Not reallybad at all Cayugad. I don't know if it's the shape of the stock, or the weight of the gun, or the width of the buttplate, but I find it a comfortable shooter. Even after those 40 rounds (actually 41 if you count shooting out the one dryball ) I wasn't sore at all. But my right arm was a little tired from swabbing and ramming. Forty shots with a muzzle loader is a pretty full shooting session.