*TESTED* Powder type and charge vs felt recoil

Been looking at loading tables and various powders and charge weights per expected velocity with the same such and such bullet and weight.

Some loads give lets say 3000fps with 65gr of XYZ powder.
Another load specs 55gr of ABC powder.

Given the same exact rifle, and other components at same COL and velocity, will the lower powder charge at same pressure recoil less?

Do you think/feel/know that the felt recoil is usually less, more or the same when loading lets say 83gr Ramshot LRT, vs 68gr H1000 at the same pressure ie 63kpsi?

Essentially is powder charge weight the most important component of recoil assuming equal pressures and the same bullet in same rifle?

If yes that the lower charge equals less felt recoil at similar velocity levels than I think I may revaluate my powder selection process.

ETA: Consider the formula provided as it gives some insight into how the powder charge effects recoil.

I can feel the difference in my 300PRC pushing 215s @ 3000fps, when switching from H1000 to N570.
H1000 is sharper/faster, N570 is more of a hard push.

I think it takes a larger capacity cartridge to feel the difference in powders if all else is equal.

Rule of thumb:
Faster the powder more recoil
The more of a powder more recoil
Heavier the bullet more the recoil
Heavier the rifle the less felt recoil

My guess is two different powders loaded to result in the same pressure would have the same felt recoil.

I dont suspect velocity correlates to pressure due to different burn rates of powders, but if you want lighter recoil, the trade off will be less velocity with any powder.

Just my guess.

Wilderness Blacktail said:

Been looking at loading tables and various powders and charge weights per expected velocity with the same such and such bullet and weight.

Some loads give lets say 3000fps with 65gr of XYZ powder.
Another load specs 55gr of ABC powder.

Given the same exact rifle, and other components at same COL and velocity, will the lower powder charge at same pressure recoil less?

Do you think/feel/know that the felt recoil is usually less, more or the same when loading lets say 83gr Ramshot LRT, vs 68gr H1000 at the same pressure ie 63kpsi?

Essentially is powder charge weight the most important component of recoil assuming equal pressures and the same bullet in same rifle?

If yes that the lower charge equals less felt recoil at similar velocity levels than I think I may revaluate my powder selection process.

Click to expand...

6xshooter said:

Rule of thumb:
Faster the powder more recoil
The more of a powder more recoil
Heavier the bullet more the recoil
Heavier the rifle the less felt recoil

Click to expand...

Exactly but given the question all these factors have a cancelling factor in the list. Its why im pondering lol.

Koda_ said:

My guess is two different powders loaded to result in the same pressure would have the same felt recoil.

I dont suspect velocity correlates to pressure due to different burn rates of powders, but if you want lighter recoil, the trade off will be less velocity with any powder.

Just my guess.

Click to expand...

In the data im looking at which is nothing special or unique, a number of powders over a decent span burn rate show similar velocities. So charge weights from mid 60s to mid 70s show roughly same velocity. Thats why i got intruiged.

lancetkenyon said:

I can feel the difference in my 300PRC pushing 215s @ 3000fps, when switching from H1000 to N570.
H1000 is sharper/faster, N570 is more of a hard push.

I think it takes a larger capacity cartridge to feel the difference in powders if all else is equal.

Click to expand...

Thats my take too, its much more noticeable with the bigger cases and therefore bigger charge weights.

I wish I still had my 6.5-300wby, theres some powder in that case. Its been too long recall the differences.

Wilderness Blacktail said:

In the data im looking at which is nothing special or unique, a number of powders over a decent span burn rate show similar velocities. So charge weights from mid 60s to mid 70s show roughly same velocity. Thats why i got intruiged.

Click to expand...

Then im probably wrong and velocity does correlate with pressure but im still thinking that less recoil will mean less velocity.
If your looking for less recoil, equal velocity im not confident thats possible.

Wilderness Blacktail said:

In the data im looking at which is nothing special or unique, a number of powders over a decent span burn rate show similar velocities. So charge weights from mid 60s to mid 70s show roughly same velocity. Thats why i got intruiged.

Click to expand...

Check this out. Use it and see what you come up with maybe you will get the knowledge you are seeking

6xshooter said:

Rule of thumb:
Faster the powder more recoil
The more of a powder more recoil
Heavier the bullet more the recoil
Heavier the rifle the less felt recoil

Click to expand...

This passes the straight face test. I load a 280 ackley with H4350 and H4831. The faster burning 4350 has a sharper recoil than the 4831.

This is all about Newtonian (real olde) type physics - linear momentum, a vector (like directed) measured in feet per second.

Say like .300WM rifles at 3000 fps with 180 grain bullets, rifles weigh 10, 8, & 12 pounds.


The rifle weight acts in opposition to the stuff that is shot out of the barrel, like powder (converted to gas) & bullet all are subject to P = M*V.
Resisting this push is the rifle.

Above ^^ observe how recoil energy varies with rifle weight & powder weight, velocity and bullet weight remain constant.
The 8 pound rifle with a hard plastic butt plate would hurt more than a 12 pound rifle. 37.44 foot pounds with 83 grains of powder vs. 21.11 foot pounds with 68 grains of powder.

"sharp"- may be described by rifle velocity impacting the shooters body 17.350 fps vs. 10.638 fps.

I don't shoot deers or stuff like that but use my 10 twist .300 WM loaded with 178 ELDM's on rodents with 70 with 68 - 71 grains of SW4350, H4831, IMR 4831 or similar powder on rodents because the rifle shoots real good and a 200 grain bullet with a case full of Staball HD (82 grains plus) would hurt real bad.

I'll give you an example that will shed light on this subject subjectively.
I shoot big bore competition and hunt with the same rifles on our Water buffalo.
With any of my double rifles, 470 Nitro, 500 nitro or 600OK, I have others, all recoil extremely FASTER with H4350 over ANY other powder. All will take H1000 & Retumbo loads with far less recoil speed. My bolt rifle 505 Gibbs was the worst with H4350, so was a bolt rifle in 577 Nitro and my 45-120.
The faster the powder, the faster the recoil, even if it is LESS powder volume.

Cheers.