How to use the recoil velocity calculator
Find how fast a gun recoils when a bullet is fired, from momentum conservation. Enter bullet mass, bullet speed, gun mass in the fields above; the recoil velocity, recoil speed are computed instantly and plotted on the chart so you can see how the answer changes.
Common searches this calculator answers include “gun recoil”, “kickback speed”, “momentum of recoil”, “calculate recoil velocity”, “find recoil velocity”.
Formula
Variables
- mb — Bullet mass (kg)
- vb — Bullet speed (m/s)
- mg — Gun mass (kg)
Worked example
With bullet mass = 0.01 kg, bullet speed = 400 m/s, gun mass = 3 kg, the calculator gives recoil velocity ≈ -1.333333 m/s; recoil speed ≈ 1.333333 m/s.
Frequently asked questions
What is the recoil velocity calculator used for?
Find how fast a gun recoils when a bullet is fired, from momentum conservation. It helps with questions such as “gun recoil”, “kickback speed”, “momentum of recoil”.
What is the formula for the recoil velocity calculation?
Recoil velocity (m/s) = -mb × vb / mg. Recoil speed (m/s) = abs([Recoil velocity]). Here mb is bullet mass (kg), vb is bullet speed (m/s), mg is gun mass (kg).
What inputs do I need for the recoil velocity calculator?
You need bullet mass in kg, bullet speed in m/s, gun mass in kg. Each field is pre-filled with a typical example so you can see how the result responds as you edit the numbers.
How do I use the recoil velocity calculator?
Type values into the input fields. Results and the chart update instantly. Use Reset to restore the example values, Copy results to paste them elsewhere, or Share to copy a link that preserves your inputs.
Is the recoil velocity result exact?
Calculations use standard formulas and double-precision arithmetic, then display about seven significant figures. Real-world measurements carry uncertainty, so treat results as estimates unless your inputs are exact.