Originally Posted by
35remington
What matters in terms of wear and tear on the gun is the pressure at the gas port in a gas operated autoloader, and the velocity of the shot charge in a recoil operated autoloader.
Not sure Herco is gentler than a faster powder in either instance.....it would depend upon the loading. Just can't see using an extra ten grains of powder than is needed for one ounce loads, and the reliability of the load might be more questionable in colder weather as Herco is not intended for one ounce loadings. Peak pressure may be excessively low but port pressure may be adequate. If it's burning dirty that would be a big clue to low peak pressure.
What powder is worth isn't what you paid for it ten or twenty years ago.......its worth is what it will cost to replace. Viewed in that light, Red Dot or its considerably cheaper replacement, Promo, come off looking better by comparison.
The buckshot issue in terms of penetration is well documented, with number one buck being most often recommended because of the large number of pellets in a standard shell and the unfailing reliable penetration under all circumstances. There's no reason to settle for the "maybes" of small buckshot when it is very well known what sizes always penetrate adequately. The standards that apply will very reasonably allow for the defeat of intermediate barriers, like an arm extended in from of the bad guy as he points his own gun at you, or a shot from the side where the arm protects the vital organs.
Not all shots will be an unobstructed chest shot at a guy wearing a tee shirt who obligingly presents a frontal view.