Nothing I have ever shot comes close to a 12 gauge 3 1/2 inch magnum turkey load out of a Mossberg 835 or Remington 870. Helped a friend sight in a Ruger Model 1 in 375 H&H mag one time. Most powerful rifle cartridge that I have ever fired. It was nothing compared to those 3 1/2 inch turkey loads.

Crazy as it sounds, the worse felt recoil for me was from a slim and trim Spanish built 16ga side x side, had a straight English stock with a curved metal buttplate. Beautifully engraved little gun. A buddy handed it to me and said to give it a try. On the "Pull!" and a jerk of the trigger I was sure I had fractured my right cheek bone, eye socket and my collar bone. Left a bruise on my face and shoulder, that thing was unreal for a little shotgun. A close second in the shotgun world would be a 3.5 inch 870 with turkey loads......did that once.......and I will stick with my semi-autos and 3 inch shells thankyouverymuch! Rifle wise, I have fired 458 Weatherby Mag, 416 Rigby, and 458 Lott. None of those were that bad but then again all were pretty heave rigs and the recoil was just a firm shove. Handguns.......454 Casull is the biggest I have touched off, and again it wasn't all that bad. Cranked off a few rounds out of a buddy's old Ruger in 45 Long Colt once, using his hunting loads......those would thump ya.

Mossberg 835 3 1/2 inch mag

this right here I got the same problem 3.5 magnums out my 870 feels like someone punched me in the cheek

If I remember I saw a chart several years ago about PSI of felt recoil over all of the different calibers and gauges.. I don't remember much if anything was higher than a 3.5" 12 gauge.

I have a FIE 12 gauge O/U I rigged many years ago for a Turkey gun , it's a light gun and has no recoil pad . Mr. Turkey hooked me up with some 3" TSS , big blue , Mother of all Turkey loads. Good lawd, that thing will hurt you , think I shook some fillings loose !

My grandads old single shot with no rubber for recoil pad. I grabbed that gun one day and a box of #8s and went to shoot some doves. My shoulder was almost pulp by the time I got close to limiting out. I wasn't as smart as you guys to stop after the first shot, I kept shooting, because doves kept falling. I haven't shot that gun since. Ok, so it isn't some heavy 3 1/2 turkey loads, or a double pull on buckshot, nor a 454 casull, I had enough just with a box of those 8s. There was something about the way that gun fit my shoulder I guess.

Didn’t realize we had so many pussies on this forum!

That's probably Chuck Hawk's table and you're correct. Around 72lbs of felt recoil. Compare that to a 300 Win Mag at about 27 lbs and it puts it in perspective.

835 is the winner...

Mossturd 835 with a 3.5" turkey load. It was sold a long time ago.

Worst was and is my benelli move with a 3 1/2 turkey load. Worst rifle was a Ruger #1 .416 rigby.

Since I shot that 454 in a Bond Derringer, I lean toward the meow now.

A 3.5 Turkey Load from a 12 gauge is pretty much the pinnacle of felt recoil.

Yet everyone appears to have no problem shooting it at a 20lb or less Turkey.

Meanwhile on ALDeer - anything more powerful than a .243 shot at a deer... well, you will die. Just don't even try it.

Tie for me Ruger skeleton stock 7mm and a moss berg pump 3.5 old school.

Got to be tough to shoot a 3.5"

Old Ithaca 10 ga. Automatic with triple 000 buckshot, had about a 30 inch barrel . It packed a real good thump.

38 Detective Special with Super Vels when I was about 7. 30-30 Trapper when I was about 10! 458 Win in a 98 Mauser, benchrest. Reached in and made sure my teeth weren't loose! 500 Mag first shot, wasn't sure I wasn't going to loose it. The Big Bore 400 something Linebaughs in short SA revolver. Oh yeah, and a damned ol' Rem 870 Youth in 20 ga!

Ma Deuce .50 cal BMG

I ain't afraid to shoot magnum 30 caliber at a ungulate any time, but I ain't shooting a 3.5" shell through a mossberg at anything.