sweet lee 12ga slug handload

[sirsloop]

Ive been working on perfecting a 12ga lee drive key slug handload. I've gone through a few revisions of components. I was shooting blue dot powder but had issues with it igniting whenn I was out in Feb testing (cold). I have since switched to Herco, but I'm also considering Bullseye or Clays powder. I originally tried a WAA12SL wad, but it was too tall. I switched to a windjammer wad but the pedals were too thin and weak. Last go around I tried Downrange darkblue (xl1?). The fit was PERFECT with a 1oz slug but the accuracy was terrible. The pedals were all getting wrecked and the base was crushing. I have switched to 7/8oz slugs as they fit height wise better and reports are they fly better.

So on to a new idea. Ballistic products sells these "super short" wads which are great cause the slug can sit way up high. This helps the slug open the crimp instead of the pedals. I use a 20ga fiber wad with a 20ga mini-nitro card on top to get the slug to the proper height. The mini nitro prevents the slug from digging into the fiber wad. The slug fits in the wad well with the fiber wad raising it up. Both Herco and Blue Dot are thin extruded powders which have a tendency to slip past the wad base. I use a 1" paper punch and some orange tissue paper I had around in the closet). Newspaper works but I dont have one! Put it all together in a clear cheddite 2-3/4" hull with a 6 star crimp. I cooked up 50, and have yet to fire them. They certainly seem like they will be good in the accuracy dept, but I failed with the DR wad so you never know until you try. The tissue paper holds the powder in very well, and looks awesome!!!

on a side note the lee load all meters extruded powder but it spills some out the sides. I use the shot side of the load all with the 7/8oz bushing which throws 33.5gr of Herco. Perfect! I'll be using a powder measure in the future for extruded powders and shotshell.













072ssw

[AlaskanGuy]

That looks interesting... Wonder how the paper will do.... sure has a nice crimp on them cases.. What cases are you using???

[sirsloop]

They are the clear 2-3/4" Cheddite hulls from BPI. Comes primed... saves me a step! I toyed around with roll crimping as well... ended up deciding fold crimp was the hot setup. I gotta tell ya clear hulls for load development are awesome! You can see everything thats going on. I left a shell in my pocket all evening to knock it around a little but and no powder has pushed above the wad. The paper is doing a real nice job at keeping it contained.

[Garyshome]

Nothing like throwing a 1oz chunk of lead down range.

[sirsloop]

This entire shot column weighs bout .9 oz with a 7/8oz slug. Ya the 47gr blue dot 1oz slug loads really ripped. Talk about making a steel plate dance at 50 yards HAHAHA!!!

[sirsloop]

So I couldn't be happier with the slug and wad performance on this setup. The pedals are all in perfect condition up near the top, they clearly show they were engaged in the rifling, and they all were popped off the base of the wad. Having the slug sit way up high is good cause the slug opens the crimp, not the wad. SO this means the slug is stuck in the shot cup correctly upon firing, as soon as the slug leaves the barrel, the pedals are flying off the base leaving the slug to fly forward unrestricted. I think an issue I was having with some of the other wads with deeper shot cups is the pedals were getting wrecked on discharge, and the pedals were interfering with the slug after its left the barrel. The paper at the bottom of the hull basically vaporizes... I see a poof of debris fly out the front of the barrel but nothing was recovered. Its blown to pieces and does an excellent job of keeping the powder down under the wad, completely.















So I think the kickometer tells me the slugs are not quite as powerful as blue dot, but they are accurate and still pack a wallop. I also made up a set of 10 blue dot slugs in this configuration with 45gr of blue dot. They performed but I notice there is some unburned powder left over in the hull after the gun is fired. Herco leaves the hull clear of any unburned powder. Thats telling me Blue Dot requires more pressure or a heavier payload to completely ignite. No good for this application. I may make it 34gr of Herco and call it a day. They are real fun to shoot... not an outrageous shell but just a nice medium kickin slug load. Next time out i'll bring my steel plate and make it dance at 100 yards.

I would say accuracy was 4" at 100 yards. I forgot my dang target stand and had to dumpster dive for something to shoot at one the way down HAHAHAH. I ended up just picking distinguishable pieces of trash on the berm and obliterating them.

[sirsloop]

If you're interested in listening to me drone on for 20+ minutes about shotgun slugs... HAHAH

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXA1WWbwmIM

If that wasnt enough you can listen for 6 more minutes while I display a diy workbench tool vise

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24PTjX6ReTM

[longbow]

That set up looks like a winner!

Those wads look like they should be a good fit for 0.678" round balls too. Might be a bit loose in a rifled gun but should be good for smoothbore. I just might have to order me some of those.

I also have to get around to ordering a Lee 7/8 oz. slug mould too. I am still shooting smoothbores and have a considerable collection of slug moulds but Lee is inexpensive and several folks say that 7/8 oz. slug works well so... I better give it a try.

Looks like you got 'er beat with that load anyway.

Longbow

[mojomandan]

Nice instructional tutorial! Did you follow BPI's loading data, or make one up yourself?

[sirsloop]

I made one up myself... After reading other people using the same or hotter load data (with different wads/hulls behind a drive key) and living to tell about it hahahah. I have the bpi slug manual and it doesn't mention this in any way shape or form. In fact it doesn't even list herco for anything under like 1-1/8oz, although it shot great. I started with 25gr herco, moved to 28gr, then 31gr, then 33.5gr. That seems to be just bout right on the kick-o-meter. I rounded it up to an even 34gr and called it a day. Probably could go up to 36+ but there's no sense in pushing it. Certainly doesn't feel like it's really ripping/too hot at this level. Makes ~200 per pound of powder.

[TheCzechBoss]

I made one up myself... After reading other people using the same or hotter load data (with different wads/hulls behind a drive key) and living to tell about it hahahah. I have the bpi slug manual and it doesn't mention this in any way shape or form. In fact it doesn't even list herco for anything under like 1-1/8oz, although it shot great. I started with 25gr herco, moved to 28gr, then 31gr, then 33.5gr. That seems to be just bout right on the kick-o-meter. I rounded it up to an even 34gr and called it a day. Probably could go up to 36+ but there's no sense in pushing it. Certainly doesn't feel like it's really ripping/too hot at this level. Makes ~200 per pound of powder.

i been up to 36.5 grains theres a major difference with the few extra grains i backed down to 31 was my comfy zone , thanks for the write up btw

[35remington]

For practice level loads I use 16-17 grains Red Dot, Promo, 700X or Clays in tapered cases with the WAASL wad for circa 1150 fps with the one ounce slug.

Forgive the Nazi spell check police, but it is spelled "petals" because wad shot cups resemble flowers when they open.

"Pedals" accelerate bikes and cars.

[Blood Trail]

You gotta try PT1205 wads from BPI!
No felt or nitro cards needed. *wink
http://www.ballisticproducts.com/load14_04_25.htm

[Hogtamer]

BT, here's a pic of my 7/8 Le slug load. Attachment 111271That's a trap commander wad, a 20 ga op seal (or nitro card, these were just on sale) followed by a 16 ga nitro card, then the slug. Notice no bulging or spread out petals. The base of the wad is just slighly smaller than the top and the 20 card actually snaps in place perfectly. The 16 ga card then fits perfectly but is too big to fit in the bottom. this pic is the wad after the shot...can use it again!
Attachment 111272 This was AJ's discovery but he was using to 16 ga cards. You must have 2 cards in the wad to keep the base or just one card from driving up into the hollow base and ruining accuracy. Here's what 6 shots @ the terminal end looked like last week, 100 yds from a bench, IC choke, scoped 870. Attachment 1112732 were xring center, 3 were on the 3" line with one flyer, top left. These loads were over 34 grns Longshot and a W209 primer in an Estate hull (load 'em like a Federal). Moving ~ 1600 fps. These slugs don't mushroom through 2" dry lumber into dry logs behind that. manageable recoil. I bulk load these with 20.7 grn Clays to get ~ 1325 fps. accuracy not quite as good @ distance but recoil modest and still enough charge to bury beyond retrieval in a big pine tree!

[Blood Trail]

What's the product number of the wads u using? Like u, I'm on the quest to develop the most accurate Lee slug load. Those are 7/8 oz slugs, right?

[Blood Trail]

What's hulls are u gettin the most accuracy from? It seems that ribbed hulls load better than AA, Nitros, or Sts hulls.

[Hogtamer]

Yes, the straight wall hulls like federal do best. The AA hulls to me are worthless unless using Winchester components. I believe the cheddites are straight walled too. Here are the trap commander wads... http://www.ballisticproducts.com/Com.../products/657/
I've been using the BPI 1/8" nitro cards, too. 1-20ga, then 1-16 ga. I had good results with the old Winchester AA12R red wads initially, but my stash ran out and they haven't been made in 10-12 years. Again, the card are vital: they raise the slug above the wad slightly so the slug, not the wad opens the crimp, and 2 cards prevent the wad jamming into the base of the slug. Like you, I went through lots of components to get the right combo...now, my favorite Longshot powder is nowhere to be found. I will be trying IMR 800x as a replacement for the high velocity loads.

[Michael J. Spangler]

Great thread.
Do think the trap commander wad would work well with the older 2 piece straight wall remington peters with the plastic base was?

I'm looking to order components this week for my 1 oz slug loads. I was thinking of ordering all new hulls if need be. Might as well get it right the first time instead of messing around. Right?

[Hogtamer]

For the one ounce slugs you may need the helix cushion driver 18. they are a bit shorter overall so will leave room for the crimp with the longer slug....still gotta have the niro cards. I just don't know about those hulls, if the wad will seat properly without damaging the gas seal....
http://www.ballisticproducts.com/HCD-Wads/products/659/

[Blood Trail]

Here's what I'm loading now. PT1205 wad, 1 oz lee slug, Fiochicci and Cheddite hulls