Large Caliber Recoil Chart

[x84958]

Hi all,

I decided to create this chart for ease of reference. Hopefully it's helpful to someone out there! I used the .375H&H as the baseline for "relative recoil" analysis.

.375H&H to .500 NE. I can add additional calibers and weights if interested, just DM me.

 

[USMA84DAB]

I thank you for the effort/thoughfulness of sharing this.

What weight rifle are we comparing?

 

[BJH65]

Thanks for sharing. AH member Mark Ouellette posted a very thorough and comprehensive recoil chart of various rifles several months ago back on AH. Always interesting to see.

 

[1dirthawker]

hi,

i too appreciate the thought of this chart, however:

there is no way that the 450/400 has MORE recoil than the 416 rigby in the same weight rifle.

the 400 gr bullet of the 450/400 is traveling at 2050-2150 fps

the 400 gr bullet of the 416 rigby is traveling at 2300-2400+ fps

the rigby will ALWAYS have more recoil.

 

[uplander01]

interesting chart, I calculate all this stuff with JBM Recoil Calculator all the time. Lots of variable with load and rifle weight

 

[x84958]

I thank you for the effort/thoughfulness of sharing this.

What weight rifle are we comparing?

I should've mentioned that. My apologies for not mentioning that earlier! This is using a 10lb rifle for all calibers.

Here's a new chart with several other calibers for those curious.

 

[uplander01]

That looks like all my data, spot on, well done sir

 

[x84958]

hi,

i too appreciate the thought of this chart, however:

there is no way that the 450/400 has MORE recoil than the 416 rigby in the same weight rifle.

the 400 gr bullet of the 450/400 is traveling at 2050-2150 fps

the 400 gr bullet of the 416 rigby is traveling at 2300-2400+ fps

the rigby will ALWAYS have more recoil.

ah thanks for the correction!

 

[V.Veritas]

I apologize for nitpicking, but a 416 bullet shot at the same velocity from the same weighted rifle, will have a different recoil energy and velocity in 416 Rem vs 416 Rigby. This is due to the amount of powder burned to obtain the same velocity (different case volume and pressure). The powder burned becomes ejecta and it adds up to the equation. Hence Rigby will recoil more and by a quantifiable amount to be recorded in the table as such.
Thank you for sharing your work with us.

 

[x84958]

I apologize for nitpicking, but a 416 bullet shot at the same velocity from the same weighted rifle, will have a different recoil energy and velocity in 416 Rem vs 416 Rigby. This is due to the amount of powder burned to obtain the same velocity (different case volume and pressure). The powder burned becomes ejecta and it adds up to the equation. Hence Rigby will recoil more and by a quantifiable amount to be recorded in the table as such.
Thank you for sharing your work with us.

Thanks for the education! I'll work a bit on those finer details for the next iteration. I used the chart just for relative comparison.

 

[ftrovato]

I should've mentioned that. My apologies for not mentioning that earlier! This is using a 10lb rifle for all calibers.

Here's a new chart with several other calibers for those curious.

View attachment 658067

THANK YOU! THIS IS A GREAT BASELINE FOR COMPARISON. With this, it confirms I say NO way to a 505 Gibbs & 500 Jeffrey. I'll stick with my 11 1/2 pound 500 NE!!!

 

[Mark A Ouellette]

Thanks for sharing. AH member Mark Ouellette posted a very thorough and comprehensive recoil chart of various rifles several months ago back on AH. Always interesting to see.

@x84958 This is good work!
I posted a thread with detailed tables concerning recoil on July 30, 2024 that may interest you.

Thread 'Muzzle Energy vs Recoil vs Rifle Weight for Dangerous Game'

Jul 30, 2024

Some members have shot 50 or more species of African animals with one rifle, in most cases a .375 H&H. I am not one of them. I have loved firearms since 1972 and since then, seem to have collected more than I need. Concerning dangerous game (DG) rifles chambered in .375 H&H and more powerful cartridges, I have more than I have safaris that I will take. Of my rifles of different chamberings (cartridges), for any safari I must decide on what cartridges I need or perhaps want to use for dangerous game.

The table below is a simple comparison of attributes of DG cartridges based on common...

• Mark A Ouellette
• Replies: 128
• Forum: Firearms & ammunition

• 
• 
• 

This is one of my recoil tables

 

[x84958]

@x84958 This is good work!
I posted a thread with detailed tables concerning recoil on July 30, 2024 that may interest you.

Thread 'Muzzle Energy vs Recoil vs Rifle Weight for Dangerous Game'

Jul 30, 2024

Some members have shot 50 or more species of African animals with one rifle, in most cases a .375 H&H. I am not one of them. I have loved firearms since 1972 and since then, seem to have collected more than I need. Concerning dangerous game (DG) rifles chambered in .375 H&H and more powerful cartridges, I have more than I have safaris that I will take. Of my rifles of different chamberings (cartridges), for any safari I must decide on what cartridges I need or perhaps want to use for dangerous game.

The table below is a simple comparison of attributes of DG cartridges based on common...

• Mark A Ouellette
• Replies: 128
• Forum: Firearms & ammunition

• 
• 
• 

This is one of my recoil tables
View attachment 658073

This is much better! Thanks for this!

 

[Brian]

Thankyou for the recoil info. Brian

 

[CBH Australia]

Thanks for posting.
It’s a simple comparison to put things in perspective for anyone considering stepping up.

 

[Northern Shooter]

I apologize for nitpicking, but a 416 bullet shot at the same velocity from the same weighted rifle, will have a different recoil energy and velocity in 416 Rem vs 416 Rigby. This is due to the amount of powder burned to obtain the same velocity (different case volume and pressure). The powder burned becomes ejecta and it adds up to the equation. Hence Rigby will recoil more and by a quantifiable amount to be recorded in the table as such.
Thank you for sharing your work with us.

Same deal with 458 WM vs 470 NE. Same ballistics, very different case capacities.

 

[DLSJR]

@x84958 This is good work!
I posted a thread with detailed tables concerning recoil on July 30, 2024 that may interest you.

Thread 'Muzzle Energy vs Recoil vs Rifle Weight for Dangerous Game'

Jul 30, 2024

Some members have shot 50 or more species of African animals with one rifle, in most cases a .375 H&H. I am not one of them. I have loved firearms since 1972 and since then, seem to have collected more than I need. Concerning dangerous game (DG) rifles chambered in .375 H&H and more powerful cartridges, I have more than I have safaris that I will take. Of my rifles of different chamberings (cartridges), for any safari I must decide on what cartridges I need or perhaps want to use for dangerous game.

The table below is a simple comparison of attributes of DG cartridges based on common...

• Mark A Ouellette
• Replies: 128
• Forum: Firearms & ammunition

• 
• 
• 

This is one of my recoil tables
View attachment 658073

This chart is excellent as it contains recoil velocity in addition to foot pounds of recoil. Velocity of recoil is directly correlated to how ‘sharp’ the recoil feels.

 

[Huvius]

Has anyone ever actually built a test bed for comparing recoil of the various cartridges mentioned?
Ballistic mathematics aside, haven’t we all encountered particular rifles of caliber which transmit the recoil differently from another? I know I have.
I don’t see getting overly hung up on the math as much as recognizing the benefit of a properly stocked and weighted rifle.

 

[Rule 303]

hi,

i too appreciate the thought of this chart, however:

there is no way that the 450/400 has MORE recoil than the 416 rigby in the same weight rifle.

the 400 gr bullet of the 450/400 is traveling at 2050-2150 fps

the 400 gr bullet of the 416 rigby is traveling at 2300-2400+ fps

the rigby will ALWAYS have more recoil.

Totally agree. Having fired both, the 450/400 is not in the same recoil league as the Rigby. The 416 Rigby's recoil is somewhat sharper.

Huvius, you have hit an often over looked nail square on the head. The rifle fit. A good fitting rifle reduces felt recoil. a stock that works for me may not work for somebody else.

 

[Mark A Ouellette]

Totally agree. Having fired both, the 450/400 is not in the same recoil league as the Rigby. The 416 Rigby's recoil is somewhat sharper.

Yes that is true.
Felt recoil may be different for each shooter base on gun fit.

In this case, Math is your friend.

With the same rifle weight and bullet weight,

• 450/400 recoil is 47.95 foot pounds
• 416 Rigby recoil is 64.83 foot pounds

also,
The recoil velocity of the 416 is higher.

With both producing the same muzzle velocity and energy, the 416 Rigby also produces more recoil than the 416 Remington. @V.Veritas details this in his above post.
The quantifiable difference for the Rigby to Remington recoil is the increased weight of the ejecta, caused by different weights of powder.