Mike, The recoil is a great THUMP! This is a high power ammo shooters gun. Hold on and watch your stock cheek weld. Get your shoulder into it. 12 ga 3" magnum slug recoil type of thing.

It is a heavy Thump I don't think is is as bad as the featherlight 300 win mag I had that 6 lb gun was brutal

Same recoil as a 12 gauge pump shotgun with 3 inch slugs. Pretty spicy. This gun comes with a decelerator pad installed.

Mike, it is steep I can tell you up front. The decelerator pads help tremendously though : budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/48455/pachmayr+dec+mag+slipon+pad+blk+lg