recoil reducers - handgun (Kahr 40?)

Question
Will the additojn of a recoil reducer,as in Harts, have a significant effect on recoil, or is this mostly hype?  Your opinion on the worth of such products on a compact semi-auto ,40 with a shord grip would be apreciated.


Answer
Greg,

There are two types of recoil reducers for handguns, ones that work mechanically, and ones that work via inertia (mercury filled).

The Kahr .40's do have a fairly stout recoil.  The short answer is, "Yes, recoil reducers work to reduce recoil" with some caveats:

1) Mechanical recoil reducers may compromise the gun's reliability, and I would not even consider using one on a gun that is set up for self-defense.

2) Inertial recoil reducers are more reliable, but they are heavy, expensive, and if integrity is compromised, leak toxic chemicals.

My own opinion is that I would not use one.  I'd either learn to handle the Kahr .40, trade it for a Kahr 9mm, or trade it for another .40 (such as a Glock 27 or 23) that has more managable recoil.

I hope this helps.