Since pressures are really the only thing that matters about the gun's structural safety when it comes to the bolt supposedly flying out, it's well within the safe and normal range for a shotgun.
D110;
You have made some very good & valid points & have enjoyed this discussion, but am going to stick my neck out & say, you have totally missed the boat with the above statement.
Pressure, as in PSI is not the determining factor, but rather "BackThrust". Several factors work in combo to determine backthrust. Pressure is of course one of them, but area exposed to that pressure is another, and of course the "Grip" that the case itself has upon it's chamber walls has an affect. Now the lowly little .22LR rimfire operates at considerably higher psi than does a 12ga shotshell, but I don't really believe you or anyone else would fear to fire a .22LR depending solely upon the safety lug of a M98 Mauser to contain it. Now these next figures should definitly not be taken as working figures, because I am just going to campare outside dimensions, not internal where actual pressure is applied & take no account for case friction. A 12ga shell has a head dia of about .811" or .516sqin. A .22 hornet has a head dia of about .295" or .068sqin. Now .516 sqin times 12,000psi = 6,192 lbs while .068sqin times 40,000 = 2,720 lbs. Now again I point out these should not be taken as actual working figures as are not actual areas exposed to the pressure nor do they take into account the grip of the case to the chamber walls, which can reduce backthrust (I suspect this is higher in proportion with the Hornet). I do believe though that any bolting mechanism which can contain 12K psi of a 12ga shell will quite adequately contain the thrust of a Hornet round. I personally would have no fear of one utilizing the safety lug of a M98.
