Pappy,
The 9.3 x 74 R would make a nice Ohio deer rifle but will not qualify since it has a definite shoulder. Ballistics are similar to a .405 Winchester (300 gr bullet @ 2200 vs 286 gr @ 2350) so recoil will also be similar in guns of the same weight as will the .45 70 w/300 gr. bullets.
My Ruger #1 .405 weighs 9 1/4 lbs w scope. Recoil isn't bad at all but it's definitely going to be used mostly as a stand rifle due to the weight. I would like to have a lighter rifle in a .375 Winchester for still hunting but I don't do much of that any more & I've got several slug guns with rifled bbls that work very well in that role so its mostly a "want" rather than a "need" on the .375 Winchester.
I have shot my .50 Knight @ 200 yds on paper w/ the Barnes 250 gr expander & 150 gr 777 & drop is about 8" from a zero of 2 1/2" high @ 100 yds . I don't feel comfortable with that combination past 150 yds. because of the difficulty of estimating range & holdover in actual hunting conditions.
