Thank you for the posts all. EKM, I understand your concern as to whether "this guy named Soilarch" would do things the right way or the common way. 30-06 and 12gauge slugs and waterfowl are all that I have expereince with when discussing any real amount of recoil. With that being said I have done quite a bit of reading now on and of for several months. Some of the tips I've tried on with the slugs and by golly it works! ALSO I don't konw that you'll find a bigger believer in that fact that gun 'fit' makes a world of difference. I'd rather shoot 10 slugs from the bench in my 870 with slugs and some fitting done to it than a box of target loads through my father's SXS. My friend has a pecularly stocked 30-06 that feels a world apart from my grandfathers. Fit is golden...and gold can get expensive...its worth it.

It's lookin' like I may go 375H&H if I go big at all since it and the 416 Rem are same dimensions (in regard to actions).