I think it could be very possible that ITX or any of the non-tox shots that contain tungsten could scratch, or at the very least erode the chamber and choke cones over time. You definitely want to protect the barrel from the shot as much as possible like Mark suggested.
Many of these newer shot manufacturers promote how their shot is softer than the steel barrels they are used in. There is a big difference between crushing a pellet in a hardness tester, and the abrasive qualities of what the shot is made from. None of them bring up this point, but ITX, Nice-shot and some others all contain tungsten, which is much harder than any shotgun barrel. They are alloyed with other metals so the pellet itself can be crushed and be promoted as "soft" but the powdered tungsten in the pellets can wear on constriction points in the bore just like a sandblaster if not well protected by wads.
As of now there are only two shot materials that I know of that can be used "naked" (i.e. no wad protection) in guns without fear of scratching: Lead and Bismuth. We need more.
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