Recoil and BP. In brass suppository guns using BP, something I have extensive experience with, BP will produce about 20% more recoil for a given bullet weight and velocity than will modern grey powder. This can be documented by shooting or by reading the page in Cartridges of The World containing the old Winchester catalog chart with velocity and recoil of Winchester cartridges with most BP cartridges being shown with both BP and grey powder loads.
Yeah its about brass suppository stuff but thats where the data is. Can’t be helped.
Thus with almost 2500 ft lbs of energy my big game FL rifle will make more recoil than will a firearm of the same ME using grey powder. So yes you get more recoil impulse with BP than with smokeless. Also note that the modern stuff will not upset a lead bullet to fit the bore as BP will.
It would be interesting to find out if a percussion rifle, which would in theory at least make more velocity with the same charge weight would produce a little less recoil at the same velocity. Since, with BP percentage of the charge at the time of ignition becomes part of the projectile weight and even after the charge is burned there is significant amount to the charge that never burns left over solids from the combustion (think ash in a wood stove) that is ejected with the projectile.
Just for comparison my Don King FL Hawken makes 1764 ft lbs at the muzzle with 90-100 gr of FFF, depending on powder quality.
I might also point out that ME is not a valid measure of effectiveness on a game animal. Its really just a number.
