Recoil Differences

Hello fellow Ruger family,

I am completely new to guns and did not own nor shoot a gun until two weeks ago. I have gone to the range twice over the last 2 weeks (tonight and last Friday) and have gone through just over 600 rounds. I am reading, handling, learning, and watching as many videos as I can to be more comfortable, proficient, and safe with using pistols.

With that said, it was because of the birth of my daughter that spurned the desire to have a semi-auto and to learn how to use guns.

Long story short, I have an SR40c which is my home defense gun and an SR22 which I bought at the same time to use to become a better shot not to mention 22s are cheap. I did forget one thing and that is a carry piece and that leads to my question.

I would like to stay in the Ruger family since it is all I have known outside of handling a few other guns (Kimber, Glocks, S&W, and SS). I am interested in getting the LC9s as my ccw and maybe the LCP for my lady. My question is how does the recoil of the LC9s compare to the SR40c and the SR22 and how does the LCP compare to the LC9s and the SR40c/SR22? I know the 9 is a smaller caliber round but being that the LC9s is so small and light, the laws of physics must apply here and the energy must go somewhere and I am assume it is going to go into my palm. If someone has experience owning or shooting all three guns, please let me know your thoughts.

Thank you again

Tou

Hey Tou,

Welcome to the forum and the world of responsible self-defense!! My daughter just turned two... Changes how you see the world!

The LCP can be described as snappy. The perceived recoil will most likely be greater (I say most likely as it is perception) than your SR40c and definitely greater than your SR22. Very few people will put a lot of rounds through one... Just enough to stay proficient with it.

The LC9s I think will have a smoother feel for you... Though you again probably be a little snappier than the 40C and your SR22.

Here is what has helped me decide. The first important thing is actually carrying the gun. People will go buy a full size all metal 1911 because they are beyond accurate with it and love the stopping power of the .45ACP and then wain from truly carrying it because of the weight and size. So, if you are looking for pocket carry, then I would recommend the LC9s. But as most will tell you... The best thing you can do is rent both of them and shoot them yourself. The other disclaimer is that a good grip sleeve will really help people with bigger hands shoot smaller firearms.

If you are thinking a holster on the waist band, say inside the waist band... You have a good firearm for that with you SR40c. I carry the full size SR45, but I am 6:5 260. I actually don't know why that matters, other than I am told folks that are not that big don't hide bigger firearms as well. I guess I could see that with someone 5:7... But I digress. Your 40c was designed as a carry weapon. If you shoot it well, a well designed holster... Such as the Supertuck holster made by crossbreed holsters, would do well.

Anyway, hope that all helps!

Welcome, and I'll second Yawn's advise, especially concerning rental of candidate pistols you're considering. As an aside, it's good to see new shooters, such as yourself & your lady, stepping up to take responsibility for themselves and family.

I would add that although reading and videos can be of some help in learning armed self defense, there is no substitute for hands on professional training, which I strongly advise you look into. Self defense is about much more than just punching holes in paper, and an accredited instructor with a solid reputation is essential. And since you mentioned your significant other, I also recommend that you both look into The Well Armed Woman website. http://thewellarmedwoman.com/ It's a great resource with chapters in every state, that cater to the different requirements that women are often concerned with.

Take care, shoot straight, and live long.

I've shot both the 40c and the LC9. In my opinion (and how it pains me to admit it) neither are particularly pleasant to shoot, nor where they designed to be. That's not to say I haven't had a ton of fun with my 40c, I have, but as you try more guns, such as other full size 9mm's with some weight and a better trigger for instance you'll quickly notice that for the sheer joy of shooting you'll prefer something larger and heavier pistol.

As for your question about recoil between the 40c and lc9. They are both snappy but for different reasons. In the 40c you have a high pressure round, in the lc9 you have a gun made so light that almost any caliber will probably feel a bit snappy. But that small size and weight are also make it so good at what it does.

As they say- these are "pull and save your life guns". In my opinion if you feel the sr40c is not too much for you, you can shoot a LC9 well as well all things being equal. In hindsight looking back years later the 40c was a poor choice for me as a first gun due to the recoil and blast of the .40 round. I got over it but it wasn't easy and took a lot of rounds and a lot of work. It sounds like you have also or maybe you are not as recoil sensitive. I love my 40c to death but I will never recommend it as a first firearm for anyone new to shooting.

Good luck! And welcome.

Tou:
I'd also like to welcome you to the Ruger Forum. You'll find that Ruger makes a great product and also you'll find a great bunch of guys in this Forum. In my opinion, I'd stick to one of the Ruger semi autos in 9MM. Almost the same stopping power with the proper quality ammo and less recoil for a new shooter. In addition, a much better ammo selection along with cheaper prices.

Thank you to everyone who has taken their time to answer my questions.

We only have one gun range within an hour drive and they do not have the LC9s but they do have the LCP. My wife and I went to the gun shop and while I like the LC9s, I am leaning toward the Taurus PT111 G2 even though it is slightly larger, I like the way it feels in my hand and at its price point, it's a steal.

My wife tried holding a few 380s and then the smaller 9s. I agree, after looking more at prices, if we plan to spend alot of time at the range getting to know our weapons (which we intend to), the 9mm rounds are much more wallet friendly. Anyhow, she happened to like the M&P Bodyguard and the Beretta Nano the most and sure enough, the gun range has neither of those guns for us to try. I will continue to do some research and it looks like for our carries, we may be getting away from the Rugers since I would like it to be something we are both comfortable with so that the weapons can do their intended job.

Thank you fellas, seems like a great group here

Well... If you ever have to protect yourself with that weapon, the intended recipient won't carry about the brand name label on the side of the gun. As long as you shoot the gun accurately, carry it often to all of the time, and it shoots reliably... That is what matters.

FYI, you might be surprised how much time we spend on here talking about other makes of guns.

Oh and agreed, the .40c would not be my recommendation to anyone not intending to carry it.

Yawn said:

Well... If you ever have to protect yourself with that weapon, the intended recipient won't carry about the brand name label on the side of the gun. As long as you shoot the gun accurately, carry it often to all of the time, and it shoots reliably... That is what matters.

FYI, you might be surprised how much time we spend on here talking about other makes of guns.

Oh and agreed, the .40c would not be my recommendation to anyone not intending to carry it.

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Seems like a great bunch and I appreciate the courtesy given. On some forums (non gun related), newbies tend to get ridiculed for asking what may seem like a dumb question but we all start somewhere. Thanks again

2y4life said:

I am leaning toward the Taurus PT111 G2 even though it is slightly larger, I like the way it feels in my hand and at its price point, it's a steal.

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Of all the Taurus semiautos, the PT111 G2 is one of their least problematic...and it's a good carry gun. I bought one when the rebate was in effect, and then sold it (I intended to sell it when I bought it.) I liked the gun, but I don't like the company...the customer service at Taurus is very poor. There are far too many instances of it taking months to get a Taurus repaired, or multiple trips back to the company. You may never have a problem with a PT111, but I like the security of owning guns made by companies that have excellent customer service...like Ruger, S&W, and Springfield Armory. (I don't worry about service so much when it comes to 1911s, since there are so many parts available for them in the aftermarket.) What may seem like a bargain now, may turn into one expensive headache in the long run.

First off, welcome to the forum and thank you for taking on the responsibility of your family's safety.

Second, we're Ruger folks here, but we know that Ruger isn't the only game in town, nor are they perfection for all. You need to be comfortable and confident with whatever tools you use.

Third, not to throw another name into the mix, but Kahr makes a good, solid gun. They've been in the concealed auto pistol market from the get-go. I have an MK9 that's been my carry weapon for over 15 years. Their customer service is top-notch too.

I've not handled or shot the PM9 (polymer version of my steel MK9), but I've heard good things. My MK9 is a very pleasant 9mm to shoot.

On the other hand, I have a North American Arms Guardian, which is a great, solid gun, but being a straight blowback .380 makes it very snappy to shoot. I find it difficult to get through a full box of shells...actually finding it more unpleasant to shoot than my full-bore magnums...

Blowback actions tend to translate to more felt recoil, in my experience.

Aqualung

I will second the Kahr line of pistols, I own a CM9 that is more competitive price wise to the Ruger LC9 and even a small Taurus pistol. I don't bash guns much but Taurus pistols have for years gotten bad marks for reliability and there customer service leaves a lot to be desired. Just when I start hearing some good points about their pistols, there seems to be some other issue that pops up even with existing designs. I'm sorry but I just can't recommend their products at all.

This is my CM9, it's been very dependable and an easy gun to shoot, with a very manageable recoil impulse for such a small gun.

Kahr makes very nice guns, I 've owned a few. I also have big hands, which these guns are not designed to accommodate so down the road they went. OP, if you can shoot an SR40c then an LC9s with standard ammo will not be a problem for you.

I have the LCP, LC9 and SR40c. My wife doesn't mind shooting the LC9 (original model) and likes the simplicity no safety and a double action trigger like her LCR. I've put a lot of rounds through all three of these guns and will tell you the LCP will take a good bit of practice to get reasonably accurate with it. I can usually hit a two liter bottle at 25yds with mine but it took a lot of practice. It's a great carry gun when wearing shorts and flipflops. The LC9 is a lot easier to shoot due to its size and better sights. It's my normal carry gun. I carry it IWB appendix position. That way it's easy to cover with a shirt and easy to get to whether standing or sitting in a car.
The SR40c is another of my handguns I really like to shoot. It's softer shooting than several other .40s I've shot. Good ergonomics for me, and good sights. I often shoot fifty rounds or so at the range with it every month or so to keep sharp with it. Noisy gun, and a lot of flash if you happen to reload with Power Pistol powder. Impressive at night. The .40 isn't a bad carry gun, especially if you use the shorter magazine. Not bad in cooler weather when you have a reason to wear a coat. I do use the safety on that pistol, just don't feel comfortable carrying a striker fired pistol unlocked.