I am not all that recoil sensitive. For the most part. I don't shoot safari/elephant rifles and X frame hand guns. Both the 30-06 and 44 mag are at the top of my list of owned firearms. That said, while I haven't found my bolt action 30-06 to be harsh (I have shot as many as 80 full power rounds in a 3 hour time span, with nary a concern), I find that sighting in that same bolt, and my Garand, to be punishing from a rest.

Now to the reloading portion, to keep this on topic.
I recently loaded up some of what Remington calls their "managed recoil" loads for some cowboy service rifle matches. Those being 125gr 30 cal bullets at about 2660 fps. I was very pleasantly surprised that they shot to point of aim (of my full power 30-06 at 100yds POA) with a much reduced felt recoil. While standing. They grouped really well too, about 1.25" consistently.
These groups were from a rest, of course. But, the recoil while on the rest was again, mildly offensive. Seeming much worse than while standing.
I am new(ish) to high power rifle shooting, and find this interesting at least. Maybe it has been a "known" for some time.
I figure that it must have something to do body position, lack of a fairly firm grip of the entire rifle while shooting, as well as other things too.

If you really want some nice, easy and relaxing shooting of your high power rifle, or to introduce a new or young shooter, try some of these reduced loads. They're great.

Yes, loading a 30-06 down to 30-30 level is less punch to the shoulder and is fine out to about 150yd, where the parabola starts to droop.

And yes, shooting a rifle from a rest often produces the max recoil sensation, which has been known for a couple hundred years at least.
Another factor besides those you mentioned is the psychological one, since you have little else to think about at the bench, but recoil never enters your mind when the target is game.

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Science plus Art

The punishment your shoulder takes from rifle fire increases as your
body resists movement (like a shock absorber).
Ask the prone shooters.
I shoot a 444 and even though it weighs 7.5 pounds it is a bear on the bench.
Standing not so much. Part of the problem is a terrible stock design.
I got a Hi-Viz 1" slip-on buttpad and it is now WAY more comfortable.

Likewise, I have concocted a lower power load for the 444:
21 gr VV N105, fill to the top with Pufflon, insert a 240 gr jacketed 44 bullet. Lee crimp.
This duplicates 44 magnum performance in a rifle.
Very nice in the 444.
This powder burns much cleaner than Unique and 2400 which I also tested.

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Nemo

Yeah, I'm told that it's more or less a law of physics. When you are standing, your body gives more. Usually a seated position says your shoulder ain't going anywhere.

Yep, sure enough. I won't even put my .35 Whelen custom Mauser on a bench. Offhand, it's a breeze to shoot. From a bench, well, either my fingers or my face are gonna get hurt. It's SO much easier to deal with when your whole body rocks with the recoil. I had a .416 Rigby that would rock your world but was still not insane as long as you shot it offhand.

***GRJ***

When you are firing from the standing position, your back is upright. This allows it to give a little bit and adds a bit of your own weight to the rifle. This will reduce the recoil as long as you dont tighten up your back.

On the bench, you are leaning into the rifle and your back doesnt give. With higher recoil rifles, I set up higher with my back straight up. Helps a bit. For really heavy loads, there are standing rests. When the makers are regulating big double rifles that is what they use.

I think it's largely a matter on mental focus. You can either focus on the deer and never notice the recoil, or you can focus on the paper target--knowing that recoil is coming and expecting it.

I went from a 7.5lb .30-06 to an 8.5lb .270. The increase in weight combined with the lower recoil of the .270 is much more tolerable. I put all the numbers into an online recoil calculator and found the recoil dropped 30% (20ft/lbs to 14ft/lbs). In addition to the lower recoil, the cartridge is flatter shooting. I call that a win-win.

.270 convert here.

What 520 said. He's absolutely correct.

A gunsmith buddy builds BIG guns occasionally and likes to regulate the iron sights for his clients. He recently completed a pair of .505 Gibbs, bolt guns and we shot them off of a standing bench rest. Same sort of affair the British smiths have used for years to regulate double rifles.

A small bench rest ,but 4 1/2 feet off the ground. I've shot hundreds of rds of 300 gr .375 H&H off a standard sit down bench. The standing rest REALLY helps with recoil. Allows your body to bend back,versus taking it all in the shoulder.

As noted, off the bench, just unnatural. Your body id more rigid & position closer to prone than sitting or standing. Things you can do to minimize bench recoil:
Get a shorter seat, so you can sit up & raise the rifle so you can shoot upright. This allows your body to rock with the recoil.
Use a sissy pad. The recoil reducing shields that you slip on. This takes a lot of the slap out & gives the rifle pad something to grab onto so the butt doesn't slip. I have done 30rds from my 404 Jeffery this way with no significant wear on my shoulder. The big boomers require you hold the forend as well, not a terrible idea with a light wt 06 either.

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NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

And that is precisely why my once Mod 70 30-06 now say 25-06 on the bbl.


Charlie

Or a 280, my choice when I built a 7# hunting rig.

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NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

When you are upright, the rifle butt is lower. More toward the front of you arm. There's more soft muscle there. When you lean over more, on the bench, the rifle butt is higher up on the front of the shoulder. Up into the collar bone area. Less soft tissue. More bone. Prone, the rifle butt is closer to the top of the shoulder. Collar bone and top of the arm bone. Ouch.

12 GA SLUGS, from the bench will make you forget all about the 30-06 recoil.

A Caldwell Lead Sled and several heavy bags of lead shot...all is well.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

When I used to live in Alaska they had a standing rifle rest to help in sighting in heavy caliber rifles. Recoil is much more pronounced shooting off a traditional bench vs. a sitting, kneeling, or standing position

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The American dream is alive

I don't know but recoil is fun. In 3 hours or so I can do about 400 rounds of 7.62 x54 out of a Mosin. Recoil means it's working!

When I sit at the bench, my posture sits the gun on a higher part of my shoulder and there are some other differences. Probably the most is allowing your whole body to flex and take the shock when you are tied down to a bench all of that is out of whack. I don't shoot full loads from the bench any more. I have some reduced loads in light lead and jacketed bullets that are crazy fun to shoot. They run from about 1700 fps for the lead to 2400 fps for the jacketed.

PS It doesn't help that my gun is a light Savage and is not a recoil absorber.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

Factory ammo kicks a lot but reloaded.............

270 130gr BC .435 bullet at only 2700 fps at 400 yards has 1204 ft/lbs of energy.

a 30-06 150gr SP BC .338 Cor-Lok at only 2600 fps at 300 yards has 1309 ft/lbs of energy.

Both kill BIG Nevada Mule deer in their tracks...........and save your shoulder from a beating.

Hard recoiling rifles in sleds have broken a lot of stocks. I'd be careful, especially if the rifle has good wood.

At about 45 seconds

Benchrest Shooting Free Recoil - Slow Motion - YouTube

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Still Running Against the Wind

For really big thumpers, like 458 & up, yes, the standing bench is waaaay easier on the body.

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NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

Not to argue with anyone here but I find that shooting a big boomer from the prone position hits me the hardest. (Much worse than seated bench shooting)

FWIW I’m a big guy and never been considered that recoil sensitive to begin with (No pain no brain I guess)

I did fire a couple rounds off the bench with a .460 Weatherby, the kick was a bit stiff. Gun was owned by my Doctor a renowned plastic surgeon by the name of Brandon Mac cumber that did Safaris in Africa

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14 S&W Revs none with locks!