Am I stronger than I realize?

[Dustzilla]

So I hear/read all the time about people who choose a 9mm or smaller caliber weapon instead of a .45 because of the tremendous recoil of the .45... I am a bald, out of shape, middle age man and I have zero trouble controling the recoil of my .45. I have practiced my grip, stance and presentation as you should with any firearm. I just don't get it. I can fly through two 13 round mags in under 5 seconds at combat distances keeping my groups smaller than my fist. I was in great shape 10+ years ago, but that is hardly the story now. I see people who are in better shape and seemingly stronger complain about the recoil of a .45. Am I stronger than I realize?

 

[Fordtough25]

I dunno, a good .45 doesn't bother me either. I shoot 9mm more often these days but mainly due to the cost of replacing .45, and I carry a 9mm so I like to practice.

 

[iChokePeople]

You're probably insanely strong, but I don't often hear people complain about the recoil of .45acp. I think it's generally regarded as being pretty soft and easy to manage.

Or maybe all of those years of "grip work" are finally paying off.

 

[Scutter01]

I think a .40 has a harder recoil than a .45. The only reason I shoot 9mm is cost. I can't afford to train regularly with .45.

 

[N8RV]

Yeah, what they said. Were it not for the higher ammo cost, I'd probably train with and carry my Kimber. I just love the ergonomics of the 1911 platform.

However, I have to ask ... two 13-round mags in under 5 seconds? Assuming a speed reload in there, too.

As Larry the Cable Guy would probably say, "Now that there's impressive, I don't care who you are."

 

[teddy12b]

Am I stronger than I realize?

Nope still a wuss. Welcome to INGO!

All light hearted joking aside I think the general idea behind the recoil comparison is that because a 9mm recoil is less you can perform at a higher level with it. It's not that the 45 acp recoil is so bad, it's just that you can shoot faster with a 9mm so why wouldn't you do that and have the added bonus of more ammo for the same weight. It's one of those things that when you take the macho emotion out of it and look at the facts on pistol ammunition performance you see that the results aren't noticably different between premium defense ammo's performance between a 45 & 9. At that point what would you gain by more recoil and higher priced ammo and half the ammo in a mag that you'd have had with a 9mm?

 

[Rob377]

Yeah, what they said. Were it not for the higher ammo cost, I'd probably train with and carry my Kimber. I just love the ergonomics of the 1911 platform.

However, I have to ask ... two 13-round mags in under 5 seconds? Assuming a speed reload in there, too.

As Larry the Cable Guy would probably say, "Now that there's impressive, I don't care who you are."

Looks like the flag has just been thrown.

 

[Tnichols00]

Video Games dont lend much to strength training for kids these days...

 

[eldirector]

Many very "strong" people have weak hands and wrists. Add in a mis-fit gun (wrong size for their hands), poor grip, and a light-weight polymer (all the recoil goes to your hands)..... and some folks just start having issues.

My sub-compact .40 S&W jumped all over when I first started shooting. I worked a LOT on my grip and strength. I'm no ace (by a long shot), but I'm much better now.

After shooting my .40 for a while, a 9mm or .45 is almost relaxing!

Or maybe Dustzilla has Popeye arms.

 

[jgreiner]

I don't think recoil sensitivity has anything to do with strength. I think it is what you will tolerate. When i started shooting my 9mm, I thought it had a lot of recoil. Then I started shooting .357 magnum. And now I am shooting and carry a .45 acp. I can shoot the 45 all day and it doesn't even faze me.

 

[iChokePeople]

Looks like the flag has just been thrown.

Where's that episode Jerry just did on the 1911? Jerry's not all that slow, for an old guy...

 

[DRob]

Recoil

Don't have a 9MM but I shoot a Glock 27 and a SR1911 with no recoil issues. At one time I believed the trick was to simply be 6'2" & 290 and have XXL hands! But, maybe not! My 5'6" 145lb wife shoots them with no trouble, too!

 

[12many]

You're probably insanely strong, but I don't often hear people complain about the recoil of .45acp. I think it's generally regarded as being pretty soft and easy to manage.

Or maybe all of those years of "grip work" are finally paying off.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I actually shoot my G36 better than my PF9 or S&W Model 36 (3 that I carry based on the day). So it has to be constant "grip work" (I actually do pretty well LH also so it has to be the "grip work", you know changing thing up every once in a while)

 

[Dustzilla]

Looks like the flag has just been thrown.

Nice. That is done holding the spare mag in my offhand and reloading from there not from a mag holster. I practice this drill as part of my bump in the night prep. I've seen other people do it quite fast as well. I wasn't posting the speed to brag, I posted it to show the follow up speed is not an issue with the .45 despite my poor physical conditioning.

 

[blamecharles]

The first 1911 i shot is was prepared for massive recoil after reading all the hype. When that first shot went down range i was like "is that it?) my CZ in .40 has twice the recoil of that 1911. Granted this was a finely tuned 1911 but still.

 

[Enthusiast]

I think we are all stronger than we realize. Still, felt recoil varies with different pistols so maybe you've got yourself one that is a good fit for you.

 

[iChokePeople]

Nice. That is done holding the spare mag in my offhand and reloading from there not from a mag holster. I practice this drill as part of my bump in the night prep. I've seen other people do it quite fast as well. I wasn't posting the speed to brag, I posted it to show the follow up speed is not an issue with the .45 despite my poor physical conditioning.

This thread is worthless without video.

 

[N8RV]

Looks like the flag has just been thrown.

Haha! Nah, not questioning the OP's veracity or talent. That's just pretty fast for any pistol, IMO. Not pro caliber, I suppose, but in my head I did the whole "bang-bang-bang - reload - bang-bang-thing" at what I consider to be fast yet controllable, and it seemed pretty challenging.

My hat's off to him if he's that talented. I'm sure some here are even faster.

I think I'll whip out the timer this weekend and give it a go with my Mk 25, now that it has the SRT. I'll see if I can hit times like that with a reload. I'm betting not.

Of course, I'm an old, fat, bald guy. Oh, wait ...

 

[LarryC]

Nope still a wuss. Welcome to INGO!

All light hearted joking aside I think the general idea behind the recoil comparison is that because a 9mm recoil is less you can perform at a higher level with it. It's not that the 45 acp recoil is so bad, it's just that you can shoot faster with a 9mm so why wouldn't you do that and have the added bonus of more ammo for the same weight. It's one of those things that when you take the macho emotion out of it and look at the facts on pistol ammunition performance you see that the results aren't noticably different between premium defense ammo's performance between a 45 & 9. At that point what would you gain by more recoil and higher priced ammo and half the ammo in a mag that you'd have had with a 9mm?

Well, I greatly disagree with your opinion that 9mm ammo is equivalent to 45 ACP. This is only true when you compare the latest greatest +P+ 9mm rounds to the 45 ACP ball ammo - which design dates back to the 1940's or earlier. Take a look at the comparison between the 9mm +p+ to the new self defense 45ACP +P+ rounds!

You will be greatly surprised, there is as much difference in it as there is in the old 9mm ball ammo from the 40's compared to the new 9mm rounds. I am not arguing that the new +P 9's are not ok or sufficient for self defense - just that the new 45's are much more lethal with larger wound channels and deeper penetration than either the old 45 or new 9mm rounds!

Yeah, I carry the same Colt Double Eagle 45 (8 round + 1 in the pipe) double /single action handgun I have carried for over 20 years. I am proficient enough to put EVERY round into a BG - if he is anywhere in my home where I can see him!

 

[blamecharles]

Well, I greatly disagree with your opinion that 9mm ammo is equivalent to 45 ACP. This is only true when you compare the latest greatest +P+ 9mm rounds to the 45 ACP ball ammo - which design dates back to the 1940's or earlier. Take a look at the comparison between the 9mm +p+ to the new self defense 45ACP +P+ rounds!

You will be greatly surprised, there is as much difference in it as there is in the old 9mm ball ammo from the 40's compared to the new 9mm rounds. I am not arguing that the new +P 9's are not ok or sufficient for self defense - just that the new 45's are much more lethal with larger wound channels and deeper penetration than either the old 45 or new 9mm rounds!

Yeah, I carry the same Colt Double Eagle 45 (8 round + 1 in the pipe) double /single action handgun I have carried for over 20 years. I am proficient enough to put EVERY round into a BG - if he is anywhere in my home where I can see him!

Let the debate continue.

I know that its going to be said that 16-21 rounds of 9mm will equal 7-8 rounds of .45. So let me begin it by saying 11 rounds of .40 for the WIN .