Which will tell you what round will have less kick? Muzzle Energy or Muzzle Velocity?

[dbateman]

From what I know (not much) burn rates do have an affect on recoil.
A faster burning powder tend to give snappier recoil.

[olstyn]

From what I know (not much) burn rates do have an affect on recoil.
A faster burning powder tend to give snappier recoil.

That directly contradicts both what I understand to be the conventional wisdom on the subject (mostly gleaned from the Enos forum) and my personal experience with loading 9mm with a few different powders (Unique, CFE-Pistol, and N320). N320 is easily the fastest of those powders, and in my experience it produces the least felt recoil given the the same projectiles loaded to the same OAL and velocity and shot from the same gun. (In my case, MG 124 gr JHPs make ~1035FPS out of a Walther P99c with 4.2 of N320, 4.7 of Unique, or 5.0 of CFE-Pistol.) I'm certainly not an authority on the subject, but that's what I've personally observed, and it lines up with what I've read. If you've got a counterexample, I'm all ears.

[dbateman]

I will have a look for a reference when I get home, I may be remembering it wrong.

[Jim Watson]

Recoil is figured as a momentum balance.
IPSC etc "power factor" is bullet momentum in non-scientific units; bullet weight in grains X muzzle velocity in fps, divide by 1000 to get easy to remember three digits.

Powder gas jet effect is secondary in pistol ammo, but when you are blowing 50 grains of powder out a rifle barrel behind a 150 grain bullet, it matters.

Then you get into FELT recoil where most agree that a slow heavy bullet kicks less than a light fast bullet with the same power factor.
Then you get into real nitpicking over powder burn rate and bullet material.


The easy way for a first attempt is to just reduce the powder charge to the least that will function the gun.
Note that the usual "starting load" in the manual is 10% below maximum. Be a good place to start. The last time I tried that, a 12% reduction was as low as I could go.

[hufnagel]

This is such a subjective discussion I feel no qualms of dropping my $0.01 in.

Anecdotal "evidence"...
most 9mm loads out of my P30L are harsher than out of my Beretta 92G
125gr .38spl out of a S&W 686 6" is softer shooting than any 9mm loads out of any handgun of that caliber I own.
200gr .45acp (FM45R200R) is downright pleasant to shoot out of an HK45
anything that's a defensive load shot out of any handgun I own is unpleasant. when you get to the S&W 442 those .38spl +P loads are borderline masochistic
my personal favorite loads are 147gr and 135gr. the theory is, they're both subsonic (nice when in a concrete bunker of a range) and the powder used is a slower burner, making the recoil impulse more of a mound than a spire. I'm betting (if I were a betting man) it has to do with the handgun used as well. I'm not a bullet manufacturer or guru, nor did I stay in a Holiday Inn last night, so take this as you will.

[RickModesitt]

Yes I have a press and I want to "Load" my own ammo.

[TiroFijo]

http://www.shooterscalculator.com/recoil-calculator.php

Recoil impulse = powder mass*ave. gas exit velocity + bullet mass*muzzle velocity

If you have a revolver, you can seriously download it for minimal recoil.

A recoil operated pistol needs a certain amount of recoil impulse to function properly, and this depends on each model and modifications (recoil spring, etc.).

For a given power factor (momentum = mass*velocity of bullet), you get the least recoil using heavy bullets at low velocity, and small doses of relatively fast powder.

[Peally]

As previously mentioned just load some 147 weenie gamer rounds, that's as soft shooting as a 9 is going to realistically get. Otherwise drop the calibre smaller/get a bigger heavier gun.

[baddean]

I am wanting to load some target rounds for my 9mm for which my wife can shoot and not scare her away from shooting. The less it will kick the better for now.
So when looking for a load what will tell me more about the kick, Muzzle Energy or Muzzle Velocity?

Thx
R

How do you know that recoil will "scare her away' from shooting? Setting recoil aside for the moment.
A friend of mine wanted a hand gun and his wife was resisting so I took them both, with her blessing, to a range and let her shoot a variety of my guns in varying calibers from .22-.45. she had a great time and ultimately chose the 1911 in .45 as her favorite gun to shot of the group. She also shot it well. And, yes, she encouraged my friend to buy a handgun.
In my experience, it's not the recoil that scares them, but the noise. If you are taking her to an indoor range make very sure she is wearing good ear protection. Not cheap ear pro but very good ear pro. Maybe double up with foam plugs as well.
I prefer to take new shooters to an outdoor range if possible because it is not as noisy and not as cramped for space or intimidating like an indoor range.
Everyone here has offered great advice on loads, guns, and possible recoil.
Don't forget to shut down the noise. I think she will perform better and enjoy herself more.
Just my .02 fwiw.

[mmc45414]

My advice would be to let her shoot the heaviest 9mm pistol you own, not a light subcompact. There's a reason 9mm 1911s are getting popular.

For sure this. Also true with shotguns, folks often get a 20g for their wife when they shoulda just got a press and loaded 7/8oz for 12g instead of a gun that is typically 1-2 pounds lighter.

A while ago I bought some 125g cast cowboy action bullets and loaded some 38s with a very light load of something fast for this same use.

Hodgdon shows loads for light bullets that are typically 380 weights. Rainier has a 100g .355 plated bullet and there are listed loads down to about 1000fps.