#Recoil

First of all, apologies to all readers for reminding them of the existence of the worst movie ever made. The photo, however, serves the purpose of introducing the topic of low bore axis pistols. This is a feature which has recently been a target of plenty of hype and has influenced the design of several manufacturers. We’ll first have a look at what “low bore axis” actually means, in simple physics. Then we’ll have a brief overview of what was, is and will be on the market, focusing on semi-auto pistols.

Firearms have been a source of entertainment, providing food and self-defense since their invention. They’ve also provided an avenue of hands-on exploration of science and engineering. Being able to understand the physics and mechanics of what’s taking place while shooting can help us be more consistent and efficient to be able to place rounds on our intended target.

I admit, I’m not a big fan of shooting firearms with heavy recoil anymore. It’s not that I dislike those types of guns, in fact I own multiple shotguns, surplus rifles, hunting rifles and other guns that make a big thump. I still shoot them regularly, but I just can’t take the abuse to my shoulder from the firearm recoil like I could in my youth. After a few mags I usually switch back to something a bit lighter. I’ve also added a hydraulic buffer tube like the KynSHOT to take a bit of the bite out of one of my favorite shotguns.

In today’s episode, we follow Miles to Shot Show 2018 and visit the Knight’s Armament booth.

Miles starts by examining the Cadex M2 Cradle Mount, designed for the Browning M2. On inspection of the mount we see the zero gravity capability and the ease of use provided for manipulating the Browning M2. On top of the Browning we notice the Cadex Kolos mount integrating a recoil mitigation system and a powered ballistic reticle optic. As Miles moves to the Sheep Dog Rifle, Rob Furlong discusses the calibers offered in the new actions as well as the new chassis offered for 2018.

Aero Precision had some interesting products for 2018. The company is working on a new line of compensators for 9mm, 5.56, and 7.62 rifles. These have a number of unique features such as the ability to slide a gas block over them while installed. They also have a titanium suppressor which wil MSRP for under $1000.
A very special thanks to BROWNELL’S – check out their new Retro line here:

Earlier this month, JP Enterprises officially launched the new Enhanced 9mm Silent Captured Spring (Enhanced SCS). This new buffer spring system is based on the original silent captured recoil spring, but with design changes to give it more mass to help with low mass 9mm bolt carrier groups in AR rifles.

In three previous articles, we briefly discussed some of the tradeoffs involved in the bullpup concept, and some of the challenges they face in the field of military procurement specifically.  Today, we’re going to continue this deep-dive into the bullpup concept by examining how the selection of either a bullpup or conventional layout affects concurrent development of a new ammunition system. In other words, we are going to address the question: Given the same performance requirements, how does having a longer or shorter barrel affect the characteristics of a new type of ammunition?

In January, just before the 2017 SHOT Show, I got the opportunity to travel to Cody Wyoming to visit the Cody Firearms Museum at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, to see some of their rare firearms and bring photos of them to our readers.

We hear a lot of talk about how some firearms are “controllable”, while others are not. The word “controllable” or “manageable” is often used in gun reviews to describe the recoil characteristics of a gun, even though without additional context or clarification it tells us very little. I want to talk very briefly about what the word “controllable” means in the context of firearms, and how it actually relates to a firearm’s recoil characteristics.

Two basic mechanisms dominate the field of handguns today: The aforementioned straight blowback system, and short-recoil operation. The latter of two is a mechanism as clever as it is old; the first short-recoil weapons date back to the latter half of the 19th Century!

As most readers know, my chosen shooting platform is the Glock, Generation 4. Despite its continued commercial success, I swear that it still remains the step-child of the aftermarket, as nearly everyone only offers various components for the Generation 3 editions including slides, springs, etc.

Dead Air Armament was founded by seasoned silencer pro Mike Pappas and designer Todd Magee with one goal in mind: building the best specialized products in the industry. It’s a lofty goal, for sure, but in founding Dead Air Armament and setting to work designing and manufacturing suppressors – among other things – they’ve made their mark on the gun world. Now they’ve come out with something new for 2016: the Pyro.

Recoil. It’s an expected part of shooting firearms, so much so that many shooters begin anticipating it early on. And while it’s true that felt recoil depends on many factors from caliber to model of gun to the rounds being fired, it’s also true that handling said recoil depends entirely on the individual shooter. No two shooters are alike, and no two shooters have identical experiences even while using identical firearms. What may be simple for you to shoot proficiently may be a struggle for someone else – even someone with a certain level of basic experience – and vice versa. Crimson Trace is looking to improve the odds a shooter can handle felt recoil with their new product, the ShockStop System.

My purpose for swinging by the outdoor store nearest to my home on Christmas Eve-Eve was twofold: attempt to locate a cowboy round that has, thus far, eluded me, and pick up a new recurve bow (despite my personal compound bow preference). The bow was an easy matter and I had one in hand in no time – although I’d be lying if I didn’t add I’d taken the circuitous route to that part of the store and had a pair of Browning sweats and a new pair of boots tucked under one arm. The ammo I didn’t find, no surprise there, but since I was there I decided to browse for a few minutes. I’m no fan of shopping and the opportunity to take a time out from the Christmas rush was welcome – and it involved guns, ammo, and gun-related gear, and that made me happy. So there I was, wandering the aisles, when I stumbled across what can only be described as the Girl Aisle. At one end were rows of holsters of designs I won’t get into here other than to say I’d never, ever use them, and at the other end was the subject of this post: a Caldwell Hidden Comfort Recoil Shield (under the name “for women shooters” was listed in slightly smaller print).