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Thread: Any benefit to a "recoil training pistol"?

  1. #1
    Member DocSabo40's Avatar
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    Any benefit to a "recoil training pistol"?

    Is there any benefit to having a pistol with significantly more recoil that your primary carry gun, for training purposes?

    The reason I ask: I went to the range today and rented a 1911 Commander in .45 along with a HK45C. My goal was to compare the shootability of the two before placing an order for a custom 1911. What I found though, was that with either one of them my shooting went to complete garbage. I am so thoroughly used to shooting my P229 9mm and G17, that something with actual recoil really throws off my shooting. What I was finding is that with my 9s the recoil is not enough to be distracting to me, so I can focus on gripping the hell out of it and pressing the trigger rapidly. With the .45s, and this may betray my lack of manliness, but the recoil was sharp enough that I really struggled to focus on the fundamentals and quickly developed a flinch and started tensing my hands as I pulled the trigger.

    I may just be more recoil sensitive than I thought, I don't know. But it got me wondering if this is something I should try to train through, and if there would be any benefit to that.

    Side note: the 1911 was supposed to be a present to myself for my dental school graduation coming up here in May, but I may hold off. I just didn't find it enjoyable to shoot, which means I wouldn't end up shooting it.
    Last edited by DocSabo40; 01-02-2017 at 06:25 PM.

  2. #2
    You know, I've done that for years, shooting mostly 9mm and then spending a couple months at the end of year with a .45 1911. I have never established if there was a durable and transferable benefit. I also had a P2000 (I am a 9mm P30 shooter) in .357SIG that I sold almost as fast as I bought it. I do think that I derived something out of those two months as I was more attentive to my grip and sight tracking but I never found that my 9mm performance jumped after I returned back. These days when I shoot my 45s, it is only because I want to shoot them.
    Last edited by YVK; 01-02-2017 at 08:32 PM.

  3. #3
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    Get your custom 1911 in 9mm. Problem solved!

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    I don't think so, and there can be definite negatives if you shoot it too much. On the other hand, a .22 is a great training tool regardless. It doesn't help recoil control, but it does help with sight alignment, sight picture and trigger control FREE of recoil.

  5. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by DocSabo40 View Post
    Is there any benefit to having a pistol with significantly more recoil that your primary carry gun, for training purposes?

    The reason I ask: I went to the range today and rented a 1911 Commander in .45 along with a HK45C. My goal was to compare the shootability of the two before placing an order for a custom 1911. What I found though, was that with either one of them my shooting went to complete garbage. I am so thoroughly used to shooting my P229 9mm and G17, that something with actual recoil really throws off my shooting. What I was finding is that with my 9s the recoil is not enough to be distracting to me, so I can focus on gripping the hell out of it and pressing the trigger rapidly. With the .45s, and this may betray my lack of manliness, but the recoil was sharp enough that I really struggled to focus on the fundamentals and quickly developed a flinch and started tensing my hands as I pulled the trigger.

    I may just be more recoil sensitive than I thought, I don't know. But it got me wondering if this is something I should try to train through, and if there would be any benefit to that.

    Side note: the 1911 was supposed to be a present to myself for my dental school graduation coming up here in May, but I may hold off. I just didn't find it enjoyable to shoot, which means I wouldn't end up shooting it.
    My thoughts here.

    One: collecting guns won't help you shoot better,but there's nothing intrinsically wrong with buying a .45 Auto 1911 for the art of it.

    Two: He-Man machismo won't cure elbow tendinitis, fix a worn out pistol, or fill a wallet emptied by 45 Auto/10mm ammo fees.

    Three: It's always more macho to hit what you're shooting then to make a lot of noise for effect.
    Last edited by GardoneVT; 01-02-2017 at 10:29 PM.
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  6. #6
    Member DocSabo40's Avatar
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    Well shoot, this leaves me with literally no reason to get my new .45 1911 then. I thought about a 9mm build, but I just can't do it. Granted I haven't fired a really nice one, but the Springfield that I shot I found less enjoyable than my current 9s.

    Thanks for the breakdown Gardone. I think that's what my problem really is. I can shoot a 9mm at an acceptable level (low-mid IDPA master, 7ish FAST) but I feel like I got totally owned by the .45 and it has totally offended my machismo! I feel like I need to train to where I can shoot the .45 like my 9s, for no other reason than that I cannot currently do it.
    Last edited by DocSabo40; 01-02-2017 at 10:38 PM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by DocSabo40 View Post
    Well shoot, this leaves me with literally no reason to get my new .45 1911 then. I thought about a 9mm build, but I just can't do it. Granted I haven't fired a really nice one, but the Springfield that I shot I found less enjoyable than my current 9s.

    Thanks for the breakdown Gardone. I think that's what my problem really is. I can shoot a 9mm at an acceptable level (low-mid IDPA master, 7ish FAST) but I feel like I got totally owned by the .45 and it has totally offended my machismo! I feel like I need to train to where I can shoot the .45 like my 9s, for no other reason than that I cannot currently do it.
    Dude, you have to tell us you needed an excuse for a new blaster.....

    I made an honest assessment of my ability many years ago with the P220 vs P226 debate. I've carried and shot both pretty extensively over the years. During a time when I had free access to shoot as much .45 ACP as I wanted, I could never equal my accuracy and certainly not my speed with the P220. I finally sold those and stayed 9mm.

    Fun guns are one thing, but I just don't see a real benefit as a recoil training tool.

  8. #8
    Site Supporter DocGKR's Avatar
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    I have noted when I shoot a .40 or .45 M&P for a bit and go back to a 9 mm M&P I have much better recoil control. Same thing occurs when I go from a .40 Glock back to a 9 mm Glock. I think shooting the .40/.45 occasionally keeps me from getting too sloppy with the easier 9 mm and mandates better recoil control technique, as well as a more solid grip.

    The reverse is also true--sometimes shooting a .22 M&P is useful when working just on trigger control, footwork, rapidly sequencing through multiple targets, or other such techniques where recoil control is not the issue.
    Last edited by DocGKR; 01-02-2017 at 11:35 PM.
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    So it sounds like the gist of the message here is "occasionally shoot with .40/.45 and occasionally shoot with .22, but most definitely stick with 9mm for the vast majority of your shooting".

    So it sounds like I should invest in a G22 or G23. What is the preferred .22LR solution for the Glock platform? It'd be awesome if Glock would come out with the G44 which is G19 sized and chambered in .22LR...


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  10. #10
    Member JHC's Avatar
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    My hunch is that to recognize an actual benefit as Doc described, it requires more work than just taking it along to the range every so often and re-trying it out with a box of shells. It should probably be a cycle of at minimum a few hundred rounds to create the training effect. Mostly just spit ballin' here but I think I've seen this myelf.
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