Test: Dino Devastator, 20ga Tri-ball, 12&20ga Companion buckshot

[cpileri]

Loads referencedhere:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?312523-Dino-Devastator-another-review
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?250136-back-to-old-interests-20-ga-Tri-ball!

THANK YOU to all who provided information andinspiration for these loads!

Power Category. Basically, in the interestof safety I will detail the pressure and velocity if known and categorize theload as:
“normal” (safe in all MODERN shotguns in good working condition, under 13.5kpsiw typical shotgun pressure curve),
“Blazing” (safe in modern shotguns in good working order with muzzle thicknessminimum .91”, under 13.5kpsi but longer pressure curve),
“barely From H_ll” (safe in USH and other shotguns with breech 1.2” diameterand muzzle minimum 1” diameter in good working condition. From 13.5-16.5kpsiAND longer pressure curve),
and
“FH” or “from H_ll” (safe only in highly modified Mauser/rolling blockmega-strong actions w custom heavy barrels etc as in ‘you would know if youhave one’-strength guns. From 16.5kpsi up to 25kpsi and UPWARDS. Don’t expecttoo many of these).

Date: 03 Sep 2016
Elevation: 764ft
Temp: 87 degF
Wind: 0-4 mph N
Humidity: 83 %
Platform:
12ga:
NEF/H&R Ultra Slug Hunter, Bore: .731, lands .721”; chamber reamed to 3.5”,24” fully rifled bbl, forcing cone polished and smoothly blends w beginning ofrifling, (chamber cast pics http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?209132-Test3-Hubel-FH-BlazingSabot-inspired-loads-and-pictures&p=2338792&viewfull=1#post2338792) stock and forearm weighted: balance point ~1inch forward of trigger guard,total weight 12+lbs w/ scope, hammer w/ offset spur installed
with Scope: Hi-Lux 2x-7x x32 LER

Notes: this weighted, heavy, gun was fired from seated “double gun” position(hand under forearm and resting hand/wrist on stand, gun to shoulder, bodyleaning in; pulling snugly both down and into shoulder. No shooting jacket norshoulder pad though) Buttstock has really squishy pad on it (*). As before, muzzleflipped a lot and stock slipped down off shoulder w each shot of heavy loads;but still absolutely no discomfort at all.
(*)this pad: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Or,
20ga’s
H&R 20ga Ultra Slug Hunter Compact; 3”chamber (cast steel receiver, not the rifle one-357mag/44mag and shotgun only),HEAVY barrel: fully rifled bore slugging to .622 groove/.618” lands EXCEPT toabout 1” from the muzzle where there is a tightness/constriction that I did notmeasure as I intend to lap through it over time and will be sizing my slugloads to the major/minor barrel dimensions listed. 22”bbl measuring a full 1”at muzzle, no sights. Optic mounted is a simple BSA 3-9x40.
Or,
Factory 870 Youth 20ga w factory smooth orrifled barrel

[cpileri]

Load name: DinoDev3”
Power Category: normal
Velocity and pressure: ~1400fps/ unknown psi
Hull: fed 3”
Primer: 209A
Powder & Charge: 65gr IMR 4579
Wad column: x12x over powder
Payload: Dino Devastator (656gr jacketed swaged diameter .7275 rolled in hBN)
Overshot (if any) & Crimp: 6-pt fold
Notes: interestingly, I did not have to trim the hull to 2.86", I leftthem at 3' and they fit ok. Actually the very first one I put in a 1/8"cork over the x12x anticipating the need for it since I didn't trim, but it fitOK; so I left all hulls at 3" and left out the 1/8" in subsequentloads. I have a 3.5' chamber so I want to make the hulls longer match for bestaccuracy, if I can. I started w the 3” since others here tested that already.then moved on in the 3.5” load. Not bad accuracy, but way more shoulder involvement that even the 1&3/8oz brennekes I was using to sight in the scope! recommend going down to 60gr 4759!

[cpileri]

rotate that image 90deg clockwise
rotate them all, in fact

[cpileri]

Load name: DinoDev3.5”
Power Category: normal
Velocity and pressure: ~1400fps/ unknown psi
Hull: fed 3.5”
Primer: 209A
Powder & Charge: 65gr IMR 4579
Wad column: x12x over powder, 2x1/4" hard nitrocards
Payload: Dino Devastator (656gr jacketed swaged diameter .7275 rolled in hBN)
Overshot (if any) & Crimp: 6-pt fold
Notes: nothing new here that didn't apply to the 3' version. lots of ejecta between the shot and all that powder. I only recovered the base of one of Dino's swaged projectiles (looks like a super thin penny). After next rain, I will scrounge around for more recovered projectiles.

[cpileri]

Companion buckshot loads (one from Dixie,and one 20ga that mirrors its “stacks of 2 pellet” pattern)

Dixie Slugs, 12 gauge2 3/4" 1 Buck Special.
new primed 2.75” Cheddite straight walled hull.
32 grs(2.8 cc) of Alliant Blue Dot –
LBC43mmwad: wad must be slit twice down to the inside base - just follow the moldline on each side, dust the wad inside and out with powdered mica –
16 #1BPI hard buckshot (stacked two on two) – (640gr, just <1.5oz)
PrecisionSpherical Buffer Sufficient to just cover the top layer of pellets -
overshotcard wad, Roll Crimp—
vel1220'/" - 10,700 psi.


the platform on this one was a factory 20" smoothbore 12a bbl w open (cylinder) bore. that's 8 of 16 pellets in an 8-in floating bullseye. I expected better, but maybe my choice to not choke the bore had something to do with it. this combo shoots Dixie 9and home rolled) tri-balls so well that I didn't want to change anything.

maybe a modified choke?

[cpileri]

Loadname: 20ga 2&1/2 buck companion load
Power Category: normal
Velocity and pressure: unknown, but 483gr lead w 24gr blue Dot w OB20 and CSDand felt gives 1300fps/11kpsi
Hull: Fio3”
Primer: Fio616
Powder & Charge: 21gr Blue Dot
Wad column: OB20 + CSD 20(split x4 all the way down, dusted in hBN)
Payload: 18 pelletsof no2.5buck (~.26cal pellets; 18p=481gr)+PSB buffer to just cover top ofpellets
Overshot (if any) & Crimp: 20ga thin OSC, roll
Notes: really likes this load, put 15 of 18 in the 8" circle at 25yds! nice!

[cpileri]

20ga tri-ball. http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?250136-back-to-old-interests-20-ga-Tri-ball!
3x .517" and weigh abt 202gr each.
3" Fio hulls w Fio616 primer, 20-20.5gr Steel(*) and 2 wad choices:
PT2092 (new name for the old VP92);
then put 1/8” hard card in bottom of wad cup
Dusted the wads in hexagonalboron nitride powder.
Loaded into hull.
vibrated in PSB buffer to just cover top ball and
thin mylar disc to hold inbuffer,
roll crimp
(*) 20-ish gr in 20” bbl, 21gr OKin 24” bbl
Notes: now THAT is a killing pattern: 3 balls on top of one another almost at 25yds! at 50 yds we were putting them in 7-8" spreads! This is a great 20ga load, one that we intend to put to use on some pigs and maybe even whitetail. recovered components to follow.

[cpileri]

Recovered a few components.



OK, so if we rotate the image 90deg CW; the first wad on the left is from the Dixie no1 buck load.
The middle one is from the 20ga triball. Looking at it, obviously the gas seal is shredded, so maybe back down to 19gr of powder. Also, looking inside, I can see the imprint of the PSB buffer in the bottom of the shotcup; where supposedly the 28ga card was and the 'holding down the balls" while vibrating in the buffer- all supposed to keep buffer from getting under the bottom ball. Which obviously I didn't. need to work on my loading technique. Still, awesome patterns!

And the third, rightmost, wad is the CSD wad from the 20ga Companion buckshot load; which held up perfectly.

Any and all comments, critiques, and suggestions are welcome!

C-

[cpileri]

and Oh my where oh where do I get some 20ga 500gr .625hardcast slugs?!?!?!?

So I can try this load form Dixie!

Load: 20gaDixie-1
Power Category: normal
Velocity and pressure: Mr. Gates states “1425 fps and ‘pressure tested atBallistics lab” but pressure not specified that I can find
Hull: 3” Ched
Primer: ?? Ched??
Powder & Charge: 34gr Blue Dot
Wad column: OB20, hard card, ½” cork, hard card wad under slug
Load: 500gr .625 hardcast lead slug
Overshot (if any) & Crimp: roll
Notes: as seen here:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...l=1#post525387

[uncle dino]

Nice job Carl, it takes a lot of effort to put all these loads together and document. D

[cpileri]

Here are some components I recovered:



the copper is the base of the Dino Devastator, not sure what happened to the rest of it; it went thru the paper straight but obviously shredded on the rocks. As opposed to the zlugs and the other Dino slugs I fired, which looked almost like they could be fired again.
Hulls don't show any concerning signs.