What combination gives low recoil loads

[900_DRIVER]

hello everybody

this is my first post,

i am in the process of accumulating reloading supplies, i have the speer, hornady, and lyman manuals,

i intend to shoot 9mm and .40 in idpa ,

my question is : does a heavier grain bullet in 9mm or .40 say 147, and 180 respectively traveling slower , or a light grain loaded faster gives less recoil and will still meet power factor requirements?

or is it some where in between ?

what do you guys use?

thanks

[lcs]

The same applies for 9 & 40. Heavy grain bullet with fast powder. Search for burn rate chart on google. Select chart on reloading bench for a list of fastest to slowest powders.

Edited November 27, 2010 by Duane Thomas

[Flatland Shooter]

No experience with 40's, but my 9 mm 147 grain loads at 130 PF give me much less felt recoil than my 126 grain 130 PF loads.

But some indicate that the 147 grain load feels a little sluggish and prefer the snappier feel of the 126 grain loads. Snappier still is a 115 grain load.

Its a matter of personal preference. Plan on loading several different bullet weights with several powders and see which combinations work best with your gun and for you.

Hope this answers your question.

Bill

[G-ManBart]

Heavier bullets, with smaller charges, of fast(er) powders will give you the softest combination. Faster powders get the recoil impulse over quicker. The smaller the charge, the lower the gas volume (in general) that exits the barrel, which causes less of a jet effect back into your hand. For 9mm, 147gr bullets are about the softest reasonable weight. For .40 200s will be the softest common weight, but a lot of us (most?) prefer 180gr (give or take) as a nice compromise between soft and flat. R,

[superdude]

potentially useful information:

http://www.38super.net/Pages/Recoil.html

[ParaGunner]

I also prefer heavier buulets,it feels like the gun recoils less in my hands.

[t_kothmann]

+1 one on heavier bullet

[MarkCO]

Heavier bullets, with smaller charges, of fast(er) powders will give you the softest combination. Faster powders get the recoil impulse over quicker. The smaller the charge, the lower the gas volume (in general) that exits the barrel.

The above is true. The application of 3 of the 7 (Thermodyanmics and Newtonian) laws will confirm this. This is all in relation to a given PF. When we look at conservation of energy, then the "feel" comes into play for some (ie, snap vs. push, etc.)

[GOF]

No reloading experience with the .40 S&W... but for 9mm a 147 grain bullet (cast or jacketed) ahead of 3.4 -3.5 grains of WSF will make the required 125 PF (it does it out of my 4.25 inch S&W M&P.. so it certainly will from the Rule book 5 inch barrel) and is softer than 124 & 115 grain loads at the same PF. That heavier bullet also drops steel better, and shoots tighter groups. Most of the top IDPA shooters use a 147/880-900 fps load in 9mm for that reason.

GOF