Actually the recoil(?) of the say 416 or 577 NE IS much heavier than say a 300 Weatherby. Time is subjective but not much difference in time of recoil(Hundredths or thousandths of a second?). There is one thing that seems to make a difference is the sound of the shot and the gas coming from the muzzle. Especially the venturi effect of all that gas coming from the smaller bore. I can say with no doubt that my 10 ga Ithacas and Remingtons had way more recoil than my 3 in 12 ga 1100. And when I worked on guns I mounted many scopes on slug guns and then sighted them in for customers. Those 7/8 and one ounce slugs were no fun. Shooting at a deer? Heck, you hardly felt it. Shot 2 grizz that had bad intentions. One with a 41 mag... the other with my 375 H&H. never felt any recoil. A friend hunted Africa took 2 Cape Buffalo with his 416 Remington. 6 rounds on one...one on the 2nd with a follow up JIC Said he never felt the recoil
