Learn about the recoil force of all the major rifle cartridges. The linked article by Chuck Hawks explains how rifle weight, recoil pressure in foot pounds and recoil velocity add up to recoil impulse.
A few examples.
In the table below rifle weight is given in pounds, free recoil energy is given in foot pounds, and free recoil velocity is given in feet-per-second. All recoil values have been rounded off to one decimal place. The recoil energy and recoil velocity figures are taken from various sources including the recoil nomograph in the Handloader’s Digest 8th Edition, various online recoil calculators, the Remington Shoot program or calculated from the formula given in the Lyman Reloading Handbook, 43rd Edition.
| Cartridge (Wb@MV) | Rifle Weight | Recoil energy | Recoil Velocity |
|---|---|---|---|
| .22 LR (40 at 1165) | 4.0 | 0.2 | n/a |
| .223 Rem (55 at 3240) | 8.5 | 3.0 | 4.7 |
| .308 (150 at 2800) | 9.0 | 12.9 | 9.6 |
| .50 BMG (750 at 2400) | 30.0 | 68.3 | 12.1 |
For the full table, click the link below.