12 gauge wads for Lee drive key slugs.

guninhand

CGN frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
88   0   0
Location
East Coast
Which brand/style wad is best suited for Lee 1 oz. drive key slugs? The problem I find is most wads are too tight and the slug doesn't sit flat, bottom out properly, inside the wad. TIA.
 
Lee drive-key slugs load easiest in straight-walled hulls, ie: Federal, Cheddite, Fiocchi, etc. Likewise, best wads are those also used in straight-walled hulls:
Federal 12S3, CB 2118-12, for example. Slug seats down flat onto bottom of shot cup.
 
Last edited:
Which brand/style wad is best suited for Lee 1 oz. drive key slugs? The problem I find is most wads are too tight and the slug doesn't sit flat, bottom out properly, inside the wad. TIA.
I use Winchester AA red exclusively, they work very well.
 
I used Federal 12S0 1 oz wads in Top gun hulls (cheddite) when I was playing with Lee slugs. No issues in the Straight wall hulls

You'll have to use Claybuster replacement wads as the Federals aren't available anymore unless you find some NOS ones
 
The lee drive key is well an interesting one. You always will end up with a random flyer as it seems they don’t fit a lot of wads really well.

Even claybuster a new slug wad doesn’t work the greatest.

The 7/8oz slug is supposed to be slightly more accurate then the 1oz.

The biggest issue is the diameter I’d try it in some European wads(ballistic products) as these even fit .690 ball in most cases.
 
I’m making my own slug mold out of a piece of old shotgun barrel. I took the measurements for the base plug off a Winchester rifled slug. It is going to end up being a 1 1/8oz mold so I can empty out target loads cut the petals off their wads and pop in a slug. This will be a full bore wad cutter slug.
 
Back
Top Bottom