Interesting question, Doc - I see clients flinching from the recoil of their 30/06's, 7mm mags and .300 mag. on moose or bear. It is a rare client who doesn't. There are some, but not as many as you might think.
; Now, take these average paying hunters and put a .500 or .577 nitro in their hands, have them load it with 2 finger sized ctg. and they won't be able to hold it steady just due to the anticipated recoil, let alone after firing a 'test' shot.
: Yeah - I know, there isn't anyone here who flinches, the bigger the better, yadda, yadda yadda. Trouble is, all of those charges were started by someone hitting poorly with a much smaller calibre. A poor hit, from what I've read,(and observed on ungulates and bear) ends up with the same scenario as if a Nitro Express had been used. It all boilss down to 'enough gun' and accuracy.
: If you can shoot a 9.3x62, or .375H&H just like a varmint gun, yet you flinch a bit with the .500 nitro, then the 9.3 or .375 is the gun to use.
; This is just my opinion, mind you - with no experience in Africa but plenty here.