[agony]

...a 150gr bullet loaded to max load or a 180gr bullet with similar powder burn rate at max load?

:)

[Black Snowman]

Heavier bullets will almost always have more felt recoil although it might be less "snappy". If the powder being used in the example it optimal for the 150 gr but marginal for the 180 you might lose enough energy to get the similar felt recoil if both are max loads. If however the powder is in beween you'll notice more recoil with the heavier bullet and if the powder is optimized for the 180 there will be no doubt in your shoulder.

[goon]

The 180s will kick harder.
I made the mistake once of shooting my Scout with 180gr factory loads from the prone position.
I only made it once.;)

[Grump]

I believe the practice will follow the theory--take the total weight of the powder charge plus bullet, then calculate "energy" of what internal/external ballistics geeks (with all due respect:) geeks have made almost everything good in this world happen, except for inventing chocolate chip cookies) call total ejecta--that combined weight.

Do for each load and see which has more fpe or joules or whatever unit of energy.

Fired in an equal-weight rifle, and you'll know which kicks harder.

Practice? Well, that's part of why I wanted to get away from WW296 in .357 Mag. 19-21 grains of that, over a 125-grain bullet, kicked noticeably harder at 1350+ fps than another load using only 10? or whatever grains of a different powder.

I STILL had horrible muzzle flash, though!.:banghead: