[SvicksTc]

Originally Posted by DC2.2GSR

For what it's worth - my compact M&P in .40S&W is snappier and feels stronger than most .45ACP guns I've shot, certainly more than a full size 1911. The size of the gun has a lot to do with that. Also, a .45 is a solid feeling 'push' whereas .40 is usually noticeably more of a snap and upward rotating sort of recoil. That makes most .40s a little tougher for smaller shooters to handle, but I've taught a few small framed girls how to shoot with my gun and they have all done great. Within only a mag or two worth of shooting you'd think they had been shooting for years. Handling recoil is at least 90% mechanics and has very little to do with size. Your girl might do just fine with the 1911 or any other .45ACP.

I have to agree once again with you Mike. I have shot Mike's M&P .40 when I was more fresh into shooting handguns and thought it was snappier than the .45's I was shooting.

This was until i understood the mechanics of recoil control and implemented proper recoil control techniques...

The way a gun recoils has a lot to do with grip of the gun. A 1911 .45 allows for a higher grip on the gun which helps "push" the gun more to the rear than upward. The higher the grip the better, essentially if you could hold the gun at the top of the slide this would be the "ideal" position for recoil control. Where if you had a low grip it would tend to bounce up. Then comes grip "thumb out" etc. (for most semi-autos) to keep balance on each side of the handgun because they tend to recoil up and to the left for a right handed shooter due to lack of support on the "reaction" hand. Apply thumbs forward grip compensates this.

I would bet should would like the .45 1911 better than the .40 with a few mags

I bet my girl can out shoot some guys on this site