I have no problem with a full size .45 recoil, I carry one during the cold months when I am wearing a coat. The rest of the year I carry a Kahr .40 S&W on my hip. It is small enough not to show an outline and has enough power to do the job. Recoil has never been a consideration for me, I carried a gun for 32 years as part of my job and I carried and qualified with a .45 when I worked under cover and as a special investigator.