They aren't that bad me and my best friend shoot has dads at the range all the time and we are 14. It's got some kick but not bad. If you want a pistol that kicks get a contender in 730 waters. It's a single shot pistol. It's like taking a 30-30 and turning it into a pistol. At the range the other day we were shooting steel targets that spin if you hit them with the 44 mag, 45 colt, and 45acp. We were wondering what the contender would do to it. It blew a hole straight through 1/4" plate steel. We didn't belive it the first time so w did it two more times and every time it went straight through. A 44 mag just dents it.