Thanks gents, I figured itd be ok but just wanted extra reassurance! These old Stevens 520s were known for their TOUGHNESS and the old ads I've seen of them have Stevens as touting their "high pressure steel" construction!
I just went today and looked for a few loads I had in mind. It's already 2 weeks into turkey season here and 2.75" loads are hard to find anyway. But I found one on the list, the Win Super X Turkey 2.75" 1.5oz 5shot (buffered and copper plated). MANY MANY years ago before the advent of 3.5" guns, aftermarket chokes, hevimetal loads & red dots, 3" 1.5-2oz of copperplated lead 5s is what I preferred and killed ALOT of turkeys with in the Ozarks of southern MO with an ol 1300 Featherweight ext. full tube.
I still have plenty of scatter guns including my 835 and 870SM with Nitro loads and Rhino tubes but honestly, carrying my gdads ol Stevens down in the swamp is outright FUN. I likewise have his ol 1968 Marlin 336RC 35Rem that I deerhunt with down there when the weather is nice. Both of them are just awfully danged tough to beat for "swampin with Gpaw"!
Supposed to be 80 Fri, I just might greet the daylight again down in my swamp with the ol Stevens!
HL