Rifle Recoil Chart: Built From SAAMI’s Formula, Inputs Shown
No maker publishes recoil, so we computed it from SAAMI’s own formula — and printed every input beside every answer, so you can check the arithmetic.
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12 Gauge vs 20 Gauge: More Shot, Not More Pressure
The 20 gauge is rated to a higher pressure than the 12. What the bigger bore buys is payload — 29% more shot at the same speed, on the same load.
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6.5 Creedmoor vs 308: Same SAAMI Pressure, and the Bullet Does the Work
Under SAAMI the 6.5 Creedmoor and the .308 Winchester carry the identical 62,000 psi maximum average pressure. The .308 starts with more muzzle energy; the 6.5 recoils less. Match the bullets and the .308 wins at 1,000 yards — on the makers’ own published numbers.
