Free recoil / Frecoil is a vernacular term or jargon for recoil energy of a firearm not supported from behind. Free recoil denotes the translational kinetic energy (Et) imparted to the shooter of a small arm when discharged and is expressed in joules (J), or foot-pound force (ft·lbf) for non-SI units of measure. More generally, the term refers to the recoil of a free-standing firearm, in contrast to a firearm securely bolted to or braced by a massive mount or wall. Free recoil should not be confused with recoil:
- Free recoil is the given name for translational kinetic energy transmitted from a small arm to a shooter.
- Recoil is a name given for conservation of momentum as it generally applies to an everyday event.