357 or 45ACP Recoil comparison??

Happy Hunter

Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2005
Messages
50
Reaction score
0
Location
PA, USA
As I ponder between a Model 28 or a Model 25 in 45ACP. Which has more recoil??

I have never shot a 45 revolver. I have a Ruger SP101 and personally find 357 mags to be quite unfun. That little gun hurts with magnum loads. So call me a wimp. I am sure the extra mass of the 28 will do a lot to reduce recoil compared to the SP101. Just like 38+P are a piece of cake from the SP but considerably snappier from my 642.

Thanks!!
 
Register to hide this ad
As I ponder between a Model 28 or a Model 25 in 45ACP. Which has more recoil??

I have never shot a 45 revolver. I have a Ruger SP101 and personally find 357 mags to be quite unfun. That little gun hurts with magnum loads. So call me a wimp. I am sure the extra mass of the 28 will do a lot to reduce recoil compared to the SP101. Just like 38+P are a piece of cake from the SP but considerably snappier from my 642.

Thanks!!
 
Sir, I don't have the numbers handy, but the .45 feels gentler to me. The .357's recoil is very fast, sort of like a punch, whereas the .45's is more like a big push. I actually find the .357's noise more ojectionable than its recoil.

Hope this helps, and Semper Fi.

Ron H.
 
I have both a 28 and 25-2 in 6 inch barrels. With the warmest factory loads the 357 has a bit more recoil. However, in the N frame with the 6 inch barrel neither has very much buck!
 
IMO, if I were to carry an N frame it would be a M29 or 57.
The .357 has more felt recoil than a .45.
Try an L frame.
 
Sp101 is a pretty small gun, much like shooting hot .357's in my Model 60 (unfun)

By comparison,.45's in my 625 are a pleasure to shoot...
 
the recoil of them is not really punishing, but i would avoid the ruger due to it's size. the key here is to shoot whatever you choose often and get to know the gun and cartridge, you will enjoy it much more.
 
As others have said, it depends on the mass of the gun. It also depends on what you're shooting. All .357 rounds aren't alike. A 158 gr. .357 fired through my 6" 686 isn't a very hard recoiling round at all. It's definitely snappier than a 158 gr. 38 special round but not so much so as to be unpleasant. On the other hand, I'm definitely aware of the difference between .38 and .357 when I fire some of the hotter 125 gr. magnum rounds. This is a roundabout way of saying that hot magnum rounds fired through a relatively light gun (as in, for example, my 4" 66) definitely will feel snappier than 45 ACP rounds fired through a 5" 625.
 
.45ACP = a very pleasing, pleasant FIRM PUSH.

.357 = a nasty stinging slap and snap.

IMHO, the two most pleasurable centerfire handgun cartridges to shoot are the .32 S&W Long and the .45ACP . . . and for different reasons/uses.

A .38 Spl. 148 grain wadcutter is also a fun load to shoot, of course!

T.
 
I used to think nothing could touch a Freedom Arms model 83 454 I used to shoot when using factory ammo but full loads in .357 in my 66 2 1/2" or 66-6 3" is another thing altogether. I'm glad I reload or I'd be sticking with 38's the majority of the time.

I think Tom called it perfectly with his stinging slap/snap analogy.
 
I must be an oddball, becuase I think it's the opposite. Comparing my 4 inch Model 28 to the recoil of my .45ACP Model 22-4, with most loads, a warmly-loaded .45ACP feels like it produces slightly more recoil to me. That's with a 158 grain LSWC at 1350 fps in the .357.
 
No comparison for me between the Kimber Pro Carry II and the GP100 with the 6" barrel.
While the Kimber does muzzle flip considerably more than the long heavy Ruger, the Ruger packs a stiffer punch. Pleasantly stiffer, but stiffer none the less.
Even the 686 with the 2.5" I rented the other day was not unpleasant(actually fun) to shoot with .357 rounds. I don't object to a snap, but muzzle flip makes target reacquisition a little slower.
 
IMHO. The recoil of near max load 357 is stiffer than 45acp max loads. I have not tried hot loads in my 1917 colt but in my 625 which is 5 inch full lug 45 acp is much less felt recoil. I usually use a golf glove on my right hand to help with heavy recoil. It does two things; 1. helps keep the gun from slipping during recoil and 1. puts a layer of protection between the checkering and rear of the trigger guard and my hand/finger. Without the glove my middle knuckle of my middle finger gets slammed into the trigger guard. I even get this with my j-frame 38 spcl.
 
i greatly prefer the .357 to .45. I understand what you guys are saying about the stinging slap of a .357, but I think a .45 is a bit more than a firm push.....

When it comes down to it, I never pass up an opportunity to shoot either!
 
I would subjectively say the .45 recoils less. The .357 has a sharper(louder?) blast so that makes you think it has more recoil. Also, I can shoot my 4" M-24 .44 special faster at the plate rack than an equally hot M-28 .357 but a pro might be able to shoot the .357 quicker since it has a faster recoil impulse. There is probably not enough recoil difference between the two to matter, but I prefer shooting the big bore!
 
Originally posted by stevieboy:
As others have said, it depends on the mass of the gun. It also depends on what you're shooting. All .357 rounds aren't alike. A 158 gr. .357 fired through my 6" 686 isn't a very hard recoiling round at all. It's definitely snappier than a 158 gr. 38 special round but not so much so as to be unpleasant. On the other hand, I'm definitely aware of the difference between .38 and .357 when I fire some of the hotter 125 gr. magnum rounds. This is a roundabout way of saying that hot magnum rounds fired through a relatively light gun (as in, for example, my 4" 66) definitely will feel snappier than 45 ACP rounds fired through a 5" 625.

+10 or so on this observation. The .45 shoves and with enough bullet and powder, can shove very hard but not painful. By the same token, a 200 gr. bullet from a .357, even a J frame, is not unpleasant; nowhere in the same class as the 125 grainers.
Dan
 
When American police began the switch to semiautomatics from double action revolvers, I used tio find it amusing that many of the same folks that had carried and shot a 4 inch M-19 or -66 loaded with Magnums, thought a 1911 in .45 ACP was a brutal kicker!
 
Originally posted by BUFF:
When American police began the switch to semiautomatics from double action revolvers, I used tio find it amusing that many of the same folks that had carried and shot a 4 inch M-19 or -66 loaded with Magnums, thought a 1911 in .45 ACP was a brutal kicker!

+1
I have owned a large number of .357's of verious sizes, and several .45 auto's and revos. There is no comparison in my opinion. Neither one is what I consider a "kicker", but the .357 is much more noticable in that department. I shoot almost nothing but +P loads in my .45's, and they are still milder than about any full power .357 round.
 
I have never had the pleasure of shooting 45 acp out of a revolver, but I have owned a Colt Series 80 in the past. With the Remingon 185gr +P load, I thought the recoil was fairly stout. Not punishing, but had a lot going on at one time (noise, flash, muzzle flip, slide slamming back and forth, etc.) I have had a Ruger Blackhawk and currently have a 4" 686 and a 4" M19. I usually shoot 38 special for target, but the 357 loads really don't bother me, even in the K-Frame. I shoot mostly factory 158gr SWC loads and carry 158gr SWCHP's. Both the 45 acp and the 357 mag should be a pleasure to shoot in an N-Frame. With the M28 you could always shoot 38 specials for target, if the recoil of the 357 mag is too much. The M25 should be comfortable as well, just stay away from the 185gr +P loads. To answer your initial question, I would think a full 357 mag load is going to have the most felt recoil. Hope this helped in some way.
 
Back
Top