You will all laugh when I tell you this, well, those of you who have never fired one! The most violent recoil I have ever experienced? Perhaps a 12 gauge single shot with 3 inch mag goose load? .375 H&H? .458 Lott? None of these. It was the Smith and Wesson J Frame Scandium revolver in .357 Mag. That damn thing felt like a bomb going off in my hand! Honest to god, it was like someone hit me in the hand with a 2x4! I bought it for an ultralight backpacking gun (it weighed 11.4 oz) but sold it after firing three boxes through it. After firing a full box of .357's through it one day, I couldn't open a door knob with my right hand for a full two days afterwards!
As far as long guns go- has to be my Benelli Super Black Eagle II with 3.5 inch buckshot through it. Weighs way less than my .458 Lott and will buttstroke the hell out of you off the bench! The .458 Lott is a "nice push" in comparison.
-John
Shot my friends Ruger "Alaskan" 2 1/2" barreled revolver in 454 Casull with full house loads. There's absolutely no fun in that.
