For session shooting, 45LC (revolver) is comfortable, even loads from the “hotter” end of the spectrum. I’ve popped 44 Mag (revolver) “slow fire” with no ill effect, too. I’m not large (5’7") but have always had “meaty” hands.
Similarly, no problem with 12ga., as long as I don’t get both barrels at once (or am at least expecting it).
That ain’t a rifle, it’s a shotgun. But if you could shoot skeet with a rifle, I’d be impressed.
Not gonna lie…I clicked on this just so I can say…
I don’t know…depends on how much gun I feel like showing the ladies!!!
(I will now pretend I never talked)
The only gun that’s ever really beat me up is my Smith & Wesson model 329 Airlight 44 Magnum.
Aluminum-scandium alloy frame with a titanium wheel, empty weight 1 lb 10 oz. Let me just say this about that: OW!
However it’s no problem with .44 Special and that’s how I normally shoot it.
I’ve got some sort of aftermarket grips on it–I’m not sure who made them. They’re a lot better than the stock, but it’s still a bit ouchie. The gun and I do not get along terribly well in general–if I were going to put some money into it, first thing to go would be those itty-bitty military sights. Even then, I’ve never been able to get 100% comfortable with the DA/SA mechanism. I think I’m just what you might call a 1911 guy.
Thanks for the advice, though, and happy shooting. 
.44spl is a great round when you want a lot of bullet weight with less roaring hell than the magnum. To myself, it’s comparable between shooting .38+p and full load .357 mag. .44spl lets you get away with carrying a short barreled wheelgun that still packs punch without snapping your wrist.
Heh, knew I’d do that, never can get clip/magazine, round/bullet, ordnance/bomb, etc straight. “Rifle” to me means that you can hang your coat on it when it’s leaning against the wall.
I only own one handgun - it is a .45 with a 4" barrel. I shoot this with no problems, so I’m inclined to think I can handle anything except the truly exotic.
I’ve fired shotguns up to 10 gauge - I normally use a 12. Again - no issues.
The largest gun I’ve ever fired was a .50 caliber Ma Deuce - but as this was bolted to the bridgewing of our ship, recoil wasn’t much of an issue.
Oh well, never mind then. Maybe it’s the size and not the grips. Or you’re like me and 9mm Luger, you just don’t like the 9mm Mak. It happens sometimes.
Because I’m such a nice guy, if you send it to me I’ll give it a good home and care for it as if it was my own 
To me, it is less of matter of cartridge than it is the design of the gun itself. For example, I sold off a PTR-91 (.308) because it was a distinctly uncomfortable weapon to fire. A Savage 99 firing exactly the same cartridge is a pussycat, even though it actually weighs less than the autoloader. Similarly, even though neither is punishing, the SKS carbine is more comfortable for me to fire than an AK-clone.
Some long guns, mainly because of stock design, just beat the holy living hell out the shooter where other guns using the same cartridge just don’t.
In pistols, the only ones I avoid are the single shots that use full size rifle cartridges. Mostly it’s an issue more with their insane muzzle blast than with recoil.
I was at the range one day when a fellow set up next to me with his brand spanking new TC Contender in 45/70. I was pretty focused on my shooting and wasn’t paying much attention to him until he took his first shot. Since I didn’t know that I was at the insanely loud flamethrower range, I moved halfway down the line in about two seconds after that thing went off.
I had a similar experience with a guy shooting one of the new S&W super-duper-magnums. I don’t know whether it was a .500 or .460. I do know it had a muzzle brake and was FUCKING LOUD even through my ear protection. Rather than stay and develop a flinch from somebody else’s gun, I just packed up and went home.
One of my local ranges has banned the super magnums from being shot due to the commotion that they make. I’m not much of a flincher when it comes to guns, I’ve been around most of them in some sort of configuration and I can happily plink the day away next to someone sighting in their .300wm elk rifle, but those .500s and the like are fucking loud.