Bullet Weight
What does bullet weight have to do with the amount of recoil. For instance what would be the differnce between a bullet that weighs 180 grains and 165. Forgive my ignorance on the subject
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I believe that the heavier weight will increase your recoil. Especially in 44mag
Improvise Adapt and Overcome0 -
It would depend on the energy of the bullet being fired. The energy felt in the recoil should closely equal the energy of the bullet at the muzzle. It is possible to have a lighter bullet equal or exceed the recoil of a heavier bullet. 0 -
Recalling my old undergrad college days. This phenomenon has to do with simple physics. Newton's Third Law of Motion states that "For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction". For example, if you push on a wall, the wall pushes back on you. If you shoot a heavier buddit at the same velocity as a lighter buddit, then the heavier buddit will push back at you harder.
Boomer
"Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as it is by the obstacles which one has overcome while trying to succeed."NRA Life Member0 -
Boomerang has the right idea going here. Mass times accelleration equals force. Especially on larger calibers, like shotguns, the mass
of the powder is also a factor as that also has to be accellerated down the bore, adding to the push of recoil. The bullet weight and the speed in combination are the major parts of recoil. If the speed is the same for both, then recoil should be higher for the lager bullet.0 -
Don't forget that there are two types of recoil, first is when the projectile starts moving down the bore (that's mass x acceleration = force). Second, you get the gasses escaping from the muzzle (much like a how a jet forces air out the back and it in turn moves the object to which it is mounted to).
The second type creates most of the felt recoil on firearms. rsnyder55 is correct that it is possible for a lighter bullet to create more recoil if it launches at a significantly higher velocity.
The difference in recoil between a 180 grain bullet and a 165 grain bullet would be minimal all other things being equal.
I used to have a chart that told the relation to all this, but I can't find it.
Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote!
Benjamin Franklin0 -
add to the thread this fact: the amount of powder to get the bullet moving to its needed speed must take place within the barrel. loads are designed to allow the bullet to reach its perfect speed as it leaves the barrel.
take a 44 in a handgun. it must get going.... so to say...in 6". its gotta go fast quick, requiring kapowie! take the same bullet with a lever action 24" barrel and it has longer to burn before it reaches the end of the rifle barrel. therefore the kick is more of a wuuuumpf, and gradual. much like blackpowder guns. im saying this in laymean terms folks, so dont nail me to hard! does that help any? factor in types of action or no actions and the reaction/action changes. whew....lotta words there! hope it helped. because now even i need a break!
former air operations officer SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 2. former navy skeet team, navy rifle/pistol team member. co-owner skeetmaster tubes inc.. owner/operator professional shooting instruction.0 -
Bambihunter:
if you can find that chart...or if anyone reading this thread knows the source of a similar chart (specifically related to small arms recoil, in foot pounds preferably) I would like to get a copy. Maybe there is a listing in a good book somewhere.
SEMPER FI0 -
Some of your reloading manuals will list the muzzle energy of specific bullet weights in the trajectory tables in the back of their manuals.
Try hornady or speer manuals.
If you ain't got a sense of humor you got no business bein here!0 -
You could quantify the recoil/velocity differences in several different loads by shooting at something sturdy from about 50 yards.
Take ol' Elihu Remington's example of how fast his personal waterfowl loads were when he shot them at a corrugated metal fence from 35 yards; some hit the fence really soon (and kicked like a mule), while other loads hit the fence a little slower with very light recoil.
We used this system before chronographs were cheap enough to own, and worked up loads for the 45-70, 300WM, 38 special, 25acp, 32 H&R Mag., and weren't disappointed at the results even after getting a chronograph! That old telephone pole was sure beat up after the testing took place!
Another way to look at it is if you have two bullets of nearly the same weight (165/180), which one would retain long range energy better? The heavier one would, due to the slight extra mass. Recoil is the exact opposite of the retained energy downrange; so the heavier bullet would give more perceived recoil at a given velocity than the lighter one (if both bullets were pushed to the same velocity).
If you know it all; you must have been listening.WEAR EAR PROTECTION!0 -
I have a balistics program that will give you all of the information you are looking for. You can enter your own variables (bullet weight, barrel length, ect) & it will calculate energy, muzzle volocity, recoil, bullet drop, ect. Problem is I can't manage to attach it here. Anyone know how? Or enter your e-mail address & I will send you the folder. Prefer to send in zip file if you can open.
Bob0 -
My cousin was shooting some 338 win mag hand loads in a 180 gr ballistic tip. Recoil was fine. When he shot his hand loads in a 165 gr barnes x it was major recoil. I imagine they crammed more powder in the smaller bullet loads.
Mad Dog0
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