Buck #4 20 gauge first try

[Petander]

I got my first ever buckshot mold yesterday, Lee #4 buck.

I'm very happy with the mold, I cast some five pounds right away last night, let tumble overnight and loaded some 1 oz / 21 pellet rounds today. I've never loaded buck before,these stacked nice and fit good for crimp. 3" hull.

Attachment 234082

30 yds fold crimp, 870 mod.

Attachment 234083

Thick tungsten wad needs to be slit deeper, ( wads in the berm might explain the missing pellets ) but I think I'm onto something right away. I did not sort the pellets or anything. Fold was better than roll.

Another very good Lee mold in a short time here.

[Tripplebeards]

Sweet!...Good coyote whacker. I use Winchester and Remington factory loaded 3” 12 gauge with 41 pellets. I still have a test target laying around that I put 5 pellets in a 6” circle at 60 yards using a kicks .680 gobblin thunder choke tube and my beretta a390 silver mallard. Try some tighter turkey choke tubes and you’ll be amazed how tight and far you can keep your pattern. Just check to make sure when your using tight tubes to make sure it doesn’t loosen up and snug it up if needed between shots.

[6pt-sika]

Last few years I’ve been loading for a couple 20 gauge doubles that are fixed choke F&M . Anyway I’ve not done any #4 Buck . But I have messed with #3 , #2 , a small amount of #1 and the Lyman 20 gauge sabot slug . My little circa 1928 Parker VHE 20 gauge did very well with the slugs and the #2 buck . Little Fox Sterlingworth 20 did nicely with #2 and #3 buck , and #1 is good enough inside my thirty yard limit for a deer . Haven’t tried the slugs in the Fox yet . Also have a LC Smith 20 gauge that’ll go thru the same trial when it warms a bit . My three doubles are all 2 3/4” at some point down the road I’d like to pick up a Belgium Browning Superposed and or A-5 20 gauge with 3” chambers .

[6pt-sika]

Sweet!...Good coyote whacker. I use Winchester and Remington factory loaded 3” 12 gauge with 41 pellets. I still have a test target laying around that I put 5 pellets in a 6” circle at 60 yards using a kicks .680 gobblin thunder choke tube and my beretta a390 silver mallard. Try some tighter turkey choke tubes and you’ll be amazed how tight and far you can keep your pattern. Just check to make sure when your using tight tubes to make sure it doesn’t loosen up and snug it up if needed between shots.

I’ve got a circa 1988 Benelli Montefeltro 12 gauge 24” I picked up right before hunting season and while I’ve not loaded any three inch stuff for it YET I did try factory 3” with #1 , 00 and 000 with Patternmaster , Carlson’s , Tru-Loc and Kicks . All were what each company referred to as their Buckshot choke or chokes . Dunno why but I even went to the extent of buying all three of Kicks Buckicker chokes Lite Full , Full and Xtra Full . Killed a pair of doe with it one day this past season using the Patternmaster choke tube and loaded with WIN 3” #1 Buck first at 26 yards boom flop and the second at 35 yards boom flop all in about 5 seconds .

[Petander]

Broadhead wad slitter:

Attachment 234112

Cuts need to be deeper.

Attachment 234113

[Ginsing]

How did you find your #4 buck mold casts?
I have had my mold for a few years and it is a pain to get full strings.

[Tripplebeards]

I’ve got a circa 1988 Benelli Montefeltro 12 gauge 24” I picked up right before hunting season and while I’ve not loaded any three inch stuff for it YET I did try factory 3” with #1 , 00 and 000 with Patternmaster , Carlson’s , Tru-Loc and Kicks . All were what each company referred to as their Buckshot choke or chokes . Dunno why but I even went to the extent of buying all three of Kicks Buckicker chokes Lite Full , Full and Xtra Full . Killed a pair of doe with it one day this past season using the Patternmaster choke tube and loaded with WIN 3” #1 Buck first at 26 yards boom flop and the second at 35 yards boom flop all in about 5 seconds .

My kicks .680 also works just as well in my beretta pintail 26” barrel made around 87’ if I remember. Made with all the same parts and plant as your benelli. Bought it new in the box about 5 years ago from a divorce sale for $300. The barrel diameters sizes should be the same. There was a lot of testing with the .670 and .680 kicks gobblin thunder over in predator masters dot com website that made me buy the kicks. The .670 can keep 6, BB pellets in a 6 inch circle at 60 yards as well. Both discontinued loads of 3” 1 7/8oz classic BB...good thing I have a case of them, and Remington HD BB. I shot a coyote winter before last and didn’t realize he was as far as he was or I wouldn’t attempted the shot. I broke both its back legs with a 106 yard shot using HD BB shot. I had my calling partner with to finish it off with his rifle. We ranged with our range finders after we were done and couldn’t believe how far it was. I thought it was about 75/80 yards and was waiting for the coyote to run after I pulled the trigger figuring there was no way I’d connect. I did put the bead about a half foot or so above it’s head when I shot. I have about 20 choke tubes I’ve tested over the years and these shoot the tightest. I use them for predator hunting.

[dg31872]

Watching with interest.

[jdfoxinc]

I have to pressure cast to fill all 3 cavities consistently. Also need to run the mold very hot.

Thanks for your experience. This is in my plans.

[Petander]

How did you find your #4 buck mold casts?
I have had my mold for a few years and it is a pain to get full strings.

Mine is very easy and fast to cast with. I cast hot (Pro Melt @ 800 F) , warm up on a hot plate and my current alloy is WW/Lino mix about 15 BHN.

I'll cut deeper slits next, these tungsten cups are also having a bit of a hard time so I might add a teflon wrapper. Maybe cut down a grain from the charge then.

Attachment 234116

I like to do my load developments on a single gun/choke first. Not looking for extremely tight patters either - the circle in the grouse target above is 10".