out of ammo. Of all the .45s I've shot I feel less recoil with this one...

 

[crazed_ss]

Well it's not the P220. That gun actually kicks a bit. I took a new girl to the range and let her try my P220 and after two shots, she was like "OK, no I dont like that one"

I let her try the 1911 and she shot it fine. All steel 1911s are heavy pieces of equipment. I put a TLR-1 light on mine which adds more weight. The recoil very managable.

 

[rantingredneck]

Another vote for the Ruger P345.

I'll add my vote to the chorus. All three of my current .45's are Rugers (P90/97/345). The P90 is a good bit heavier than the 345, but the 345 recoils much less.

 

[geekWithA.45]

Math suggests that the gun with:


* The most mass
* The shortest barrel
* The most grip/hand contact area and
* The lowest barrel axis

Will win.

 

[Mad Magyar]

The quickest way is to remove those damn factory grips...Generically made to fit every hand in America, cheaply & cost effective... Replace them with the recoil absorbing type or add something to them: in my case Ostrich to absorb the shock...Don't change your ammo.....
If not, don't complain....

 

[Grayrider]

TRP Operator. All that mass up front makes a big difference. Having shot most of the above guns, I can attest the full length dust cover on a steel 1911 soaks up the recoil better than anything else I have fired. It is similar to the effect my 10mm Witness Limited has in taming the 10mm.

John

 

[SRT1]

MM - Nice grip panels! They don't "creep" on the subsurface after heavy use? Any contact information you care to share with us?

 

[strat81]

Practice.

 

[Walkalong]

Tungsten full length guide rod in a 5" all steel 1911 should help.

Me, I just load them a bit lighter for most apps.

I have an old Witness Silver Team that has much less recoil than a 1911. It is bigger, with a doublestack mag and a wide grip and, of course, more weight. It is a pussycat to shoot. CZ and Witness make some similar pistols. The Witness Hunter with the comp is a lot like my Silver Team.

 

[NG VI]

USPs are great and i love my CZ