[lilfeucht23]

How does the recoil of a .38 special compare to a .45 ACP? Is there a lot more recoil to the .45 over the .38?

 

[Asylum Keeper]

recoil is affected by the weight of the gun. So heavy gun = less recoil. Now if you compare equal weight gun, I would say .45ACP has a heavier recoil than .38special. You can get low recoil ammo in .45ACP but I have never tried any. Regular loads are very controllable for me.


Now, why the question? Looking to get a gun in .45ACP?

 

[lilfeucht23]

Yupp lookin at getting a XD in .45 or 9mm

 

[Asylum Keeper]

For pleasure shooting? Or defence? If it is for defence go with the .45. Nothing beats a .45 :twisted:

 

[Chaco1]

I would either get the .40 or the .45 not the 9.

 

[Guest]

Re: re: Recoil Comparison...

Yupp lookin at getting a XD in .45 or 9mm

Then why ask about the 38?

Between the two, if it matters, 9mm is by far the cheapest serious HD caliber to shoot and you can get some worthy HD loads. But personally I prefer the 45 - I feel it's more certain to disuade an atacker especially if fired.

If the gun is for HD, some will argue a DA revolver is the best choice. Just pull the trigger, no safety to worry about, no did I rack the slide, no worry about a FTF. In most cases 6 shots is plenty. If you go for a revolver, I'd go 357 Mag - you can always practise w/ 38 sp loads. IMO a good 357 mag is one of the most versatile pistols you can own.

 

[wwb]

Re: re: Recoil Comparison...

.....If the gun is for HD, some will argue a DA revolver is the best choice......

I'm one of 'em. I have a couple .45 ACP 1911s - but it's a .357 DA wheelgun in the nightstand.

 

[Asylum Keeper]

The XD is like a DA revolver, just point and shoot, no manual safeties.

 

[Guest]

Re: re: Recoil Comparison...

The XD is like a DA revolver, just point and shoot, no manual safeties.

But you still could have the FTF, and did-I-rack-the-slide, issues. With a revolver, an FTF, just pull the trigger again.

It's really a matter preference, if semi-autos weren't reliable, nobody would stake their life on them. Revolvers are just seen as more fool proof and a better choice for folks who don't handle pistols that often. Tho personally I think anyone who's going to own a gun owes it to themselves and their family to take time and become quite familiar with their weapon of choice.

 

[cg]

Re: re: Recoil Comparison...

The XD is like a DA revolver, just point and shoot, no manual safeties.

But you still could have the FTF, and did-I-rack-the-slide, issues. With a revolver, an FTF, just pull the trigger again.

It's really a matter preference, if semi-autos weren't reliable, nobody would stake their life on them. Revolvers are just seen as more fool proof and a better choice for folks who don't handle pistols that often. Tho personally I think anyone who's going to own a gun owes it to themselves and their family to take time and become quite familiar with their weapon of choice.

Mine is a 12 gauge. My back up an XD .40. My other "was" a GP 100, but the wife has become attached to that revolver for reasons NG already stated above. Lol! I've put a lot of rounds through all of them and would stake my life on either of them. It's definately a matter of preference. But
i think that whatever you choose it should only have one function for a trigger. I dislike autos and revolvers that have DA/SA triggers. Now my .454 is a hunter, and in the event I need to shoot a hog or other critter in a hurry it is a defender as well. So for a gun like that I like the DA/Sa trigger. But my wife's .357 serves one purpose and therefore the hammer is chopped. I just think that for a personal defense gun, the trigger should pull the same way every time.

 

[Clayslayer]

If you really want a good "scientific" factor for determining recoil look at the ft/lbs of energy at muzzle velocity when comparing two types of ammunition.

Recoil is affected by two factors: mass of projectile (or ejecta) and velocity of projectile (or ejecta). PERIOD. Now that being said the floodgates will open telling us that brand "x" kicks harder than brand "y" and so on.

Felt recoil is another subject alltogether. The overall mass of the gun, along with the fit and balance of the gun, action of the gun (revolver vs semi auto) burn rate of the powder, addition of compensators, squishy grips, recoil pads, etc all affect "felt" recoil.

I have a Glock 19 that doesn't kick very hard at all. My brother has a Kimber 1911 that seems to kick even less. Math tells me that the .45 produces more recoil and should "kick" harder but the added mass of the full sized Kimber "soaks" up a lot of the extra bounce.

To answer your question yes the .45 (typically)produces more recoil than a .38 Special but you're going to have to try both to see for yourself which "kicks" harder for you. Neither are what I would consider punishing rounds and both are very managable. If you try a .38 with a two inch snub barrel compared to a full sized .45 in a 1911 frame you'll swear that the .38 kicks harder. If you compare a subcompact .45 auto (like a Glock 36) to a Colt Python shooting .38 specials you'll swear on a stack of Bibles that the .45 kicks ten times harder than a .38.

 

[jwh]

Re: re: Recoil Comparison...

Yupp lookin at getting a XD in .45 or 9mm

I bought an XD 45 Service model yesterday and went out to the "dobies" with a box of 230 grain fmj Winchester target loads. No FTF or FTE or any other problems. Due to the design of the XD felt recoil was not much different than my old Beretta 92f in 9MM. The XD is one of the most natural pointing pistols I have shot.

jwh

 

[darkgael]

I have heard similar good things about the feel of the XD.
About recoil....during the last indoor match season a new shooter arrived on the scene with SOCOM auto .45. Not a target gun but it was what he had. Nice gun...but the recoil, especially firing offhand, beat him up. One could see it happening as the match progressed.
Just yesterday I went down to the range near my home in PA and spent a little time with my Glock 36. One of the first things that came to mind as I was shooting (230gr factory ammo) was how much more comfortable that little gun was to shoot than the much larger Socom. Why? Both manufacturers have a good rep and yet....
Go figure.
Pete

 

[john1911]

IMO recoil is a completely subjective thing. You can figure recoil mathematically but until you feel it it doesn't mean anything. Different guns recoil in different ways. Some feel like a slow push others are "snappy". I alway perceived that my XD-40 had harsher recoil than my Kimber 1911. The numbers may say otherwise but that's how it felt to me. The recoil from the .45 seems to spread out over a longer time, the .40 seems I get it all at once.

I hope what I was trying to say is clear.

 

[Asylum Keeper]

Some feel like a slow push others are "snappy".

totally! 7mm Magnum is like someone giving you a jab to the shoulder. .375H&H is like someone pushing you (I like better)

and to me 9mm is "snappy", .45ACP is more of a "push"
:?

 

[Clayslayer]

The old recoil horse has been beaten to death over on SGW too. Actual vs. Felt recoil, different powders, wads, hulls, ported barrels etc....ad nausem...


Just go out and SHOOT! Have fun and be safe!

 

[J T. Hut]

How does the recoil of a .38 special compare to a .45 ACP? Is there a lot more recoil to the .45 over the .38?

Recoil is very much subjective, the particular firearm, barrel length. grips and the experience of the shooter are all important, for instance I find the 10 mm auto round a jarring (damn near rattled out my filing)s)
in the Colt Delta elite and yet my former Glock 10 mm was
entirely controllable fairly comfortable experience even with the
hottest hand loads and the Norma solids loading.

In a light, short barreled revolver some of the 158 gr. loads
can get definitely your attention, in my 6" S&W L frame .357
the hottest +P+ .38 loads are fairly mellow.

I'd recommend starting out with a decent quality 4" .357
revolver S&W, Ruger or Taurus, the .38 mid range wad cutter
target loads are extremely mellow and very economical
and with a serious tactical load like the .357 Federal hydra-shock are entirely controllable and pretty much the standard of comparison for handgun effectiveness.
You can also load up with shot loads for stream fishing
where there are Water moccasins.

The above is versatile in the extreme

Remember handgun stopping power is in actuality pure unadulterated bullshit, it's entirely a matter of shot placement

If you're looking for stopping power, you're looking at a shotgun, or better yet an M 79 40 mm Flechette round ;-)

I believe the late great Bill Jordon once said " a solid hit from a .22 is a good bit more convincing than a loud miss with a .44 Mag "

.22's will definitely do the job and with the ability to buy a brick of .500 .22's for $15 will definitely encourage getting the practice and experience actually needed to be a serious Pistolero instead of a Willie Whippin Couch Commando.

Kind regards J. T. Hut

 

[Bunnyman]

Also bear in mind grip configuration and material. A revolver with wood grips is quite a bit more fatiguing than one with a nice set of rubbers. I found that putting those Hogue hand-alls (rubber 'grip-socks') on my Tokarev and CZ actually took a lot of the (admittedly limited) bite out of them. It's a lot easier to muck about with this variable on a wheelgun, though.

 

[zerbe]

I am a relative newbie in the pistol world. I currently only own a S&W 1975 vintage K22.

I did, however get the opertunity to shoot an alloy framed with titanium cylinder S&W .357 with about a 2" barrel. I believe it was the 340PD revolver. It had 38+P loads in it. Even with the rubber grips, it was difficult to hang on to and after 5 rounds, I was more then ready to give it back to the owner. I have also hand the pleasure of shooting varous other full sized .357 revolvers as well as someone's 1911 .45ACP.

The owner of that tiny .357 was a woman who stood about 5' tall and had been previously assulted. She was determined to never let that happen again. From watching her practice with it, I certainly pity the next person to try! :twisted:

If I had to choose right now for a CCW, I wouldn't hesitate on that little Smith. It would take a bit of practice, but it would be difficult to beat for size and weight to carry around all the time.

If its for HDW or just plain higher volume range shooting, I'd most likely go with a 6" barrelled .357 DA of some sort. I've learned from shooting my K22 (at bowling pins) that I can shoot 6 shots from a wheel gun just as fast as (or faster) than many people can shoot an auto loader.