i;ve shot a few of the "big guns" (450 marlin, 378 weatherby, those monster 45/70 loads from garrett and buffalo bore) and i will stick to my guns when i say that the worst kick i;ve felt is from my 3 1/2 12g with 2 1/4oz of shot. maybe it was cause i was sitting down with my back against a tree but i swore my shoulder was on the other side of that tree when i fired that gun. i read somewhere that the 3 1/2 12g has around 75ftpds of recoil. now that 378 weatherby comes in a close second but i shot that on a bench with a 5# bag of shot for "xtra" support, read in the cartridges of the world that the 585 nyati recoils about 150 footpounds, it compaired it to a nine pound rifle dropped thirty feet on your shoulder, thats something i would like to shoot, just to say i did.