What 40 Cal Gun Is Softest Shooter

[Flexmoney]

I have no doubt that Clays is the softest thing next to fresh out of the oven, steaming hot, home-made bread.

I worry about pressure spikes (especially in 40).

The risk vs. reward just doesn't pay off...at least, not for me.

Here is what I am really getting at though...

Feel isn't as important as time.

I see sooo many shooters trying to go for the softest this...easiest to shoot that... and it certainly is a factor. But, good grip and stance, combined with lack of tension behind the gun, can make feel less of an issue.

Sorry to get so far up on my soap-box. I just seem to be getting a lot of 'who's brass widget is best', 'what tungsten wonder rod is the majic answer'...type-questions.

I'm not sure it all really matters that much. Like Steve Anderson says..."pick one and practice".

[Bucky]

While small equipment advantages are no substitue for skill and practice, every little bit helps.

Also, Clays got a real bad reputation back when the PF was 175 and people were using 200 grain bullets. I am very comfortable with 180s at 168.4 pf. Probably 9 out of 10 limited shooters in our local area are using this setup without incident.

I will concede that I would NOT use Clays to make the old (175) pf. Also, I won't use Clays to make current major in the Glock, although my Clays minor .40 load shoots lighter than any 9mm combination I've tried.

- Bucky.

[benos]

Flex,

Your "feel" comments reminded me of a Radiohead lyric - "Just because you feel it doesn't mean it's there."

I could repeat myself by saying that the "feel" (subjective) verses the "practical" (objective) approach to what is important concerning perceived recoil is a Temperament issue. (Us) feelers can be led all over the place by our feelings, which just seem so important to validate, whereas an objective thinker often more closely approaches "what must be done."

be

[the duck of death]

*QUOTE*

...working on grip and stance are far more important than finding the softest gun/ammo combo.

Ah yes, but if you have both--MMMMMMMMMMMGOOD

[Steve Anderson]

So much of it can be psychological...there's a feeling of confidence when you KNOW you're shooting the BEST load you can roll for a given game.

And it's all so personal, too. I remember watching another forum member's gun getting chronoed with 165's at 1000 fps or so in .40. I could see the gun jump straight up and down and asked the owner about his load. He said he liked the 165s because they flip less. For him, they MUST...or he wouldn't use them.

In the end, you gotta pick one and practice. It all matters, (and I love messing with loads and springs)

but none of it matters if you miss even one target...

SA

[BigDave]

I think we all can agree that the less recoil, the better, for a variety of reasons. While I am typing, I'm recalling my practice session today. I cannot think of a single shot when I noticed the recoil of my gun (SV ext dc, 40, yada yada yada, major loads). Then I started to think about why I can't recall it. I believe the reason is that I was focusing on my sights. Most everything else is a blur when my peeps are honed in on that red fiber optic and Bo-Mar notch. It especially helps when the two I mentioned happen to be lined with the a-zone.

[George D]

Felt recoil is a funny. I think even if you had a machine to measure it, just the fact that people have different grips would change how a real person perceives it.

When the 44 Magnum was first released there were many S&W M29's that came onto the second hand market with a box of cartridges that had only 6 missing. But Elmer Keith regarded the recoil as nothing to worry about.

Stance, grip, sight-picture and get used to the recoil. And above all, as Flex reminded us, stay safe.

[joshua]

I also use TG for my para 40 with a tungsten guide rod. It is snappy for me but I am using 155 LRN, I'm still tinkering with the heavy bullets in the TCFN and the recoil seem soft, just darn things aren't reliable in my unramped barrel. Yes I said un-ramped. You think I'm playing with dragons using heavy bullets and fast burning powder?

[Ironman]

George you bring up a good point. I remember my buddies wanting the shoot my M29. One shot was all it took for some of them to never want to shoot it again. I enjoy the feel of the weight and the smooth trigger on the S&W and still enjoy shooting it today.

It seems that the more I shoot IPSC/USPSA the less I notice the recoil. Prior to the past couple of years I thought shooting fast was for the movies. I had friends that loved to see how fast they could empty the magazine. To me this seemed foolish, I went for the bull. Now that I have learned about this sport I have found another way to enjoy shooting. At first recoil meant a lot to me so I made my reloads so weak that they would foul the barrel as well as the rest of the pistol. Now I have increased my loads to major and I do not notice the added recoil. I think like others have said my mind is on more important things.

So Glock or SVI, I have a 35 that I really enjoy but I am getting ready to order an SVI, just cus.

Jim

[George D]

I had friends that loved to see how fast they could empty the magazine.

Jim,

I too have friends like that. It seems to be a competition to see who can miss the target the fastest.

I have two M29's and love to shoot them with a variety of Power Factors and softness of recoil doesn't form part of the enjoyment factor.

[lucas]

I am not afraid of recoil,infact the gun i shoot the fastest is my lighter STI 45 short dust cover ,but after retiring it infavor of a SVI 19 round 40cal a few years ago i have struggled more firing fast doubles with it than i ever did with my 45.I have tried lighter springs ,springco recoil reducer ,differ hold,and even now as i write this a differ grip,all this to get it to shoot as easy as the 45 was to me.The only thing i can think of now is that the heavier SVI w/long cover must for some reason be a hinderance for me ,so if its not the grip problem ,and i say that because my smoking hole grip on the 45 feels noticably better than how he did on my SVI grip ,then i am checking all other possible options before i fork out another 1700.00 dollars on a SVI or STI 40cal with short dustcover.Glocks are much cheaper just to experiment with.It might be my shooting style requires a certain type of muzzel flip,i dont know,i only know that from day one the heavier gun has been more labor intensive for mr to shoot.

[THS]

Loves2Shoot,

I bought the now long gone STI from the factory...... 'nuff said about gunsmiths.

I have reloaded, or supervised the reloading of, over half a million rounds just in the last 10 years, LITERALY. (As the OIC of the USMC Rifle team, all our ammunition reloading was my personal responsibility. I wont bore you with the details of highpower shooting, but my teams averaged 25 shooters, shooting 6 days a week, average.) I worked loads for the STI for a long time, as in 2000 rounds or so, and nothing worked EVERY time. I wont say I have the all the answers, but I know my way around reloading.

One more cool thing about my G35. I can go just about anywhere in the US and buy ammo that makes major and runs my gun! Hydra shok for one, Gold dot, some Winchester.....

I'm happy with my G35. You're happy with your S_I. All is good! Lets shoot, 'cause I love that too.

Tom

[Bucky]

Well, the bottom line in the Glock vs. S_I debate.... you really need to own BOTH!!! ... and perhaps several of each. Tell your spouse that I said it was ok.

- Bucky

[mike4045]

Recently added an STI Edge to my collection of Glocks. I am already looking for a hacksaw for my Edge. Splits are the same, I just haven't gotten used to the longer transition time. I plan to try it until the end of the year, before cutting off the dustcover. I might just have to have the slide lightened to speed it up a little.

Mike