Merlin Orr Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 It seems that after I shot a while my ideal of what my gun should feel like has changed from a slow rolling recoil to a faster, snappier type of pulse. Has anyone else noticed a perceived or measured difference in their performance and changed guns or loads to address these issues? Comments? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Cheely Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 I started with a glock 34 shooting 147's. Switched that up to 125's at 140ish PF and liked the snap. Started in limited with a regular long dustcover STI and now I really like the short dustcover... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nemo Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 Merlin, When I got my first long dust cover gun (Edge) I tried to make myself like the extra weight, but I never did. Did it help tame the recoil of higher PF of old? Maybe, but I'm not that good to notice. What I did notice was that I could move and better yet STOP my Glock35 easier than what I could my Edge. When I moved to the CONUS I wasn't a reloader so I went with what my friends were using. They were shooting 155gr bullets over 5.8 grains of N-320. That was seriously snappy! But the snap also meant muzzle flip. I can tell you that I like how a 45 skinnygun behaves when shooting heavy and slow bullets. I deal with the slower, rolly recoil with all my arms specifically my elbows. The muzzle flip of the light super fast bullets just make my wrists flip and I don't like that. I ended up using 200 grain bullets and liking the lighter weight of the STI Eagle with bull barrel. $0.02 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shooterbenedetto Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 when i started shootin open. my gun was heavy..when it had problem, i took it to my gunsmith to fix it and i used my steel gun top end...i noticed that my transition was way faster and some of the stages i can post GM times. since then, i know that i wanted a lighter gun. now it is with my gun smith and being buillt. as far as recoil, i like the softer 124 grain. but i can manage and go with 115 and we will see how that goes. I shoot 9mm open.the slide is 10.5 oz and any lighter wont last and be prone to brakerage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 You should buy a heavier, lighter gun. Best of both worlds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aircooled6racer Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 Merlin: You sound like me. What I'm doing right now is playing with recoil springs using the same loads. I did it first with the factory 9mm loads. I found the heavier 15lb recoil spring worked the best for me. I tried 8-17 pound springs in the 9mm and the 15 felt the best. I will be trying the same this week with the 45 using 230 grain and 200 grain bullets. Then lastly the 40 single stack. Hope this helps bud. Thanks Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirtypool40 Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 When I started, we were shooting 180pf 200 grainers, and everone was hung up on recoil control of weight, every new product was touted as heavier and recoil dampening. I switched to a light gun in 2004 and have never regretted the choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSMITH Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 I have only had 2 Limited guns so far, but #3 is in the works and it will be LIGHT. I want my guns as light as I can get them, no holds or holes barred I want ALL of the weight I can get out of them GONE!!! A light gun will do anything a heavy gun will do, only faster. I shoot light guns faster with the same points I shoot with a heavy gun. My Limited gun now is heavy to me at 37 ounces, #3 will be a noticeable amount lighter (and longer). My affliction is so bad I prefer the feel of a stock G22 to that of an STI Edge.......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XRe Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 Especially w/ current power factor, I prefer a lighter gun. I have to say, though, that even at older power factor, I liked the lighter gun better. I shot long DC guns and short DC guns in Limited configs at old PF, and still liked the lighter gun better... Now, the only thing I'm unsure about is bushing vs. bull in a short DC gun... So much of the feel can be tuned by springs and load choices that you can really radically change the feel of a given gun - and if you start light, you can always add tungsten in the form of a guide rod, and brass in the form of a magwell. I like guns that handle fast, but recoil soft - so in Limited guns, I tend towards heavier bullets and medium weight springs (in my Trojan, I'm running 185gr PBs and N320, with a 12# recoil spring, 17# mainspring). I'm considering 200gr bullets in the same setup... If I wanted to run a snappier feel, I could go to a lighter bullet and/or lighter recoil spring. If I wanted to get to the "roll" in this gun, I could run a heavier recoil spring.... Each gun has what it likes best to get the feel you want, so... Merlin, you've been through so many toys, I'd figured you know what you like, by now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlin Orr Posted January 16, 2007 Author Share Posted January 16, 2007 Merlin, you've been through so many toys, I'd figured you know what you like, by now Hey...I do know what I like... Just want to know what everyone else likes... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 I went heavy like everyone else did, even had a long dustcover LTD gun but soon was back to the short dustcover. THEN, I had Bennie cut a 5" gun like his 6" "fatfree" gun. This has been my favorite ever since. The slide is about 10.5 oz compared to about 12 oz for a standard classic cut. I use a 14# recoil spring with a tungsten guide rod in the short dustcover frame. 180s at 950 fps or so are my everyday load that I use for IPSC, plates or anything else I can find to shoot. I believe the gun is just under 34 oz. My arm still hurts from all those 180 we shot at 1030fps years ago for the old major PF! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liota Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 Merlin, This one's easy for you. Wander over to Benny in the shop one day and ask him. Of course, the cost for the advice might be coffee or beer for the next month. Liota Merlin, you've been through so many toys, I'd figured you know what you like, by now Hey...I do know what I like... Just want to know what everyone else likes... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
want2race Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 This is the exact thing I'm going through right now. Light vs. Heavy. Recoil management vs. faster movement (percieved or real). After thinking about it, recoil management really just effects the split times. Faster movements effects the draw, split times and perhaps reloads. I really like the LDC look. But I really want the best tool, not the best looking tool. Maybe I'll just 'snazzy up' a STC gun with some holes and slots to take my focus off the plain-janeness of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken hebert Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 Started with a Para P16 in Limited and life was good. Was shooting Wolf 'cause I didn't have a reloader. Then I started stuffing my own and life got better. Then I had a chance to pick up an Edge for a great price and I thought life was better. I was wrong. Felt like I had a brick tied to the front of my blaster and I swear I could feel the slide moving slower. Kept it all of about 3 months and traded it for another Para and life is great again. Now I've parted with Para #1, still got Para #2, and will be aquiring a Benny 6" FF soon as everyone swears to me that they run/shoot/recoil/transition like a lightweight 5" gun. As an aside, I've also got a CZ Standard IPSC, great shooter, but to me it's like an Edge. Too heavy for me to really like in competition. So, mine will be going under the knife (milling machine actually) for some liposuction. And life will be good again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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