Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles How much does the powder charge affect recoil?

I just recently got a .375 Ruger and I've been looking at the reloading data. Looking at the Hodgdon data and more specifically H4350 and Varget I see a 10gr difference in powder for basically the same velocity. I've been reloading for quite a few years and for lots of different cartridges but its the fist time I've ran into this scenario.

With the same bullet, will the 72gr of Varget recoil less than the 82.5 of H4350? Or will they have similar recoil since they are sending the same bullet at the same speed?

There is a difference, the Varget load will have slightly less recoil, by about 4 ft lbs or about 10%, but there is only about a 1% difference in recoil velocity.

Total energy is a measure of kinetic energy, but recoil velocity is closer to what a shooter might perceive, and in this example, 1% is not much difference.

I'm not sure if I would be able to feel a 10% difference in that rifle, but it would be an interesting experiment to try.

A mushy pad would have more effect.

Go here

http://handloads.com/calc/recoil.asp

I shoot a quite light .350RM, and in it using the lightest charge for the velocity clearly has both less physical and felt recoil. In heavier rifles, even in bigger cartridges, or lighter recoiling rifles, although I know that the charge counts, I have never been able to feel it.

When I loaded for my .375 H&H, I used the max H4350 loads, and they shot fine, but the recoil would always smash the bolt handle into my knuckle. I changed to 68grs of IMR4064, had the same velocity, excellent accuracy, and no more bruised knuckles. I even completely got rid of any flinching with that load.

Another example is with the .308 vs. the .270. Both will push 150gr bullets to within 100fps of each other, but the .270 uses 12 more grains of powder. I can shoot the .308 free recoil from the bench with no problem. I would be picking up the .270 if I did that with it. My .300 Win Mag is even more drastic with 75grs of powder under 150gr bullet as to not even be in the same discussion when it comes to recoil.

IME, with the rifles I have owned, a 10gr increase in powder has the same effect as a 30gr increase in bullet weight.

I also think if you fire both loads back to back you will feel some difference. I had pretty much settled on Big Game in the 375 Ruger which burns around 80 gr depending on the weight of the bullet but surprisingly where I really felt a difference was with the 300 WSM 60 gr RL 15 with a 165 gr bullet kicked a lot less than 69.5 gr of H 4831 sc and a 180. I do realize they aren't the same bullet weight but there was a very noticeable difference between the two, the 165's were around 3050 fps and the 180's were around 2950 fps.