In my search for a GOOD homemade slug, either using a factory mould or a home-built mould – I have experimented with a lot of different methods. Note – I simply replace bird-shot with a slug of same weight. I do not have access to powders and shot shells and wads or slugs (Firearms restricted Country.)
I felt a SOLID slug would work well in a shot-cup fired out of a Mossberg 500A with rifled barrel.
I cast a few using a modified Number 15 Socket Wrench –
And got these:
I have now been able to test-fire them and got this result:
Tests on wooden board targets from 43 yards (Measured) and a few from 35 yards stepped out.)
My shotgun's sights got dislodged and were poorly set. Rear sight completely flew off at one time – luckily we found it. These led to many shots not hitting POA. POA was center of the target boards.
My Laser bore-sight is bad. And I will try to see how I can get a new one, or improvise something from an old DVD player...
Upper target attached to a tree on the farm. On the left pictured with reactive paper fixed, and right without it...
Lower target:
Range Visit Findings:
While the Lyman 525 slugs fired also performed very well in the test: the Number 15 Socket Wrench slugs flew straight, rotated well by the rifling, and hit point-first on target with a type of “daisy-cutter” effect. No tumbling. Pictures below show the serrated “teeth” of these slugs as they cut NEAT shark-teeth serrated holes at 40+ yards...
Grouping achieved With the Lyman and Socket Wrench slugs, of 3 to 5 inches at 40+ yards was not bad as per MY own expectations and targets for a home-cast Slug, and performance was impressively consistent.
Most initial shots went low-right and because we did not go to to the target check, we thought I was MISSING the boards completely... In reality – I had 37 hits on the boards out of about 42 shots fired... I completely forgot to use my binoculars, and even the drone I had with me.
We even had the back-stop tree felled by slugs! So this showed that the slugs WERE hitting quite accurately (This was on LARGE family farmland with a far – distant Limestone cliff back-stop. No danger to anyone...)
Fired wads seen (Unfortunately not recovered) were in good condition – Most had four petals intact, peeled back, but intact.
Four Round Ball (.735”) slugs fired still had some “sticky” extraction and swollen primers as previously mentioned. Accuracy was abysmal- dropping up to 1 to 2 FEET of the center of grouping of other types of slugs. Maybe because I’m simply replacing bird-shot in shot-shells? Powder not strong enough to achieve good velocity? Maybe too ambitious for 42 – 45 yards?
Well, I think I have my “SWEET-SPOT” for homemade/ improvised, SAFE (Weight-wise) slugs now!
Cheers.