Can recoil from a gun hurt you?

Yes….well most larger caliber firearms will obviously have more potential to bark back at you.

Low calibers like 22’s, and 410 are pretty easy going but even a short barrel .38 can fight back if you are not prepared for the recoil. If you hold the gun correctly even a 10 yr old can shoot a 12 gauge and break a smile after they shoot it.

Absolutely. Fire a shotgun with a 3” deer slug with the stock away from your shoulder. .
Or a handgun held loosely. Ouch.
Here’s an example
Also here
There are lots of examples on youtube.

Only if you are either holding the gun incorrectly, too weak to handle the power of the caliber, or you are using a very large caliber.

I’ve bruised my shoulder plenty of times using 12 gauge turkey nitro shells and shooting 7,62×54mm rounds out of my Mosin Nagant, and I hurt for a few days after a family friend let me shoot his .500 Holland and Holland elephant gun.

Yes.An M1 Garand made me yell obscenities ;)

@lucillelucillelucille Stick with the Carbine and padded butt stock!!!

Yes, anything held incorrectly can hurt you, bad.

it shouldn’t really hurt you, rather cause some discomfort. If the firearm is held properly, that is. A shooters vest helps or energy absorbing but pads on the rifle or both. There are long guns and pistols that will always be uncomfortable if shooting a lot. I had the opportunity to fire a Thompson “contender” chambered for Government 45/70. I did not like that gun.

I ended up with a nice bruise at the top of my arm from not shouldering my shotgun properly!

You surely can get bruises, but it’s better than being on the other end.

I can attest to shoulder bruises from prolonged 12 gauge use. You have to do a lot in a day, or be very unused to it, or a very small person. As this happened more when I was first learning to shoot, part of it was likely that I was holding the firearm wrong, as @Fiddle_Playing_Creole_Bastard said.