The hardness of shot has a lot to do with pressure just as changing wads can change pressure. Everything is a spring (Young's Modulas) but some things less so.

Bismuth and Nice Shot are harder than lead and usually raise peak pressure. ITX is definately harder than Nice Shot and raises pressure even more, all else being equal. Steel and Hevi Shot are harder than ITX and...

BPI and Reloading Specialities make 10 gauge wads with steel being their intended payload. BPI provides loading data for 10 gauge wiht ITX and their wads. I have only found one BPI load like this for the short ten.

I didn't know that IXT and bismuth would raise pressures - good to know. Thanks Mark.

I have read where shooting nitro powder loads through Damascus and Twist barrels can result in a blown barrel and missing fingers and eyes too :)

Still waiting to see definitive photographic evidence of a blown barrel as a result of a paper base wad coming loose because frankly I think it's impossible, the culprit has to be something else when that is blamed. Although a one time occurence I once pulled the trigger on an 870 only to watch a ton of confetti come out of the barrel. It was the result of not pushing (forgetting) a full piece of paper towel scrunched up tight and sprayed with gun oil all the way out of the barrel. No blown barrel, no bulge. My recall is the TV show Mythbusters had a hard time blowing a barrel with an obstruction when they tried.

Here is a video where a Remington barrel was fired with two inches of packed mud and no ill effect.

I think it is a wise practice to check one's barrels before firing but I do believe it takes a lot more than a paper base wad to create a problem.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWl1Mu1tywM

I am amazed it didnt at least bulg the barrel. May be the mud was to runney. Like sticking the muzzle in the water and pulling the trigger.

The biggest no-no of shotgunning, a 12ga with a 20ga loaded shell stuck in the barrel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GguN4KyGQCM

One thing about old guns is You cant always tell if it has been over strest in the past. IMHO a lot of guns let go because of metal fatique. Ithink if you try hard enough you can blow up anything.

Pete, I don't know why you keep referring to nitro and damascus barrels - it has nothing to do with paper base wads getting stuck in barrels. All I was doing was relaying what has happened to others. If you don't want to believe it that's fine with me. One fellow said he was shooting skeet [ with a Berreta and reloaded Federals] and half way through a round he had a funny sounding shot. They examined the barrel and it had a slit about 6" long half way down the barrel. They found a Federal shell with the base wad missing. They didn't know what else to contribute it to. Do I think it's likely, no. Do I think it's possible - hell, anything is possible. Can damascus barrels be blown shooting nitro in them, yes - I've done it. 23 stitches latter I was ok. But that gun blew in the chamber - an overload. So could have a steel barrel with the load I had mistakenly made. I still shoot nitro in damascus barrel guns and shoot Federal shells for my black powder loads. I was just pointing out a possibility. Be sure of what powder is in your reloading bottle and look down the barrels after every shot.

My point is that loose base wads are not on my list of worries or concerns. I shoot my cut down Federal 10ga hulls until they split down the side or the crimp fingers blow off. I have never seen a base wad come loose and don't believe it could provide enough of an obstruction to create an over pressure condition capable of damaging a gun if it did, so I think the cautions on this are on the myth side of the scale. On the safe side I try to look through my barrels often but in a flurry of crows it is sometimes load and fire and load and fire.

Anybody remember the old Peter's Blue Magic shell?. Often times after multiple reloadings one would extract the brass head with a little bit of plastic hull attached. The majority went out the barrel and always with no ill effect.

In summary I think it takes a lot to blow a barrel provided the barrel has sufficiently thick walls. I recall your story of blowing a barrel, it sounded aweful and I am glad you survived. The pressures generated by that load must have been tremendous and if I recall correctly the gun withstood a few firings before the burst.

Accidents happen, to the best of people. Again good idea to check barrels to be sure they are clear but Federal 10ga base wad separation, I don't give it a second thought.