I can only put four or five deer slugs through my 5 1/4 lb single shot 12 ga at the range before having to quit. The next day, my shoulder, upper arm, and chest area show heavy bruising and my neck bothers me quite a bit too. But when I take a shot at a deer, I don't feel a single thing. Methinks that the brain is so laser focused on the shot that it blocks out all other stimuli.