The powerful recoil force produced by the launcher when firing missiles has a strong impact on the entire launcher,which will affect its performance. The hydraulic damper plays an important role in the buffering device of the launcher,which fundamentally affects the sustained combat ability of the launcher and the accuracy of hitting targets. This paper analyzes the hydraulic damper in a new research launcher,and simulates the recoil force produced by the launcher during firing through test. The buffer capacity of four types of hydraulic dampers under load has been respectively tested. Comparing the test data with the theoretical parameters,the appropriate aperture of damping hole for the hydraulic damper in a new launcher has been finally selected.