Take a look at this video. It shows exactly what happens and when a bullet is fired and what happens when it hits different objacts.Notice that the recoil happens long after the bullet has left the gun. http://www.chonday.com/Videos/sowmoghy2Jim
Was that a Desert Eagle? Supposedly, that's a major bit of recoil in the .50 caliber. And about a buck a round. Time to get out the reloading press.