Recoil question

[GH1]

This was asked by a coworker and I didn't have an answer. 
The question is, "Why do firearms rise from recoil?  Why not down, or sideways?"
Any and all answers are welcome.
Thanks.
GH1

[lostchild]

     This is just a wild guess but I think the reason guns recoil up is that the barrell is above the grip the barrell pushes back and the grip is held still relitive to the barrell movement.  hope this helps ... lost 

[mcwoodduck]

Axis of the bore to the pivot point.
If the bore above the piviot point then it will go up.
If the bore is even with the piviot point it will go strait back
if the bore is below the piviot point it will go down.
Look at a standard hunting rifle.  The barrel is usually above the stock.  UP
Look at an AR the bore is in line with the top of the stock Not as much rise more strait back.
Then you have some of the ladder trap guns that have the center of the barrel and the center of the stock in the same place to give a strait back or even low barrel recoil.
Same goes with a handgun.
The higher up you hold the gun the less arrel flip you get.

[GH1]

Thanks mcwoodduck, your reply makes perfect sense.
 I guess it would stand to reason then, if I was holding my gun at 90 degrees like a Hollywood Gangsta, it would then recoil to the left or right, depending on how I held it.  Is that right?
GH1

[mcwoodduck]

Yep.
If it were safe to shoot a gun upside down, I guess you could do it with a shotgun on the range, it would recoil down.

[Dand]

There is a Beretta video out right now that shows a shooting pro shooter shooting clay targets over his shoulder with the gun upside down and all sorts of crazy positions.  check it out. One of the big points is that the gun has very low recoil allowing easy control.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6750458630308006678#

[huntswithdogs]

Ya'll ever watch the show IMPOSSIBLE SHOTS ? Bob Munden shoots a handgun upside down occassionally and yeah, they recoil downwards!


HWD

[cwlongshot]

Its all in the design. The barrel is above the grip.. On target pistols on smaller caliber the barrel is closer to in-line of the grip and almost no muzzle climb happens, but this would be VERY uncomfortable with big calibers...

CW

[williamlayton]

A high grip is always more comfortable to shoot and more accurates and quicker.
In a semi-auto this is the grip which caused the invention of the beavertail and the reason i mots often need a beavertail.
Blessings