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Virginian · January 21, 2013, 07:44 PM

If you are able to find ANY empirical data that says #4 will not suffice, then start worrying. I wouldn't hold my breath. There are reams of data on 38 Special, 9mm, and 357 shootings, but zip on shotguns, period. Everything you read is just opinions. Yeah it's based on gelatin penetration tests, yada, yada, but unless you get attacked by a gelatin block - you still don't KNOW. We once hit a hog on the way to a dove hunting trip. Farmer asked us to dispatch it and put it out of it's misery. After seeing what low brass #8s did to that hog at maybe 10 feet, I wouldn't hesitate to grab a #4.

January 21, 2013, 07:44 PM	#23
Virginian Senior Member Join Date: February 11, 2012 Location: Williamsburg, Va. Posts: 1,528	If you are able to find ANY empirical data that says #4 will not suffice, then start worrying. I wouldn't hold my breath. There are reams of data on 38 Special, 9mm, and 357 shootings, but zip on shotguns, period. Everything you read is just opinions. Yeah it's based on gelatin penetration tests, yada, yada, but unless you get attacked by a gelatin block - you still don't KNOW. We once hit a hog on the way to a dove hunting trip. Farmer asked us to dispatch it and put it out of it's misery. After seeing what low brass #8s did to that hog at maybe 10 feet, I wouldn't hesitate to grab a #4.