Author Topic: 690 round ball for 12 ga (Read 1443 times)

c mac · « **on:** October 12, 2003, 12:39:54 PM »

I've got a lee mold for 690. I was wondering if any one out there has had any luck loading this for a rifled barrel? Or if anyone had any other ideas for loading a good load for 12 ga. At 10 bucks for 5 copper solids I think that I can do something else.
c mac

Thomas Krupinski · « **Reply #1 on:** October 25, 2003, 03:19:36 PM »

My suggestion would be to bypass the round ball and pick up one of the Lee 12 gauge 1 ounce slug moulds. They are really easy to cast. You use soft lead and fit in a shot wad put in a folded crimp case.

I cast nice easly to load slugs using R-P STS cases, HS-6 powder, Green Duster wad and Win 209 primers. Shoots pretty well in my smoothbores, don't have any rifled shotgun barrels.

Considering the price of these moulds, the cost of ten of those copper solids, it would be a nice investment.

c mac · « **Reply #2 on:** October 28, 2003, 02:29:48 PM »

Tom.
I load the Lee 1 oz. and Lyman 1 1/4 oz slugs. I just bought the 690rb mold. A friend gave me some 662 rb. Just playing. I've had the best luck with the lee slug. Not as they tell how to load. No good groups. I'd get flyers. I found that the wad would stick in the base and the cup would be deformed. Maybe not all the way to the target, but it would drop off at different distances. What I did was fill the bases of the Lee slugs with hot wax. after cooling I had to add a little more. It shrinks. Then I trimmed flush with a sharp knife. This I found gives a nice flat suface on the base. It only adds 6 grs to the weight. It got rid of the flyers. I'm getting about 2" groups at 50 yards with a 5moa red dot in a Mossburg rifled barrel. I've got a couple of other tricks yet to try. Will let you know how I make out. I've always had good luck reloading. Slugs are different. This has been a 20 year challenge for me. I'm having the best luck yet.
Chris

.45 COLT · « **Reply #3 on:** October 29, 2003, 02:43:28 AM »

Dang, and I thought I was innovative. I've had pretty good results with the Lee, but I gotta try that wax idea. Always open to new or unusual ideas.

Leftoverdj · « **Reply #4 on:** November 01, 2003, 02:35:33 AM »

Only thing that has ever worked for me is a .735 RB in rifled barrels. Unfortunately, that kicks like the hammers of hell.

The suggested Lee loads simply do not fill my cases. One of the Activ loads came close to working, but the Activ wad is thick and stiff and did not release the slug consistently.

Wax trick sounds worth trying. I've used poly buffer for much the same purpose. I'm pondering using grits to take up the extra space in the wad.

c mac · « **Reply #5 on:** November 01, 2003, 06:21:40 AM »

try putting a 20ga 1/2"wad in the shotcup first. I found that this puts the slug farther out on the petals. Also I bend the petals back before loading. This gives them a little memory to release the slug. I use AA or blue magic hulls. I'm lucky in the wad department. A friend gave me a garbage bag full of 12 and 20ga. cork wads. All the way from .125 to 15/16".As near as I can tell. I've got about 8000 wads.

Leftoverdj · « **Reply #6 on:** November 01, 2003, 06:48:37 AM »

I have a yard of 1/4" sheet cork and could make up a cutter easy enough. That stuff is a little crumbly for my taste, though. Think I will give the grits a go. Don't have to worry about wads sticking to the base of the slug that way. I'm cutting the Lee data 10% to give myself some fool around room.