Recoil

[Two Bears]

In an encore pistol with standard 15" barrel which calibers produce the most recoil.
I am not a huge centerfire shooter and with little experience in them, don't reload either so I am wondering which is easier to manage.
BTW I do shoot bigger calibers in pistol but in black powder (encore 209x50 15") and shoot well but have very little trigger time on centerfires. 30 years ago I shot a lot of .257 roberts and 30-06 but in rifles.
A friend that shoots .243 in an encore says the recoil is pretty sharp and he now wears a glove which helps him manage the recoil. but I know of no one else that shoots these calibers so here I am "asking" you folks your thoughts.

.308
.243
.257 roberts


I would think hat the 308 would be less sharp as he shoulder is not so steep as in a .243 but the bullet is heavier and might actually make it have more recoil??
The 257 I know is milder in a rifle and should be the same in a pistol but it will prove to be very hard to find in a pistol barrel and might have to have a custom made barrel in that chamber.

[Hopalong7]

      All three have about the same volume and pressure so the controlling factor will be bullet weight.  Given "normal" bullet weight for each caliber, the 308 would produce the most recoil.
Walt
BTW The loading in your 209 X 50 could vary from mild to wild of course, but I'd imagine considerably more recoil there than any of the three centerfires you mention.  A magnum load and a 250+ gr bullet in an Encore handgun is a handfull.

[Dezynco]

I owned an Encore pistol in 308.  With factory loads in the 150gr + range, the recoil was fierce!  However it felt like a pop gun compared to my Cotnender 45-70!

Recoil will be directly related to how heavy the bullet is and how hard you push it.  Using that logic, the 308 will have more recoil with "factory" ammo than the other two because of bullet weight.

[Two Bears]

      All three have about the same volume and pressure so the controlling factor will be bullet weight.  Given "normal" bullet weight for each caliber, the 308 would produce the most recoil.
Walt
BTW The loading in your 209 X 50 could vary from mild to wild of course, but I'd imagine considerably more recoil there than any of the three centerfires you mention.  A magnum load and a 250+ gr bullet in an Encore handgun is a handfull.

I have been loading the 209 with a 300 grain XTP and up to 85 grains of Goex and she is pretty stout but since settled on 50 grains and it is not bad. Have since bought lighter bullets for that too so should reduce it a lot.

Will probably lean towards the 243 for now until I can find a 257 roberts barrel or have one made.

[atitagain]

I shoot the T/C Encore in .308.
I had the same question you do.
I settled on the .308 because of the slight advantage in knock down power.
Plus, if the recoil seems too much for you, try using the reduced recoil or recoil managed ammo.
Out to 150-200 yards, you won't notice enough difference in bullet performance to matter.
And they work great.

[DANNY-L]

I shoot 120gr.in my 7-30 waters and that thing is just a beauty to shoot,very mild recoil. Mine is a 14" contender. Very accurate also.

[Ladobe]

Man was not created equal, so recoil is perception.   What is comfortable for Tom may not be for Dick or Harry IOW.  Perceived recoil can be reduced with things like grips/stocks made from recoil absorbing materials, those made to specifically fit the hand/stature that will shoot it, brakes, etc.   If you want an  advanced comparison that is not just perceived recoil, there are endless formulas and methods, most can be found on-line, that can put numbers on recoil for any firearm & load.    Even so recoil still comes down to momentum and energy.   In simple terms momentum is the mass of the bullet X its velocity equals the mass of a fiream X its veloicty in the opposite direction when fired and before the bullet leaves the barrel.    Energy leads to a different answer based on right after the bullet leaves the barrel.   Worth the time to run them if you want a real answer to compare them rather than one that is based on perception of somebody else.    HTH
L.

[gr8ful]

I owned an Encore pistol in 308.  With factory loads in the 150gr + range, the recoil was fierce!  However it felt like a pop gun compared to my Cotnender 45-70!

Recoil will be directly related to how heavy the bullet is and how hard you push it.  Using that logic, the 308 will have more recoil with "factory" ammo than the other two because of bullet weight.

Encore in 25-06 and contender in 45-70 and this echos my sentiments exactly!!