It has been slow going but I decided to use the best features of slugs tested so far to make a new mould. This is an attached wad slug Brenneke/AQ style as so far I have had good results with these. Actually the best results I have had are with a Rapine .730" TC slug and my own undersize TC hollow base slug. I had altered the TC hollow base mould to make a TC attached wad slug which worked pretty well but was still undersize so had to be paper patched to snug fit.
So, I decided to try a Lee Drive Key slug with attached wad and that worked pretty well too but since th eLee Slugs are tapered, it is a bit difficult to get a form lined up to keep the attached wad dead in line. A taper machined form would work but I am lazy and sizing the Lee slugs down some making them straight sided would probably work too but again, I am lazy. So, I made a TC mould with small hollow base simply for glue area (attached wads are hot melt glue), a nose band to fit standard shotcups with snug fit to bore, reduced shank to suit typical shotcup inside base dimensions then made glue forms to slide over the shank for alignment. Worked out pretty well.
Now to see if they shoot!
Attached is a photo showing from left to right: new TC slug, Lee Drive key slug with attached wad recovered from snow, TC solid recovered from snow, TC solid recovered after passing through an 8" poplar tree then smucking a rock.
The attached wad seems to swell to fill the bore well at firing as they are quite undersize yet you can see a black streak on the slug third from th left where it filled out to the wad petal slits. Most recovered slugs have the same marks, yet the glue retains its strength and shape overall.
Yeah, I know the new TC nose doesn't have a big enough meplat... I already fixed that so the next batch have a bigger meplat like the TC solid.
I am hoping to send some slugs down range this weekend.
Longbow