Tumble Lube a Russian Paradox slug?

[Cottonpicker]

I'm hoping someone can help me with some advice. I'm shooting the Russian Paradox Slugs (537 grs.) with the attached tail wad in a smooth bore Maverick 88 12 ga.,18 1/2" bbl, cylinder choke. Since the slug does not have a sheath around it and is contacting the bore; is it adviseable to tumble lube them? I'm loading 36grs of Blue Dot at 1100 fps. Any help will be appreciated.

[gpidaho]

Cottonpicker: If you're getting leading it wouldn't hurt to try. I powder coat that same slug and fire them in both smooth bore and rifled barrels to good effect. Zero leading. 36 to 38gr. Blue Dot works well for me too and doesn't beat you up like the mid 40s. Gp

[Cottonpicker]

Most of the commercial slugs that I've seen including some BPI THUG SLUGS I have, don't seem to be lubed. My barrel cleans up pretty well. Just a thought though, if it's worth the trouble.

[longbow]

Some people seem to have trouble with leading and some don't. So far I have had 0 leading shooting naked slugs, though mostly they are ACWW not soft lead.

I should also qualify that by saying that by far I have shot most slugs from my old Cooey single shot and it has a 0.733" bore so a bit large. Soft slugs do obturate to fill the bore though and I have shot several brands of factory Foster slugs with no leading issues as well.

My Browning BPS has an I/C choke that is 0.710" at the muzzle and it hasn't had a leading issue either though it has not seen many slugs shot through it and the bore is mirror polished.

If you aren't getting any serious leading I wouldn't worry about it but if you are a little tumble lube won't hurt.

Just my thoughts.

Longbow

[Cottonpicker]

Thanks for your thoughts longbow!!

[W.R.Buchanan]

LB: my A5 Buck Special Barrel runs clean. It has a high polish as well but I redid the polish after I got it ported at Vang Comp. It was like a cheese grater inside.

I used Flex Hones I got in 400 and 800 grit on a drill motor. The finish after the 800 grit Hone rivals the standard Browning Mirror Finish. And I would bet they are using the same hones as I got. Your BPS barrel is probably the same in that regard.

For those that don't know "Flex Hones" are the ones that look like a coarse wire brush with dingle berries . They work very well for brake cylinders and anything that needs a fine finish. The ones for shotgun barrels are regular stock items and they have them for all gauges and they are 36" long. You run them with a drill motor and lots of oil.

IF you are having problems with a rough barrel that collects plastic from wads and/or runs dirty these are a good solution for $50 that you can do yourself.

Randy