12 gauge slug
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Buy the Lyman shotshell reloading handbook.
Each load uses specific hulls, wads, primers, powders, slugs, spacers, gas seals, and other components. Changing one can drastically change the pressure and make the round unsafe. At minimum if someone is going to give you advice, you need to list what components you have access to (hulls, primers, powders, and wads for sure, other things possible).
Each load uses specific hulls, wads, primers, powders, slugs, spacers, gas seals, and other components. Changing one can drastically change the pressure and make the round unsafe. At minimum if someone is going to give you advice, you need to list what components you have access to (hulls, primers, powders, and wads for sure, other things possible).
BattleRife
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Buying the Lyman Handbook is good advice, and the standard rule of shotgun reloading is to never deviate from published recipes or substitute components.
But, the reality of the component shortages of recent years is that with specialty loads like slugs the components for published loads are often not available, and people have started doing load development on their own to use what they have available to them. The folks over at the castboolits website routinely experiment with slug loads now. I have done a little, and intend to do more.
I started with this experiment:
Everything I have seen says the secret to good accuracy with these slugs is the wad column. You want the petals to stay intact, and the wad to separate cleanly and consistently from the slug. So I used this chart to pick a load that gave the velocity I wanted and have tried substituting all kinds of wads, both as made and modified in various ways. I have yet to find one that works entirely as desired, so work continues.
But, the reality of the component shortages of recent years is that with specialty loads like slugs the components for published loads are often not available, and people have started doing load development on their own to use what they have available to them. The folks over at the castboolits website routinely experiment with slug loads now. I have done a little, and intend to do more.
I started with this experiment:
Everything I have seen says the secret to good accuracy with these slugs is the wad column. You want the petals to stay intact, and the wad to separate cleanly and consistently from the slug. So I used this chart to pick a load that gave the velocity I wanted and have tried substituting all kinds of wads, both as made and modified in various ways. I have yet to find one that works entirely as desired, so work continues.
BlueDot used to be my powder of choice for slug loads. I also used the WAA-F114 wad; but I cut the petals off and paper-patched the slugs for a good fit in the (smooth) bore.
With all the info in the "12 gauge from hell" thread, I'm thinking that 4227 or Li'lGun will get some use when I return to loading slugs.
With all the info in the "12 gauge from hell" thread, I'm thinking that 4227 or Li'lGun will get some use when I return to loading slugs.
