eldguello - opposite and equal is exactly what I was getting at. the bullet does not contain 100% of the energy, and the very nature of a firearm, deflects the energy in MANY directions not just straight back and straight forward, give me the vector resolutions on ALL the different vectors that the energy takes and add them up ,then you have opposite and equal. the biggest change is in the recoil pad , this absorbes alot of energy that is sent in your direction when shooting.