Need reassurance gun won't blow up-pics of problem

S

safety first

Regular
Rating - 100%
4   0   0
I just got my Lyman 20gauge slug mold, and put some lead through it to make some 350gr slugs.

20g.jpg


I have made my own 12 gauge slugs, and as you can see they fit a cylinder choke with room for the cup. It's loose as is, in the barrel.
20g2.jpg


The 20 gauge NEF pardner compact has a modified choke, so it would narrow in, I get that.

The problem might be that it doesn't fit through the choke at all. Maybe if I jammed it, but not easily. What if the slug had a cup around it?

20gauge.jpg


So is that normal? any chance this would pressurize the barrel in a bad way?

I need some experience to save me a lesson here, so anyone with some insight would be great

thanks guys
 
I use pure or close to it lead for slugs like this. Plumbing or X ray lead or stick on wheel weights.

I dont use clip on regular wheel weights or harder stuff for shotgun slugs.
 
k that lead slug will change size if its soft. one way to go is when you cast slugs do NOT drop them in water to cool. instant cooling will harden the lead so when you cast just drop them on a cardboard and let it cool slowly so the lead stays soft i was told to do this by a pro caster.
 
ah , good stuff, it's made from the #8 shot from trap loads melted into a slug

crap, I did drop them into water, doh. I totally didn't think of that

cardboard, that's a good tip
 
Any of you guys looking for lead get in touch with a roofer or company. THe plumbing flashings on many older houses use a bug hunk of lead to cover it. Ours are like 10-20 lbs each. Its just garbage to our company and I would guess to most other ones as well.

Google is failing me atm but ours are about 18"x18" square of lead. Worth looking into imho
 
Lead from birdshot is a harder alloy.

Dropping in water only hardens some alloys, not just pure lead. Also if water dropped over time the alloy gets a bit harder, then weeks/months later people have observed unfired bullets getting softer again.
 
I accidentally fired some Lee 12ga slugs that where made from wheel weights and water dropped through a full choke in my 870. They are quite hard and harder than any store bought cast bullets I have found using the hammer and concrete floor test (not scientific, I know). I noticed no difference between the full choke and cylinder bore in terms of recoil and accuracy. It wasn't until I got home and was cleaning that I realized I still had my full choke in from trap shooting.

Without a shot cup, inserting from the threaded (chamber) end of the choke, I can get the front of the slug to within 1/2" of the end of the choke. Past that I can't move them further with finger force alone. Going in from the muzzle end putting the back of the slug in first I can get maybe 1/4" of the slug in before it wont go in any further.

I'd say it's pretty safe to fire them if they are tight in a modified choke.
 
Go to Lymans web site and send in a question reguarding how tight that 20 gauge slug is. There is no room for a shot cup with a slug that large already. Just room for wads beneath.
What diameter is that 20 gauge slug?
 
i have a double barrel shot gun, one barrel is full choke, one is cylinder. so far i've put about 50 of my own personal hand cast slugs through each. also i put a few 3 inch magnum rifled slugs from winchester down the tubes that i had left over from before i started making my own

further more i have a mossberg 500a with an 18 inch barrel that has a cylinder choke that has fired the same slugs with no issue
 
As I recall, that type of slug, a Foster, was intended to be shot without the shot cup around it. It was used with an overpowder wad and a filler wad. In my 12 ga I have used the plastic shot wad, with the cup petals cut off.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom