Newbie at reloading slugs need advice

[newcastter]

Ok so I am starting my hand at reloading slugs, I purchased a lee drive key slug mold in 1 oz.I have mostly all wheel weights but if I am reading correctly they may not work the best being molded into slugs. Now out of all the wheel weights I do have alot of the stick on type which from what I am told they are close to pure lead, I also have a few sinkers, weights, etc to throw into the mix. Would it be ok to use a 75% pure 25% WW? Now the hulls I plan on using would be a federal style 2-3/4 hull whether it be a top gun, estate, rio or federal premium so I am also looking for advice on wads I have alot of different types of claybusters so hopefully one will work, powder I am not sure I am maybe looking at Blue Dot or HS-6. I am mainly loading for a good deer load out of my rem 870 exp with rifled slug barrel. I am very experienced in reloading rifle,handgun and trap loads. I will be loading on a Ponsness Warren 800c progressive press. I havn't begun the process but I am trying to get as much usefull knowledg as possible I am very anxious for all of your advice here on this subject.

[SuperBlazingSabots]

Hello NewCastter, WW will work out just fine, this hobby is suppose to be fun so let the fun begin.
Cast your slugs with WW or mix them and water quench them for hardness.
Use straight walled hulls like Federal.
http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee75/Dantebeowulf/Leesluginwad.jpg
The Claybuster wads have a raised platform thus your slug will not sit home!
Blue Dot powder is very good and can give good high velocity, but it does take-up far more hull space:
http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee75/Dantebeowulf/FinalPowderHullSpaceData-1.jpg
http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee75/Dantebeowulf/WAA12--Fed.jpg
Under no circumstances you want the powder seepage like this
http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee75/Dantebeowulf/Powerslipping.jpg
You will need to put 1 inch square paper on top of the powder before pushing your wad in, so remember slug loading is done by hand and each powder charge you need to weigh individually for accuracy, you use the loader to put wad pressure, start crimp and finish your fold crimp and lastly taper the crimp!
A warning here, the load data that comes with the mold is hot!!! Good to impress your wife while you are being smacked by your gun.
Try 42 gr instead of 49 gr of Blue Dot and the HS-6 load is far to hot so try 32 gr and then 32.5, 33, 33.5 and 34 gr. To kill a deer 32 to 32.5 gr will do the job provided you practice with your gun and load!
Sorry, I threw the book at you.
Its time for fun, burn powder at the range, practice and go get your deer!
Ajay
BlazingSabots@Gmail.com
Blazing Sabots, LLC
www.BlazingSabots.com
www.PreciousVideoMemories.com

[newcastter]

Ok, so what kind of paper do you use to separate the powder and wad, I would have thought using the wrong wad/hull combo would create that and/or inconsinstant pressures? And I am sticking with the fold crimp I dont see any need for anything different.
Thanks for your input

[SuperBlazingSabots]

Hello NewCastter, regular photo copy paper that comes in 11 X 8.5" size, any paper should do tho, even a note book paper!
Ajay
BlazingSabots@Gmail.com
Blazing Sabots, LLC
www.BlazingSabots.com
www.PreciousVideoMemories.com

[newcastter]

Any powder recommendations?

[OnHoPr]

Since you're from PA I'm going to ask if you hunt in any late seasons or is your season throughout the years get down below the 30*'s, if so I will hint at staying away from blue dot, It can be tricky at those temps. I have had fair luck with 4756, herco, 800x, along with others but there are so contributing factors it is hard to say especially for YOUR GUN. Good luck.

[turmech]

The claybuster wads would not work for me. I had to use the original Winchester and Federal versions. The wad petals of the claybusters were too thick and would bulge the hulls.

For powder I have only used Blue dot so far. Very accurate but as stated will let you know when you pull the trigger.

[newcastter]

I wont be doing any late season hunting normally the temps will be above 30 degrees.
I need to purchase some nitro cards but not sure what guage to buy for and what thickness should I start with? Also where is the best place to purchase these cards? Also does anyone have any experience with Winchester AA Wads as in are the pedals the right thickness?

[turmech]

Winchester WAA12 wads work for me with blue dot (data came with slug mold). I don't use any nitro cards. Many do and report better results with nitro cards. I have been able to produce good groups with out the cards in both smooth bore (approx 2" @ 25 yards) and slug barrels (three shots making one large hole @ 50 yards).

[turmech]

I am using Rem hulls

[newcastter]

Thanks for info turmech.
Does anyone sell nitro cards on the forum?? The prices at BPI are ok but the shipping is way to much.

[SuperBlazingSabots]

Good morning NewCastter, Circle Fly has the best prices and you get two to three times the amount for the same price! Buy directly!
Its time, to cook your own load!
Ajay
BlazingSabots@Gmail.com
Blazing Sabots, LLC
www.BlazingSabots.com
www.PreciousVideoMemories.com

[newcastter]

Awesome thanks, pricing is much better but shipping is not, priced make up the difference.
Do you reccomend a 16 or 20 gauge nitro card for a 12 guage 1oz lee slug?

[poco loco]

I hope you do not mind if I tack a lee slug question here rather than start another thread.

I have been using the combo of a Win SuperX slug hull, a Federal 12s3, usually win 209 but I want to use Fed 209 over either 700 or 800x with good results for me, accurate, light recoil and good penetration.

I want to use the same components but sub red dot in the 16.5 to 18.5 range starting with 17.6 as I get a perfect 8 point crimp with the 20g fiber wad split to about 1/8 under the slug.

I swear I have seen this recipe here but I have searched and even read the first 10 pages or so with no luck.

What say you AJ? Sound like a reasonable load?

Second question is this combo slides beautifully through my Mossberg smooth cylinder bore just about 6 lbs or so, go to the 870 rifled barrel and I literally have to beat it through the barrel, just the heel of my palm but considerably more than the 6 lb figure....It shot them great though with both 700x and 800x, though the 800 left some unburnt powder, even in the very short sub 2 inch rounds I did just to try. I got to 1 5/8 length that fed well and shot well in both shotguns. I chose the 800x recipe because the initial pressure was in the 6k range so I had a little room to play. However, they are very hard to slide through and I was wondering if the faster burning, higher pressure Red Dot would be a problem?

I just can not shoot the full bore slug loads due to injury and have a lot of Red Dot so I hope it will work. Thanks in advance for any help possible.

[newcastter]

On that point I have a lot of promo and was wondering if I could load with that as it loads like red dot. I figured only for maybe light tactical challenge loads, but I look forward to hear other opinions.

[SuperBlazingSabots]

Hello Poco loco, the 1/8 inch felt under the slug will only get pushed into the slug base cavity only to mess up with your accuracy. instead use a hard nitro card to give it a firm solid base to help.
The method of pushing the slug in wad through the barrel is only meant for smooth bore barrel.
I do not personally have any Red Dot or Promo powder so I can't help with those powders.
Ajay
BlazingSabots@Gmail.com
Blazing Sabots, LLC
www.BlazingSabots.com
www.PreciousVideoMemories.com

[newcastter]

So I casted my first 100 slugs today and they came out pretty good, a little frosted but I was running it hot as was recomended by someone else on the forum. The mold was a little tricky as it didn't want to close properly without a little tap, it is not quite as fluid as say a 9mm mold. But I have them cast. I also got my nitro cards in the mail today so I need to pick up some powder and some name brand wads in the next few days.
I am exited to start loading them, it may be delayed a lil as I had knee surgery today, everything went well and I was able to set up and cast the slugs so I should be ok.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/1951250987055ecb32.jpg
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/1951250987055d9e6f.jpg

[SuperBlazingSabots]

Hello NewCastter, wishing you a speedy recovery, take care of yourself.
Do give your knee the needed rest.
Ajay
BlazingSabots@Gmail.com
Blazing Sabots, LLC
www.BlazingSabots.com
www.PreciousVideoMemories.com

[35remington]

I've used Red Dot and Promo both, usually in 16.5 to 17.5 grain charges with the Lee slug and usually the Winchester WAASL (pink) wad. Fine combo, works great. If you get proper crimp height with the S3 from Federal I'd guess that it would come about with using a card under the slug, as that's a deeper 1 1/8 ounce shotcup. The WAASL is a one ounce and has a higher shotcup floor.

[Smokechecker]

I'm new to casting too. Don't have any equipment yet, but doing research before I start. Been reloading for rifle and shotgun for years and getting a little tired of buying factory slugs and 00.
I'm running a Rem 870 Express Super mag and an Optima tactical.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[newcastter]

Ok so I loaded my first round using WW hull 42gr of blue dot with a pink 1oz Winchester brand wad using a 1/8 nitro card under my lee 1oz slug. Crimp won't close all the way now I seated the wad without the nitro card inside of it then dropped the nitro card in next slug then start the crimping. Could I seat the wad with the nitro card in it or would that compact the powder causing to much pressure? I mean were talking 1/8" deeper. Or should I use a 1-1/8 wad?

[SuperBlazingSabots]

Hello NewCastter, reduce your charge to 40 gr of Blue Dot, put the nitro card in wad and then slug now put the wad in the hull and with the help of the loader put wad pressure of 40 lbs to the point the cushioning legs starts to cave-in, now you should be able to fold crimp.
Next load your next shell with 40.5, 41, 41.5, 42 & 42.5 gr. Keep in mind that Blue Dot does take up more hull space compared to some other powders, take a look at my chart
http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee75/Dantebeowulf/NewFinalPowderHullspace.jpg
Ajay
BlazingSabots@Gmail.com
Blazing Sabots, LLC
www.BlazingSabots.com
www.PreciousVideoMemories.com

[newcastter]

Ok I tried that and its not as bad but it slowly opens due to the spring back in the wad, so I am going to try a 1-1/8oz wad and if its not enough I will have to switch powder. Now I still get a little maybe a spec or to powder leakage even using paper. Anything I could be doing wrong? I am going to shoot the ones I loaded tomorrow (weather permitted) and see how they perform. How much casing is needed to be roll crimped if I wanted to go that route?

[SuperBlazingSabots]

Hello NewCastter, lets take a step backwards, skip on putting the nitro card and paint the wad petals with a magic marker in red for these loads and load them as usual with 40 lbs wad pressure and see if your fold crimps become good and do not open up. After firing look for these wads with red marking and see if they are in tact, if yes then continue to load them that way.
For a good fold crimp you need 7/16" to 1/2 inch but for a roll crimp you can have 1/4 to 3/8 hull to get a good roll crimp for proper combustion!
http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee75/Dantebeowulf/MyRollcrimpingSet-upcopy_zpsdab9451d.jpg
A drill press is very important tho, I prefer the fold crimp as there are less chances of the petals getting mangled when the crimp is being pushed open, thats one more reason I push my slug out of the wad a bit by adding nitro cards for the bare slug to push open the fold crimp like here third from left in the picture
http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee75/Dantebeowulf/Lyman-Commodorecopy.jpg
Please note if you had Fiocchi or Federal straight walled hulls your fit would have been better as they are more spacious.
Ajay
BlazingSabots@Gmail.com
Blazing Sabots, LLC
www.BlazingSabots.com
www.PreciousVideoMemories.com

[newcastter]

Well from my research from alot of your own research I should look to see where the wad is falling to determine where it is making seperation from the slug correct? And this is concernining a slug over wad? I did actually forget to put a nitro card in one and set it off to the side but at the end I actually seated it enough to collapse the wad but agin the spring back was slightly enough to unfold the crimp

[newcastter]

So I went to the range yesterday with some very interesting results, The blue dot loads of 40gr shot very large groups at 25yds and did not hit paper at 50yds. I also loaded some with 20gr of promo which is equal to red dot and they shot 2" groups at 25 and 3" groups at 50yds, I never tried anything further as I only loaded 6 rnds in promo. I guess I would like to know the FPS to be sure it will be good enough to take deer. I was able to recover 90% of wads all looked good I could see the rifling marks on wad and it appears it may slightly be cleaning the barrel on the way out. I only had 1 out of 15 wads that I found that was miising any wad pedals and it was missing 2. So I grabbed some 1-1/8 WW wads and loaded same load with promo and crimps are nice so I will have to load some more and hit the range next week.