90% of my guns are damascus and they get shot an awful lot. I do reload and keep pressures reasonable. But I'm not paranoid about loading lower than BP. Like any gun, if the barrels are in good shape they'll take a lot more pressure than we're ever going to give them. My favorite 12 gauge powders are IMR 7625 and PB for one ounce or heavier.I use Clays for 7/8 oz loads, per Sherman Bell. Though I shoot black powder in my flintlock rifles I really don't care for it in my shotguns--it's hot, dirty, and heavier recoil. Besides, with BP a quick second shot is often hypothetical.
I strongly agree with Rookhawk above when he cautions about the careless loading of older fluid steel guns. With a damascus gun we automatically know to be cautious but it's way too easy to assume all fluid steel is bank vault strong. Far from it--early fluid steel was very variable in strength and the same caution needs to be accorded it as damascus.
