Might as well add my 2 cents:
The rifle that hurt me the most was a Ruger 77 red pad in 7mm RM. That stock just was not right for me. It hurt my face - slapping it hard. After restocking the rifle, it was a pussy cat.
My 416 Rigby doesn't hurt, not my ultra light 45-70 with hot loads nor my 350 RM 600 with heavy loads, and so it is with my 375 H&H AI with heavy loads in a pre-64 70.
The worst kick I've ever endured was a double barrel 12 gauge with 3 " magnum 2 oz loads and both barrels going off at the same time. That shotgun had a hard butt plate - ouch!
So, like many before me wrote, the stock fit is very very important! I have bursitis in my shoulders and I appreciate soft recoil pads and the heavy kickers have soft recoil pads.
I have a sit down bench and I have a stand up bench at my range. I have shot all the above rifles sitting down. Now that I'm in my seventies I built that stand up bench and have noticed that I much prefer standing up to shoot my heavy kickers. (Even if it doesn't make the list the others have given above.)
Last edited by Bugger; 10/09/20.
