Reloading 12 gauge slugs

[swampratt]

I just ventured into reloading old shot shells into slug loads.
I have 1/2 a dozen made up to test fire.
Lee data states 49 gr Blue Dot powder for 1 oz slug.
I made 7/8 oz. slugs and went with 40 gr.
Next time I hit the range I will send them.

 

[PBramble]

I'd be interested in your results. Sounds like a fun way to get rid of all this lead I've got.

 

[swampratt]

I got out the other day and shot some of those slugs.
I shot at 50 yards with my 1924 Browning A5 semi auto.
All of the loads recoiled very light almost too light.
Seemed to recoil less than a field load of 71/2 shot.

I used a Lee scooper to do my measuring I used Red dot and Blue dot powder.
Much less Red dot.
Red Dot was 2.8 cc = 21 gr.
Blue Dot was 3.4 cc = 40.2 gr.
Both loads shot the same area at 50 and both felt the same in the recoil department.

I did a fold crimp and may need to visit a roll crimp.
I tried new and used Hulls and found out no matter what you do you need to get the seating depth and crimp exactly the same or you get fliers that make a 3" group go to 8".

Just like loading rifle ..keep same cases and same neck tension same seating depth or group size fill not be great.

I will say for a defense round they should work great.
For killing deer I will need to work on my technique for loading and up the power a bit.

But they did go down range and cycled the gun just fine that was the main objective so far.
Super easy to load also.
Recoil is in the area of a 243 for the above loads.

 

[swampratt]

I decided to make some heavier slugs and used a homemade mold I made years ago and bored one of the 50cal holes larger.
I ended up with a bullet a little too fat for my wad.

I then sized the cast lead bullets to .672" diameter and they weigh much more than the Lee 7/8 oz slug that weighs 365 gr with my alloy.

The new homemade slug weighs 580 gr.
They are taller and fit the shot wad much better.
With the sized bullet and the wad I am at .001"-.002" over muzzle choke size.
I will give these solid base slugs a go and see what happens.

Here is a picture of the Lee shorty hollowish base 7/8 next to my 580 gr solid.
And one of my 580's in the wad.

 

[Oklahomabassin]

Interesting

 

[Dumpstick]

580 grains traveling at , what, 1100 fps?

It'll knock down anything I can think of.

 

[magna19]

LetRripTaterChip Too be useful at all you will need velocity.

 

[swampratt]

Too be useful at all you will need velocity.

Yes I will.
A 2200 fps 150gr bullet would have the same muzzle energy or actually a bit more.
The use for these in my mind will be a rapid fire close range hog round .. talking 50 yards and under.
Shot from an old Browning auto 5 12 gauge.
If I can make them accurate.

 

[swampratt]

I shot some slugs yesterday.
I tried 40gr of Blue Dot and 45 gr of Blue Dot with the 7/8 oz lee slugs and the 580 gr slugs.
The Lee of course weighs 365 gr. with my alloy, those lee slugs got loaded with 40 gr of powder .

Since I was shooting the heavy loads i set the Browning A5 friction rings to heavy loads.
I mentioned earlier that the Lee loads recoil was light feeling and it sure was as it would not cycle the Browning set on heavy load.

The 580gr did cycle the shotgun and the 45 gr load did as well.

Accuracy was better than the lee slugs as it put 4 in the center area of the target but still had fliers that were 8" away.
I can't get the powder and wad and bullet into the shot gun shell and keep a good crimp on it.
I did find some longer shells and got a good fold crimp on those and shot them with the 45gr load but they were no better.

I think I will get a roll crimper and try that.
Then if that does not eliminate the fliers then i will try bore size powder coated slug loads and see if that pans out.

Shooting was from standing position at 35 yards.
So not good to have 8" fliers.

To be continued.

 

[Glock 40]

Did you get any over the chrono yet?