Need advice buying buckshot molds

[Glassman66]

I need some advice on buying buckshot molds from sharpshooter. I would like to buy two molds, first one I want is the combo 00/#4 mold and the second one is the one I need advice on.

I want to pull the bird shot from the cheap 12ga and 20ga bird shot shells from walmart and reload with buck. What buckshot fits nicely in those shotcups? I will reload other shells later on, just want to start with these.

I don't really hunt just like to reload for protection and just fun shooting with my kids.

Getting a Lee pro melter for Christmas, need some molds to play with!



Randy

[Hogtamer]

Randy, your plan of dumping birdshot and replacing with buckshot leaves a lot of dead space in the wad, as buckshot does not fit together as tightly. Having said that, nothing compares to this track of the wolf mold that I bought on the advice of a couple of experienced buckshot loaders here after owning several others. Came up with a great load too.
https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categ...2/1/LEE-310-6C
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...hot-PERFECTION

[6pt-sika]

I keep buckshot from 00000 all the way down to #3 on my shelf at all times . But the only that I cast are 00000 and 0000 . And sadly I cast both of those with Lee two cavity molds . Granted in my 10's you can only get eight of the 0000 or six of the 00000 . Now with that being said I spent three days at the shop casting the two sizes and got enough done for about 100 loads of each . I water dropped them all and after I rolled them all to try and knock the edges off the sprue cut .

[6pt-sika]

Randy, your plan of dumping birdshot and replacing with buckshot leaves a lot of dead space in the wad, as buckshot does not fit together as tightly. Having said that, nothing compares to this track of the wolf mold that I bought on the advice of a couple of experienced buckshot loaders here after owning several others. Came up with a great load too.
https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categ...2/1/LEE-310-6C
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...hot-PERFECTION

I think I may have to upgrade and get Lee six cavity versions of their .380 and .395 round ball molds for my 0000 and 00000 Buck . The two cavity is at best tedious ��

[Tackleberry41]

I have done the same thing, pop open cheap wal mart shells, melt down the birdshot, molded something else and put them back.

This is what I learned. 00 buck, you need to pull the wad and cut off the petals, alot of effort. They do not want to come out of a shell thats still somewhat crimped. Now 0 buck will fit in a shot cup, depending, thickness of the plastic varies by brand. I already had a 0 buck mold for use in a 16ga.

[Glassman66]

I have done the same thing, pop open cheap wal mart shells, melt down the birdshot, molded something else and put them back.

This is what I learned. 00 buck, you need to pull the wad and cut off the petals, alot of effort. They do not want to come out of a shell thats still somewhat crimped. Now 0 buck will fit in a shot cup, depending, thickness of the plastic varies by brand. I already had a 0 buck mold for use in a 16ga.

Thank you, I was planning on getting the 00/#4 buck combo mold and was thinking about #1 or 0 buck. I want to do some 12 and 20, what do you think?



Randy

[Spudgunr]

Thank you, I was planning on getting the 00/#4 buck combo mold and was thinking about #1 or 0 buck. I want to do some 12 and 20, what do you think?

Randy

You won't be able to do 20ga with anything larger than .310-.315, and then you'll have to cut off wad petals (I've seen no conclusive or convincing information on the pressure effects of doing such). The largest you can fit IN the wad of a 20ga is #2 buck. #1 can be used (but wouldn't fit well in the wad), but 0 probably shouldn't be used (two pellets wide would be .64" vs bore diameter of .625"). I'd also consider the #2 buck since you can fit 2 pellets in a 20ga wad, 3 in a 20ga without wad petals, 4 in a 12ga wad, or 5 in a 12ga without wad petals.

At this point I have BBB (.19 which does 30 pellets per pour instead of 20), #4 buck, 1/2 buck (.305 supposed to be .310), 00, and 000 molds. I wouldn't mind having the #2 or #3 buck to round things out even more, but not nearly enough to justify buying the molds. For the amount I'd use, I could get by with a 1 or 2 cavity lee for much less money, and even then wouldnt feel right about buying them new given the amount of use they'd get (since I have all the other size molds to use)

[Tackleberry41]

I have factory 20ga buck that uses 1 buck in stacks of 3, no shot cup. I have fit 0 buck in 20ga, 2 at a time, no shot cup. And you can fit 4 buck in a 20 ga shotcup. But depends on the shot cup, some are thicker than others. One of my favorite is a 54cal ball w 4 buck on top and fits in a shotcup. I have a 575 minie Lee mold that slides into a shotcup, but they discontinued the mold. No they dont go as fast as factory 20ga slug loads, but plenty accurate and under 75yds doubt anything on the receiving end would notice the difference.

I have a 00buck and 0buck an 4buck mold from sharpshooters. The Lee 00 and 4 molds I bought sit on the shelf as I got tired of fighting with them. Need to break down and get a 1 buck. And mess with my 410 to figure out which buck will stack in a converted 9.3x74r shell.

[izzyjoe]

I've bought a Lee .310 two holer to load some 20ga buck, but I've yet to do it. I cast about 100 balls and tried stacking them, but I haven't loaded a single one.

[Spudgunr]

I have factory 20ga buck that uses 1 buck in stacks of 3, no shot cup. I have fit 0 buck in 20ga, 2 at a time, no shot cup.

The problem with a lot of (most?) factory buckshot is they are sure using the full .015 or more of SAAMI shot size tolerance. To fit 3 pellets in bore diameter of a 20ga they have to be .29 or smaller. Technically it can be sold as #1, but my guess is it ends up being as close to #2 buck as it does #1. That is how the factory can do some tricks and fit more pellets in a shell, they get better packing and lighter payloads. Just an FYI for the group, you don't necessarily want to duplicate what the factory has on their box. If you DO, get .315 balls, load them 2 at a time with no shot cup in 20ga, then you can call it 00 buck (because it is within .015 of .33 which is true 00).

[Glassman66]

You won't be able to do 20ga with anything larger than .310-.315, and then you'll have to cut off wad petals (I've seen no conclusive or convincing information on the pressure effects of doing such). The largest you can fit IN the wad of a 20ga is #2 buck. #1 can be used (but wouldn't fit well in the wad), but 0 probably shouldn't be used (two pellets wide would be .64" vs bore diameter of .625"). I'd also consider the #2 buck since you can fit 2 pellets in a 20ga wad, 3 in a 20ga without wad petals, 4 in a 12ga wad, or 5 in a 12ga without wad petals.

At this point I have BBB (.19 which does 30 pellets per pour instead of 20), #4 buck, 1/2 buck (.305 supposed to be .310), 00, and 000 molds. I wouldn't mind having the #2 or #3 buck to round things out even more, but not nearly enough to justify buying the molds. For the amount I'd use, I could get by with a 1 or 2 cavity lee for much less money, and even then wouldnt feel right about buying them new given the amount of use they'd get (since I have all the other size molds to use)

#2 it is then, thanks for the info. I have to recover from Christmas first and then get some molds ordered!





Randy

[Glassman66]

I have factory 20ga buck that uses 1 buck in stacks of 3, no shot cup. I have fit 0 buck in 20ga, 2 at a time, no shot cup. And you can fit 4 buck in a 20 ga shotcup. But depends on the shot cup, some are thicker than others. One of my favorite is a 54cal ball w 4 buck on top and fits in a shotcup. I have a 575 minie Lee mold that slides into a shotcup, but they discontinued the mold. No they dont go as fast as factory 20ga slug loads, but plenty accurate and under 75yds doubt anything on the receiving end would notice the difference.

I have a 00buck and 0buck an 4buck mold from sharpshooters. The Lee 00 and 4 molds I bought sit on the shelf as I got tired of fighting with them. Need to break down and get a 1 buck. And mess with my 410 to figure out which buck will stack in a converted 9.3x74r shell.

Thats good to know about the 54cal round ball. I ended up with a .530 round ball mold by accident and wasn't sure if I could use it for anything.

Be sure to pass along any info on the 9.3x74 in the .410. I have a .410 that I would like to get some brass shells for and would like to use buckshot in it as well.



Randy

[GhostHawk]

I started out exactly like this. Bought 100 rounds of cheap federal at walmart, pulled the lead, saved it as I had plenty from other casting to use for buckshot.

I had nothing but frustration and troubles trying to fit 8 OO buck in a 2 3/4 hull.

So I switched gears, did some looking, and ordered a #1 mold from sharpshooter.

This mold is awesome! 3 stacks of 3 slip into near any wad/hull/powder combination and I have taken to adding cornmeal filler and an overshot card for a really solid factory looking crimp.

On top of that, the combo mold is for some unknown reason a prima dona. I use a small lee dipper pot. I pour hot lead into a pre-heated mold and get lousy fill. About the time the pot is empty I start getting more than 5 good pellets of OO per pour.

My #1 mold I barely preheat. I get good pellets from the first pour. First 1-3 pours I expect 8 good pellets. After that as long as I keep up the tempo it is 19 pellets or better per pour. This mold WANTS to work.

Too much lead maybe but those molds have their own unique ways.

Like you I don't hunt much, so have been in no real rush to pattern mine. 9 #1's in a PT 1215 wad over 20 grains of Red Dot in a brand new Rio primed hull is what I am doing now. Hulls are on sale at BPI for 9 cents each. Why reload used hulls when you can get new that reasonable?

So I am sitting on at least 200 rounds of my buckshot loads. Another hundred of slugs using the Lee 7/8ths oz slug mold, same load.

Who knows maybe I'll get to shoot some come spring.

Anyway I really like the sharpshooter #1 although I do mod their handles. Smaller blocks but twice as long so fingers can't get to hot metal. Easier for small hands to grab.

[Tackleberry41]

Well I checked, you cant stack the 4 buck in a brass 410 shell. 4 buck is .240, the inside diameter of a formed 9.3x74r is roughly .440. According to the Sharpshooter molds chart. The type F buck is .220 so should give stacks of 2. But might be better off with the TT or T buck, TT is .210, T is .200. Not sure why there is a T or TT as I have never seen buck that size. Wonder how the B or BB sizes would do. The B is .17 but might need the BB at .18 to use as airgun ammo and 410 buck.

I know .395 RB works in the 410, have made some before. Requires some sort of filler as they are undersized in the brass case. But ones I fired did really well, 25yds it was nearly a rifle with all 4 of them hitting in a jagged hole. People laugh at a 410, but thats the plastic ones, doubt anybody would laugh at 4 .395 RB.

I know .437 or .440 is oversized for the bore, but .437 would fit well in the case, maybe swage easily to go down the bore, no choke obviously.

[GhostHawk]

I have to admit I have loaded some .40 sw 175 gr bullets in .410 brass hulls as a single slug.
Have not shot them. Yet. But they look good to me.

[DanishM1Garand]

I have to admit I have loaded some .40 sw 175 gr bullets in .410 brass hulls as a single slug.
Have not shot them. Yet. But they look good to me.

rifled barrel? That would work if it engages the rifling.

[Tackleberry41]

Well 40 cal is less than 41 cal, so should not be an issue w such slugs. Cant say ever seen a 410 rifled gun, thats not the same as the various 45colt/410 guns. But a purpose built 410 shotgun w a rifled barrel.

[Rattlesnake Charlie]

I have loaded .410 with five #4 buck inside a shotcup. Fills the 1/2 oz wad perfectly. At 10 yards the pattern is about the size of a coffee cup.

For loading 12 ga inside a shotcup, you can do stacks of 2 with single 0. You can do stacks of 3 with #1 buck.

[GhostHawk]

Mossberg bolt action smooth bore with screw on full choke. Lost the modified somewhere along the way.

I would not expect great accuracy out of those. But hey, in a pinch they'd hurt like heck on the receiving end.