Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Felt Recoil?

Dose the shape of the case have any impact on the felt type or amount of recoil?

No.

BUT - a case operating at higher pressure - and using less powder to do so - can give velocities equal to a larger case, using more powder - to get the same velocities.

The amount of powder used - is not insignificant - when it comes to calculating recoil.

I have found that the larger cases hurt more.

So what causes a case to have higher pressure?

What I meant is that when two cases - one larger, and one smaller, both send a projectile out at the same speed, the smaller case will have less recoil - because it must be operating at a higher pressure.

This is the ONLY reason that some of the shorter more modern magnums have less felt recoil compared to some of the older larger cased magnums - they operate at higher pressure.

all depends on the powder burned and how fast it burns.

a larger case can hold more powder (obviously) so typically it kicks more, and for that reason. and they tend to carry a bigger bullet, also a factor in recoil.

now when you get into reloading you take on a whole new genre of what to expect in a cartridge.
you can take a 30-06 and make it kick like a .223 although the bullet won't perform for chit. so there is something to it.
but on the same note, you can tweak cartridges unlike the factory can, thus improving performance.
so does case size have a bearing on recoil? yes.
does it mean a large case will have large recoil? not always.
does this help? or create a whole nother world of questions?

Weight of the rifle has a lot to do with it. Also, the weight of the charge fits into the equation. That said though, I have never found a 308 I enjoyed shooting.

also a common misconception is a larger bullet must take more powder to make it move right? wrong!

it becomes a pressure game, that any number of factors can come into play, which is why its not a good idea to play around with powders and cartridges without the know how to fiddle in the margins (I don't and wouldn't try).

a larger bullet in a certain caliber requires less powder to get going than a smaller bullet of the same caliber. here is why.

lets say bullet A (55 grain) out of a gun requires 25 grains of X powder

and bullet B (75 grain) out of the same gun requires 24.5 grains of X powder

why is that?
the heavier bullet takes more force to move, and when it starts moving its slower and pressure has a chance to build up.

in a smaller bullet you need more pressure up front, because once it starts moving its light and needs more push to get up to max speed.

now all this is dumbed way down. but does it help?
I hope so. good luck!

Ok I understand what your saying, the reason for the question was that I was told resently that the reason that your strait walled cases have more of a push rather than a punch is because of the strait wall as opposed to something like a .338 that has a sholder and more of a punch.

they all have a shoulder

There are numerous factors to "felt recoil"- including psychological (if you think it's gong to knock the snot out of you- it probably will!)

Here are some:

Weight of projectile
Powder load
Efficiency of recoil pad
Weight of rifle
Muzzle rise
Muzzle blast
Shooting position
Reason for shooting (target vs game)
Design of stock
Shooters physique
Shooter's hold on rifle
Fit of rifle to shooter

Other things being equal, I doubt the shape of the case has much to do with felt recoil. I'm only guessing, but if I had to put money on it, I'd guess equivalent loads, etc. etc in a .300SM will have no perceptible difference in felt recoil with that of a .300 H&H, or .300 WM. Or very little.

By "equivalent loads", I mean everything is the same- rifle weight, recoil pads, projectiles, powder measures, etc (your projectile velocities may vary!)

Borrow some Buddy's guns and Choot,.....

You'll get a handle on your recoil tolerance.

PROTECT your ears,.....there's a big flinch-factor lurking in poor hearing protection.

I think Big guys get kicked harder,......

Just my $.02

GTC

Big boys don't get kicked any harder- they just don't have the give us wimps have so they feel it more. After all, the more mass there is to get moving with the force applied, the slower it is to get moving.

You are absolutely right on hearing- foam plugs under earmuffs makes my .338 Mag-Na-Ported Ruger much less recoil perceived on the bench. Don't even notice it when whacking a moose in the field, without any hearing protection at all.

I think there may be something to do with muzzle blast frequency as well- the .243 has made my ears ring a couple times when game-shooting in the field, and I can't recall any other rifle doing so.

Thanks guys I think I have the answers I'm looking for

Recoil is recoil. (Blank) pounds is (blank)pounds. The speed and area that it is administered determines how it is "felt".

From my own experience...

Dropping down from 165s or 180s to the Barnes 130 TTSX in my 300 WM had a remarkable effect on felt recoil. So bullet weight definitely is a key factor. However, one additional thing that Barnes does to their monolithic bullets is cut a number of grooves in them, which reduces friction and thus pressure, which I assume also should make a difference.

Having shot 300 WSMs, which basically match the 300 WM in performance, bullet size being equal, they do kick noticeably less. This is explained in one of the preceding posts.

As LAS notes, all kinds of other things factor into recoil, not the least of which is weight of the rifle and shape of the stock.

There is a super good article in the January 2008 edition of "Rifle" magazine by John Barness (Mule Deer) all about gun stocks and how critical design and proper fit for the user is, particularly with regard to felt recoil. Well worth a read if you can track it down.

Picture a 30# block of rubber resting on your forehead, versus a golfball hitting you at (whatever) speed that would amount to 30# of energy. That is "felt recoil".

Good replies all.Speed of recoil is something that gets to me more than the lbs.of force.I can shoot 158 and `125 .357 Mags all day outta my gp 100 Ruger 3" at 35oz.Shootin' buds Sp 101 at 26oz and i'm ready to stop after a box.I keep a box of 225gr LFP bowling pin specials over 6.0 Unique for Officer's Acp shooters who speak of how "Quick recoil recovery is".

Yikes!

Lots will go out to the trap range and pound 50 or 100 rounds of 12 gauge through a pump action and think nothing of it.

Odds are that the 12 gauge probably kicks almost as much as a magnum rifle, even as big as a .375 Ouch and Ouch.

Sometimes the key word is "perceived", eh?

Speed of recoil is interesting way to put it.

My Vanguard 300 WM, with 180s, really "thumps", which wears me down quick. The 300 WSM not so much.

Longer case, and slower burning powder, for a prolonged initial reaction?