QUOTE FROM ABOVE: "...S. Baker stated that a hardened 14 bore ball would pass through and through an Indian Elephant's head using but 4 1/2 drams of powder. That's good enough for me. "

Good enough for me too.!!!!!!!!!!

Excellent posts and observations. I appreciate the news and comments. No I haven't been able to shoot any BIG creatures with Brenneke's. It is BOW season here ONLY. I have been out with my bow but decided not to pull the string back on a couple of deer I could have shot at. (Too small.) I believe shotgun season isn't upon us until Nov 15 here.

Regarding slug types for DG: I do think I am going to go the ball / sphere route too. Using the hardened approach. I think the idea of an inverted shotcup with the end cap snipped off, using it as a carriage and centering wad to keep it evenly moving down the pipe is a stellar concept.

The regular lead .715 balls I used were not that accurate at 50 yards but I admit I shot them carriage-less. The .715 soft lead round balls Stars&Stripes laoded for me in BRASS shells were about as equally as inadequate department at 50 yards. Something like a 6-8 inch pattern... 4 inch is about the outer limits at the range in my book. But the soft lead round balls are in my mind okay for deer or something that won't bite back, but I'd want something with more assertive penetration capability if the creature was the kind that might bite.

I am re-reading "Death In The Long Grass" and it is certainly inspiring. Makes me yearn to pack up the double shotgun to take it out for some real challenges of man against his own mortality, such as---up against some very large cats. Leopard hunting would be something I'd like to direct my double 12 gauge toward, indeed using very hard round spheres and a goodly amount of KE. The other advantage of course of a 12 gauge is a shot load such as the three mini-slugs packed in that Dixie shotshell could be employed if you're out at night and might need to point and shoot or if you are following up and want to put TWO of those in the double barrels. Those seem to pack quite a wallop and do seem to hold together well from the reports I've read.

Work has been gruelling for me as well. Some nights I just lie in bed and ponder taking a 3 week holiday and using it all up for hunting DG.