homemade shotgun slugs

[fireflyfather]

Thanks. I was already intending to go to the alliant site. As for his casting method, as long as they mic out to the right diameter, and weigh in at 500 grains, I shouldn't think it would matter that much. I've done a fair bit of cartridge reloading, but the shotshell slugs are a new game.

It's pretty much the same safety rules, though, isn't it? Weigh your charge, weigh your projectile, (use the right wad!), and make sure the OAL comes out right (in this case, the crimp isn't cratered down or puffed out from flush).

I'm trying to figure out WHICH waa wads he was using. It's my understanding that the wad selection process is complicated.

 

[RandKL]

I'm trying to figure out WHICH waa wads he was using. It's my understanding that the wad selection process is complicated.

Not complicated at all. If you're a book reloader, just find your fav 1 1/8oz 3 dram load and use it. His method is simply loading valid shot charge table data into a slug load. It used to be a common method for reloading. It's perfectly safe as long as your diam, your lead weight, and your powder are accurate, as you said.

If you're a Lee reloader, as BushBoy appears to be, you'll already have a large bag of short wads and a large bag of long wads....brand makes no real diff in the Lee method if you use common sense.

Just checking the books, a Win AA hull, Win209 primer, 1 1/8oz of lead, and 21 grains of Unique would be a standard WAA-12 wad. You can sub a Remington RXP-12 wad (the only wads I use anymore) for the same recipe, but the crimp might sink just a *hair*. If you go RXP-12, bump the powder up to 22 grains Unique and your shells will be fine. Both are low pressure (9,000psi), what would be called "reduced recoil" loads. You won't hurt your gun using either.

richard

 

[Zoogster]

It's people like Bushboy who give handloading a bad name. How he hasn't blown himself up is beyond my understanding.

There is a lot of relative forgiveness in slight projectile weight variations in shotgun loads. This is because the total payload is so large.
As long as the powder measurement is exact a moderate payload variation in a low pressure loading is not going to make such a big difference that it will be unsafe.

Which is why Bushboy's casual method works.
His load is also low pressure, giving even more room for payload variations. If his load with a 500 grain projectile is about 8,500 pressure, and max Saami specs for a regular 12 gauge are 11,500 there is over 3,000 to spare. Or only about 74% used, leaving a 26% pressure safety margin.
Since the projectile payload in a shotgun is so high, a variation of as much as 50 grains in projectile weight is only going to be 10% more in payload. Which even with aggressive powders is not going to push such a low pressure load over the top.
He is casting undersized projectiles, so the danger in it becoming a barrel obstruction from slight diameter differences, less than precise wood molds, or even a shotgun choke is also very low, even with casual molding.
He is also shooting a smoothbore, and maybe even a cylinder choke. Which would mean even the hardest slug in a plastic wad cup is not going to be dangerous. If it was a cylinder barrel the undersized projectile could be made of tungsten and still be safe.


Overall there is so much margin for error in his method and chosen load formula that the only thing he really needs to keep right on target is the powder measurement. Which he appeared to be quite careful in measuring.


What he does so casually works because of every thing he does. Undersized projectile, low pressure, but exact powder measurement.
If people follow his instructions they will be fine. If they apply his methods to other loads and reloading in general they may not be.


The real danger is people learning to reload from him and then applying the same casualness to rifle or pistol cartridges.
Where the pressure variation of light and fast calibers is huge with a slightly altered payload.
Or those trying to load a different formula 12 gauge cartridge near 11,500 pressure as casually.

 

[Mr. T]

I mistakenly loaded sabot rounds into one of my smooth bore shotguns for hunting which can easily put 4 out of 5 rounds in a paper plate at 100 yards....needless to say the accuracy was terrible and I missed one of the best hunting opportunities of a lifetime. 3 very large bucks running together off of a drive at about 35 yards away. If I had used my normal foster slugs I would have had 2 if not all 3 laying there instead I was forced to track one wounded buck that actually charged me with his head down after I blew his rear leg out of the hip socket. We tracked that deer over a straight up and down hill and over a mile away --- tough buck. Anyway I digress -- use the right slug for the right barrel and you won't be disappointed.