It depends. What you consider "shooting well" actually is.
+1... Minute of angle or "minute of buff"?
A few thoughts...
Shooting well
Weatherby were the first to see the light re. modern barrels are virtually ALL capable of 1 MOA. They first (that I know) offered the 1" accuracy at 100 yd warranty. Virtually all makers do it now. Therefore, to simplify things, shooting well means shooting to the capability of the rifle, therefore shooting 1 MOA.
Field reality is that shooting 2 MOA is generally plenty enough for most hunting at reasonable range (<200 yd), and shooting 6 MOA (hitting the 6" plate at 100 yd) is still OK for buff...
However, shooting responsibly a .30 (Win, Wby, RUM, Nosler, etc.) or a 33 (Win, Wby, RUM, Lapua, Nosler, etc.) at 300 or 400 yd requires sticking to more or less 1 MOA.
Fear
If you are afraid of the gun, whether it be a short range stopper or a long range killer, you will inevitable flinch and yank the trigger. Some even instinctively close their eyes. At this point, accuracy is not measured in inches at 100 yd but in feet at 50 yd. If you fear the gun, stop right there and learn to not fear it (see below).
Pain I
Unless you hold the rifle wrong (see technique below), or you had shoulder surgery, recoil from even the most powerful rifles is not really painful. If your physical condition prevents it, you may not be able to shoot high recoil rifles. Period. If you are in standard physical condition, there is a right way and many wrong ways to hold a high recoil rifle. This one never really hurt me or scared me.
Pain II
The scope kiss is one of the most painful (and potentially dangerous) shooting experiences. And you do not need a big gun to get one. Many sheep or goat hunters have been surprised by a scoped .270 when shooting 60 degrees uphill when the scope is positioned so close to the forehead... Happened to me, it was painful, and ever since the scope has been MY fear.
On really big guns (say .40 and up) you want no scope; a long eye relief scope ('scout' scope); a barrel mounted red dot; or a standard scope mounted as faaaaar forward as mechanically possible. A longer stock is also a grand classic. Never mind seeing a scope ghost ring when you shoot, it does not affect accuracy.
Equipment
Yeah, there is a real difference between a steel butt plate and a 1" decelerator or Kick EEz pad. 'nough said. As to stock design, some folks see a major difference between the traditional stock (say Win 70 for example) and the high comb stock (say Weatherby for example). Interestingly some say the Wby style recoils less, and some say it recoils more. I personally can't see a difference and I suspect that it comes done to shooting technique (see below).
The height of folly is the somewhat recent trend for ultra light rifles, in big calibers. For example, I consider pure stupidity to build a 8 lbs .416 or .458. My own Lott on a Mauser 66 is 8 lbs 13 oz and it is way too light. It gives me 79 ft/lbs of free recoil. Pouring 2 lbs of lead into the stock and bringing the gun to 12 lbs. would lower the recoil to 56 ft/lbs. But it would ruin the balance. I cling to it because of sentimental value, but it is ridiculous... Anything under 11 lbs is in my ind too light for big recoil. Truth be told, I also cling to the Lott because I rarely shoot it anymore. My big hammer is a 11 lbs 6 oz Krieghoff double .470 that is infinitely more pleasant to shoot...
Technique
Assuming you do not fear the gun and do not flinch and/or yank the trigger,
the real issue of recoil is to control the gun enough during recoil so that it still points at the target by the time the bullet leaves the muzzle. This is why high recoil calibers and faster recoil calibers are harder to shoot, they generate so much recoil that they have already moved back, upward and sideways significantly before the bullet is out of the pipe. Controlling the gun so that it recoils straight and predictably (i.e. always the same way) is the key to accuracy.
- Have the rifle deep in the shoulder pocket, close against your chest, not on the ball of the shoulder. Under recoil the rifle will roll off the shoulder ball into the shoulder pocket. Not only is it painful but inevitably the barrel will point sideways by the time the bullet leaves it. This accounts for a lot of misses.
- Have the rifle high in the shoulder pocket. This will prevent the rifle from sliding up under recoil and slap your face. Not only is it painful but inevitably the barrel will point even more upward by the time the bullet leaves it. This accounts for a lot of misses. Different stock designs may fit your body differently. In my mind, this is how recoil from different stock designs may be felt as "more" or "less" recoil. Of course, this is always the same recoil, but you likely have the stock in a different place in your shoulder pocket.
- Press the gun back into your shoulder pocket as hard as you comfortably can. Under recoil the rifle wants to jump back. If you give it a quarter or half inch free start it will not push you back but wack you back after gaining considerable speed. Ouch!
Learning & experience
Anyone can grab a .22 or an AR and shoot with horrible technique without much pain (nor accuracy ;-) but one must LEARN to shoot high recoil rifles and experience is critical to make the learning an unconscious muscle memory. First order of business with a big gun, whether a 'stopper' or a 'killer' is: purchase and shoot 200 rounds of ammo.
In conclusion...
Assuming that
fear and
pain have been taken out of the equation by
proper equipment, learning
good technique, and
enough experience, it is amazing what most people can do.
True 1 to 2 MOA (2" groups at 100 yd) are common with folks who know how to shoot their (take your pick: .404, .416, .425, .458, etc.) low power scoped rifle from the sticks, or resting on a convenient tree stump etc.
As to myself, I commonly shoot 1 MOA from my .257 Wby and I commonly shoot 1 MOA from my .340 Wby
IF (big IF) I remember that I am shooting the .340 Wby, i.e. if I place the stock carefully deep and high in my shoulder pocket, close to my chest, and if I pull it rearward really tight. Doing so, I consistently and predictably ring the 12" plate (i.e. the vital area on an elk, moose, wildebeest, hartebeest, kudu, etc.) to 400 yd from a field rest virtually every time. However, if I forget that I am shooting the .340 and I hold it as if it were the .257, I can miss the same 12" plate at 100 yd with the gun jumping all over the place under recoil before the bullet leaves the tube...
As to the .458, even at 8 lbs 13 oz it never scared or hurt me since I never had a scope on it, and when the dang front bead started to get invisible despite being increased in diameter twice, I put a red dot on the barrel on it and I shoot it with no negative consequence ... other than a full box of full power ammo will give me a head heck, thereby demonstrating that recoil and blast create a small concussion...
