My worst recoil experience was the first 8 rounds through my then brand new Rem 700 in .375 Ultra mag. It bruised and opened up my right cheek, pounded my shoulder more than any gun that I had ever shot, and the bolt knob even recoiled hard enough to cut the skin on my trigger finger. My range session ended early that day, and I didn't fire that rifle again until I made some major modifications on it.
A year later that rifle was in a new laminated stock that fit me, complete with a Limbsaver pad and a mechanical recoil reducer in the stock, and a KDF brake on it's muzzle. It's recoil is reduced to not much more than my 12 ga field loads. I've since shot hundreds of rounds through that rifle without any issues with recoil. On my last hunt with that rifle, I didn't hesitate to shoot 3 antelope from prone positions, and I hardly noticed the recoil.
