Originally Posted by
Steve M1911A1
Sorry, Packard, but this is a silly statement. There's more to the equation than merely the weight of the bullet.
• Given the same bullet weight, the load producing the higher velocity will recoil more.
• Given the same velocity, the load with the heavier bullet will recoil more.
Frequently, non-Plus-P loads firing heavier bullets will be arranged to produce lower velocities, resulting in a recoil impulse of longer duration. This comes across to the shooter as a "softer," more easily controlled recoil impulse.
Think, for instance, of self-defense loads for the .38 Special: 125-grain-bullet loads produce higher velocities and result in an uncomfortable recoil "jab," while 158-grain-bullet loads produce lower velocities and deliver a much more easily controlled, soft-feeling "push."
Since there is an upside limit to the combination of bullet weight and exit velocity that a given pistol can handle, it is normally the heavier-bullet load, at a much slower velocity, which recoils less—or at least seems to.