# recoil questions.



## 10yearquest (Oct 15, 2009)

Does powder burn rate effect felt recoil? For instance in my 257 with a 90 grain bullet loaded to 3000 fps useing h335 and h4831. Will there be a difference?


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## Bears Butt (Sep 12, 2007)

Not to be a smart a**), but mixing those two powder is not a good idea.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Bears Butt said:


> Not to be a smart a**), but mixing those two powder is not a good idea.


I read it as he is loading two completely different loads using the two powders listed, and wants to know if there will be a recoil difference.

-DallanC


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## sawsman (Sep 13, 2007)

Sounds like a good excuse to get out and shoot. Experiment.  

I would think that the difference, if any, will be minimal and not enough to notice.

Maybe 'ole Frisco will chime in..


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## campfire (Sep 9, 2007)

I am not an expert but off hand I would have to agree with sawsman. If you exhilarate an automobile to 60 MPH in 30 seconds you will feel more"Gs" than if you exhilarate to 60 in 60 seconds. So theoretically a slower burning powder might create the same recoil spread over longer time thus "less felt recoil" HOWEVER we are talking Milli-seconds not seconds so I really doubt that the difference would be noticeable.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

True. but technically the amount of powder consumed is figured into the recoil calculation. 

For all intents and purposes I would answer this as "No". In a standard rifle w/ a 22" barrel, accelerating a bullet to the same velocity with different burn rates wont dramatically matter in terms of recoil. If it were a really long barrel, you could theoretically have a difference where one load burns slower over the entire length of the barrel vs one burning quicker and the bullet "coasts" longer in the barrel.

Really though, we are talking "percieved" recoil so mind over matter might make people believe one way has less recoil than others. IMO, more people associate the report of the round with recoil than the actual recoil (non mag rifles anyway, face it... a 338 without a brake kicks no matter what you do to it). I've seen people complain about recoil only to have it "go away" with better hearing protection.

-DallanC


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## 10yearquest (Oct 15, 2009)

Sorry guys I did not word that very clear did I. Dallen is correct these are two hypothetical loads. The reason i ask is I am working on a reduced recoil load for the gun. One of my 13 year olds is feeling very timid about recoil and someone told me to use a slow burning powder along with lighter bullets and reduced velocity. He shot a factory round that sent a 117 gr bullet at 2850ish and he did not like it. I want to use sierra 90 gr bullets for antelope and can get up to 3350fps but will most likely load at about 3150ish. I am going to try a load of h4831 that will push the little bullet at 2750, that is the starting load. I am also going to get him some earmuffs to go with the earplugs. Hopefully i can get him over it!


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Use a well constructed bullet at those velocites. I used a sierra 85grn bullet for my wifes .243 thinking reduced recoil would be better. She shot a deer right through the vitals at close range and it was like a bomb went off in it. We found pieces of lead in both loins and up into the neck. Made an utter mess of things. 

She now uses a 100grn nosler partition for hunting. She learned to control the recoil and now also owns a .30-06 which she uses for elk and deer during wet weather (its a stainless/ synthetic).


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## Cooky (Apr 25, 2011)

The formula is in the back of the Lyman reloading manual. Or just plug in the numbers on this site.
http://www.10xshooters.com/calculators/ ... ulator.htm


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## RBoomK (Feb 10, 2011)

DallanC said:


> I've seen people complain about recoil only to have it "go away" with better hearing protection.
> 
> -DallanC


+1. Going to dual-protection with both of my young boys made all of the difference in overcoming their fear of recoil. A soft and spongy recoil pad on the rifle also really helps if he can still shoulder the rifle comfortably.


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## Loke (Sep 7, 2007)

The formula that is used to calculate recoil is based on the weight of the rifle, powder charge, bullet weight, and bore diameter. Muzzle velocity and burning rate of the powder do not figure into the equation.

On a side note, people are afraid of recoil because they are taught to be afraid of it, not because the rifle "kicks" too hard. Muzzle blast is the cause of most flinching issues, especially in the smaller calibers. Your 257 is a smaller caliber. Double up on the hearing protection and get rid of the muzzle brake. Let the kid shoot from a position other than prone or from a bench. Sitting over sticks is a good place to start. And let them shoot at reactive targets. Like water filled milk jugs or old fruits and vegetables. When they see the splat, they won't remember that the rifle gave them a little shove.


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## 10yearquest (Oct 15, 2009)

Good advise loke. Except muzzle velocity has alot to do with recoil. every action has an equal and opposite reaction. You know this I am sure. I have plugged numbers into a bunch of "calculators"here on the web and none of them give the same results. Not putting much stock there. I went ahead and loaded a light charge behind a light bullet. Will be getting earmuffs. I also had him practice shouldering and getting sight picture,working the action, and he kept putting the gun too high on his shoulder so fixed that. We will go shoot again tommorow. He will be ok I think. Reactive targets good idea too.


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## 10yearquest (Oct 15, 2009)

Done and done good. ear muffs. 90grain bullet going 2750fps. It did feel lighter to me too. gave him a milk jug full of water and he did great. He will be shooting "red tips" at antelope too!


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

Good info Loke; I have a boy getting up to that age myself.


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