What's the lowest-recoil 9mm pistol?

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Well, you are likely to get a bunch of different answers because of what mavracer points out: felt recoil is highly subjective. Granted, as weight increases, felt recoil decreases, all other things being equal. However, most of the time nothing is really equal.

For example, I am the opposite of coolluke. I find that polymer framed 9mms have more muzzle flip than all steel 9s. Also, I find a G23 rather uncomfortable to shoot because of the shape of the grip (true of all Glocks) ... OTH I find my 2.5" S&W Model 66 slighly more pleasant to shoot .357 Mags out of because the gun feels better in my hand. A gun that feels good in your hand will also have less felt recoil, as alway, all other things being equal. :)

As far as 9mms go, I personally find my CZ-75 to be very soft shooting. I've never shot a HiPower, but I imagine it feels pretty similar to the CZ.
 
Any thing bigger than a keltec shoots pretty soft. A Sig 226 I recently fired was very soft shooting compared to my CZ75s, but its a giant compared to them too!
 
As said, generally heavier is better.... cz75, 92FS, etc... however, Glock has figured it out with the Gen4. Although I've never considered the 9mm a high-recoil round on any platform, my gen4 G19 stays on target very easily and is light weight and high cap to boot.
 
The SIG SP2022/P226/P229 are all soft shooters IMO.

The SIG P229 in .40 shoots softer for me than most other pistols in 9MM.

A lot though depends on you and how you grip your pistol.

Rent and shoot a box through a .44 magnum revolver and after that the 9MM will feel like a BB gun.
 
In a polymer framed handgun, I'd say the M&P9 or the SR9. These recoil less than all of the other polymer framed guns. I've heard that the PX4 is easy to shoot, but in my own experience, I've found the M&P to be easier to control.

If you're talking about a metal framed handgun, go for the all steel guns that are heavy.
 
I just think that by shooting the ultra light, ultra thin, ultra small PF-9 that the OP has experience shooting, he has a very exaggerated view of the 9mm's recoil potential. I don't know anyone who complains about the recoil of a GLOCK 19. You don't need an all-steel, weighted down, compensated gun to shoot 9mm out of unless you are a very frail person.
 
My Ruger SR9, has less recoil than any SA handgun I have ever fired, Even less than my security six .357, firing ,38 spl. and I always felt that the six was a pussycat.
 
Originally Posted by Michael R. View Post
ruger p95
Click to expand...
mark1616 wrote,
Yep! All steel and tank like durability. less recoil than my .22 pistol Ruger
Click to expand...
The P95 is a polymer pistol.

P85 & P89 had aluminum frames when they were in production.
 
I CC a 92fs in a SOB holster or IWB. It is a big gun though... It is also ideal for follow up shots
 
Dunno if this has been suggested yet as I dont have time to read the whole thread, but if you do go glock, they have a brass insert called the Seattle Slug (here) that is supposed to reduce felt recoil, guide the mag in, and reduce muzzle whip. I'm getting one in a week :)
 
The best way to get lower felt recoil is to get a heavier gun or a stronger recoil spring.
Click to expand...

Actually, stronger recoil springs INCREASE felt recoil, not lower it.

The easiest way to visualize this is to imagine a spring of infinite strength - IE, not a spring at all and just a rod. With that, 100% of the energy is being absorbed straight back. Now, as you reduce the weight of said spring it gives more and more, and starts cushioning more and more of the recoil as the weight goes down. The reduction is increasing as the weight lowers though. That's why most competition rigs are outfitted with the lightest recoil springs that will reliably function.

The first part of your question is spot on though. Heavier guns have more inertia so the same energy doesn't get them going quite as fast.

As such, if you want to specifically go low-recoil, look for an all-steel HEAVY 9mm with the lowest weight recoil spring that will reliably function in the gun.
 
The pistol I own with the lowest recoil is

the Beretta PX4 Storm with the rotating barrel. My 9mm's:

Berettas: PX4, Px4c, PX4sc, 92FS, M9A1, 92FS compact, Nano
Glocks: G26, G19
Sig: 226 Blackwater
Walther: PPS
Springfield: XDsc, XDM, XDM 3.8
Kahr: PM9
 
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From my experience, the 92FS is quite a sweet shooter. Very little felt recoil and muzzle flip. Along with her would be the venerable Star 30M, and both would recoil less than a CZ75.

Amongst the polymers, the PX4 is quite a soft one too. The one I had was bought by a fella who owns a CZ75 and actually bought it because he felt (as I did) that it recoiled less than his CZ.

I have shot, though, the CZ SP01 Shadow and that is just a joy to shoot. Felt recoil and muzzle flip are amazingly low.
 
The P95 is a polymer pistol.

P85 & P89 had aluminum frames when they were in production.
Click to expand...

The P series began as all heavy metal. 85, 89, and 95. :)

Ruger_P95_DAO_9mm_2_.JPG


The Ruger P95
 
I have shot many 9mms and the nod has to go to the P95...thus far in my experience anyway.
 
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