Recoil, flinch, boom? Anyone wanna weigh in on the 45 WinMag?
Some, NO, and Absolutely!
Recoil? sure. Basic physics. Significant?? Depends on the shooter. It absolutely isn't your daddy's .45ACP.
Flinch? Flinch is a shooter issue, NOT a cartridge issue.
Boom? OH yeah. Any round that ignites 20+gr of powder from a 6" or 8" barrel is going to have plenty of "boom".
IN THE RIGHT GUNS, the .44 Mag, .44AMP, .45 Colt, & .45WM can all launch a ~250gr bullet into the 1400fps range. This data can be found in the standard reloading manuals, so should be achievable by the ordinary reloader.
You CAN go beyond that, but, when you do, you are "off the map, laddie, and there be monsters here! ARRRRR!!!"
Similar results out of the muzzle means similar recoil. The only difference is in how the guns, and the shooter "feel" it.
With full house loads, my Auto Mag, Wildey, and LAR GRIZZLY are more pleasant to shoot (in my hands) than my S&W M29, OR my Ruger SuperBlackhawk or Blackhawk.
They are more pleasant to shoot because #1) the guns are HEAVIER, and #2) they have drastically different shaped grips.
If you put these rounds in an IDENTICAL gun (such as my T/C Contender) they are ALL equally uncomfortable at max load levels.
Personally, I have no interest in the uber heavy bullets (for caliber) that are so popular on the internet today. The only 300gr bullet I shoot out of a handgun is the light .45 RIFLE bullet from my .45-70 Contender.
Energy comes at a cost. The cost is recoil. For what I get, there is a limit to what I'm willing to pay. Clearly lots of people are willing to pay more for getting more, which is why there is a .454 Casull and a .460 S&W, etc.
For those who think the .44 Mag is now obsolescent because there are bigger and more powerful rounds on the market, show me one in the same size & weight packages as a .44Mag. (seriously, not a taunt, I am not well versed in what monster magnums are available).
I know there are "snub nose" (<4") monster mag guns out there. But what do you actually get? (power vs recoil?)
Buffalo Bore (and any others in the same class) have fantastic specs on paper. According to what I've heard, they pretty much do what is claimed, sometimes even a bit more. That is wonderful!
If that is what you want, open your wallet and blaze away! I don't shoot them, because I am CHEAP, and my handloads do everything I ever asked them to do.
Please, don't bother me with how my choices are surpassed by this, or that. Everything is "outperformed" in some way, by something else.
Understand, I'm not knocking your guns, or your loads. Trust me, I've heard it all before from the duty/self defense class gun guys about my magnum autopistols. Too big, too heavy, nobody needs, too much recoil, not enough rounds, and so forth.
They aren't comfortable with the niche I'm in, like I'm not comfortable with a higher level than where I already am. But, I don't tell them choices are inferior because there is something more powerful out there. Nor, do I think anyone should tell me the same.