My degree in physics
When we talk about 'recoil', we need to analyse the properties of the system ( mass, Inertia Tensor, connection points, ect), forces involved, the resultant forces, pivot point and torques, momentum of the slide & frame ( your not using 'inertia' in the right way ), the energy transfer, and the time period for all these things.
Okay, doing ^ is REALLY hard. Since this tread is tending toward the spinning barrel thing I'm going to try to explain my thinking.
What shooters call 'recoil' is primary caused by the 'impulse' imparted on the gun by gas expanding and the bullet leaving the gun. Impulse is force/time. The impulse can be broken into two parts, the linear impulse ( that is, through the axis of the barrel ), and the angular impulse ( that is around the pivot point - your wrist ). The 'push' that you feel is the linear impulse, where the 'muzzle flip' is the angular impulse acting on you.
Both the linear force that causes the bullet exiting the barrel, and the force that causes the barrel moving upwards ( this is actually a resultant force) cause a torque around the wrist that add in the same direction. This causes rotation of the object and we get 'muzzle flip'. Side Note: The farther away the force is from the pivot point, the higher the torque. That's why a low bore axis helps.
Now when you have a rotating barrel you no longer have the second force adding to the angular impulse that acts 'up'. Instead you have a force that tries to 'roll' the gun. Since this force is acting close to the center of mass of the system, it will cause a small torque and a small angular impulse.
I have been sloppy in my wording to try to be clear to a reader who has not taken advanced mechanics classes.