Mold for Brenneke type slugs

[Ironduke]

Seems like it should be possible to cast some Brenneke style full bore slugs. The Brenneke factory slugs feature a wad that flies along with it to stabilize it in flight, right? Why couldn't the petals be removed from, say, a federal wad and HM glue it to the bottom of a slug instead of screwing it on. I'm thinking you could make a sleeve for the slug and wad so the wad would glue on concentrically. What am I missing?

[longbow]

Ironduke:

There may some regular cushion wads that would work like that but so far I have not found them... not that I live where there is a lot of selection. I also did some shooting with Gualandi DGS slugs and recovered some that had quite distorted skirts and wads from compression. While they shot pretty well to 50 yards, I also had one keyhole so... I have photos which I have posted before. They have a substantial cushion leg on them too.

I find that regular cushion wads collapse and distort badly when attached to a slug. Also just gluing them on could be easier said than done.

I have tried several screwed on wads, nitro card wads drilled and screwed on in a jig and a variety of other methods with poor to miserable success so far. My feeling is that a good hard felt might be the way to go if pursuing that line. Also, While I may be wrong here I suspect the Brennekes with the old style felt wads were sheared after the slug and wad were screwed together.

What I have been doing lately with pretty good success (except for my last outing but I may know why) is:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...-Slugs-To-Test!

When cast in a decent form the hot melt glue skirts come out quite nicely and have shot well for me. Still working on consistency but so far these are working better than any screwed on wad I have tried.

I have also added the TC hollow base version with about 1/4" + of glue skirt cast into the hollow base and beyond with one of my forms.

those Lees are a stock mould with slugs set into a form to cast the skirts on. First time out with not great skirts I got 6" groups at 50 yards. Not great as round balls do better but with better skirts they should do better. I will find out shortly.

Personally I prefer the Brenneke style slugs to hollow base and have some good reasons. I also have a ribbed full bore mould that casts a Brenneke style slug but the glue skirt has to be in a paper patch or tube so it cannot touch the bore. All these other shown in that post above are wad slugs.

That's what I have found so far anyway. maybe someone smarter than me has or will solve it. I am still working on it after many years.

Longbow

[Ironduke]

Yes. I have read the HM skirt thread with interest. My only slug is the Lee 1 oz. Accuracy from my smooth bore is 6-10 inches at 50 yards. For me that is all but useless. Yes, it would hit a man-sized target 100% of the time, but it's useless for hunting. But I also have doubts about the Lee slug terminally as well, the round nose an all. I believe a square, blunt face will impart better shock and sever tissue better rather like a Keith style pistol bullet.

I have seen a youtube video where some snot nosed kid broke down shot shells, melted the lead shot, and poured the lead into a 5/8 hole drilled in a 1x4. This yielded a cylinder about 3/4 inch tall and 5/8 inch around. Stick it back in the wad, load the wad back in the hull, and press the crimp down with your thumb. I'm not sure that simple slug shape--if it could be made consistently- wouldn't perform as accurately as the Lee, and have greater terminal performance. But then, that's more or less the shape of the brenneke. Perhaps a HM skirt on something that simple could be a good flier?
I'm not vouching for the kid, nor am I condoning the method he used. I'm merely mentioning it to show my train of thought.

[longbow]

Ironduke:

I just posted some photos of a few of the various slugs I have made and shot over the last few years in response on another thread:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...-Slugs-To-Test!

Okay then, same thread as before, just longer now.

A few of the slugs worked okay but most were dismal failures. A couple gave quite good accuracy but had to be heat treated or they distorted at firing.

In all honesty, I find the good 'ol round ball hard to beat at least to 50 yards. I can count on 3" to 4" groups consistently to at least 50 yards with good loads. My favourites to date are 0.662" or 0.678" balls in shotcups or 0.735" balls on a hard card wad column with plastic gas seal. Most slugs do not do as well as my round ball loads to 50 yards.

I will be trying out these new glue skirt slugs shortly so will post results. They are not hard to make and that is one of my criteria.

Longbow

[Carryacolt]

When I first started reloading shotshells some 50 yrs ago, the filler wad most commenly used was the Alcan 1/4" and 1/2" waxed fiber wad. They were very hard and probably didn't distort or crush at all. If you could find any of these, it might be a worth while effort to try them. Being so hard, they may improve your groups.