Lowest recoiling .45?

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I currently have a glock 30, and even with an EFK firedragon recoil spring assy, recoil is still pretty stout. Is there a similar sized .45 for carry that has less recoil? Maybe the M&P .45 compact, or XDM .45? Is the glock 30SF any less? A friend let me fire his 6 months ago, and I fired it very well (smoked a BUG match with it), and I dont remember it recoiling so bad as this one I own does.

Thanks,
Joe
 
I am a 5'5" guy with small hands ( Basically a freakish Circus Midget ). My XD45 has worked for me very well. Next to that, I had pretty good luck with a 1911.
 
If you dont want the recoil go with a 9mm. Its not what you shoot its how you shoot it. If you still want the 45 learn to handle the recoil. comes with the territory.
 
When I want puffballs, I load 'em and use a reduced power RSA. But the thing is, you can do things to soften the recoil, but you just can't negate the laws of physics. Generally that means a lighter bullet, all other things being equal, will provide a softer recoil.

But kill breed is right, if you want a gun that recoils like a 9mm or .380 then that's what you're going to have to get in a rather large frame gun to boot. Assuming guns of equal size, an all steel (therefore heavier) gun may help the recoil to feel softish.
 
Joe

Physics is physics, that's a way of saying that the recoil of a 45 ACP will be the same, no matter what. However, different pistols will handle it in a different ways. The lightest preceived recoil will be in a heavy framed 5 inch 1911 or in a Ruger P-97 (heavy pistol).

Pistols with heavier recoil springs and slides will absorb more of the recoil instead of it being transfered to the frame and your hand. But that is a double edge sword, semi-auto pistols must be timed properly with the correct weight spring inorder to fuction properly.

So the short answer to your question is, a 35 oz, 5 inch, 1911 with a 18 or 20 or 22 lbs recoil spring would be the lightest recoiling 45 ACP. Not exactly a carry pistol, but some do use it for that.

Jim


SAM_0536.gif
 
I've shot:
1911's,Glock 21 and 30
Ruger P90
Taurus 24/7 .45
Pistol with the lowest recoil is the Taurus.

Way better than the others.I find the 1911 to have the worst flip and twist.
 
This is weird because I have several 9mm guns and a .45 and I have more problems with flinching with the 9mm's than I do with the .45. Makes no sense to me.
 
With their wide backstraps, grip angle, low bore, and flex of the plastic frames either the G-21 or G-30 should be the softest recoiling of any 45. I know they are for me.
 
Of the various 1911s to include compacts, Sig 220, Glock 21/30/36, XD45, Ruger P90/P845, Taurus PT145, S&W 45s I have shot, M&P45 had the softest felt recoil for me and my wife.
 
in the size of a g30, I couldn't say. maybe a wide body 1911 compact. a bit more weight would probably help. if you went full sized, a cz97b is pretty stout, I suspect that would be very soft shooting indeed.
 
I like the S&W M&P .45acp grip angle. Seems to spread the recoil well. The smaller, lighter the gun the greater the recoil. My Colt Officer's with 3.5 inch barrel seems have less felt recoil than the other compacs I've tried. The lightest reciol of my 8 .45 is a Webley Mark VI but it is also the largest.
 
This is weird because I have several 9mm guns and a .45 and I have more problems with flinching with the 9mm's than I do with the .45. Makes no sense to me.
Click to expand...

I've found the 9mm a crsiper, snappier recoil than the slow push of the low pressure 45 acp. A long slow push is easy. the firecracker snap of the 9mm makes me flinch a tiny bit more. I've shot a 40, was expecting a nasty snap, but it was in a huge ole 2011 that had some heft.
 
jackpinesavages said:
The 2 stage RSA on the G36 is superior. Try one.
Click to expand...

It certainly is! I went from an S&W 457 as my carry gun to the G36 and I was pleasantly surprised at the soft recoil. I noticed it right off and disassembled the gun to see what the source was.

The dampened recoil spring assembly gave it away. Excellent design!

Dan
 
I also have a detonics 9-11-01, and an XD45 tactical that doesnt recoil bad at all. Actually the XD45 is quite tame. I am talking about smaller guns for ccw. I have carried the XD45tac on rare occasions, but not for long periods of time.

I have already mentioned that I have fired a 30sf that didnt appear to recoil bad at all. Is there that much difference between the 30 and the 30sf?

Thanks for the input, guys!
 
kim breed said:
If you dont want the recoil go with a 9mm. Its not what you shoot its how you shoot it. If you still want the 45 learn to handle the recoil. comes with the territory.
Click to expand...
This was the best response yet.

The G36 has more recoil than the G30. I'm not sure the guy recommending the G36 has ever shot a G30. You are looking for something approx the same size as the G30 so the FNP45, G21 and the P220 are out of the discussion. I guess some folks did not read the OP. The Glock30 has about the least amount of recoil of any in it's size category. If your pistol has too much recoil, you simply need to switch to a smaller caliber. The G26 9mm is a terrific pistol. There are many 9mm pistols in your size range. The Walther PPS is a good option.
 
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.45 recoil management

I'd have to say that of all of the .45s I've shot in the past 30 some years, the G21 has to be the softest shooting. Despite its light weight.

Mostly it's the way the recoil is "managed" by the low barrel geometry, the fat grip in the web of your hand, and the big grip itself. It was actually stunning to feel the difference between my beloved steel 1911 and it a few months ago.

I'm not a huge Glock fan by any means, but am willing to call it as I saw/felt it.

As far as actual "recoil control," I don't really pay it much mind. I decide what caliber best suits me, and then simply shoot it enough so that it doesn't matter. If I am walking around the city after dark, I'd always choose a .45 to any other pistol round, but mostly use a 4" 9mm with good ammo and relax just a bit.
 
Sig 220ST

Which is an all steel platform including the frame, very nice soft shooting 45. Second on the list would be my CZ97B.
 
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The absolute lowest? Probably Ed Masaki's Dragon Gun. Its a blowback design with 4 rows of gas ports along the barrel. Most people describe it like shooting a 32acp.

But that's not practical, so the best recommendation is to let physics work for you; heavy gun + lighter loads = less recoil to the shooter. Try shooting some bullseye wadcutter loads in a 5" 1911. Those clock something like 650-700 FPS, which is a lot less than the 800-900 FPS you see in factory loads.
 
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