Originally Posted by
homers brother
You've missed my point - this chart, and many other "tools" like it often achieve little beyond complicating the obvious.
Even you reference a number of variables that upset the very legitimacy of your recoil chart, and to be objective, you've only scratched the surface of all the possibilities.
Further, describing the calibers you listed as of similar performance is a bit of a stretch. While they may possess similar recoil numbers on paper, the applications for which they are appropriate vary. Compare hunting pronghorn with a .243 - or worse, a .25-06 - and a .30-30 and the practical limitations of the latter become quite clear.
And to what degree are the numbers associated with those recoil comparisons useful? Is a difference of half a ft/lb something significant? Two ft/lbs? Six? You tell us. Again, the variables you suggest come into play. In Okie's case, the simple physics behind the fact that the .30-06 throws a heavier bullet at similar velocity ought to be a fairly reliable comparator of recoil. One doesn't need a chart if you stay focused on the fundamentals.
I'm not suggesting that "horsepower" is any more useful in comparing calibers than is "recoil energy". All that "horsepower" has zero effect on target if there's so much recoil that the shooter flinches and misses the target. What you term "tools" are better termed "references", and should never be construed as "recommendations." They might help a novice develop a general sense of what class calibers they're working with or should be looking for, but little beyond that.
I am not saying that this chart that I quickly found is the sum of all information. However, since you pointed out that bullet weight make a difference, you will notice that, with one exception, the bullets are of similar weight.
My point was that, you have to start eliminating alternatives with some objective comparison. If you do not like this chart, it does not make the recoil energy comparison invalid. It is a start to picking a couple of potential calibers. the likely range expected will also eliminate calibers. I would not pick a 30-30 for antelope hunting out west. Oakie mentioned possibly hunting at longer ranges so, the 30-30 might not be his best choice.
Obviously, budget, style, weight, etc., will influence the actual rifle selected. In the end, fit might be a good final decision maker when you come down to 2 or 3 rifles.
I have selected ammo based on ballistic tables and selected calibers and rifles using charts showing their performance with various loads. It takes a bunch of research to narrow things down to the fit and feel time. I have been disappointed once on a muzzleloader. That was due to unreliable ignition; something that could not be predicted.