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Parameters: premium self defense hollowpoint ammo only.

Observation: typically a lighter bullet has higher velocity and the result is often higher energy (ft-lbs)

Does a lighter grain (weight) bullet traveling faster have less felt recoil than a heavier bullet traveling slower?
 
Parameters: premium self defense hollowpoint ammo only.

Observation: typically a lighter bullet has higher velocity and the result is often higher energy (ft-lbs)

Does a lighter grain (weight) bullet traveling faster have less felt recoil than a heavier bullet traveling slower?

It can if the powder charge isn't disproportionately greater at that given bore size. Its all physics. 124gr +p+ might feel more snappy than standard 147gr ammo. But, its not likely that standard 124gr ammo would have greater perceived recoil than standard 147gr ammo even though there might be a 100fps difference.
 
I have found that 165 and 180 gr .45 have less palm crushing recoil then 220 or 230 gr, and the speeds ARE higher with the lighter bullets. Ballistic data shows about the same distance traveled in gelatin with hollow points up to 200 gr, and the 220 and 230 go quite a bit further. Interestingly, the 10 mm auto has a much more pronounced effect between the bullet weights, with the lighter bullets being pretty snappy, and the heavier ones being about like a .44 mag felt recoil wise!
 
this is just a random curiosity, I just want to be able to pick a good SD round with the lowest recoil. I noticed a 124g kicked harder than a 115g in 9mm and the latter felt closer to the cheap FMJ bulk ammo I practice with. Ideally I want the SD rounds to feel the same as what I practice with. Staying away from +P .... no need.
 
this is just a random curiosity, I just want to be able to pick a good SD round with the lowest recoil. I noticed a 124g kicked harder than a 115g in 9mm and the latter felt closer to the cheap FMJ bulk ammo I practice with. Ideally I want the SD rounds to feel the same as what I practice with. Staying away from +P .... no need.

Federal makes 124 and 147gr FMJ for practice in their American Eagle line.
 
For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. So, assuming all things are equal with the rifle, look at a bullets muzzle energy as a good.measure of recoil. Also, recoil is 100% subjective, what I find too uncomfortable to shoot, you may enjoy.
 
For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. So, assuming all things are equal with the rifle, look at a bullets muzzle energy as a good.measure of recoil. Also, recoil is 100% subjective, what I find too uncomfortable to shoot, you may enjoy.

#TrueFacts #itsscience! :-D Staying within 9mm recoil should not be an issues for 99% of healthy shooters for those that argue I submit the dozens of 12 and 13 year old females running 9mm pistols in 3 gun someone with on average double their body mass should have no issues running the caliber. As far as it feeling like your training rounds I would worry less about that than it grouping like your training rounds. If your practice ammo is dead on with your sights at say 15 yards but your self defense ammo is 6 inches high that is something worth worrying about. As for the feel you may notice the difference if you shot one than the other in the next magazine but would you be able to tell which one recoiled harder if I handed you a magazine of one without telling you which than a week later gave you a magazine of the other ammo?
 
this is just a random curiosity, I just want to be able to pick a good SD round with the lowest recoil. I noticed a 124g kicked harder than a 115g in 9mm and the latter felt closer to the cheap FMJ bulk ammo I practice with. Ideally I want the SD rounds to feel the same as what I practice with. Staying away from +P .... no need.
Of course you are considering which one shoots best out of your gun....o_O
?
 
Be careful. They say that stressing your bones and joints a bit is good for you. As a matter of fact, all I used to shoot was Winchester white box 115gr 9mm for years and years.
Well, when I shot off a magazine of my carry loads not so long ago, some +p's, the bones in my hands and wrists were reduced to powder.. so be careful.






















not really
 
Often it depends more on how fast the gasses are leaving the muzzle. If they leave quickly it will be fast and sharp, causing it to feel lighter. If they leave slower it will feel heavy because the gasses are leaving slower causing there to be prolonged recoil.
 
I know this is entirely subjective (felt recoil), im just looking for some way to be consistant with ammo purchases... There are endless optiins to choose from. The vast majority of 9mm bulk ammo is 115g loaded mild. I had this box of premium Corbon 124g +P loads for SD I carried for years... Finally decided to shoot them up and replace them. They kicked so hard from the small compact pistol, huge difference and instantly realised this is not something I would want to rely on for real. I can handle the recoil, but I cant handle the price tag to train with those loads... And why would I want to handle that recoil anyways.. +P is not needed.

Tried some Sig 124g and they shot nice and smooth, a bit more kick than the Hornandy 115g XTP loads which shot as smooth as the Winchester whitebox bulk ammo.

I probably will stick with 115g, not certain yet how that might vary between different manufacturers.....
 
I know this is entirely subjective (felt recoil), im just looking for some way to be consistant with ammo purchases... There are endless optiins to choose from. The vast majority of 9mm bulk ammo is 115g loaded mild. I had this box of premium Corbon 124g +P loads for SD I carried for years... Finally decided to shoot them up and replace them. They kicked so hard from the small compact pistol, huge difference and instantly realised this is not something I would want to rely on for real. I can handle the recoil, but I cant handle the price tag to train with those loads... And why would I want to handle that recoil anyways.. +P is not needed.

Tried some Sig 124g and they shot nice and smooth, a bit more kick than the Hornandy 115g XTP loads which shot as smooth as the Winchester whitebox bulk ammo.

I probably will stick with 115g, not certain yet how that might vary between different manufacturers.....
This is why you always shoot your carry ammo. Winchester has ammo called Train and Defend. It's the same loading with two different types (same weight) bullets. You get ammo to train with and ammo to carry that should shoot the same.
 
This is why you always shoot your carry ammo. Winchester has ammo called Train and Defend. It's the same loading with two different types (same weight) bullets. You get ammo to train with and ammo to carry that should shoot the same.

I didnt know they had that, I will look into that... Thank you for sharing that.

The only other factor is it needs to be regularly available at the LGS but im not opposed to ordering online.
 
This is why you always shoot your carry ammo. Winchester has ammo called Train and Defend. It's the same loading with two different types (same weight) bullets. You get ammo to train with and ammo to carry that should shoot the same.

You also need to shoot a fair amount of your actual carry ammo to make sure it functions properly. It would suck to find out about a feeding issue while protecting you...
 
You also need to shoot a fair amount of your actual carry ammo to make sure it functions properly. It would suck to find out about a feeding issue while protecting you...

Yup, thats what ive started doing and why I want it to be similar to training ammo.

As a general rule Im going to match grains in premium ammo with the bulk ammo thats readily available. Not certain if there is any more to do than that other than stay away from +P...
 
Point of impact similarity is important to me betwixt carry and practice. In allowing for that, I'm not concerned about recoil difference between heavier service rounds and lighter practice rounds other than knowing what to expect grip and flip wise.
Though I've not drawn my carry out of anger or fear, I have shouldered a rifle many times with adrenalin filled excitement which in all cases, I cannot ever remember thinking, Gee, this 180gr kicks a lot harder than the 130 gr I've been target practicing with.
I would adjust practice powder to try duplicate the ballistics between carry and practice.
Having been in a few physical altercations long years past, I can assure you the vein popping, eye bulging tunnel vision adrenalin surging within you will be more than enough to absorb any increase in recoil.
 
For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. So, assuming all things are equal with the rifle, look at a bullets muzzle energy as a good.measure of recoil. Also, recoil is 100% subjective, what I find too uncomfortable to shoot, you may enjoy.
^This^ For as far as it goes.
A lot goes into "felt" recoil. Not the least of which is weight/mass of the gun. It's been my experience that the lighter the gun the less discrepancy there is between your two theoretical loads. The lighter faster load will have more snap in a lighter gun, and may "feel" just as harsh.
But in a heavier gun the heavier load will result in more felt recoil, but more of a push than a snap.

Recovery time is also a factor in this, beyond what you sense or feel when you shoot. The heavier load may feel less harsh, but if it pushes the gun higher and further off target when it recoils, recovery time may suffer. Conversely if you're sensitive to muzzle blast, you may find the lighter, faster load induces greater recovery time, as +P loads almost universally generate greater muzzle blast than a heavy load at more moderate velocities.

Either way, felt recoil is rather subjective, (as DS points out) and recovery time to the next accurate shot is most important.
 
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