Slugging a Rifle Barrel Video

[helice]

Big thanks for the video. I wish I had seen that when I did my first slugging. I sat down with Veral's book and went step by step with a favorite rifle. By the time I was finished I was certain all normal bowel function had ceased.

[Recluse]

Guys I am the one that made the video just so you know. I didn't realize my videos were kind of floating around on forums and stuff. Kinda cool I guess.

Good job, and your video is a nice addition here seeing as how many new casters and reloaders we're getting.

Thanks for the video and thank you for your service to this nation.

[cptinjeff]

Good job on the video. I'd like to see some ideas from members as to what a "chapter outline" would be for an all inclusive complete cast boolit how-to video. Who knows, it could be put into a DVD and sold as a fund raiser for this forum.

_1+1+1+1 on this one!!!!. This seems like a GREAT idea.

[onondaga]

Thank you for the video. I slugged my Colt Sauer Grand African .458 Win Mag rifle that I shoot only cast lead alloy bullets with. The procedure went well. I cleaned the bore then oiled it with Slick 50. I had some Hornady soft lead swaged 50 cal. round balls and used one. Lubed the ball with Mink Oil paste that I use as a case lube. I have a leather mallet and used that to start the ball, It took 5 medium hits to get it flush with the muzzle and I fingernail scraped the flash that was sheared and smudged on the muzzle. I used my Muzzle loading ball starter to start the ball down by smacking the wood ball handle with my palm the same as in loading my ML rifles. this was not too hard at all. the first inch took a few hits then the slug was easy to push several inches by hand with the ball starter. My cleaning rod only needed slight hand pressure to get the slug to drop out the other end of the barrel. I happily got measurements with a Multitoyo dial gauge caliper and checked the measurements with a Starrett micrometer:


.4570" groove to groove
each groove measures .150" wide

.4510" land to land
each land measures .090 wide.

I am glad I got this done and won't hesitate to do this with my other rifles now. The information will be very helpful with my cast bullet selections.

Thank you so much.

Gary

[white eagle]

thanks for takin the time to edgeukate some
it may not be the way everyone would do it but who cares
good job

[Fomdiddle]

I also enjoyed your testing of the Hi-Point guns. Their warranty is second to none. Fom

[wallenba]

I enjoy your vids as well, keep them coming. I knew how to do it already, but sometimes there's more to learn. A tip for slugging is if you don't have a round ball big enough, you can "bump" them carefully on a flat surface with a light hammer to widen them a bit. This will take more care in centering in the bore though.

[C1PNR]

I still like to use the "egg" fishing sinkers with the hole in the middle, especially if I need to bump it up just a bit. Even bumped it's still an ovoid shape and pretty easy to start properly.

My Brother slugged his 45-70 1885 last week and also found a .457" groove. Now to get serious about loading some for it.

[atom73]

Thanks for the video post. I really have been avoiding doing this cause I thought it was too complex. I will be trying this.
Mike

[malpaismike]

JB62, you're not wrong. I think you're good as gold as far as you go. I favor chamber casts--ya gotta start right to end right. I took a parallel-jaw clamp and screwed an entension to it. Now I can make chamber casts in my gun room. If there are problems with this, let me know. thxnregards mw

[Fixxah]

I just use an inside measuring tool and it is so simple to use. No need to slug but I confirmed my measurements by slugging until I got the hang of it.

Thanks for serving.

[atom73]

Ok, so does anyone have one or two .30 cal balls they can part with? I don't want to go out and buy a box just to slug a barrel. I don't have any of my .30 molds yet either (waiting on NOE) to cast up some soft lead.
Pm me if you want to work something out, I'll pay shipping.
Mike

[leadman]

atom73, go to the sporting goods store with mic in hand and buy the soft egg sinkers for fishing. These can be bumped up as said with a hammer or in a vise. Also the hole in the middle lets the slug form to the bore easier.
In addition to the video I also drive a slug into the throat a little way, then back out to get this reading, which I have found on a couple rifles up to 3 or 4 thousands larger than bore diameter. If the gas blows by the bullet in the throat this can cause leading.
As said many times on this board the throat dimension is very important.
If you use a rod much smaller than the bore wrap the end with tape so it just slides into the bore easily. This keeps it centered so it can't slide off to the side and contact the bore.

[atom73]

Excellent. Thanks for the tips. Gives me a good excuse to head out to Gander MT tonight with the kids.
Mike

[mold maker]

Any rod should have tape or O rings ever 5-6" along its length to keep it centered and to avoid bore contact with the rod. The O rings should fit the rod tight so as not to move , but slip in the bore with ease. Your going to put stress on the rod that will distort it, while pushing the ball/boolit/sinker through.
Resist the urge to use a wooden dowel. It will break and bind its self securely in the bore. The expense of having it safely removed will cause loss of hair, and ulcers.

[WILCO]

Very good tutorial.

HOWEVER!

What about the kid's eye protection? His naked orbs are alarmingly too close to all that hammering. Things like that scare the bejeezuz out of me.

My thoughts exactly.

[Kenley]

O.K. why use a round ball? Seems to me that an elongated bullet would give a better report on the size and condition of the bore...and from the chamber end. I've never done it, but plan on slugging my P-1 Walters this week.

[OBIII]

IV8888, thank you so much for your service to our country, and thank you for the excellent video. I'm not one to nitpick about little things, when it shows the overall process in an outstanding manner.

[omgb]

To get a very accurate measure of the chamber, throat and leade, I use Veral Smith's method.

1. I drill a hole in a hardwood block slightly less in dia than the bore of the gun. I then cast a long (1 ") slug to use in the process.

2. I take a fired case and insert a steel rod that is about an 1/8" less than the length of the case.

3. I place the slug on top of this and chamber the case.

4. I then use a steel rod slightly longer than the barrel and close to the dia of the bore. I insert this in the barrel. After placing the butt on a non-maring surface, I hit the end of the rod 2 or 3 whacks with a heavy hammer.

This upsets the slug and causes it to fill the throat and leade. Then I open the bolt and extract the cartridge. If the slug sticks, I give the rod another tap. What you get is a perfect measurement of the areas in question. Unlike cerrosafe, there's no shrinkage. What it is, it is.

[rsrocket1]

Have you seen this guy's method? Great for straight walled pistol barrel slugging.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuNoo4m6jso

It starts slow with him sitting in a chair and just talking, but he has a great idea. Use a case as a mold for the slug. Melt a fishing sinker into it and use a bullet whacker to take it out. The slug fits perfectly and you don't have to look for a close sized sinker or roundball.

Hint: don't try this from the chamber end. I thought I lost a barrel when the slug would not come out, it simply flowed around the rod and the more I pounded, the deeper the rod went into the lead. I finally drilled a hole in the slug and it came out with a near perfectly sized dowel.