12 ga Lyman slug

[big boar]

Does anyone else load these & if so do you fill the bases with either wax or hot glue. Do you also use a card at the base? I’m thinking of using a card cut from a milk container or strong plastic to make a wad to support the base.
So far my accuracy @ 50 yds is about 4”+ groups from a Rem870 & fully rifled barrel or a smooth deer barrel with a rifled choke tube. Ive red several people are getting that accuracy @100 yards.
Thanks for help & advice.

 

[RePete]

I've loaded them and just assemble the slug in the wad and load. No filler or card wads.

 

[Snider shooter]

Use load data from the Lyman shotshell manual #5. Try different loads. I don’t use any wads or fillers. Shotguns can be picky with slugs or buckshot so load some different loads and try them. My Mossberg 535 will put the first 3 rounds under 3 inches at 100 m. 4th and 5th open the group to 5 or 6 inches due to the barrel heating up. Let your barrel cool down. A hot barrel will enlarge your groups big time.
So far 5 deer have fallen from Lyman slugs and my 535, 4 running and one standing. I have recovered one slug ,opposite side and under the hide. Skirt expanded and front mushroomed.

 

[RePete]

My favourite load is

Lyman 525gr wasp waist slug
Federal Paper Basewad hull
30.0gr/Herco
WAA F114 wad

The wad can be substituted with the Claybuster CB1114-12 but not for cold weather, they are stiffer than the WW wads.

 

[barsik]

I'm using the lyman data , but my best load has only given me a 2.5 inch group at 25 yards. IM barrel.

 

[smokeeter]

https://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php/1355709-New-batch-of-Lyman-525-s

 

[Ruger007]

My 525gr load is:
Win AA 2.75 old case
44gr Blue dot
Win 209
WAA12R red wad.
Used a Lee load all to put together. Fold crimp.
2 to 2.5" group at 100. With a Savage 212.

Make sure you have a decent pad and the scope mounted forward.

Book says 1474fps. Over that Labradar was 1450-1500fps. Got some wallop!

I may have to bust it out again. I have a bunch of STS cases that look like they will work well.

 

[BattleRife]

So far my accuracy @ 50 yds is about 4”+ groups from a Rem870 & fully rifled barrel or a smooth deer barrel with a rifled choke tube.

I'm getting about the same accuracy you are. I cast the same slug design, but my mould is from MP Molds in Slovenia. I lose a lot of petals off the wads when firing. I tried fitting the slug into a wad and tapping it through a fully rifled barrel with a hammer and wooden dowel. It took serious force to get it through, and the plastic petals were all but stripped off the wad. I want to experiment with sizing the slugs down a bit, but haven't got a lathe to make a sizing ring. I have tried filling the base of the slug with glue or polyfilla, it hasn't helped much that I could tell.

 

[RePete]

@BattleRifle do not waste your time filling the cavity, it will, more than likely, create an imbalance in the slug.

 

[B]

@BattleRifle do not waste your time filling the cavity, it will, more than likely, create an imbalance in the slug.

He already did and didn't seen any improvement... Last sentence of his post. I have never bothered with this slug because so many people seem to have issues getting them to group. Too bad because the velocities are impressive with such a heavy slug.

 

[Snider shooter]

He already did and didn't seen any improvement... Last sentence of his post. I have never bothered with this slug because so many people seem to have issues getting them to group. Too bad because the velocities are impressive with such a heavy slug.

The problem is most people pick the fastest loads and think that is all they need. Try different loads in the Lyman manual and see which gives better accuracy. I tried the loads I had the components for and found two accurate loads. Both loads where excellent but one shot lower and had an average 130 fps less velocity. The load I use is still not the highest velocity in the book but it has worked well on five deer so far.
Treat slug guns as rifles. They are picky with loads they like. Test a few different loads and eventually the magic load appears.

 

[Workin Man]

I'm getting about the same accuracy you are. I cast the same slug design, but my mould is from MP Molds in Slovenia. I lose a lot of petals off the wads when firing. I tried fitting the slug into a wad and tapping it through a fully rifled barrel with a hammer and wooden dowel. It took serious force to get it through, and the plastic petals were all but stripped off the wad. I want to experiment with sizing the slugs down a bit, but haven't got a lathe to make a sizing ring. I have tried filling the base of the slug with glue or polyfilla, it hasn't helped much that I could tell.

MP Molds make two different versions of that slug mold. One is designed to be loaded in a standard wad, like the Lyman. The other is slightly larger in diameter and is supposed to be used with undershot cards etc (I don't recall if undershot card is the right term). Maybe you have the full bore version?

Jim