Here is how it was explained to me in regards to the stoeger cougar, which is owned by beretta, and actually used to be manufactured by beretta:


Quote:
Originally Posted by rccola712 View Post
silly question, but what exactly is the rotating barrel lockup? what exactly does this cause the gun to do when fired? thanks!
When the gun is fired (or cycled by hand), the rearward motion of the slide causes the barrel to rotate in position. This supposedly causes less felt recoil and is supposed to be more accurate. I think the less felt recoil is probably more noticeable with the 40S&W model than it is with my 9mm model. It's a very cool design. I'll have to try to get a picture of the barrel (maybe tomorrow) and you will see exactly what I'm talking about. The slide and barrel are in constant contact and alignment.

-Jeff-

heres the thread if you want to read more, there were pictures, but theyre not on the there anymore for some reason: http://handgunforum.net/showthread.p...ight=rccola712

hope this helps!

The concept of a rotating barrel has been around for a while (if you didnt already know), and beretta did a good job integrating it with the px4. Anyways, here is a blurp from wikipedia:

"The 6-R rifling of the barrel generates counter-clockwise torque which is harnessed by the locking system to reduce the amount of pressure on the rotating barrel lock's cam and pin system when unlocking."

I also found this from an article, this I believe explains it a little better.

"When the slide auto-loads it moves forward scraping a round from the magazine, inserting it into the barrel chamber. When the slide's breechblock mates with the recoiled barrel enclosing the round, it begins to push the barrel forward. As the barrel moves forward with the slide, an angled cam slot in the bottom of the barrel rides a peg in the fixed central block that sets in the frame, causing the barrel to rotate about 45 degrees. This in turn causes lugs in the barrel to rotate into vertical grooves in the slide, locking the barrel tightly to the breechblock.

When the gun is fired, the recoil reverses the process. The cam slot turns the barrel until its lugs are free of the slide. Then a stop on the barrel hits the frame block stopping its rearward motion while the slide continues and extracts the casing. By channeling part of the recoil energy into barrel rotation, and by partially absorbing the barrel and slide recoil shock through the central frame block before it is transferred to the frame, the PX4 achieves unusually low felt recoil. The positive lock-up of barrel to slide assures perfect alignment of barrel and sights. The result is superior accuracy and quicker recovery for the next shot."

All you need to know about the rotating barrel and how it works is this: Normally, the pressure from a fired cartrige propels the slug forward and pushes back on the frame of the gun. All of the energy is absorbed within one of these 2 ways. The rotating barrel just pulls some of the energy that would be applied to recoil, and absorbs it. It is a fairly simple yet brilliant concept.

I am a marketer by profession, and in my opinion, I think the claim that the rotating barrel reduces felt recoil is primarily marketing hype. If you cycle one of the slides on a Cougar or PX4, and watch how much the barrel actually rotates, it's not that much. Does that action require some energy to do so? Yes! How much??? I'd doubt that it's very much at all. Even though the barrel is steel, you're only rotating it on the axis of the bore. It just can't take that much energy to rotate that small barrel about 30-45 degrees about it's axis.

Having said all that, I have a Stoeger Cougar in 9mm and absolutely love it. In fact, I just posted a glowing review about mine at: http://handgunforum.net/showthread.php?t=19129&page=2. One aspect of the rotating barrel design that I feel does provide noticeable benefits is that this design keeps the axis of the barrel in line with the target throughout the cycle of the slide. My Cougar is very, very accurate. It would probably be very suprising to lock it into a handgun vise and fire 5 shots at 25 yards. I'd bet the group would be under 1".

If you're thinking of buying one, I highly recommend it. The Stoeger version, in my opinion, is the best value on the market for a reasonably compact pistol. The fact that it has a Beretta pedigree helps a lot too.

Robert

Originally Posted by ferrarif1fan

I am a marketer by profession, and in my opinion, I think the claim that the rotating barrel reduces felt recoil is primarily marketing hype. If you cycle one of the slides on a Cougar or PX4, and watch how much the barrel actually rotates, it's not that much. Does that action require some energy to do so? Yes! How much??? I'd doubt that it's very much at all. Even though the barrel is steel, you're only rotating it on the axis of the bore. It just can't take that much energy to rotate that small barrel about 30-45 degrees about it's axis.

Having said all that, I have a Stoeger Cougar in 9mm and absolutely love it. In fact, I just posted a glowing review about mine at: http://handgunforum.net/showthread.php?t=19129&page=2. One aspect of the rotating barrel design that I feel does provide noticeable benefits is that this design keeps the axis of the barrel in line with the target throughout the cycle of the slide. My Cougar is very, very accurate. It would probably be very suprising to lock it into a handgun vise and fire 5 shots at 25 yards. I'd bet the group would be under 1".

If you're thinking of buying one, I highly recommend it. The Stoeger version, in my opinion, is the best value on the market for a reasonably compact pistol. The fact that it has a Beretta pedigree helps a lot too.

Robert

I respectfully disagree. I have fired a few models (different brands/models) including the Cougar of 9mm and I feel like there is less recoil from the Px4 than the others. The biggest thing to me is that it seems to have less muzzle jump than the other models of the same caliber. This greatly assisting accuracy when firing quickly. You can go to youtube and watch tons of video of guys emptying their magazines into a target. There are quite a few of the Px4 that I have watched, and you can see that the muzzle flip is minimal. Any sort of energy redirection will help when you are talking about recoil and muzzle flip, even if it is only 10% of the total recoil being redirected.

I have fired a few models (different brands/models) including the Cougar of 9mm and I feel like there is less recoil from the Px4 than the others. The biggest thing to me is that it seems to have less muzzle jump than the other models of the same caliber. This greatly assisting accuracy when firing quickly. You can go to youtube and watch tons of video of guys emptying their magazines into a target. There are quite a few of the Px4 that I have watched, and you can see that the muzzle flip is minimal. Any sort of energy redirection will help when you are talking about recoil and muzzle flip, even if it is only 10% of the total recoil being redirected.

When you say that the PX4 has "less recoil than the others," do you also mean less recoil than the Cougar or less recoil from other non-Beretta models? I am trying to understand how the recoil on the PX4 compares with the recoil on the Cougar, i.e., same, less, more? Thank you.

Originally Posted by Donato

When you say that the PX4 has "less recoil than the others," do you also mean less recoil than the Cougar or less recoil from other non-Beretta models? I am trying to understand how the recoil on the PX4 compares with the recoil on the Cougar, i.e., same, less, more? Thank you.

Actually, I mean both. Compared specifically with the cougar, i don't feel that the difference is dramatic but I think that it is at least noticable. To me, the recoil feels very similar, I just notice that there is less muzzle flip on the Px4, which makes it a hell of a lot of fun to sprint through 17 rounds.

Originally Posted by falchunt

Actually, I mean both. Compared specifically with the cougar, i don't feel that the difference is dramatic but I think that it is at least noticable. To me, the recoil feels very similar, I just notice that there is less muzzle flip on the Px4, which makes it a hell of a lot of fun to sprint through 17 rounds.

Thanks for the reply. Just for the record, is your PX4 a 9mm?

Yes it is, Also it is a type "F"

From what I know, the Cougar and the PX4 use the identical rotating barrel system. Am I wrong?

If you can tell a difference in muzzle "flip" between the two you're a better gunner than I. (not that you'd have to go far to earn that)

I've shot both and I prefer to shoot the Cougar based on it being metal and I believe a little heavier. I shoot it with more accuracy. You may prefer the feel of the PX4.

It very well may be that they frame of the Px4 just feels better to me. My uncle has the cougar and he swears by it. I shot his many times before I handled the Px4 and I like the Cougar a lot, but for whatever reason, I seem to have better luck the the Px4. The muzzle barely seems to move when I fire it, it almost feels like I am cheating.. While the barrell system from the storm is based off of the cougar, there have been minor changes made to the blueprint, which may or may not affect the muzzle flip. I cannot say anything negative about the cougar, it is a fantastic piece. The Px4 is just a slightly improved, more versatille version. (non metal of course).