Let us talk about recoil relative to Air Guns

[ernroe]

From time to time on here someone will mention recoil from an airgun. I have been shooting airguns both springers and PCPs for about 2 years and have not noticed any recoil. It may be because decades of shooting trap and skeet has desentized me to low level recoil. I am aware of the physics of recoil and have no doubt that there has to be some recoil relative to the mass, velocity and weight of the gun. Just for completeness sake I have included a Shotgun Recoil Chart. I welcome any comments you want to share.

Shotgun Recoil Chart

Gauge, Length & Ounce Shot with Muzzle Velocity
Weight of Firearm
Recoil Energy (ft. lbs.)

28 Gauge, 2.75" - 3/4 oz / 1200 fps 6.0 12.8
20 Gauge, 2.75" - 7/8 oz / 1200 fps 6.5 16.1
20 Gauge, 2.75" - 1 oz / 1220 fps 6.5 21.0
20 Gauge, 2.75" - 1 1/8 oz / 1175 fps 6.5 25.0
20 Gauge, 3" - 1 1/4 oz / 1185 fps 6.5 31.0
16 Gauge, 2.75" - 1 oz / 1220 fps 7.0 21.5
16 Gauge, 2.75" - 1 1/8 oz / 1200 fps 7.0 27.6
12 Gauge, 2.75" - 1 oz / 1180 fps 7.5 17.3
12 Gauge, 2.75" - 1 1/8 oz / 1200 fps 7.5 23.0
12 Gauge, 2.75" - 1 1/4 oz / 1330 fps 7.5 32.0
12 Gauge, 2.75" - 1 1/2 oz / 1260 fps 7.5 45.0
12 Gauge, 3" - 1 5/8 oz / 1280 fps 7.5 52.0
12 Gauge, 3" - 1 7/8 oz / 1210 fps 8.75 54.0
10 Gauge, 3.5" - 2 1/4 oz / 1210 fps 10.5 62.9

 

[Grunt64]

From time to time on here someone will mention recoil from an airgun. I have been shooting airguns both springers and PCPs for about 2 years and have not noticed any recoil. It may be because decades of shooting trap and skeet has desentized me to low level recoil. I am aware of the physics of recoil and have no doubt that there has to be some recoil relative to the mass, velocity and weight of the gun. Just for completeness sake I have included a Shotgun Recoil Chart. I welcome any comments you want to share.

Shotgun Recoil Chart

Gauge, Length & Ounce Shot with Muzzle Velocity
Weight of Firearm
Recoil Energy (ft. lbs.)

28 Gauge, 2.75" - 3/4 oz / 1200 fps 6.0 12.8
20 Gauge, 2.75" - 7/8 oz / 1200 fps 6.5 16.1
20 Gauge, 2.75" - 1 oz / 1220 fps 6.5 21.0
20 Gauge, 2.75" - 1 1/8 oz / 1175 fps 6.5 25.0
20 Gauge, 3" - 1 1/4 oz / 1185 fps 6.5 31.0
16 Gauge, 2.75" - 1 oz / 1220 fps 7.0 21.5
16 Gauge, 2.75" - 1 1/8 oz / 1200 fps 7.0 27.6
12 Gauge, 2.75" - 1 oz / 1180 fps 7.5 17.3
12 Gauge, 2.75" - 1 1/8 oz / 1200 fps 7.5 23.0
12 Gauge, 2.75" - 1 1/4 oz / 1330 fps 7.5 32.0
12 Gauge, 2.75" - 1 1/2 oz / 1260 fps 7.5 45.0
12 Gauge, 3" - 1 5/8 oz / 1280 fps 7.5 52.0
12 Gauge, 3" - 1 7/8 oz / 1210 fps 8.75 54.0
10 Gauge, 3.5" - 2 1/4 oz /

Small‑bore PCPs don’t have much recoil, that part’s true. A .22 or .25 at 30–40 foot‑pounds barely nudges the gun, especially if you’ve spent years behind shotguns. But once you get into the .50s — and especially the new mega‑bores — the story changes.

A .50 cal pushing a 300–400 grain slug has a real shove to it. Not painful, but enough to move the rifle off target if you’re not planted. And the big boys, the .72s and .82s throwing 700–1000 grain slugs at 600–700 fps, those will get your attention. They’re still a slower push than a 12‑gauge, but the recoil energy is right up in the light‑20‑gauge neighborhood.

It’s not ‘no recoil.’ It’s just a different kind of recoil — long, heavy, and very noticeable if you’re shooting off bags on a cold morning. Anyone who’s spent time with the big bores knows exactly what I mean.

 

[Roamin Greco 1]

When I shoot a springer for a while at targets, like when I'm testing pellets, I can start to feel it jumping off target and twisting from the spring decompressing at the shot, especially with the "artillery hold."

 

[Danman]

I own and shoot 4 airguns 'regularly'.
-32fpe S510: 100% dead, no recoil at all...also my most accurate gun.
-12fpe HW50S: light pleasant recoil, will not pull off target.
-13fpe TX200: Violent, twisting & harsh recoil, after pulling the trigger, scope crosshairs will NOT be pointing at the bull any longer. Makes you want to hang on for dear life....but that doesn't help with accuracy at all It is currently in many many pieces, full rebuild is ongoing with it....
-53fpe Brk Ghost: Light/gentle but noticeable recoil. More like a push if anything, not enough to push off target.
Lastly would be my brothers .177 19fpe Diana 350 magnum springer....it gets unpleasant after a while of shooting it from the recoil, and has murdered a scope and some rings!
When compared to a shotgun....i guesss everything else seems gentle?

 

[PapaT]

I told my brother that my Texan didn't really have any recoil. He promptly scope bit himself as he took the shot. Big bore will still bite, if you aren't careful. But relative to the firearm world it's not harsh.

 

[Waytoomany]

From time to time on here someone will mention recoil from an airgun. I have been shooting airguns both springers and PCPs for about 2 years and have not noticed any recoil. It may be because decades of shooting trap and skeet has desentized me to low level recoil. I am aware of the physics of recoil and have no doubt that there has to be some recoil relative to the mass, velocity and weight of the gun. Just for completeness sake I have included a Shotgun Recoil Chart. I welcome any comments you want to share.

Shotgun Recoil Chart

Gauge, Length & Ounce Shot with Muzzle Velocity
Weight of Firearm
Recoil Energy (ft. lbs.)

28 Gauge, 2.75" - 3/4 oz / 1200 fps 6.0 12.8
20 Gauge, 2.75" - 7/8 oz / 1200 fps 6.5 16.1
20 Gauge, 2.75" - 1 oz / 1220 fps 6.5 21.0
20 Gauge, 2.75" - 1 1/8 oz / 1175 fps 6.5 25.0
20 Gauge, 3" - 1 1/4 oz / 1185 fps 6.5 31.0
16 Gauge, 2.75" - 1 oz / 1220 fps 7.0 21.5
16 Gauge, 2.75" - 1 1/8 oz / 1200 fps 7.0 27.6
12 Gauge, 2.75" - 1 oz / 1180 fps 7.5 17.3
12 Gauge, 2.75" - 1 1/8 oz / 1200 fps 7.5 23.0
12 Gauge, 2.75" - 1 1/4 oz / 1330 fps 7.5 32.0
12 Gauge, 2.75" - 1 1/2 oz / 1260 fps 7.5 45.0
12 Gauge, 3" - 1 5/8 oz / 1280 fps 7.5 52.0
12 Gauge, 3" - 1 7/8 oz / 1210 fps 8.75 54.0
10 Gauge, 3.5" - 2 1/4 oz / 1210 fps 10.5 62.9

Reckon I’ve shot too many shotguns, 30.06’s and 7.92’s. While I don’t have any big bore airguns I do have Dianas, Weihrauchs and a Hatsun 95 plus others. I have never noticed any rearward recoil, only forward jolt when springer pistons come to a stop. My pneumatics and CO2’s do nothing that I notice.

Waytoomany

 

[Grunt64]

Reckon I’ve shot too many shotguns, 30.06’s and 7.92’s. While I don’t have any big bore airguns I do have Dianas, Weihrauchs and a Hatsun 95 plus others. I have never noticed any rearward recoil, only forward jolt when springer pistons come to a stop. My pneumatics and CO2’s do nothing that I notice.

Waytoomany

I have Texan 308 and an AEA 357 Challenger big bore that will scope you if you're not careful with 150gr slug.

 

[Waytoomany]

I have Texan 308 and an AEA 357 Challenger big bore that will scope you if you're not careful with 150gr slug.

Ah, round here it’s called “getting baptized”. Not pleasant, at best it’s downright embarrassing at the rifle range.

Waytoomany

 

[Scriv]

Recoil, although it may be quantified in numbers with a sufficient instrument to measure it, is a highly subjective thing. To be more accurate , felt recoil. Obviously spring piston air rifles recoil in their own way, but many do not notice low power pcp rifles, even though they do. Stipulating that each shooter has a different perception of recoil, there are other variables such as stock design and shooting position. I, for one, would much rather shoot several boxes of 12 gauge at a skeet, or sporting clays course than test slugs from a bench rest. For this same reason, rifles shot off hand, as opposed to shooting groups from the bench, seem to have less noticeable recoil. Again it comes down to shooter experience, and perception. Same way that one shooter swears that "X" airguns have the best triggers, and another may shoot the same gun, and think that the trigger is "rubbish". Shooter "A" simply hasn't experienced anything better than airgun "X", and thus forms his opinion. Put another way, my favorite ice cream was vanilla, until I tried chocolate.

 

[Grunt64]

Recoil, although it may be quantified in numbers with a sufficient instrument to measure it, is a highly subjective thing. Obviously spring piston air rifles recoil in their own way, but many do not notice low power pcp rifles, even though they do. Stipulating that each shooter has a different perception of recoil, there are other variables such as stock design and shooting position. I, for one, would much rather shoot several boxes of 12 gauge at a skeet, or sporting clays course than test slugs from a bench rest. For this same reason, rifles shot off hand, as opposed to shooting groups from the bench, seem to have less noticeable recoil. Again it comes down to shooter experience, and perception. Same way that one shooter swears that "X" airguns have the best triggers, and another may shoot the same gun, and think that the trigger is "rubbish". Shooter "A" simply hasn't experienced anything better than airgun "X", and thus forms his opinion. Put another way, my favorite ice cream was vanilla, until I tried chocolate.

Perception might change from shooter to shooter, but recoil itself isn’t subjective. If a projectile leaves the barrel, the rifle reacts — big or small, it’s still recoil. Stock design and shooting position can hide it, but they don’t erase it. A .22 PCP gives you a nudge, a .357 or .308 gives you a shove, but the physics don’t change just because someone doesn’t feel it. Felt recoil varies. Actual recoil doesn’t. https://vector-air.co.uk/blogs/news/recoil-affects-on-scope-setups (vector-air.co.uk in Bing)

 

[Florida_Man]

Turn up magnification and or record with a scope cam. You will see recoil from all of them. It might be slight, but a pcp is not an exception of Newtons law.

 

[Danman]

Recoil, although it may be quantified in numbers with a sufficient instrument to measure it, is a highly subjective thing. Obviously spring piston air rifles recoil in their own way, but many do not notice low power pcp rifles, even though they do. Stipulating that each shooter has a different perception of recoil, there are other variables such as stock design and shooting position. I, for one, would much rather shoot several boxes of 12 gauge at a skeet, or sporting clays course than test slugs from a bench rest. For this same reason, rifles shot off hand, as opposed to shooting groups from the bench, seem to have less noticeable recoil. Again it comes down to shooter experience, and perception. Same way that one shooter swears that "X" airguns have the best triggers, and another may shoot the same gun, and think that the trigger is "rubbish". Shooter "A" simply hasn't experienced anything better than airgun "X", and thus forms his opinion. Put another way, my favorite ice cream was vanilla, until I tried chocolate.

Well said....this reminds me of my brothers 30-30 lever rifle. I had only ever shot it offhand and let the muzzle flip and its quite manageable. Well...last time I shot it I did so on my airgun bench off my Caldwell rest. I jammed it in tight, held it down firmly into the rest and ate 100% of that recoil! OUCHHH
Guess what...same gun, same ammo, same shooter. My shoulder was sore for days after that.
Agree with @Florida_Man ....scopecam tells it all usually. I wonder if a strong springer would wreck one, lol.

 

[Scriv]

Perception might change from shooter to shooter, but recoil itself isn’t subjective. If a projectile leaves the barrel, the rifle reacts — big or small, it’s still recoil. Stock design and shooting position can hide it, but they don’t erase it. A .22 PCP gives you a nudge, a .357 or .308 gives you a shove, but the physics don’t change just because someone doesn’t feel it. Felt recoil varies. Actual recoil doesn’t. https://vector-air.co.uk/blogs/news/recoil-affects-on-scope-setups (vector-air.co.uk in Bing)

That's what I'm saying.

 

[Scriv]

Well said....this reminds me of my brothers 30-30 lever rifle. I had only ever shot it offhand and let the muzzle flip and its quite manageable. Well...last time I shot it I did so on my airgun bench off my Caldwell rest. I jammed it in tight, held it down firmly into the rest and ate 100% of that recoil! OUCHHH
Guess what...same gun, same ammo, same shooter. My shoulder was sore for days after that.
Agree with @Florida_Man ....scopecam tells it all usually. I wonder if a strong springer would wreck one, lol.

An interesting thought. Springers wreck a lot of stuff.

 

[Madhatter]

My hatsan 135 recoils so hard forward it stings my trigger finger. I have to hold it really hard to keep it from doing it.