I have a 696 and a 396, I use the Buffalo Bore load in both of them. Not a lot of it because I use these guns as defense weapons and I only fire them twice a year, with the BB ammo. In the 396 it does get my attention, but nothing like it will for the guy on the receiving end. I regard the BB load as sufficient for Black Bear, which is the biggest critter I am going to run into where I now hang around. In the 696 the recoil is about like full house .357 mag out of a K frame. No problem. I figure I am getting between 18,000-19,000 pounds pressure with that particular load, well within what the guns will take.