Greek company DPM Systems Technologies makes a very unique device called Magnetomechanical recoil reduction system. It attaches to the host pistol via the accessory rail and replaces the recoil spring assembly. The new spring except returning the moving parts to their initial position, also has a built-in recoil reduction system. And as the name implies, it is composed of not only mechanical recoil reduction means (springs) but also features a magnet assisting the process. The magnet attracts the slide and pulls it closed tighter.

According to the company, this system locks the slide with double the power and delays the initial opening of the action. They claim that it helps to prevent gasses from escaping through the breech and makes the slide motion more gentle thus reducing the felt recoil.

Other features of this system are the glass breaker tip made of tungsten carbide and an accessory rail under it. Also, the forward protruding portion should help to prevent the slide from unlocking and going out of battery when the gun is pushed against something. This device is made of 6061 T6 aluminum (black anodized). It is available in the USA (for Glock pistols) through DPM Systems USA website at MSRP of $55.

Everything sounds good, except it raises many questions. If the magnet forces the slide to close tighter, won’t it cause short stroking malfunctions with certain loads? Won’t it be much harder to rack the slide with increased lockup strength? And obviously, the disassembly is made much more complicated. Nevertheless, usage of magnets in firearms is something not very often seen. In that sense, it is interesting to see where magnets can be employed in the firearms’ design.

I think magnets can be used in the opposite manner for the recoil reduction. Imagine a magnet in the portion of the gun where the recoiling parts hit the stationary part (say the very bottom of an AR-15 buffer tube) and another magnet mounted on the moving parts (e.g. on AR-15 buffer). The magnets are situated so that they face each other with the same pole and at the very end of the rearward motion of the moving parts (right before they hit each other), magnets will repel each other and soften or even eliminate the impact of the moving parts. These are just my thoughts with no scientific backing or calculations. It would be great to hear our readers’ opinions on this subject in the comments.