This spring I shot some of Federal Heavyweight 3" 20 ga turkey loads out of my Beretta 471. This load pushes an ounce and a half at 1300 fps and certainly got my attention in more ways than one. Out of either of the IC or the IM fixed choked barrels I got killing patterns at 40 yds. For me that has usually been 100 hits in a ten inch circle.
But I wondered if I'm putting my SxS barrels in jeapardy. Some non-toxics (HeviShot being one) are not only harder than steel or iron shot, they are harder than some barrel steel. Special shot cups are meant to ameliorate that but still....
IIRC, by the DPH scale steel shot is about 85 with some non-toxics starting at ~120 (barrel steel) and running well north. With general looking around all I've been able to find in the way of a warning in regard to any of the non-toxics is they are "ok" if your shotgun is approved for steel shot.
The Beretta 471 is certainly not a old vintage gun but..any light to shed here?
