Lee Slug Load Inaccuracy

[Ironduke]

I shot a dozen or so loads I made with the 1 oz Lee slug from my smooth bore Mossberg 590-A1. At 50 yards they all would have been fatal since they hit in the torso area of the green man-sized target at the range. Still, I know Remington, federal, Brenneke and even Wolf slugs are MUCH more accurate.

Curious, I found a few of the wads that had discarded in flight between muzzle and target. They were smashed crooked and had significant, but inconsistent damage to the base area that sits below the slug. Some showed evidence of being pressed into the base of the slug, but all of these were different in their angle and intensity. In other words they had impressions from the base of the slug, but the damage was unpredictable. Some wads didn't have much damage while some were almost molded into the form of the cavity.

My perception is that the slug is being pushed crookedly as it leaves the muzzle. it is wobbling down range rather than flying nose on. Thus there isno predictability in the flight of the slugs.

How do the factories get good accuracy with forster type slugs similar to the Lee slugs? I recall some talk on a thread or two on this forum about nitro cards below the slug or something like this. What are these nitro cards? How do i load them? Where do i get them? Once I have some, how do i find a load that uses the nitro card in the recipe? Are the nitro cards compatible with AA hulls?

See? I need lots of help here. I don't even know where to start!

Paul

[tomme boy]

Go down to the Shotgun section about 3/4 of the way down.

[runfiverun]

it's a cardboard wad that sits under the slug.
you'll probably want something like an .020 20 ga card.
quite often a gas seal, some felt wads,a tyvek wrap, and a base card is used instead of a wad.

[longbow]

Yes, check out the Casting for Shotguns section. Lots of good info there.

Most slugs benefit from using at least one nitro card wad under the slug. These should be 0.125" (1/8") nitro card wads available at BPI or Precision Reloading. I usually use 16 ga. nitro card wads inside the shotcup. Some use 20 ga. Either will work depending on shotcup diameter.

I am a long time slug shooter but new to the Lee slugs and shot my first Lee slugs on Sunday. So far, I am not impressed though I can't blame the slug yet. I only had one wad on hand that was about the right thickness and even though they pushed through the barrel well, there was petal damage.

Groups ran about 8" at 50 yards.

My round ball loads run from 3" to 4" at the same range so the slug has to improve or hold up better at longer range to have any benefit over round ball.

The wads I used were not those recommended by Lee and I cast from wheelweights not soft lead so I can't be too judgmental yet. On the up side, the Lee 1 oz. slug mould casts very well and slugs are nice and round. I had no trouble with release from the mould either. Excellent performance and results from an inexpensive mould.

Did you follow the Lee recommendations for load, hull, wad, etc? If not, you should and add the nitro card wad under the slug.

What size groups did you get?

Is your gun cylinder bored or choked?

It all makes a difference and you may have to try several different loads to find one that works well.

Longbow

[35remington]

You will likely never get as good results with the Lee wadslug in a smoothbore as factory Foster slugs. Keep in mind that it's an inexpensive alternative suitable for practice and action shooting games.

You may want to try a card under the slug in the wad. To some degree the wad is supposed to lock onto the slug in a rifled barrel, so as to transmit the rifling twist and rotate the slug, but an undamaged wad may be more beneficial than the wad locking to the slug in a smoothbore.

Be sure to avoid using the cheaper clone copies of the OEM wads as they fracture and lose petals and crumble in the crush section more than the original Winchester/Federal type wads. Federal wads are particularly tough and hold up better to the Lee slug, which is much harder on wads than shot is.