Miller, the idea in proof was NOT that you would run your ammunition at "proof" level. There was a service load, that was a percentage of the proof load, that was deemed safe. Use of a proof load, especially French proof, in a hunting gun, would likely lead to detached retinas in short order, never mind what happened to the gun.
Don't you remember the photos of those proof loads that Sherman Bell was trying to blow up old doubles with, that had lots of warnings all over the box, stating they were proof loads, and not to use them for anything else?
We don't run proof loads in our guns.
Lapin, I've only seen those kabobs in pictures, never on a gun. Not sure which level of proof is on your Ideal, but, it would be either 12,000 or 15,600 units of whatever pressure they were using that day-I'm confident you can use it with whatever, but, low pressure loads in old doubles is our mantra, usually.
That said, my R10, out of proof for several reasons, gets whatever I give it, up to and including 1 1/4 oz Federal "Pheasants Forever" loads of number 5 shot-a stiff cocktail in anybody's book. And, it's been fed that, during pheasant season, for years.
No harm to report. I might not be able to take it, as I approach 80 years or so.
Time will tell.
Best,
Ted
