RE: BARRETT 50 BMG FOR BROWN BEARS...LOL...
I sure am glad someone brought me up to speed and let me know I must be having such a terrible time with recoil and flinching with my 338WinMag (light weight) and 375 H&H Mag (sweet). I wasn't aware I had a such problem until I read this thread, but I guess that is the gospel so it must be true.
Good thing my 416 Rigby (frisky on recoil, wicked on delivery) is not a magnum, otherwise I would be in terrible shape! On the other hand, I can't remember the last time I thought about recoil, or felt recoil, or even heard the "traditional" muzzleblast when taking a big game animal.
Perhaps someone should open up an import company to bring bottled African water and African herbal vitamins to America in an attempt to fortify its seemingly high population of wimpy, recoil shy hunters with the kind of strength and fortitude that African hunting community has apparently maintained for generations --- and many of those guys aren't all that big in stature either.
I do like the .30-06 (and .308 in particular), especially for punching paper and casual plinking when "exercising" the more docile end of rack" while at the range or while doing a camping/shooting weekend in the National Grasslands. During the years I used them (and the .270) on wild game they proved to be generally sufficient, but just not as outstandingly authoritive as what I have discovered, experienced, enjoyed from the upper end of the spectrum.
Certainly if one lacks the cajones (figuratively speaking only) for the larger cartridges then one is much better served by something more modest that will allow that particular individual to shoot within his/her comfort range thus allowing them to obtain reasonable accuracy. Different thresholds for different people --- seldom does one size of anything fit all people to their complete satisfaction.
It is hard to argue with good shooting, on the other hand....
Deliver accuracy AND overwhelming power and there is no room left for discussion.
Contrary to popular opinion, it is doable (at least for some).
Good Luck and Good Hunting,
EKM