My worst recoiling rifle is my 300 WSM in a 7# Browning A-bolt. In it's original configuration, that "so-called recoil pad" hurt like heck with the 180 grain factory loads. The first range session with the 20 rounds, left me with a bruised sore shoulder. I wasted no time getting a past magnum recoil shield to test some handloads. Further, I installed a kick-eeze pad on it, that helped immensely.
Another hard kicker is my H&R buffalo rifle in 45-70. It's steel curved buttplate bites into the shoulder, heavily loaded heavy boolits are no fun! I'd like a standard stock with a good pad, it would then be fun.
As for the 45-70 in a contender, I've fired three different guns, all with factory 300 grain shells. While it rares up and comes back over your shoulder, it's not all that bad! Yeah it hurts, but that bullet is really moving! Ya gets what ya paid fer!
Now comes the big Smith & Wussin. I was in the group buy for the MP grand canyon 700 HP. Loaded with those, my 500 is just plain painful! I EVEN fired it off the bench with the big HP boolit, 637 grains and a case damn near full of W-296. Wanted to see if it was fully stabilizing that big long boolit @ 100 yds. (yes it was hitting point forward.) Now-a-days, I'm loading and casting a Lyman 425 swc that is amazingly accurate. And only a bit more recoil than a full house load in a 44 mag.
Oh, that gun tore that scope apart and destroyed the rings. Believe it or not, a BSA red dot that replaced it, still hanging in there with some stouter steel rings.