Testing the MP/Lyman 525

[Hoss29860]

Thanks for the offer hogtamer. when we get a chance to meet up ill gladly take you up on it . if you still have some to spare that is

[longbow]

I think if I had a rifled gun I would have gotten in on that Mihec/Lyman clone. I do like Mihec moulds! However, reports of accuracy in smoothbore with that slug are a little iffy. Some seem to do okay and others not so much. From rifled gun I have heard mostly good things about it and Hal's groups are terrific! It certainly is a nice looking slug! And Mihec moulds are marvelous pieces of work!

Longbow

[Hogtamer]

Actually Kent the original test were out of my .731 bore USH. The 3” group was out of my 870 with a 22” Hastings (not the bull barrel version) barrel. And it is repeatable off the lead sled. BTW, the 3” group shifts about 8” in a full value 15 mph wind. The original loads were too hot and shot out of the generous bore. My successful load is moving about 1450 fps and is 3-4” high at 50 yds.

[longbow]

You certainly have that load dialed in Hal! That's some nice work you've done!

Out of curiosity, and because I just sort of slandered pump guns some, what sort of fit is your 870 barrel to receiver?

3" repeatable groups at 100 yards is pretty impressive!

Longbow

[Hogtamer]

It’s pretty tight I guess, can’t remember if I have a coke can shim in there or not. Of course that is with a 3x9 scope, a Nikon BDC reticle and shooting off a lead sled. Polished up the trigger too.

[longbow]

I tried the Coke can shim and not only was it too thin to make much difference, it was so fragile that after a couple of disassembly/reassembles it tore.

Brass shim stock worked way better for me.

Longbow

[tomme boy]

Longbow, are you shimming a remington or Mossberg? If you are doing the Mossberg shim the barrel lug/bolt. Try to time it to lock in the, receiver and the magazine tube at the same time. Once this is set right you can pull the barrel on and off and the poi will be right on.

My most accurate slug gun I ever had. Was a m500. It had the cantilever barrel fully rifled. It shot the factory win fosters into a 3" group @ 10 yds. It was also the logest kil with a shotgun ihave done. 275 steps across a bean field. Very large doe. I could see where I was hitting and then the deer stopped at a gate hole. I aimed about what looked like 5 feet over her. I thought no way! She dropped! Right in front of the shoulder in the neck.

Anyway, it would shoot the win Bri slugs into 1.5" But that was after getting the barrel shimmed on both ends. If you look between the barrel lug and magazine tube you will see a gap. That it what you want to get rid of. Try different shims to get the right tension. Sometimes they want a little tension.

[SuperBlazingSabots]

Good morning, Since I have the Lyman 525 slug in wad mold I did not bother looking in to the MP / Lyman 525 mold but just thought of this idea:




Would MP be willing to make these two cavity molds for us in brass
$100 a piece and two for $160 to 170 when ordered together ! !
What says you my friend HogTamer ?

Always looking for a good deal for my friends.

Best regards
Ajay K. Madan
Super Blazing Sabots
PS: can you please send the images to MP and lets " Hope "

[longbow]

Ajay:

I doubt you'd get them for $100 USD each. The latest Buckbuster slug mould will run $133 USD for two cavity and that group buy started almost 1 1/2 years ago so likely more costly for new group buy. Beautiful moulds no doubt but they also cost real money.

I was in the group buy until recently but since I have retired, toy money is a bit harder to justify so I gave up my spot to Petander who wanted into the group buy. I can make a single cavity mould of the same slug so will do that instead of spending the money. My time is free and material is cheap. Not nearly as nice as Mihec's moulds but functional.

Those Russian moulds are pretty nice too though only single cavity. Lots of slug designs coming out of Russia! I'm liking the screw on wad versions. Was thinking of that for the Lyman sabot slug for smoothbore actually! That would required the full bore version to work though. With a hole drilled through or modified core pin with a "spike" running up to the bottom of sprue plate the same wad as in your last two pics could be screwed on making a hybrid slug.

Good that you are thinking of your "musketeer" buddies!

Longbow

[longbow]

tomme boy:

My gun is a used (new to me) Mossberg 500 Slugster with smoothbore buck and slug barrel. It is in pretty good shape with one cosmetic scratch on it and it doesn't appear to have been shot much. I got a good deal on it.

I made the shim to go on top of the barrel lug and with a tab that fits down into the hole for the bolt locking lug. That is the biggest bearing area and easiest to shim. I tried making a thin shim from pop can aluminum that wrapped around the barrel where it fits the receiver but that didn't go so well so went with brass shim stock and just on top of the barrel extension so thicker and pushing the barrel down onto the receiver. It is quite snug now.

I had not thought about the slop at the mag tube but should have! Thanks for bringing that up I will check it and see if I can fit a shim in there too. Like I said the barrel rattled even after tightening the mag tube cap. Maybe mine is a particularly loose example but it was really rattly! Wouldn't affect shot shooting but with slugs, I think so.

I have wanted to stick with smoothbore shotgun due to versatility but I will not likely realize my 100 yard accuracy goal without rifling! So, I am keeping my eye peeled for a used rifled barrel or good deal on a new Mossberg 500 2 or 3 barrel combo. The Field and Deer 2 barrel combo is a pretty decent price. I just have to spend some money.

Longbow

[W.R.Buchanan]

It should be noted that just like regular boolits, Full Bore Slugs will need some kind of Lubrication or they will lead the barrel instantly. The top pic in post #28 Ajay's post shows the classic Paradox Slug, and you'll note the large grease groove between the Driving Bands.
Just because you are shooting it out of a shotgun doesn't mean it doesn't need lubrication. Any kind of normal Lube will be a problem if it gets hot and runs down into the charge, so something else would be in order..

I'd suggest Powder Coating as a alternative, since it doesn't melt at low temps. Leon showed some (Botfly Slugs 3rd and 4th pics above) he'd Powder Coated and they looked great. Since they are supposed to drop at .729 a couple of thou added by the PC wouldn't hurt.

Something to think about that appears to have been overlooked with respect to Full Bore Slugs.

Randy

[longbow]

Randy:

So far I have not experience leading... not that I am saying don't lubricate the slugs! I don't want to experience leading! I am just surprised that with as much full bore slug shooting as I did a few years ago with unlubed slugs and balls I did not see any leading in my smoothbores or in the Remington rifled gun I borrowed. I had figured that my oversize bore in the single shot was minimizing lead to bore contact but even with unlubed 0.735" RB's in the rifled barrel that was 0.727" groove diameter, no leading! Only 15 shots fired through it but still!

Most of these slugs and balls were cast from range scrap or ACWW so moderately hard which likely helped.

I have knurled some of my TC HB 575 gr. smooth slugs that cast at 0.729" then tumble lubed them but like all the slugs I have made in the last few months, they are still waiting to be shot! I'll get to it, really I will.

Tumble lubing or a lubed felt wad under the slug should do it too.

Not sure if rolling/shaking in powdered graphite or motor mica would be enough but it wouldn't hurt.

Now that I have my Mossberg with tighter bore and some full bore unlubed slugs loaded I will likely run an tight oily patch down the bore before each shot just to make sure there is an oily film in the bore.

Longbow