EKM makes a good point. You can fire the big kickers enough to be sure where they hit and that you can handle the gun and that the load is right. Then do your recreational shooting with a caliber that is fun for you to shoot. For some it may be a 7mm Mag and for some, like me, a 257 Roberts, 250 Savage or one of the Varmit calibers like 223 or 22-250 is where my enjoyment level starts. I use an extra pad in my shooting vest for sighting in rifles with heavy recoil. As many have said, I have never felt the kick of a gun while shooting at game. I don't enjoy shooting even my 308 and 30-06 from the bench without an extra recoil pad. My 308 is the Browning A bolt lightweight stalker and it hits pretty hard on both ends. My 06 Pump does not SEEM to kick as much as my 308. The 06 pumps fit me well.