Poll: perceived recoil of .40 S&W versus 357 SIG

[pblanc]

I have heard divergent opinions regarding the perceived recoil of .40 S&W versus 357 SIG. Some seem to think 357 SIG has less perceived recoil and others feel the opposite. For those who have had the opportunity to shoot both calibers from the same pistol with a barrel change, or from two pistols of the same design and size, which caliber to you perceive to be more challenging to control? Lets assume commercial ammunition loads, standard pressure 180 grain .40 S&W and standard pressuer 125 grain 357 SIG. I think it is generally accepted that 357 SIG is louder and has more muzzle blast, but I am referring to perceived recoil.

[Wondering Beard]

None of the above: in my hands, the 357 SIG slams the hand harder (and is quite a bit louder) than the 40 S&W but comes back on target faster and straighter than the 40 S&W. So, in terms of pure recoil, the 357 SIG has more but I find it to also be more controllable.

[Paul Sharp]

It's just a pistol. When I first get a new pistol I have a ritual I go through. I hold the pistol down by the scruff of the neck until it rolls onto it's back and exposes it's belly. Now that it knows I'm the alpha it will never bare it's teeth at me again. After the pistol and I reach that understanding recoil is a non-issue. DOMINATE!!

[pblanc]

It's just a pistol. When I first get a new pistol I have a ritual I go through. I hold the pistol down by the scruff of the neck until it rolls onto it's back and exposes it's belly. Now that it knows I'm the alpha it will never bare it's teeth at me again. After the pistol and I reach that understanding recoil is a non-issue. DOMINATE!!

I tried putting the pistol in the microwave, but the results were not good.

[JHC]

Gen 4 22 and 31. Love them both.

[pblanc]

None of the above: in my hands, the 357 SIG slams the hand harder (and is quite a bit louder) than the 40 S&W but comes back on target faster and straighter than the 40 S&W. So, in terms of pure recoil, the 357 SIG has more but I find it to also be more controllable.

So are you saying the 357 SIG has more backward push into the hand but the .40 S&W has more muzzle flip?

[Hizzie]

357 felt snappier to me but easier to control. Kinda like 9mm vs 45acp recoil.

[Flintsky]

It depends on the load. .40 180gr tends to to be pretty mild in recoil and muzzle blast. .357sig likes to slap you silly and the blast and muzzle flash are a bit excessive. Both are a distant choice to the modern 9mm in my opinion though. However, of the two I'd take .40 any day, every day over .357sig.

[Paul Sharp]

I tried putting the pistol in the microwave, but the results were not good.

You gotta do it yourself, you can't pass it off to a machine. That's like having a trainer teach your pup you're the alpha. That dog is going to know you're a bitch, it'll listen to you but only because the one it recognizes as alpha told it to. This is a test of wills, you have to dominate this thing. I would recommend loading 10-15 mags with the hottest ammo you have, head to the range and run all those mags through the pistol non-stop. Do our best to melt that puppy. The only pause in rate of fire should as you reload while screaming DOMINATE at the pistol.

Do that every day for a week. That pistol will know what's up, it'll be scared to let that front sight lift. It'll behave like a 22 until the day it dies... and it'll only die after you give it permission.

[Wondering Beard]

So are you saying the 357 SIG has more backward push into the hand but the .40 S&W has more muzzle flip?

Pretty much yes, though the backward push is more of a hit (think 357 magnum vs 45 ACP) as it's not that gentle and the 40's muzzle flip, taking longer than that of the 357 (by a few fractions of a second) doesn't comeback down as neatly and straight as the 357. A lot of that is personal perception as well as dependent on the gun used (mine was a G23 to which I added a KKM 357 barrel) and someone else may find things to be different. In the end though, while more controllable for me, the 357 is more tiring to shoot than the 40; I think the noise has a lot to do with that.