Accuracy Testing Begins.

[W.R.Buchanan]

OK guys, I started testing the accuracy of the A5 today but only got to shoot a few rounds thru the Smooth Bore Barrel.

I shot these off a Lead Sled my son loaned me, and that was a good thing as these were 1 oz. @ 1300 fps. Crisp! but not lethal.

I fired 3 Federal 12 ga Slugs at a Shoot n'See target at 50 yards to begin with and was about 12" high, with 2 to the right and one 6" to the left. Probably me, and this was after bore sighting the gun last night with a Wheeler Engineering Laser that magnetically attaches to the muzzle.

So I corrected the elevation on the rear sight, and fired 3 more rounds at a 3" Black Diamond stapled to the target.

I got this group which blew me away! See Pics below !!!

This group measures 1.5" x 1.0"!

I then shot a bunch of Lyman Sabot Slugs I had loaded before Christmas with 23 gr of Unique and a Fold Crimp. They were all over the place, and I think 23 gr of Unique was a bit too much for that slug and wad combo. Also future loadings will be Roll Crimped.

I also shot some of my Pumpkin Balls with 20.5 gr of Green Dot WAA12 clone and well used AA hulls. when I say well used I mean they had been loaded at least 7-8 times. These shot well but I ran out of target space so I just plinked with them.

So I guess I just shot my "Control Group" for the Smooth Bore Barrel. I don't see anything shooting much better thru a smoothbore barrel with open sights, so this is the standard I will judge all my smoothbore slug loads by.

I want to get the Lyman Slugs to shoot well, and I think it is possible by supporting the slug well in the wad using new Rio Hulls and Roll Crimping them..

I am off to Front Sight for another Tactical Shotgun Class in two weeks and I needed to sight the A5 in with the Federal Slugs as that's what I will be shooting over there. I have to be able to shoot birdshot buckshot and slugs interchangeably so that means using the smoothbore barrel.

My Lightfield Slugs should be here tomorrow so I can shoot the Rifled Barrel for groups maybe this weekend. They should be the best from it with the possible exception of The STI Sabot Slugs which Lightfield actually sells for Reloading?

Also I sent in my application for "Non Toxic Certification" for my Brass Inserts for the STI Sabots. Should be hearing back from them soon.

More to come.

Randy

[centershot]

Randy,
That's really good shooting with a smoothboe, good job! Question;

"Also I sent in my application for "Non Toxic Certification" for my Brass Inserts for the STI Sabots. Should be hearing back from them soon."

Que es esto?

[W.R.Buchanan]

Centershot: After July 1 you will no longer be able to use any lead projectiles or shot in this state for Hunting. All birdshot has to be steel or nontoxic all slugs have to be nontoxic. They also have to be certified by F&G and on their list of approved slugs.

The application process is relatively simple you fill out a couple of forms, include a description, and a picture of the projectile. If I don't hear back this week I will call them and find out what is happening as I don't think they are being overran with applications for this.

Randy

[big bore 99]

Looks pretty darn good to me!

[W.R.Buchanan]

OK on to the accuracy thing.

I got my Brenneke and Lightfield Slugs today and took one of each apart to see what is so magical about them.

Well here's the deal. Both of these slugs (which are completely different in design) have one real big thing in common.

The bullets are Swaged. Note: The fine lettering on the front of the Brenneke Slug,,, you can't cast in that much detail.

What that means is that the trailing edges on both are perfectly square. Also there are no casting imperfections whatsoever, which yields a perfectly consistent product. The tail wads are Injection Molded and also perfect.

The Brenneke Tactical Home Defense Slug weighs 1 oz. /437 gr. on the nose, and runs at 1300 fps. It has a hollow base which has the tail wad pressed in. It has a barb on it so that it won't separate without destroying it. It obviously is a non-discarding wad design.

On this particular Brenneke Slug the slug is pressed onto the wad and sits on a pedestal which allows the gas seal to to be punctured at firing by the stem of the pedestal and collapse until flush with the base of the slug. It then travels to the target as one piece. Most Brenneke Slugs are either this configuration or have the screwed on wad. Both are about the same length when flying.

The "fins" on the slug promote a perfect roll crimp as they are all the same height, and provide a perfect surface to receive the Crimp. This round was loaded into a clear 16MM Rio Hull just like the ones I bought last week from BPI. No Brenneke Head Stamp or anything. It will get loaded right back into a new Rio Hull with the same 22.5 gr powder charge as before.

The powder is some kind of flake powder like Green Dot, Blue Dot or Red Dot but without the Dots to identify it.

See pics.

Randy

[W.R.Buchanan]

Next the Lightfield Slug: These are supposed to be the most accurate shotgun slug ammunition available. They are for Rifled Barrels Only, and are purported to be Sub MOA from the right guns. (See Tarhunt 12 ga Bolt Action Rifles)

This one is the "Lightfield Hybred Lites" and is the lowest velocity ammo they sell. 1300 fps.

It is completely different in design from the Brenneke but is also Swaged and perfectly shaped. It is kind of a coke bottle shape with a HP about 1/8" deep on the nose. It has a Tail Wad that is pressed into the rear cavity of the slug, similar to the Russian Slugs were are playing with. They also use a two piece Discarding Sabot which is keyed to the slug by way of two small keys on either side of the slug. See Pics..

The complete slug weighs 566 gr or 535 gr with out the sabot. The sabot is keyed to the slug so all spin applied while going thru the barrel is transmitted directly to the slug. No slippage on this one.

These rounds were loaded into Orange Rio Hulls but these had a Lightfield Head Stamp. Still the same hulls I bought last week from BPI, and this one will get put back into one of the new orange hulls along with the 27.5 gr of flake powder it came with. No one will ever know!

The Roll Crimp contacts the top edge of the sabot for a Perfect Crimp each time.

See Pics:

The whole purpose of me buying these is to attempt to see what the guns will do so that I have a baseline to shoot for with home made slugs, and ammo.

I think the biggest factor contributing to the accuracy of these two slugs is the fact that they are Swaged not cast. This eliminates casting imperfections and produces dead square trailing edges, which we all know are the biggest factors in accuracy of cast boolits.

Anyone wanting to chime in on this subject feel free. These are my observations, and not the final word by any means.

We all want the same thing. One hole groups at 100 yards with slugs and ammo we made at home.

Randy

[Cap'n Morgan]

Randy.

The "modern" Brenneke with the collapsible wad is a clever way of reducing space without an unduly long wad or additional wadding. I'm not sure it will be as accurate as the original Brenneke, but it shall be interesting to see.

As for swaged slugs being more accurate, I think you are right - especially in a smoothbore barrel where any imperfection in the shape will add to steer the slug off course. My own Brenneke clone works well, but it is not always perfectly filled, especially the ribs or fins can be tricky unless lead & mold has the right temperature. I have the plans for a swaged Brenneke laying around somewhere, and I have access to the machinery to make the die and punches, but lately I got distracted by an urge to make a couple of hunting knives... oh, well. Perhaps later... Anyway, I'll be following your test with interest.

[longbow]

I like that wad better than the Russian slug tail wads (Gualandi like). However, it is in my opinion, still longer than need be and being collapsible, could return slightly distorted/cocked. I am surprised these aren't a solid wad like some of the European and Russian slugs I see on the SIARM site. A solid wad will still "squish" a bit being plastic but is basically a solid injection moulded part that isn't going to distort... like the AQ slug tail wad. Now that I like!

https://www.ballisticproducts.com/AQ...info/0151000L/

Or Brenneke Classic, Vitt-Boos...

Or Cap'n Morgan's moulded wads for his "Brenneke" slugs.

For rifled gun I often wonder about solid "dumbell" shaped slugs like:

http://armamentresearch.com/armour-p...ts-in-ukraine/

http://guns.connect.fi/gow/historia4.html (scroll down a bit)

These things are supposed to shoot well from smoothbore (similar to Blondeau slugs https://www.rem870.com/2011/02/10/bl...-for-shotguns/) so from rifled gun they should do well and no tail wad to add to the mix!

Longbow

[W.R.Buchanan]

See you can't even tell the difference. Reloaded into new hulls.

The Brenneke was crimped using the Lyman Roll Crimper and it doesn't put a nice taper on the front of the hull like the BPI crimper does.

These were new Rio Hulls and both crimped perfectly.

Randy