The Nastiest handgun recoil handgun?

[CleanDean]

I have shot a lot of big bore handguns, but one sticks out . A Thompson Center Contender. 45-70 Govt.
Wood grip, wood fore end. 12” Hunter Bull Barrel ( really 10” with a muti ported muzzle tamer,)
I taped up the trigger guard end ....finally.
With moderate velocity loads , or 300 gr. REM. Win, or Fed. It will sometimes draw blood . Bruised knuckle, light cut here and there.

 

[jr24]

"Nastiest" and heaviest aren't automatically the same thing. While I haven't shot the .50 (I hear its a whole 'nother level) if you can manage the oversize grip of the Desert Eagle (and the effort needed to hold it up ) the .357 and .44 Mags are *****cats for recoil.

Agree, don't mind recoil at all but I hate shooting my piddly Ruger LCR in .38. Feels like whacking my hand with a 2x4 even with weak loads.

Bonus is it's a nice way to warm up my hands if I'm planning to shoot hot .44 or 10mm that day

 

[dyl]

Worst I've felt is probably a Taurus Ultra-Lite in 44 Mag, bear loads. But you'd still be able to get off a cylinder's worth quickly if you don't think about it. It was someone else's, maybe if I practiced then I'd get used to it.

Then my scandium J-frame (M&P 340) in 357 mag. But some of that's ergonomics and everyone telling you that you should get a high grip on a J frame revolver. Yes you get faster followup shots that way, but at the cost of the "hump" of a hammerless revolver jamming into the bones of your thumb and forefinger. I've come to like a lower grip and let the muzzle rise and settle back down.

 

[Road_Clam]

I find it interesting that so many different handguns share the "nastiest recoil" award. But as always ask 10 guys for an opinion and you will get 13 different answers.

 

[Carmady]

Has anyone here shot a box of 50 .38 Specials (any load) from a derringer during one range trip?

 

[Kevin Rohrer]

I am ok w/ anything less than this:

 

[Catfishman]

If someone thinks any 380 has stout recoil, you are conversing with a certified wimp.

I disagree. I’ve fired several .44 magnums including a cheap lightweight Taurus but the most unpleasant recoil I’ve experienced is from a Kel Tec .380. This is an EIGHT OUNCE firearm firing a baby 9.
I’ll shoot as many 10mm as my pocketbook will allow but I set that little Kel Tec down after one magazine.

 

[FAS1]

Another vote for the Kel-Tec P3AT. While larger bore gun will kick pretty good, they usually distribute that recoil over a fairly wide and large grip.

The P3AT/LCP are only 3/4" wide with a tiny grip. When at the range I usually just fire a couple magazines to make sure everything is function fine and then back to my pocket before my hand regrets that range trip..

 

[Jack19]

SW 500.

Friend of mine accidently killed himself with one. Lost control under recoil, pulled the trigger again trying to grip it tighter, it was pointed at his head at the time.

 

[surferdaddy]

This is my 360pd having its way with me. Barnes 140gr vor-tx 357 magnums in it. When I bought it I watched lots of videos on how to tame this dragon. Jerry Miculek had the best advice, crush grip. I grip the thing like it’s trying to bite me because it is. I “think” the physics are like...hold the head of a hammer and have someone put a certain amount of “energy” (force) into the handle and it’s not bad; but give them a few inches space and let them put the same energy into the handle and it can break your hand. I could be wrong but it makes sense to me and when I grip the crud out of it it really is not bad.

Surfer

 

[Bill DeShivs]

Why would you want to shoot something like that?

 

[surferdaddy]

Why would you want to shoot something like that?

Honestly, it really doesn’t bother me that much...it isn’t pleasant but it is a bit thrilling. Kinda like a roller coaster, but rough but fun. I get a bit bored with the pop,pop,pop of other guns at the range.

 

[AustinTX]

A Radom P-64 had the most punishing recoil impulse of any semi-auto I've ever fired. Nasty little thing. Each shot feels like a miniature baseball bat slamming into your palm.

I once fired someone's "airweight" S&W .357 Mag. (don't know the model number) with full-power 125-grain JHP rounds of some sort. That felt more like a pickaxe to the palm. Wicked, detestable little creation that thing was.

 

[AustinTX]

This is my 360pd having its way with me. Barnes 140gr vor-tx 357 magnums in it. When I bought it I watched lots of videos on how to tame this dragon. Jerry Miculek had the best advice, crush grip. I grip the thing like it’s trying to bite me because it is. I “think” the physics are like...hold the head of a hammer and have someone put a certain amount of “energy” (force) into the handle and it’s not bad; but give them a few inches space and let them put the same energy into the handle and it can break your hand. I could be wrong but it makes sense to me and when I grip the crud out of it it really is not bad.

Surfer

What does the face of your titanium cylinder look like now?

 

[hseII]

Nastiest Recoil?

Ruger SP-101 stubbie shooting the Buffalo Bore 180 grain hard cast.

Why? I wanted to know.

I don’t suggest it for target practice but it’s nasty.

That was worse than the Talo Redhawk stubby with the 330 Hard Cast.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[robertsig]

I came to this thread without reading a single comment and knew the S&W 340PD would be on the list.

 

[ballardw]

I disagree. I’ve fired several .44 magnums including a cheap lightweight Taurus but the most unpleasant recoil I’ve experienced is from a Kel Tec .380. This is an EIGHT OUNCE firearm firing a baby 9.
I’ll shoot as many 10mm as my pocketbook will allow but I set that little Kel Tec down after one magazine.

My experience with the Kel-Tec P32 was a significant reason that I wasn't interested in the .380 version. The .32acp recoil was snappy enough to be less pleasant than my .41 Blackhawk with factory loads.

 

[dyl]

This is my 360pd having its way with me.

My M&P340 isn't bad, if I actually grip lower than what most folks recommend. And because there's only 38 specials loaded in it

Another vote for the Kel-Tec P3AT

I've fired the P3AT, but I think it might have been reloads because it was mild. But that was... 7-9 years ago and I may have just forgot.

 

[pete2]

Nastiest recoil from a gun I owned was a 5-1/2" Ruger Redhawk. Actually drew blood. For some reason the 6" 629 is a lot more pleasant to shoot even tho it seems to be a lighter gun.

 

[Doyle]

I have two original Ruger Vaqueros in 44 mag. Both literally draw blood when shot. Those cowboy grips are horrible, no matter how good your grip is, they rotate in your hand and the sharp edge of the hammer takes a chunk out of the first knuckle of your thumb.

If the hammer on a single-action is drawing blood on your thumb then you must be using the same grip you use on an autoloader. Try using a "palm" grip for your off-hand (left?). Worked for me back when I shot single actions.

Edit: I think that is called the "teacup" grip - but I'm not always up on correct terminology.