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Author Topic: Reloading Slugs Update  (Read 1107 times)

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Offline student

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Reloading Slugs Update
« on: May 28, 2004, 11:31:08 AM »
You may have read about my testing .610 round balls in my 20 ga Ultra rifled Handi: accuracy was ok at 50 yds, but useless at 100.

Well, I still don't want to pay top dollar for sabots, since I don't think a deer will care at 100 yds, so I've kept looking for something I can reload for cheap that will give acceptable results at 100 yds.

I got a copy of Lyman Shotshell Reloading Handbook 3rd edition for $5.00 from Ebay, and they have some loads for minie balls and such, and I haven't tried that yet.

What I have tried, though, are the collet cup sabots (.45 cal jacketed hp in thick red plastic sabot) from ballistic products, and the Lyman hour glass shaped cast slugs for plastic shotshell wads.  I ordered 25 of the collet cups for about $25, and got 12 of the Lymans precast for about $12 from Ebay.

I used the recommended Blue Dot/Fiochhi hull loads for both, and went to the range.  The collet cups grouped  4" at 50 yds, and the Lymans grouped a nice 2", with two of the three shots touching.  I moved to 100 yds, and the collet cup slugs opened up to the entire 12" x 12" target sheet, all over the place!  Guess what?  The Lymans gave me a 6 shot, 3 inch group :)  

This was off my standard front rest and sandbag setup, no special tricks, etc. using my 2-8 variable Tasco World Class.   I just fired 6 of the Lymans and they went into a 3 inch group at 100 yds!  I plan to order one of these molds asap.  The slug bases were filled with wax by the guy who cast and sold them and he had put a little dimple in the flat head (I guess in the hopes of getting some expansion).

If you reload and like to shoot slugs a lot, and don't need Postal Match accuracy, order some of these Lymans from Ebay and see if they work for you!  For what it's worth, I have spent a lot of time messing with Lee Drive Key slugs in my Rem 870 rifled barrel and have never seen results like this.  

This is one experiment that really worked.  Anyone have similar experiences yea or nay?

Student
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Offline jeff223

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Reloading Slugs Update
« Reply #1 on: May 28, 2004, 12:48:30 PM »
not to bad.im glad it worked out good for you so far
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Offline offhand35

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Reloading Slugs Update
« Reply #2 on: May 31, 2004, 02:43:45 AM »
:D Student,
I had gotten very similar resullts with my 12ga H&R 980 Ultra Slug with those Lyman hourglass slugs cast from wheelweight metal!
I had also used Blue Dot, along with WAA12 (white) wads. They did shoot great, and that flat face punched quite a hole in the buck that I got at 28yds!!! :P

Cost per shell with this load was about $0.59, not counting the time spent.



However :eek:  When I (wish I never had) sold that UltraSlug, and eventually went back to a Tracker II, I found that that 510gr (weighed out) slug & Blue Dot load were so BRUTAL :shock: I couldn't shoot enough rounds to sight in confidently at any range. This was the difference in going from a 10lb to a 5lb gun. Adding a mercury reducer and porting the bbl did help a little, but I could not tolerate that load!

 :grin: I can imagine that in the 20ga, that  load is quite tolerable, along with a  gun that is much easier to carry around off stand! All the best next season!!!!
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Offline Sourdough

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Reloading Slugs Update
« Reply #3 on: May 31, 2004, 07:28:39 PM »
The simplest thing to do is get the Lyman Mold, or find someone in your area that molds them.  Load them in your 20ga shells using claybuster or Winchester AA wads.  The wad actually becomes a Sabot at this point.  I have had good results with this combo.
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Offline 22KHornet

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Reloading Slugs Update
« Reply #4 on: June 01, 2004, 04:59:10 AM »
I sure don't like to hear about the sabots doing that poorly but I am just going to have to give it a try anyway.  Factory loads are just way out to lunch :(
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Offline student

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Reloading Slugs Update
« Reply #5 on: June 01, 2004, 10:45:27 AM »
Thanks for all the feedback.  I have ordered a 20 ga mould and am trying to get some precast 12 ga Lymans to test in my 870.

I am going to give the collet cup sabots another try.  When I did it before, my barrel was pretty dirty (and maybe fouled with lead ball residue) and I've read that sabots are pretty sensitive to that.  I'll let you all know if I do any better with a squeaky clean barrel.

Student
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Offline HuntenNut

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Reloading Slugs Update
« Reply #6 on: June 19, 2004, 02:52:55 PM »
Student, I have been interested in trying those collet cups with a really good muzzloading bullet like the Precision Rifle Dead Center. If you have any extra sabots, I'd be interested to know how that works.
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Offline jbtazgrabber

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student
« Reply #7 on: June 19, 2004, 03:11:07 PM »
hey e mail me and i will send you 3 rounds and wads  i have 220 slugs i dont think sending you 3 will deleate my supply :grin:
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Offline student

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Reloading Slugs Update
« Reply #8 on: June 21, 2004, 12:35:03 PM »
HuntenNut:

I'm sorry but I think I ended up using them all.  I only had 25 of them, a pack with .45 cal bullets is $21.99 at Ballistic Products, without the bullets is 17.99.  I'll check and see if I missed any.

I did retry it with a clean barrel and the groups were a bit better, but still nothing like the Lyman hour glass sabot slug which I can crank out by the boxful at very low cost.

If I find some unfired ones I'll send you a PM.

Student
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Offline Tom H.

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Reloading Slugs Update
« Reply #9 on: July 12, 2004, 12:02:02 PM »
There is a 20ga lyman mold listed on ebay.  It is the slug that Lyman sells by the pack.

Good Luck

Tom
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