The invention comprises improved designs in a recoil control device comprising a bolt and slider for use in a variety of firearms. In one embodiment, the bolt and slider are articulated so that the displacement of the bolt results in a force component accompanying the slider as it moves along a slider path that traverses a line formed by a linear firing axis of the barrel of the firearm. The slider can have additional structural and functional features, including stabilizing features, vibrational damping elements, elements of the fire control mechanism, and devices to manage the peak impulse of the slider movement as it contacts a base or terminus point.