When I lived in Western Kansas, my shooting buddy was around 5'7" and weighed maybe 150. I am 6"3" and over 300. He had just bought a new model 94 in 30-30 and I had a new Sharps (made by Pedersoli) .54 caliber black powder rifle.
Now every time I fired that 30-30, it was a commemorative with a curved brass buttplate, it really hurt. When I fired the Sharps with 70 grains of pyrodex, it was just a gentle push.
Now he said the 30-30 didn't hurt him at all but the Sharps about knocked him down. That 45-70 really did hurt but I don't think it was the recoil itself as much as the stock design.
I literally can't tell the difference in recoil between a 10mm Delta elite and a 9mm. Other people tell me the 10mm is vicious. I can shoot a .44 magnum, either a Ruger Blackhawk or S&W model 29 for a pretty good while without it bothering me, but if I shoot a TC contender in the same caliber it feels like someone hit my palm with a rubber hammer.