barkerwc4362
02-09-2013, 02:10 PM
Over the last several months (5) I have been working to find an accurate slug load for my Remington 870 20 gauge Magnum Express with a 20 rifled slug barrel. After much research and transfer of knowledge I settled on using the Lee 575-470M mould, SR-4756, Cheddite 3 hulls, and BPIs TC-20 wads. After discovering I needed to increase the total wad stack height, I bought some BPI 20 gauge gas seals, 20 gauge .125 (1/8) fiber wads, and some 28 gauge .125 fiber wads. No amount of variation with these components resulted in accuracy at 50 yards, which was my requirement. I wanted to have a 5 shot group that would all stay within an area only slightly larger than the 10 ring on an SR-1 at 50 yards. So I experimented with other powder, wad, and hull combinations with no success. I then tried the Lee 578-478M since it was larger. Still no success. I did find out one thing. That you need at least a 1/8 28 gauge fiber wad under a hollow based slug or it will tear up the wad (see wad in lower right of picture) Next I purchased a Lee 58-440 REAL mould. It casts a slug that is at least .592 out of my WW alloy. Some have suggested this bullet is too large to be used in a wad. Not so! This mould and its slugs are just what my 870 needed.
Through experimentation I moved away from adding elements below the gas sealing portion of the wad. I chose to create a gas sealing portion by removing the petals from the wads, then adding a 20 gauge fiber wad of the appropriate thickness, followed by the shot cup from the wad as a true sabot, and finally using a 28 gauge wad under the slug. I realize this method uses two wads for each slugs, but I no longer see the gas seal portion of the wads showing distortion I saw with putting a gas seal and a wad stack under the wad. I have included a picture of my three final wad stacks. The wads I ended using after experimentation are the WAA-20 and the BPI TC-20. The hulls I use are all 3. They are Federal, Fiocchi, and Cheddite. I purchased all the hulls from BPI. The various fiber wads are also from BPI.
The upper wad stack is based upon a TC-20 wad, and consists of the TC-20 with the pedals removed, a 20 ga 1/8 fiber wad, a TC-20 shot cup, a 28 ga 1/8 fiber wad, and then a Lee 575-478M (with one wrap of 20lb paper). This is used in a Cheddite 3 hull, Cheddite 209 primer, and 25.0 gr SR-4756
The middle wad stack is based upon a TC-20 wad, and consists of the TC-20 with the pedals removed, a 20 ga 3/8 fiber wad, a TC-20 shot cup, a 28 ga 1/8 fiber wad, and then a Lee 58-440 REAL. This is used in a new Cheddite 3 hull, Cheddite 209 primer, and 25.0 gr SR-4756 (in a once fired hull use Ό in place of the 3/8, I dont know why, it just wont fit otherwise) This also works with a Fiocchi 3 hull, Fiocchi 616 primer, and 24.0 gr Longshot. The Fiocchi combination with Longshot is what I choose.
The lower wad stack is based upon a WAA-20 wad, and consists of the WAA-20 with the pedals removed, a 20 ga 1/4 fiber wad, a WAA-20 shot cup, a 28 ga 1/4 fiber wad, and then a Lee 58-440 REAL. This is used in a Federal 3 hull, Winchester 209 primer, and 20.5 gr Longshot.
The Longshot loads are the most accurate and consistent. By using a single wrap of paper to increase the diameter of the Lee 575-478M I am seeing potential, but groups are still just a little more than I like. I will keep trying. I tried the Lyman Foster type slug with no success. I even tried using paper wrap to increase the diameter with no success.
I have loaded the BPI DGS-20 slug with success. I loaded them in 2-3/4 Fiocchi hulls using Longshot. My Lee 58-440 REAL Longshot loads shoot just as well, but with much more recoil. I purchased some of the Slugrus SPW-20L slugs w/wads to try. They are expensive! The wad column for the Slugrus SPW-20Ls is about the same length as the BPI DGS-20. But the weight is 15/16 oz verus 7/8 oz. The roll crimp setting will be the same for both. I loaded the Slugrus SPW-20Ls in 2-3/4 Cheddite hulls using SR-4756. The store bought slugs are loaded with the provided data to just over 1500 fps and produce very tight groups at 50 yards to basically the same point of impact. I now have three slug loads that shoot to the same point of impact at 50 yards. Now comes the actual field work. Watch out hogs! Bill
6078260781
Through experimentation I moved away from adding elements below the gas sealing portion of the wad. I chose to create a gas sealing portion by removing the petals from the wads, then adding a 20 gauge fiber wad of the appropriate thickness, followed by the shot cup from the wad as a true sabot, and finally using a 28 gauge wad under the slug. I realize this method uses two wads for each slugs, but I no longer see the gas seal portion of the wads showing distortion I saw with putting a gas seal and a wad stack under the wad. I have included a picture of my three final wad stacks. The wads I ended using after experimentation are the WAA-20 and the BPI TC-20. The hulls I use are all 3. They are Federal, Fiocchi, and Cheddite. I purchased all the hulls from BPI. The various fiber wads are also from BPI.
The upper wad stack is based upon a TC-20 wad, and consists of the TC-20 with the pedals removed, a 20 ga 1/8 fiber wad, a TC-20 shot cup, a 28 ga 1/8 fiber wad, and then a Lee 575-478M (with one wrap of 20lb paper). This is used in a Cheddite 3 hull, Cheddite 209 primer, and 25.0 gr SR-4756
The middle wad stack is based upon a TC-20 wad, and consists of the TC-20 with the pedals removed, a 20 ga 3/8 fiber wad, a TC-20 shot cup, a 28 ga 1/8 fiber wad, and then a Lee 58-440 REAL. This is used in a new Cheddite 3 hull, Cheddite 209 primer, and 25.0 gr SR-4756 (in a once fired hull use Ό in place of the 3/8, I dont know why, it just wont fit otherwise) This also works with a Fiocchi 3 hull, Fiocchi 616 primer, and 24.0 gr Longshot. The Fiocchi combination with Longshot is what I choose.
The lower wad stack is based upon a WAA-20 wad, and consists of the WAA-20 with the pedals removed, a 20 ga 1/4 fiber wad, a WAA-20 shot cup, a 28 ga 1/4 fiber wad, and then a Lee 58-440 REAL. This is used in a Federal 3 hull, Winchester 209 primer, and 20.5 gr Longshot.
The Longshot loads are the most accurate and consistent. By using a single wrap of paper to increase the diameter of the Lee 575-478M I am seeing potential, but groups are still just a little more than I like. I will keep trying. I tried the Lyman Foster type slug with no success. I even tried using paper wrap to increase the diameter with no success.
I have loaded the BPI DGS-20 slug with success. I loaded them in 2-3/4 Fiocchi hulls using Longshot. My Lee 58-440 REAL Longshot loads shoot just as well, but with much more recoil. I purchased some of the Slugrus SPW-20L slugs w/wads to try. They are expensive! The wad column for the Slugrus SPW-20Ls is about the same length as the BPI DGS-20. But the weight is 15/16 oz verus 7/8 oz. The roll crimp setting will be the same for both. I loaded the Slugrus SPW-20Ls in 2-3/4 Cheddite hulls using SR-4756. The store bought slugs are loaded with the provided data to just over 1500 fps and produce very tight groups at 50 yards to basically the same point of impact. I now have three slug loads that shoot to the same point of impact at 50 yards. Now comes the actual field work. Watch out hogs! Bill
6078260781