Reloading Slugs

[littlephil]

I'm new to this site(and reloading too). I'm thinking about buying a cheap shotshell reloading press to start with. Once I get the hang of it I'd like to reload slugs. Has or does anyone do this? If so, how difficult is it and what kind of case life can i expect? Thanks for any info.

phil

[dmitch]

littlephil,

Welcome to the site and the fascinating practice of reloading. You are going to have sooooo much fun in the "Casting for Shotguns" forum listed further down the main page. You are going to get excited, you are going to lose sleep and you may even lose weight. Save money? Ehhhh, not so much! You will find slugs to be an interesting challenge, but you will be a better reloader for it. There is an incredible amount of experience and knowledge on this cast boolit forum. You will be amazed.
dmitch

[Thumbcocker]

The Lyman sabot slug that looks like an air gun pellet filled my freezer for several seasons. Cast of pure lead they would cut clover leaves at 50 yards and smooshed out like bubble gum. Welcome to the site.

[littlephil]

dmitch-Thanks for the welcome and the info. I'm not too worried about losing sleep, I got a baby girl due any day now. So I'm sure I'll be used to it.

Thumbcocker-Thats some good info on the slugs. I will def. have to try them. What kind of gun were you shooting those out of, and was it a rifled barrel or smooth bore? Thanks for the info and the welcome.

phil

[Thumbcocker]

Rem 870 with a Mossberg rifled barrel and Leupold 2x7.

[littlephil]

Hopefully i can get close to that kind of accuracy with my smooth bore.

[missionary5155]

Greetings and Welcome to our place.
Smoothbores should be able to do 5 inches and less with some detailed work. As recommended head on down to the shotgun zone and Search slugs and roundball . Hours of great reading.
Mike now in ILLinois.

[littlephil]

Thank you for the welcome. I've done a little reading already, but could spend day and night just reading and re-reading.(if i could sit that long!)

[dmitch]

littlephil,

And so it begins ........ getting excited, losing sleep and maybe even losing weight!

(as predicted)

dmitch

[725]

littlephil,
Welcome aboard. All this is a skill and it gets better with time & work. First efforts all usually get better with experimentation, effort and experience. Get your info from a good, reliable manual. Follow the manuals to the letter. Ask lots of questions and seek lots of advice. This site is full of good guys with tons of experience, all of whom are willing to share knowledge. Best of luck with the slug quest.

[whiteoak]

I used the Lyman for years with a lee loader. the combination made me more slugs that I will ever shoot. I used them for about 7 years on whitetail. and was pleased with the results from a mossberg with rifled barrel. They shot better than factory (at least those avalible at the time mid 90's) I loaded them with unique if memory servs.

[Frosty Boolit]

I am one who could not get repeatable accuracy from that lyman slug. I have since switchedd to the copper solid because they are extremly consistent for me and my time is limited in the woods. for example if I was going to woodbury, It will only be one time and that is a long ride for me. Anyhow, I was using a remington 870 with 20" rifled barrel. The load was with the gold medal hull the waa114 wad and blue dot or herco. The blue dot had pretty heavy recoil and the herco was comfortable. Any way there are those on this forum who have really got that slug working but for me I just did not have the range time for it. I did however shoot one 120 or so pound doe thriugh the lungs with it and it's performance was awesome.

[Frosty Boolit]

Also this might be helpful. I had trouble with fitting some of the listed recipies in the lyman manual into the hull that it was supposed to fit. This is mwhy I used the roomy gold medal hull. Good luck and PM me if you got any ?'s.