Thirty Cent Slugs

[Ganderite]

Slugs are fun to shoot, but too expensive at $1.00 a pop.

I have been making my own. One way is to cast a lead slug (or ball) and stuff it in a target round (after dumping out the shot).

The other way is to make wax slugs.

With either method, the cheap and easy way to proceed is to cut the crimp out of a target load. I like the 2 3/4 dram mild target loads. Buy cutting out the crimp, leaving the folded over section to hold the wad in place, the result is a ridge to hold the lead slug in place or to hold the wax slug in place, so it does not pop out under recoil.

My 11 year old grandson enjoys blowing up jugs of water with wax slugs. The recoil of the mild target loads in not too much for him

The concept of the wax slug is that the round has a full charge of lead shot plus hot wax to hold the shot as a solid cylinder. The wax and shot is heated up on the stove and then poured into the shell. It hits hard, just like a real slug, except it is cheap and has no ricochet risk.

I shot a short video of how I make wax slugs. The key trick is an easy way to get the crimp off. I use a 16mm ceramic drill bit in my electric drill. This cuts out the crimp easily.

 

[Rossiter93]

I made up a box worth of those last year. Used paraffin wax if I'm remembering correctly. They were a hoot to shoot!

 

[tiriaq]

Using the hole cutter looks a whole lot easier and faster than the slender bladed knife I've been using.

 

[Ganderite]

Using the hole cutter looks a whole lot easier and faster than the slender bladed knife I've been using.

Been there. Done that. Looked for something easier, and the 16 mm hole cutter does it.

There are different styles of hole cutters. The only one that works is the one that looks like a socket with grit on the end.

 

[tiriaq]

I was thinking that popping in a top wad would be an easy way of producing 2 1/2" shells for short chambered nitro proved guns.

 

[odsixer]

Thanks for the info!
I have been looking into making slugs out of target loads, apparently the 7/8oz lee key drive slugs are the way to go as they fly better than the 1oz

https://youtu.be/__NWTi2HUMI

 

[tiriaq]

I've used a little arbor press to pop Lee slugs into the cases.

 

[leverboy]

I am loving my Lee 7/8oz slug mold... I buy target shells by the case. Cut the crimp, dump the shot in my Loadall, insert Lee slug and hot glue in place. (Gotta get a roll crimper) Phase 2 for me is that I take the empties and load the shot back in over 2F Goex to make short BP shells that cycle perfectly through my Chinese 1887 repro

 

[odsixer]

I am loving my Lee 7/8oz slug mold... I buy target shells by the case. Cut the crimp, dump the shot in my Loadall, insert Lee slug and hot glue in place. (Gotta get a roll crimper) Phase 2 for me is that I take the empties and load the shot back in over 2F Goex to make short BP shells that cycle perfectly through my Chinese 1887 repro

Awesome, have you ran the slugs through a semi auto?
Roll crimper in a drill press seems like the way to go:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Shotgun-Sh...d=281827121349&_trksid=p2047675.c100011.m1850

 

[leverboy]

Awesome, have you ran the slugs through a semi auto?
Roll crimper in a drill press seems like the way to go:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Shotgun-Sh...d=281827121349&_trksid=p2047675.c100011.m1850

No I haven't but they work perfect in my Mossberg pump...

 

[xdmer]

Thanks for the video. Has anyone tried making the wax slugs with #4 buckshot?

 

[Ganderite]

Thanks for the video. Has anyone tried making the wax slugs with #4 buckshot?

I have not, but I see no reason it would not work. The "slug" would arrive on target, and then become buckshot. It would lack the spread of buckshot and lack the penetration of a slug. Don't see any advantage.

 

[yomomma]

Thanks for the info!
I have been looking into making slugs out of target loads, apparently the 7/8oz lee key drive slugs are the way to go as they fly better than the 1oz

https://youtu.be/__NWTi2HUMI

I had no issues with the 1oz

 

[kodiakjack]

Anyone have experience with how they function in a semi? Gumming up gas ports ?

 

[Ganderite]

I was thinking that popping in a top wad would be an easy way of producing 2 1/2" shells for short chambered nitro proved guns.

Exactly! The drill would cut out crimp and make the hull short enough for a 2 1/2" chamber. A 12 g or 20 g card wad would do the trick. I made one the other day by smearing some epoxy across the top layer of shot.

A card wad and white glue would be easiest, I think.

 

[Ganderite]

Anyone have experience with how they function in a semi? Gumming up gas ports ?

I have fired a few in my Hatson semi. No problems, but not enough to really be sure. The wax slug is inside a plastic wad column, so wax probably is not an issue.

 

[kodiakjack]

I have fired a few in my Hatson semi. No problems, but not enough to really be sure. The wax slug is inside a plastic wad column, so wax probably is not an issue.

Right. Of course.


One more question: I always see folks pulling the shot out, mixing it with wax, then pouring it back in (sometimes awkwardly).

Why not just leave the shot in the hull, then pour the hot wax over the shot where it sits? Does it just cool too quickly?

 

[Ganderite]

Right. Of course.


One more question: I always see folks pulling the shot out, mixing it with wax, then pouring it back in (sometimes awkwardly).

Why not just leave the shot in the hull, then pour the hot wax over the shot where it sits? Does it just cool too quickly?

The objective is wax filling all the little spaces between the shot pellets. The lead absorbs a lot of heat. Wax pours slowly and it would solidify before it got to the bottom of the cup.

By mixing the lead and wax up in the pot, the lead is the same temp as the wax, and serves to keep the wax molten for several minutes, after it is in the shell. The result is a completely solid slug. I will cut one open and take a picture. I have been meaning to do this for awhile. Stay tuned....

OK cut the shell open. The slug weighs 390 gr. A ch more than the 7/8 of shot.






This is the bottom of the slug. Wax is uniform.

 

[kodiakjack]

The objective is wax filling all the little spaces between the shot pellets. The lead absorbs a lot of heat. Wax pours slowly and it would solidify before it got to the bottom of the cup.

By mixing the lead and wax up in the pot, the lead is the same temp as the wax, and serves to keep the wax molten for several minutes, after it is in the shell. The result is a completely solid slug. I will cut one open and take a picture. I have been meaning to do this for awhile. Stay tuned....

Neat. Thanks.

Have you ever got the shot too hot and had it melt or deform the hull/wad? Or as long as the wax isn’t smoking, it’s cool enough to not damage them?

 

[K-Roc]

Neat idea, cheers.