All twist programs ask for 3 specific things...bullet LENGTH, bullet CALIBER and VELOCITY...4 if you count whether it has a boat tail or not...bearing surface plays it's part in accuracy and pressure relationships...more bearing area, more pressure required to get it started and keep it going, but that gets into the esoteric end of the arguments more than anything...bearing surface has really no "bearing"(pun intended) on bullet stability...arguably.
The velocity for those heavy slugs runs from 1000 to over 1500 fs for use in a pumpgun and whether in a smoothbore or rifled barrel, either my Mossy 535 or Rem 870, I have both barrels for both shotguns. In my NEF Ultra Slug I can go quite a bit faster. Better accuracy in the rifled barrels, but that isn't always the case...it depends on the diameter of the cast slug and choked or not. These loads are using a plastic case...When using a modified 50 BMG case and 14-1500 gr brass slugs, you can get over 1700 fs real easy...YOU can...I pass...
Goto AccurateReloading...
http://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve... Big Bore forum, "12 GA from Hell" link...all the latest information on the various 8ga, 10ga and 12ga stuff is there. Dixie Slugs...
http://www.dixieslugs.com/... has loaded ammo and lots of information on testing...EVERYONE should check out these sites ANYTIME they have hallucinations and delusions about a bear/pistol "what do I use to save my azzzz" scenario.
The main problem with these big slugs is recoil and recovery for a second or third shot. Depending on which slug weight, powder weight and total ejecta column weight the recoil in my 9 lb Mossy/Rem shotguns goes from 60 ftlbs to 120 ft lbs...a bit less with my 15# NEF USH with muzzle break...but that has only one shot and 15# is hard to move quickly...great for hunting, but NOT for taking on a moving dangerous animal unless you are very practiced and stout too boot.
I understand about people and their ability to handle recoil...it is very subjective. Being able to handle recoil is a "learned activity", it takes time to learn...and you have to learn how to handle it by doing it and finding YOUR point of comfort. I've seen a few very petite ladies pop off a 458 WM and a Lott off hand with nary a complaint...I don't know how they kept standing...and stout "Bubbas" walk off with their arm dragging almost sobbing.
I'm 5'10", 250#, welder/truck mechanic most of my life...a fireplug...and recoil isn't a bother for the most part with most of my weapons...but my NEF 12GaFH with a 1400 gr Darwin solid brass slug, loaded with 100 gr of powder at 1400fs generates over 125 ft lbs of recoil(a little less with a MB). I'm not all that keen on doing an afternoon of developing loads off the bench even WITH a 25lb lead shot sissy bag between me and the stock ...and even offhand with a Magnum Past recoil shoulder pad, absording that amount of recoil for a few shots leaves my whole body shaking uncontrollably. When I was 20 I could handle the recoil of large bores without too much problem, but at 70, the mind makes the old body pay for such foolishness.
When I cut wood, alone usually, I keep my Mossy on my ATV rack and it moves with me as I cut...hardly more than arms length away... a chain saw is a very good weapong if used like a sword in front of you... I carry my Sig 220, 45 ACP with my own Plus P hardball loads...and I'm very good with that also...but it doesn't really matter as if you're cutting wood with a chain saw you can't hear a thing and you are consentrating on the saw anyway...so...Besides bears and cougars leave the area as soon as they hear/smell any kind of human activity...it's only when humans don't make any noise that they get into trouble...usually...generally speaking.
A Dixie slugs 750gr "Terminator" at about 1200 fs generates about 40 ftlbs of recoil...about the same level as a 12ga Magnum shotshell...and is much quicker to recover for a second shot.
Besides a .73gr flat nosed projectile has a cross sectional nose area of ~0.42 sq in while a 50 cal bullet is less than half that area 0.196" sq in. My 510 Makatak does 2400fs with a 535gr bullet...plenty of slap for even an elephant but I will STILL use that BIG, flat nosed 12 ga slug for anything mean, toothy and nasty up close on this side of the pond.
I've tested the "Terminator" slug and others from 500 gr to 1045 gr on lodgepole pine dry logs from end to end and from side to side with penetration of 3' and ended up with lots of kindling I didn't have to split with a maul.
...and the slugs ended up with varying degrees of disruption...the Lyman 525 gr slugs flattened out to ~0.850" OD, the Terminators had the noses smeared slightly and some could have been used again in a smooth bore, the other 500 gr DGR slugs had their noses smeared and the plastic gas seals chewed up, but otherwise didn't loose much weight...and the deer and elk I've shot with them just folded up and hit the ground.
Anyway...slightly OT and what you use and how you use it is personal choice...I'm not trying to talk you into or out of anything...just presenting some arguments and my personal observations. I've been in deep stuff many times in my life...been chased by bulls, elk cows, buck deer, a crazy jackrabbit, a HUGE beaded lizard and a couple of rattle snakes(only a few steps) and bad guys etc, but never a whizzed off grown bear...I'm not so much afraid of getting whacked but the thought of ending up as bear shi* is embarrasing, but dying in bed is even worse.
Luck
