Thanks for the info Stan. I think the reason that the #3 kicks worse than the #1 is the weight difference. Mine weighs a skosh over 6 pounds. I don't mind heavy recoil. At 175 lbs. I just roll with the punch. Like you I work up my loads looking for signs of pressure. That Ruger action is one tough brute. You should have kept that #3. They are getting scarce. I know I'll never sell mine. A good shot on a hog is just behind the ear to break the spine. I've butchered many hogs in my life including old 600 pound brood sows and I will say that a frontal brain shot is a small target. The skull is pretty thick towards the top of the cranial cavity and they don't have a very big brain to begin with. I've sawed the skulls in half lengthwise to check on this.
