Sounds like you've been busy. I worked on some 3.5" slug loads with Alliant Steel powder; 60 grains with 1 3/8 oz (600gr.) Lightfield slug and got 1900+ from NEF. With the older 1 1/16 oz (465gr.) style over 65 grains I got 2000+. Cheddite hulls role crimped by hand drill (technique sensitive). They would fit in a 3" hull but the role crimper was eating up the top of the slug. No pressure signes, poped right out. My I recomend using the Lightfield slugs over the Buckhammers as they are a tougher slug and don't need to be pulled from a factory shell: $6.99 for 10 and Midwayusa.com. When I get some more time I will test heavier loads, until the brass starts to stick in the chamber and back off a grain and post as Max. This is all with a factory NEF Ultra slug hunter and cheap slip-on gel recoil pad over factory one. I did have an extra Benelli Comfort-tech pad that I cut the lip off and placed under the slip on pad, after I took the factory pad off, and it made almost a pleasure to shoot but the LOP threw me off and I didn't want the cut the stock down just yet. That way I can put the factory POS back on when I let others shoot it:-) Did some research on the T/C Encore Pro Hunter I told you about. The action should take around 30,000-35,000 psi, and the barrel is a stainless alloy, so should hold up just fine. The twist rate is 1:28 vs 1:35 for the NEF and the fluted barrel is a full 28" long!
-Anthony
P.S. I got a little more velocity with Mica dusting the wad, but the real difference was made when I treated the bore with Tungsten Disulfide. I gained about 50 fps with no more pressure. I should also mention I had the barrel hand lapped which gave me a bit of speed but accuracy really improved the most (and less cleaning). 3" groups all day long with 2" or less possible.
-Anthony
"Pain is weakness leaving the body" -Instructor "I hope you live forever..." -300 Victory in life is dying for what you were born to do
