Also, both the Desert Eagle and the Glock come in a variety of sizes and chamber a variety of rounds all of which affect the recoil.
The Iconic Desert Eagle is the .50 calibur which is a really big bullet. Yes it has a serious kick. No I haven't fired it. The largest round I fire is the .45 but I also fire a .40 which has more of a kick than the .45 since it is loaded heaver than the .45; how much powder a round has behind it also affects the kick.
You also have the weight of the weapon affecting the kick. The heavier gun you have, the less kick it will exert since more energy is expended to move the weapon. The length of the barrel and the existence or absence of a gas vent on the top of the muzzle to reduce travel also come into play.
That said, the recoils of a .50 cal desert eagle will be much more severe than that of a standard 7.62 HK G3 because it fires a heavier round and weighs alot less than the rifle. The difference isn't as bad because the .50 cal bullet is loaded with less propellant than the 7.62 rifle round.
The recoil on a longarm/rifle/SMG tends to be easier to handle than that of a high-caliber pistol. The DEagle is a heavy brick of a gun, (and is an overrated and over hyped piece of garbage :incog
but packs one heck of a kick. Glock, depending on what they're chambered in, are usually not bad until you get into the bigger calibers. They're a little on the light side so their .45s kick a little more than, say, a M1911.The following should be read with the preface "At least how it feels to me when I shoot":
From the ones I have shot, from least 'objectionable kick':
M16a1- pussycat
mp5- my buddy got the civilian semi k, didnt like it
Ruger P89 9mm
1911
SIngle Action 45LongColt- flipped, but it is supposed to flip to ease thumbing the hammer
Ruger GP100 357m (4")
M60 - from bipod no sandbags
AK - auto from standing shoulder was a brain shaker
m1A 308
Marlin 336 35rem caliber, light leveraction with 200gr slugs
50ae DE - one mag years ago
I say 'objectionable', because the longarms sink a lot of the recoil into your shoulder mass rather than just your wrist. The 35Rem is a fairly weak rifle caliber, but it weighed so much less than the M1A that I personaly found it more annoying to shoot.
Also, I have fairly small hands and the large frame pistols give me a hard time.
But it does give a kick to your shoulder, and that is enough that you'll have to take a second or two to re-aim if you're firing single shots. Full auto requires a very firm grip with both hands, otherwise the point of impact will progressively rise.
The first time I fired the G3 full-auto (due to it jamming a bit earlier at the shooting range) I was completely unprepared for the recoil, and as the last round was fired the barrel was almost pointing skywards. So yes, the G3 is one you have to be prepared for.
Pistol recoil is distinctly different from long gun recoil, specifically for the reason that backstabbist mentioned-the different places of bodily absorption of the recoil. That being said, I have found that for me, 3 things will dictate usually how much recoil I feel-
1. Type of firearm. Handguns transfer recoil through the arms, and this also allows more of the recoil to transfer into the motion of the firearm. Long guns transfer the recoil into the shoulder, which is a more stable portion of the body (definitely more stout than the arms alone) and usually results in less movement of the firearm. The action is part of this consideration also, as some actions bleed force of the recoil to function the action.
2. Weight of the firearm. More mass to the firearm means that it requires that much more force to move it, so an equal amount of force moves less in a heavier firearm. This is why the BAR did not feel like it had a lot of recoil, in spite of the the fact that it fired a 30-06, and the light frame revolvers thump harder than heavy frame revolvers of the same caliber.
3. Force output of the ammunition. It should be noted that this is firearm specific, as the same ammunition can have different force outputs on different firearms (ie, pretty much any 9mm will have more force from a MP5 due to barrel length than it will from a pistol).
That being said, of the long guns listed, I would describe my felt recoil from lowest to highest as
MP5
M16
HK G3
The hanguns:
Glock (any caliber)
S&W .38 special 5 shot model 640 (added just to have a 3rd example)
Desert Eagle .50 (said point five oh, out of respect for the movie Snatch)
This is not a question about game rules. Its a question about real life. I need to know from someone that has shot a gun, can you please rate these weapons in terms of their comparative recoil: a desert eagle, a glock, an MP5, an M-16 and HK G3. Basically, what I am curious about is this: is the recoil of the desert eagle as bad as that of the HK G3? Is it worse? What about the glock in comparison to an M-16? I know the MP5 would probably have the least recoil in all of those, but I am trying to accurately compare the recoil of the other weapons.
Unless you are counting a Ruger 9mm as equivalent to a Glock, I have never fired any of those guns. I will say that the rifle used by the A-team in the tv show is quite nice. Mine fires like a dream, and the recoil is easily handled.
the rifle used by the A-team in the tv show
Ruger Mini14's right?
Its like they took all the goodness of a M14 Rifle,
and made a lil bitty one for .233... a Mini M14 one might say
One thing we havent heard about it the wrist smashing bone crush recoil from the powerhouse 5.7FrickinNuclear (or whatever else FN stands for)
However, magnum founds and the Desert Eagles massive .50 AE round has a hell of a kick, to the point that firing the pistol one handed can be very uncomfortable.
Assault rifle ammo, like 7.62 NATO rounds, do pack a punch, but many rifles are built with recoil supressors and compensators (HK G3) and calibers like the .223 (or 5.56mm NATO) were specifically made for low recoil.
Military grade weapons, like the M-16 and G3, do not have high recoils (unless on full auto, which doesn't so much cause harmful recoil, but muzzle climb) However, high powered hunting rifles and shotguns have some massive recoil, tight enough that if the user does not holt the stock tight against the shoulder it can cause bruising, even dislocation. .300 Winchester magnum rounds, .270, .457, etc. may cause monsterous recoil, but they have monsterous knock down power as well. This goes for shotguns as well. Granted, a 20ga is nowhere near as bad as a 12 or 10 (or the illegal 8 gauge)
the ability to knock an opponent down with one shot and keep them down is always a good thing.
Like a 44spec or 45LC Derringer
or even a 45acp Derringer
MP5
M16
Glock 17 (full-size 9mm)
G3
Desert Eagle in .50AE
That said, none of them are particularly hard to control once you learn a few basic techniques. I wouldn't want to fire the G3 in full-auto, because it'd just waste ammo. I can double-tap with a .50 AE Desert Eagle, however. The major problem is the sheer size of the grip frame. I have big hands, and find a Beretta 92 to be very comfortable, but the Deagle is just massive.
The MP5 is a pussycat. The Glock is like any other full-size 9mm pistol, i.e. controllable. The M16 depends on the configuration. A 20"-bbl M16A2 is very controllable. The only full-auto ARs I've fired have been either M4 carbines or old Vietnam-era M16A1s, both of which are lighter (and thus have more recoil) than a fullsize M16A2. Neither are all that hard to shoot well.
"Anything that fires pistol rounds has low recoil"
Like a 44spec or 45LC Derringer
or even a 45acp Derringer
In a word, yes, a .44 special does have a low recoil, considering it is a cut down version of a .44 magnum, and a .45 long colt has about the same grain count of powder as a .45 magnum, and a .45 acp does have a low recoil, but when you fire it from a pistol with a 2.5 inch barrel or less (like a derringer) the recoil and muzzle flash is going to be massive. Like I said before magnum rounds and high caliber rounds (like the .50 AE, or .45 LC) are going to carry a pretty hefty kick.
As for the .45 LC, it depends on the loading. The original black-powder loading isn't all that hot, nor are the smokeless loadings meant to simulate that power level. With the right gun (i.e. something like a Freedom Arms .454 Casull revolver), you can crank the .45LC up past the capability of the .44 Mag.
Speaking of pistol-caliber high recoil guns...
26oz, .50AE. Per the maker, "Recoil is not for the squeamish."
and a .45 acp does have a low recoil
which explains all the muzzle brake compensators sold for the 1911,
to tame that lack of recoil.
Dont forget the FBI went thru that whole deal that ended with the 10mm FBI Load: 9 wasnt enough and they didnt want the recoil of the 45..... heck, they didnt want the recoil of the real deal 10mm either.
First I'll list all of the weapons I have fired, many of which I have either owned at one point in time or still own
MP5 (real deal not semi auto)
AK47 Select and semi auto versions, fixed and underfolder versions
SKS
M14 styles .308
FAL .308
HK93 5.56
HK91 (actually a PTR91) .308
PS90
M16A1 and A2
AR15
Ruger 77 and Reminton 700 in .270
Winchester model 70 .338 mag
Ruger super blackhawk hunter .44 mag
S&W 29 & 629 .44 mag
Reminton 870 12ga
Mosberg 590 12ga
Mosberg 500 12ga
Glock 21 45acp
Glock 22 .40 S&W
Glock 19 9mm
Glock 17 9mm
1911 45acp
Springfield Armory XD 45acp
1903a1 Springfield 30.06
Henry goldenboy .22lr
Winchester 94 .44mag
Freedom Arms .454 casull
.44cal cap and ball navy revolver
Baretta 92 (M9)
M60 MG
M240 MG
M2 HMG
M85 HMG
Mini14 .223
M3 grease gun 45acp
Ruger Vaquero 44mag
As far as recoil goes most recoil is not to much to worry about. I do have this to say though. my ruger 77 and remi 700 in .270. The ruger used to beat me up, The remi was sweet to shoot. Same cartridge. The difference was in the stock of each rifle. A stock that does not fit you will wind up beating the snot out of you.
About the only handgun I did not like to shoot one handed was the casull with full out loads. The rest of them no problems. I find that the hardest recoil comes from the 12ga in slug and 00buck loadings, and the .338. I do not find it painfull to shoot these. I can lny handle about 10 shots out of the .338 before I gotta put it down.
5.56/.223 not much ot say. nearly no recoil the only things that are less so to speak is 22lr and the 5.7
The 40S&W reciol is sharper than the 45 or the 9
Not really much difference in the 30.06, .308, 270
The underfolder stock of the AK can make your cheek sore in full auto mode, other wise the SKS/AK is not much in the way of recoil.
Long guns that fire pistol cartridges actully have less percieved recoil than the handgun counterpart.
MG's are uncontrollable for the most part when off the bipod or tripod, just as the select fire M14's, FAL's, G3's. By uncontrollable I mean you will miss after the first round as the weapon tries it's best to shoot ducks out of the sky and your attention is diverted to keeping out of the heavens.
I'm not saying that it has no recoil at all, a .45 ACP has a kick to it, but compared to other large bore calibers of the like, it is about the tamest of the bunch.
All this talk about the .45 got me thinking; I haven't shot my M1911A1 in a long time. Took it to the range yesterday, man I love that pistol!
Has anyone fired a 10mm before? I read about it a few years ago in an issue of Guns & Ammo. Supposedly it's the caliber used by Interpol (which is cool), but my real interest in the caliber is the article's proclomation that it has the same stopping power as the .45acp while having recoil consistent with a 9mm. I've checked around some local gun stores that let you rent guns to fire at their indoor ranges, but none of them had any 10mm. Any honest comments would be most appreciated.
sound like you were reading about the 10mm FBI Load (power loading),
reduced to be less recoil than the full 10mm.
The full 10mm was slamming the converted 1911's that fired them to the point of very very early failure of parts.... the full 10mm recoil was too much for the 1911 itself to handle, not the guy holding the 1911. Look what happened to the 'second coming' 10mm's colt Delta Elite. Unlike first gen guns like Bren10, the revival of 10mm didnt respect the full extent of what the 10mm cartridge could do.
Remember, the 40S&W is just a 10mm Short & Weak,
the 40sw is a targeted design to be what 10mm FBI Load ended up being
if you dont hold the gun against the recoil then they wont cycle the action properly
... you can limpwrist a 357 revolver or 45colt, but if you do that with a auto pistol you will likely get at least a stovepipe and maybe even a failure to pull the case all the way out of the chamber and the same case will just slide back in
I had a Rem1148 that you had to put a hard shoulder against or it would jam, you put your shoulder to the gun rather than pull the gun to your shoulder
5.56mm NATO: M-16
7.62 NATO: G3
.50 AE: Desert Eagle
The 9mm is the weakest in terms of recoil, but the MP5 has a stock so the MP5 would have the lower recoil. The glock is next. Small recoil, but a bit more than the MP5 due to weapon weight. The M-16, well hell, that thing is controllable in full auto bursts so that would be next. G3 because although the 7.62 round is powerful, the simple fact that it has a stock makes it still more controllable than the .50 AE.