oldandslow
07-16-2012, 05:30 AM
Hi Folks, 7/16/12
After an eight month delay I finally was able to get my hands on a 5# keg of Blue Dot powder and start load development for my Accurate Molds 770 grain full bore 12 gauge slug. I slugged the barrel and ordered 0.001" oversize from Tom.
I tried four different combinations of slugs in my smoothbore Remington Marine Magnum shotgun, including the BPI Shuttlecock (1.03 oz.), BPI Foster slug (0.86 oz.), Gualandi full-bore slug with attached wad (1.125 oz.) and the Lyman 525grain cast slug. Despite multiple attempts to get consistent accuracy at 25 and 50 yards using all the tricks I've read about here and at SGW the results were disappointing (2-8" groups). I tried multiple wads, shot cards, cutting petals half way and all the way off wads, roll and fold crimps and filling the rear cavity with epoxy resin, all with a clean barrel. The Gualandi slug gave great results with 1.25" groups at 25 yards and 3" groups at 50 yards but I hate to have to depend on these Italian imported slugs making it 12,000 miles to my home.
While some posters have good results with the above slugs many more at SGW and here seem to prefer full-bore slugs. When I was finally able to acquire some powder which others had recommended (Blue Dot) I changed the barrel to a Savage 24" rifled barrel made to fit the Remington 870 and started load development. Using the powder loads graciously provided by some helpful posters I started with 30 grains and experimented with different wads (BPI #18, Federal 12S4, Remington 12L's and an assortment of cut down wads, 12 gauge shot cards and gas seals in a 2.75" BPI unprimed hull (I can't get primed hulls shipped to me by any carrier).
Final results- velocities in the 950-960 feet/second range, accuracy of 1-1.25" consistently at 25 yards (mainly to be used on pigs from 10-50 yds) with all the tested loads (except I did not load the Rem. wads as they seemed too lose a fit in the hull). Scope used was a Leupold VX-3, 2-8 power mounted to the receiver. No leading at all and just a touch of unburned powder in the barrel. I tried moving up to 32 grains but the recoil and unburned powder increased moderately for a minimal change in velocity (1008 f/sec).
I want to thank all the people who chimed in with load data and encouragement here and at SGW, including but not limited to Longbow, Turbo, Hubel, Greg, Tommygirl, Ajay and the rest.
best wishes- oldandslow
After an eight month delay I finally was able to get my hands on a 5# keg of Blue Dot powder and start load development for my Accurate Molds 770 grain full bore 12 gauge slug. I slugged the barrel and ordered 0.001" oversize from Tom.
I tried four different combinations of slugs in my smoothbore Remington Marine Magnum shotgun, including the BPI Shuttlecock (1.03 oz.), BPI Foster slug (0.86 oz.), Gualandi full-bore slug with attached wad (1.125 oz.) and the Lyman 525grain cast slug. Despite multiple attempts to get consistent accuracy at 25 and 50 yards using all the tricks I've read about here and at SGW the results were disappointing (2-8" groups). I tried multiple wads, shot cards, cutting petals half way and all the way off wads, roll and fold crimps and filling the rear cavity with epoxy resin, all with a clean barrel. The Gualandi slug gave great results with 1.25" groups at 25 yards and 3" groups at 50 yards but I hate to have to depend on these Italian imported slugs making it 12,000 miles to my home.
While some posters have good results with the above slugs many more at SGW and here seem to prefer full-bore slugs. When I was finally able to acquire some powder which others had recommended (Blue Dot) I changed the barrel to a Savage 24" rifled barrel made to fit the Remington 870 and started load development. Using the powder loads graciously provided by some helpful posters I started with 30 grains and experimented with different wads (BPI #18, Federal 12S4, Remington 12L's and an assortment of cut down wads, 12 gauge shot cards and gas seals in a 2.75" BPI unprimed hull (I can't get primed hulls shipped to me by any carrier).
Final results- velocities in the 950-960 feet/second range, accuracy of 1-1.25" consistently at 25 yards (mainly to be used on pigs from 10-50 yds) with all the tested loads (except I did not load the Rem. wads as they seemed too lose a fit in the hull). Scope used was a Leupold VX-3, 2-8 power mounted to the receiver. No leading at all and just a touch of unburned powder in the barrel. I tried moving up to 32 grains but the recoil and unburned powder increased moderately for a minimal change in velocity (1008 f/sec).
I want to thank all the people who chimed in with load data and encouragement here and at SGW, including but not limited to Longbow, Turbo, Hubel, Greg, Tommygirl, Ajay and the rest.
best wishes- oldandslow