Unofficial 12ga Slug Penetration Comparison

kodiakjack said:
Another question, you say “pine boards” but they look like 2x8 spruce. Just wanted to verify in case I get the chance to compare some other slugs. Also, what’s the spacing you’re using there? About 3/4”?
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Kodiakjack, well I thought they are pine boards, but you are probably right … they are probably spruce. They are the cheapest stuff I could get from my lumbar yard. They are 2x10s and they are 1.5 inches thick.

Also, one should note that this is not really a scientific reproducible test. For example if one of those slugs had hit a knot in the board, penetration would have been reduced significantly. Also the spacing of the boards has an impact on penetration … I realized. These slugs rip quite big holes and they rip out quite big splinters. If these splinters or chips have somewhere to go, they will move out of the way. If not they will be compacted and will help to slow down the slug.

If you would nail all those boards together, penetration would be much less. If you increase the spacing between the boards to lets say 3 inches, penetration will increase and I am convinced the Challenger would have gone through the 8th board.

For my test the spacing was around 1/2” to 3/4” ….

8_Spruce_Boards_Test_Setup.jpg


I still like this method, because it is still good for a comparative test of the slugs that you have at hand and anybody can do this setup … And it is cheap … the wood cost me $35.- …

Hope this helps …
Faustus
 
Thanks for the specs on your set up. I’ve got so e 2x8s laying around with no purpose. Might bust a few up for “science”.
 
Adding this info ....

1. Rio Brenneke: 1 1/8oz; 1410 FPS
2. Challenger (Gualandi) Slug: 1 1/8oz; 1610 FPS
3. Winchester 3” Rack Master: 1 1/8oz; 1700 FPS
4. Federal TruBall: 1oz; 1600 FPS
5. Sellier & Bellot Sport Slug: 1oz; 1345 FPS
6. Federal Power Shok Sabot Slug: 1oz; 1500 FPS
7. My Buck & Ball load: Weight 2.1oz; Velocity unknown
8. Aguila Mini Slug: 7/8oz; 1250 FPS

I am just realizing … there is a pretty direct correlation between speed and penetration …. Now I wish I had tried the Rack Master which is on the heavier side and has the highest velocity … oh well ....
 
0faustus0 said:
Yes, I had one misfire with the Challengers ... firing pin did hit the primer ... but no bang ... :-(
And that was the only misfire I had so far with this gun ...
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Interesting... I wonder if that’s what caused the flyer... damp powder or something? Or poor primer ignition? Weird.
 
kodiakjack said:
What’s the recoil like on your buck and ball? That’s a pretty hefty load.
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Well, I am still tinkering with the buck & ball load. One reason for this penetration test was to get more info on that load. When I shoot it it does not feel like a 2oz load ... more like one of the 1oz slugs. So, I believe there is still room to increase the powder load. That will be my project for this winter .... :)

If you want to know more about the buck & ball load ... I have a thread running on another forum:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?339590-Buck-amp-Ball-Once-again
 
buzzmagoo said:
The federal slug most likely would be better ,shot from a rifled barrel, it being a sabo round . Neet test !
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Buzzmagoo, yes you are right ... the Federal Power Shok Sabot Slug needs to be shot from a rifled barrel or it will tumble during flight. I had my other 870 with rifled Hastings barrel with me ... but it was getting late ... so I passed that one. I might still test it in the future ....

Anyhow my Hastings barrel likes that round .... both are a good combo .... :)
 
I to have s rifled Hastings barrel on my 870 and I loved the federal sabots. I am looking for another Hastings barrle.
 
0faustus0 said:
Well, I am still tinkering with the buck & ball load. One reason for this penetration test was to get more info on that load. When I shoot it it does not feel like a 2oz load ... more like one of the 1oz slugs. So, I believe there is still room to increase the powder load. That will be my project for this winter .... :)

If you want to know more about the buck & ball load ... I have a thread running on another forum:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?339590-Buck-amp-Ball-Once-again
Click to expand...


Fascinating. Thanks for sharing your buck and ball adventures.

I don’t reload shotshells, so there’s plenty there I don’t understand. A couple questions:

Do you plan to make a similar load, but with a slug instead of the ball? Or a cylinder shape?

Do you plan to try inverting the load? Shot on top? This seems to be what Commercial loaders are doing, and I expect they’ve played with it a bit to find what worked well? Winchester pdx for example.

I see your wads get pretty mangled. If inverting the load doesn’t help that, what about a “flight control” style wad (if such things are available) to carry the whole payload down range a few yards before backing off and setting the load free?

Also for wad deformation, what about using a media tapped down between the components to prevent deformation like they do in the federal flight control ammo? They use a granulated plastic, but you could probably use something householdish... maybe white rice that’s been run through a coffee grinder? Or even coffee grounds for that matter? Anything that will add next to no weight while helping to evenly spread out the acceleration into the lead bits.

Just some thoughts.
 
0faustus0 said:
Yes, I had one misfire with the Challengers ... firing pin did hit the primer ... but no bang ... :-(
And that was the only misfire I had so far with this gun ...
Click to expand...

Well .... I ordered a couple more boxes of the Challenger slugs, and they arrived yesterday. So I open the first box and this is what I found.

challenger.jpg


The wad of one round was completely mangled and to a level hat the powder would come out of the round. There was powder all over in that one box. Further the round had such a bulge that I could not even chamber it.

I guess that would explain the flyers ....

:-(
 
Crikey! I’d be calling the manufacturer!

They should be embarrassed. Was the box damaged? (Not that I think a dropped box could produce that)

Was that a box of 10? And 3 looked like that? What’s the lot # so I know to watch out!
 
0faustus0;
Good evening to you sir and thanks very much for sharing the results with us, I very much appreciate it.

Your findings seem to back what the youtube chap taofledermaus indicated - that is to say the Gualandi is every bit as good as the Brenneke - and perhaps better.

I've been able to find the Challenger out here in rural BC at the Canadian Tire and bought a good number while they had them in stock. It's our standard camping and "shoo bear" load now.

Thanks again and all the best to you folks as we head into the Christmas Season.

Dwayne
 
Great work OP!

I just want to add that Rio, as well as other Brenneke clone slugs I've tried, are softer than the originals and perform accordingly.
 
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