no doubt true but alot of it is mental. even a 500 linebaugh doesnt really hurt you. Its is startling and bucks and roars but its not painful. I once watched a 18 year old 100 lb girl that wasnt told a 500 was painful shoot 50 rounds of full power ammo and was giggling while she did it. Grown men standing there wouldnt even shoot it once. Recoil is more of a mental then physicals thing to overcome. Ive had grown men say an 06 kicks to much and made them flinch. But ive also seen my grandkids at at 12 years old shoot them and think it was fun. Now a gun that peals skin off your hand is a bit much. Even i have wore the front sight blade of a linebaugh on the top of my head when i got lacks and didnt respect it. But ive never pulled a trigger on one of my linebaughs and thought it hurt when i shot it right. Now i do have a limit with rifles. I shoot lots of mag rifle ammo every year but my buddys 378 and 460 weatherbys can be painful to shoot. especially after about 10 rounds. They will even leave bruises. But even my 300 wby 338 or 8mag are a not a painful gun to shoot. Only owned three rifles that would get on me.One was my 458 #1 with full power loads, one an 18 inch non ported marlin 4570 stoked to max and then there was my 50ak. That thing stoked up made my 458 #1 feel like a 223. Lever guns just seem to get on me worse due to the stock design. Id put the 50ak right up there with the two weatherbys. thing is we are all handloaders here so you can make any gun comfortable to shoot on the loading bench. Like is said though its more of a mental then physical thing. I know grown men that think an o6 is a cannon and ive even heard grown men say a 40sw kicks to much for them. I doubt either have sent to many people to the hospital.