Best slug for my Pedersoli ML S/S 12 Ga

[Depreacher]

Been looking at the Lee 12 ga. Moulds for my 12 Ga. ML Pedersoli Dbl, but am open to suggestions. Bought this shotgun new is '75. One of the sweetest handling doubles I've ever shot. Only weighs 5 Lb 11 Oz. so I've got to think of my scrawny 68 year old shoulder in case you want me to try the Accurate mould 700 or 900 gr. Boolits;-). The buttplate may be soft steel but not soft enough!!!Anywho, 1 Oz. slug sure sounds better to me. Anyone had experience shooting slugs from a ML shotgun??? Chokes are IC and MOD. I will get back with the exact choke measurements, but I remember the IC was barely larger than the advertised dia. of the lee. BTW, been thinking of installing removable front and rear open sights on the rib (I would never do this to a collector item) if the slug accuracy seemed to be worth it. My own double rifle, uh smoothbore, so to speak. The front sight would be low ramp with a windage adjustable front sight in it, rear with a simple elevator bar, or what??? Any and all help appreciated. Mack

[Crawdaddy]

I can help if they are rifled barrels but I strongly suspect this is a smoothbore?

[Nobade]

Whatever size pure lead round ball and patch combo you can push through the choke. I shoot a .715" ball and ticking patch in my cylinder bore 12 ga. You'll likely need something smaller. And don't even bother with conicals, they're for rifles.

[stubshaft]

My Pedersoli has removable choke tubes and I usually use the IC choke tube in the barrel when shooting slugs or balls. I have never tried the Lee slug but have used the Lyman Forster style slug and patched balls in mine. Accuracy was about 4" @ 25yds. and might have been better if I had rifle type sights but since this is within the range I usually shoot hogs at it was good enough for me. I shoot them over 65gr 2F with two .125" overpowder wads and cap it with a thin card wad to keep it in place. Loading them is a breeze for me if I remove the choke tube first and replace it after loading. I tried loading with lubed fiber wads but to me they were a PITA, I did lube the patch for the roundballs with bore butter but shoot the Forsters dry. Fouling is not a big problem for me as I have never needed to discharge either barrel more than once when hunting.

They are VERY effective at close range!

[Depreacher]

THANKS for the help men. I was kidding, of course, about the 900 gr rifle type slugs. Weighing only 5 lbs. 11 oz. It would kill on both ends.:twisted: I'm between deciding on the Lee or the lyman forster slug. I have cut several forster type slugs out of Federal 12 ga loaded ammo and also get about 4" groups at 25 yds. Shooting 2F but can't remember my load, maybe 3 drams, maybe 3 1/4. Recoil is not so bad, lots of fun too. Anyone else on the Lee or Lyman forster???? My gut says Lyman, but my pocketbook cries out "Lee". Anyone shoot lees through a smoothbore, Black powder, or smokeless ??????? Anyone know the normal diameter of the lyman forster???Does Lyman make normal diameters anymore??????

[Depreacher]

Finally did it. My calipers, using the sharp back blades showed .719 for the left bb. (IC), and .717 for the right bbl (MOD supposidely). Never realised they were almost alike. I do know they are choked as I can feel the wad loosen up after going past the first 3/4" of bbl. Seems like I remember oe of our members stating the size of his lee 12 Ga. slugs, but I forgot size. Any help appreciated. THANKS, Mack

[longbow]

My suggestion is to use a round ball and donut wads.

A Lee 0.690" round ball mould is inexpensive and balls cast well and fast.

I have used Lyman Foster slugs in my cartridge slug barrel with dismal results using Lyman reloading recipes. However, the Lyman should fit through your chokes (mine casts at 0.705") and should expand to fill the bore. Probably best over a wad and then you would need to fill the hollow base to keep the wad out. I suspect the Lee drive key slug would not expand to fill the bore though I have not tried it in muzzleloader.

I have shot 0.690" balls naked in my Pedersoli side by and accuracy was very poor at 50 yards. However, I was not using donut wads to center the ball. Mine was I/C and mod.

In my cartridge slug barrels I can depend on 3" to 4" groups at 50 yards using good RB loads so there is not reason a muzzleloader won't do the same as long as the ball is centered up and gas kept where it is supposed to be ~ behind the ball.

Cloth patching with undersize ball and thick cloth may also do well though the two different chokes may do different things.

Slug sizes:

- Lee is 0.685" from what I have read (will be picking up my new mould this week so can check when I get it)
- Lyman Foster: mine casts at 0.705" but some have reported smaller

Again, my suggestion is 0.690" RB and either donut wads or an inverted gas seal under the ball. If you go inverted gas seal, I would also use a felt or fiber wad between that and the powder as BP will tend to melt plastic.

Just my $0.02 worth.

Longbow

[Depreacher]

THANKS Longbow,
.685 is probably right for the Lee. Was reading what Junior wrote last night about his 1 oz Lee slug. Said it was .686 at the top, and .673 at the base. Junior did say his slug was 2 diameter probably so it would fit the WWAA12R red wad. IF, big IF, I could get the slug and wad petals to go past my choke, then that might be a good accurate load. I even thought about sliding the red wad in first a inch or so, then seating the slug in it and ramming it on down. I would check the seating depth with a mark on the rod, naturally. Wonder if shooting this would damage my chokes???????? Any idea???
The .690 ball and doughnut wad you suggested might work good too. A .690 ball at 12 to 1300 fps would be deadly for deer.

[curator]

I load the Lee 69 Caliber round ball in the "Improved" side with 80 grains of Goex FFg and a pillow ticking patch. No wads needed. I usually load the "Modified" barrel with 10-00 Buckshot, .125 card & 3/8 fiber cushion under the Buckshot and a thin cork over shot. I tried loading both barrels with the .69 round ball but found they hit VERY differently. The Pedersoli is pretty light so I always check the remaining load after firing one side or the other. In most cases the remaining load has shifted forward a bit so I recommend this practice. Either load is effective at 25 yards.