Im going to have to respectfully disagree as I have seen barrels bulge from being short started . I even have a pedersoli barrel out in the shop that bulged 12 inchs from the muzzle after being properly loaded and on its 5th shot .
I have not responded to this thread tell now because IMO its like someone asking ; why cant I shoot smokeless if im loading to relive pressure .
Well most certainly you can do as you like . But if something happens don’t point fingers
As to destroying the gun . That would depend on how far off the powder the projectile is . I have seen old original barrel fail and split open at the breech .
Those famous Douglas barrels that so many today think are so great. Well they had cases where hairline cracks would develop in the breech area . Sometimes during breeching and sometimes after . But as with all things firearms related , it was never the shooters fault but a manufacturing issue . So they closed down to keep from being eat up by liability costs .
Do yourself a big favor and just load properly . Seat the ball, a little space as with paper cartridges doesn’t seem to harm things . But I wouldn’t be trying to shoot out a projectile that ½ way down the barrel