does recoil efect accuracy?

[liltank]

I believe recoil has an effect on accuracy. You need to be able to manage it, plus do it repeatably. That is why shooters around the world that shoot so well can repeat their hold and cheek weld. I can tell when it was my fault by recoil. I know when I am on when the rifle recoils slightly up and back. If I am off the rifle always recoils to the left and away. This generally results in a shot out of POA. That tells me that my hold or position in my shoulder was different from the initial hold.

Tank

 

[Russ Hatch]

Agreed, consistancy can't be over emphasized. Do everything the same each time and the groups will be small if you have a good rifle, can read the wind, Etc.

 

[MSLRHunter]

I believe that recoil and the shooters reaction to recoil need to be seperated. The recoil of the rifle begins as soon as the bullet begins to move forward - remember from basic physics "for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction", so as soon as the bullet begins to move forward there is some force pushing back, the more mass the bullet has the more it will push back. I think most people agree that the amount of recoil is fairly small while the bullet is in the barrel, but if you shoot with poor form it can have an effect. Just my opinion here, but I theorize that most of the recoil comes when the pressurized gases escape from the barrel, much like a pressurized paint can when you shoot a hole in it. Thats one way muzzle breaks reduce recoil is by prolonging the release of gas and spreading it over a larger area. IMHO

 

[bigngreen]

A quick search on the net found this short explenation of recoil.The Physics of Everyday Stuff - Gun Recoil Found it interesting but it lays it out simply enough for even me.

 

[4bycamper]

A quick search on the net found this short explenation of recoil.The Physics of Everyday Stuff - Gun Recoil Found it interesting but it lays it out simply enough for even me.

You bet. A great read, that's even simple enough for me also.
thanks Bigngreen

 

[Chas1]

Interesting read...kinda neat working the math.

 

[Kevin Thomas]

I think the recoil is happening while the bullet is in the bore, handguns and slow rifles shoot heavier bullet and lighter bullets with different recoil to radically different POI's.

Spot on, Tyler, and a perfect example whether you intended it or not. Pistols give the best example of this, and the most readily available example for most of us to experiment with. Simple question here; if you have a given handgun with fixed sights, which strikes higher on target; A light weight high velocity bullet, or a slower, heavier bullet? Common sense says the lighter bullet should hit higher, simply because of its higher velocity. Problem is, the slower, heavier bullet will impact higher on target, every time. The answer here is barrel (dwell) time and recoil. The recoil begins, as you pointed out, long before the bullet makes it out the bore. So much so that the slower bullet's recoil has time to raise the bore to a higher departure angle than does the faster, lighter bullet, which will impact lower on target. Pretty simple to understand, but only with the realization that the recoil begins as the bullet leaves the case and is well underway before it ever exits the muzzle.

Kevin Thomas
Lapua USA

 

[Michael Eichele]

Spot on, Tyler, and a perfect example whether you intended it or not. Pistols give the best example of this, and the most readily available example for most of us to experiment with. Simple question here; if you have a given handgun with fixed sights, which strikes higher on target; A light weight high velocity bullet, or a slower, heavier bullet? Common sense says the lighter bullet should hit higher, simply because of its higher velocity. Problem is, the slower, heavier bullet will impact higher on target, every time. The answer here is barrel (dwell) time and recoil. The recoil begins, as you pointed out, long before the bullet makes it out the bore. So much so that the slower bullet's recoil has time to raise the bore to a higher departure angle than does the faster, lighter bullet, which will impact lower on target. Pretty simple to understand, but only with the realization that the recoil begins as the bullet leaves the case and is well underway before it ever exits the muzzle.

Kevin Thomas
Lapua USA

That is a fact.

 

[Michael Eichele]

I believe that recoil and the shooters reaction to recoil need to be seperated.

That is 100% correct. I would add though that besides the shooter's reaction to the recoil, inconsistent grip, shoulder pressure, cheek contact/pressure, body angles etc....can cause the rifle to react differently during the recoil. So in short, a shooter's 'form' or lack there of is to blame rather than the actual recoil. The more violent the recoil, the more 'unforgiving' (due to shooter form inconsistency) it will be.

If the rifle was attached to a device of some sort that was able to reapeat the same actions or reactions the exact same way every time, the recoil in and of itself would have no affect on accuracy. As with archery, it is the human that is the weak link. Put a bow in a shooting machine and you get arrows smashing arrows every single time even at long distance so long as there is not a defect in an arrows assembly or a weak spot in the shaft. Add a human element to the equasion and muscle tesion is not the same every time or doesnt get the stance or grip the exact same way every time and misses are introduced to the final product. Rifle shooting is the same way. This is one main reason why medium calibers chambered in semi heavy to heavy rifles are more 'forgiving' than medium to light rifles of larger calibers. The more the beast is tamed, the more forgiving it will be when the shooter's form is not perfect.

 

[RBetts]

Look at the point blank bench rest barrel It is short and fat. This mass creates stiffness and has more area to absorb/dissipate vibration. Also by adding mass you reduce the amount of total felt recoil as well as delay the effect due to momentum. From the time the sear breaks till the bullet is out of the barrel vibrations start to resonate. If they are not the same accuracy suffers dramatically. Savage had a video from start to finish that showed visible movement in a gunstock. I cannot seem to find it though.
Recoil that you feel at the shoulder is the result of the expanding gasses running into a flat wall at the end of the barrel. Muzzle brakes, porting all allow those gasses to vent/divertto the sides, those expanding gasses to slow the pulse felt. Meaning if you have 50% of the expanding gasses diverted you have 50% less gas being stopped at the muzzle so what you feel would be roughly 50% less Now if you take a purpose built brake like those available here from Kirby and Darrell Holland to name 2 These are designed to capture that expanding gas and use that energy to actually pull the rifle forward further reducing the recoil pulse.
The rifle and cartridge still recoils at the same level just not back at the shooter. One of those laws you cannot avoid. For every action there is an equal and oppossite reaction