Lee Key 1 oz..Is that Your Final Answer?

[bossharpa]

Hi everyone! This is my first post and thread...What is your best recipe and tips for the lee Key drive 1 oz in a smooth bore 930 24" Mossberg? After just looking for info on SAFELY turning Wall Mart field loads into slugs and reading many, many,threads I decided to bite the bullet so to speak and roll my own. Mold,press, shells or hulls and powder I am looking for the best BASICS to start with using that mold.I am on a tight budget but for really simple low volume slugs and buck It can not be all that bad.I know nothing about reloading except what I have picked up here.I had to google a Lee loader to see what one looked like. I do not need or want to buy 4 or 5 different powders now just one big jar to make slugs and buck shot for now.I have 1 SG and no rifle I plan to use my auto 12 ga Mossberg for ALL my limited hunting and for home defense.For the time being I'll buy any bird loads I might need I never really use them..So just the setup mold for slugs/buck.I want to buy just what I have to have.Is it better to start out with a 100# WM cheepies or should the best way be to start with a better quality hull that performs/loads more times?? I don't know but I DO know to ask experienced pro's..If you were just starting out like I am [loading just the Lee slug/buck low volume] What should I get?The only other factor is I lost the use of my L. arm.I thank God I am a USN vet... I love my uncle Sam!

[koehlerrk]

Well, I use the 7/8 Lee slug, but here's what I do:

Remington STS Hull, Winchester primer, Hodgdon HS-6 powder, Federal 12S0 wad.

Not giving you my powder measurement because you're using the heavy slug, don't want you to blow up because of me, but it's a commercial load, so it's available off of Hodgdons' website.

One last thing, I had trouble with wads hanging onto the slug and making flyers. The solution that I was told, is put 5-6 slugs into a good ziploc bag with some powdered graphite and roll them around with your hands for a minute or so. This coats the slugs with graphite and keeps the wads from sticking to it.

For reference, my load gives me 5-shot 2-inch groups at 50 yards, and 4-inch groups at 100, and this is with iron sights.

Good luck, and thank you serving.

[SuperBlazingSabots]

Greetings, 7/8 Oz slug is the way to go, first of all you can push it faster and secondly it will not recoil as bad!
http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee75/Dantebeowulf/LeeDriveKeysluginwadcopy.jpg (http://s232.photobucket.com/user/Dantebeowulf/media/LeeDriveKeysluginwadcopy.jpg.html)
This test is very important for safety and accuracy:
http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee75/Dantebeowulf/Wadslugfitinbarrelcopy.jpg (http://s232.photobucket.com/user/Dantebeowulf/media/Wadslugfitinbarrelcopy.jpg.html)
The Fed. 12S-0 is a good wad if the fit is ok in your gun
http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee75/Dantebeowulf/WAA12--Fed.jpg (http://s232.photobucket.com/user/Dantebeowulf/media/WAA12--Fed.jpg.html)
but its a longer wad that will take up more hull space tho!
http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee75/Dantebeowulf/Extractormarkscopy.jpg (http://s232.photobucket.com/user/Dantebeowulf/media/Extractormarkscopy.jpg.html)
Federal hulls are made stronger than Fiocchi and this is how the pressure sign's showed and turned the gun into a single shot gun and I had to use a wooden rod to
extracy the hulls after firing!

Looking forwards to you cooking your own home cooked slugs.

Best of luck.

Best regards,
Ajay
BlazingSabots@Gmail.com
Blazing Sabots, LLC
www.facebook.com/BlazingSabots?ref=hl
www.facebook.com/pages/Preci...75489969155338

[Hogtamer]

Koehlerrk, is that a rifled barrel? Mighty fine accuracy!

[bossharpa]

Thanks all! Since I am just starting out I only want to buy compointes for my basic load with the Lee slug a good buck load..What is the best powder,hulls,primers to start with to make the 2basic loads? Will one shot cup work for both?Thanks Ajay for the tip on the 7/8 oz slug! Should I start with primed shells? If so what brand or type? Any advanatge to 3" vs 2 3/4 ?I am also looking for recomdations on equment. Is there a better press to load small batches?Simple things like crimp styles I know nothing about or whats best to use...What Im trying to do is start with what will work best for my goals..All of you experieced reloaders must have said "If only I could do it again I would have........."Im hoping to avoid mistakes that a lot of beginers do..On equiment and compointes..

[SuperBlazingSabots]

Hello Clint, I would order Fiocchi hulls 2 3/3 primed ones from BPI for $8.99 a hundred and go with Lee 7/8 Oz slug you will need a used Lee Load All from E Bay
for wad pressure and fold crimp etc.

Forget about roll crimping for now the wad petals are not strong enough to open up the roll and thus will get mangled in the process!

We are all here to help so feel free to ask questions.

Looking forwards to you cooking your own home cooked slugs.

Best of luck.

Best regards,
Ajay
BlazingSabots@Gmail.com
Blazing Sabots, LLC
www.facebook.com/BlazingSabots?ref=hl
www.facebook.com/pages/Preci...75489969155338

[Idz]

I have a writeup on how I built up 12 Ga, 1 oz slugs from cheap WM shells if you're interested. Its a lot cheaper than buying slugs or rolling your own.

[bossharpa]

I will convert some WM loads after I get my basic lead pot and mold just because it is so cheep to do and my son wants to do it with me..After that I plan to try and make a load that shoots the very best in my gun.For that loadwill be my do it all load..So to be clear what powderwill be my best choice for a 1300 to 1400 fps for the 7/8 Lee that will also work far a buck shot load too.Same for wad and primer.What brand or style will hold up to more reloads? Clear is a benfit of some I have read..I know from other threads a 'nitro' card under the slug but is one maybe a better choice? I really see that I will need to develop loads to get the best groups I want to start right.Could somebody sugest a good mold for buck shot?

[SuperBlazingSabots]

Hello Clint, I'm leaving for PA now but will load a shell or two for proper fit and will guide you step by step through pictures.

I want to get you into cooking your own.

Another item very important is a powder scale starting from $25 to 40 for safety sake.

Best of luck.

Best regards,
Ajay
BlazingSabots@Gmail.com
Blazing Sabots, LLC
www.facebook.com/BlazingSabots?ref=hl
www.facebook.com/pages/Preci...75489969155338

[koehlerrk]

Koehlerrk, is that a rifled barrel? Mighty fine accuracy!

Yeah, Hogtamer, it's an Ithaca 37 Deerslayer with a full rifled barrel. Shoots awesome, but I got tired of paying $3.00 for each trigger pull, so I started rolling my own.

[bossharpa]

I just made the most importent step..100+ lbs of lead!! My brother is a/has two truck plumbing company so he has some stored..I collect Buck knives (LM 1209) so I traded him a nice 100 year ann. 112 folder .It seems a little foolish to melt the shot down..At some point I might develop a really heavey 'turkey' load.So whats a good buckshot mold? Does anybody make one mold that does different sizes? 0,00,000 and number for instance?? I will need a good scale......Thanks everyone!

[William Yanda]

Lee makes a buckshot mold. Sharp Shooter USA does also-in several sizes, though some have complained that the handles don't protect from the heat of the mold. I haven't tried mine yet-waiting to mix up a hard alloy.
Thanks for your service and good luck. Some of your best learning will be from others on this site.
Bill

[koehlerrk]

Well, you don't want to run the Sharpshooter mold without gloves.... the aluminum extends all the way to the ends of the handles. Trying to grab it without gloves will get you a quick, and hot, reminder to grab your gloves. Other than that... no issues with mine, it works great.

[bossharpa]

I have a better understanding of the whole process after another 7 hours of reading this forum...Ajay, the buck and slug load is it!!That looks plain awsome for home/pet defense!So what powder would be a good choice for me? I will use it for 3 basic loads a 2 3/4 7/8oz Lee key drive 1400 fps or so....a 00 buck like that too and finally the slug/buck combo but in a 3" hull as fast as safety and recoil tolerance will let me load...will one powder do that?If so we will buy a 8# jug as to get the best price.There are soooo many choices (part of the fun) but for now we are trying to keep it simple.

[Hogtamer]

I've had success using 19.6 grns CLAYS powder in a federal hull using a PT1265 wad from BPI, 8 - 00 buck pellets, buffer powder, a 16 ga overshot card and roll crimp...with pellets @ 52 grns each plus the buffer I'm very near the same weight as with trap loads that CLAYS is designed for. I use the same powder with a Winchester short red wad, 2 - 20 ga nitro cards and a 7/8 oz lee slug for a perfect fit. Again, very close to my trap loads. As for the buckshot, I loaded some real boomers with more pellets, but this multimetal wad with only 8 pellets put more lead on paper than much heavier loads with 12 - OO pellets. Same story with the slugs. Bigger boom does not necessarily equal better performance. So, one powder for 3 loads, one hull, one primer (209) but 3 different wads is pretty economical and CLAYS powder is not hard to come by. Hope that helps.

[Hogtamer]

Oh yeah, 2 3/4 in. Hulls

[bossharpa]

The 7/8 oz mold is on the way! So is the Nordic MXT plus 6 tube..We are getting the reloading press soon I hope...I have to start looking for clearance/sales...Ebay sellers will let things go cheep once in a while.

[bossharpa]

I have the 7/8 oz mold and my son and I are just waiting for the Lee load all, ladle,flux and a few other odds and ends..Phase 1 is casting a few hundred slugs and just set up.Since for right now we have no plans to load any kind of birdshot it will be fairly easy ..Just getting that nasty plumbing lead cleaned up and into ingots is job one.If starting with new primed quality hulls and take it in easy steps we will end up with a better slug. and then a better finished round.My son Richard and I plan to buy every component in bulk to save as much as we can.I know reloading will let me shoot a lot more than I ever would if I had to 2,, a rou.d or more!

[dverna]

Boss,

I cannot think of any "good quality" primed hulls if you are looking at getting multiple reloads out of a hull. The best hulls for longevity are the old style AA's (hard to find) or the new STS's. Gun Club hulls seem to last as well but I do not like the fact they are a steel head. These are tapered hulls so maybe not the best if you want maximum performance.

One other option is to use the Federal Top Gun or Estate hulls and use them once. They are free at any trap/skeet club and good for one load and pitch them. They are a straight walled hull so they have a bit more capacity.

[bossharpa]

I have seen a lot of references to Fiocchi and Cheddit in load recipes..I do not have any used ones except some of the Walmart 100# field loads..So I was planing to buy new primed strait hulls Load and then reuse.Is the STS's the best choice ? I have the Lee 7/8 mold, 100 lb of lead and a Lee Load all is on the way. All the other things I need to load to get started right I'm still researching so thank you for your input. That is why I'm looking on this forum..

[jim4065]

Don't know if anyone gave you a powder recommendation yet, but think it's hard to go wrong with AA#5 or HS6 for Lee slugs. At least they are listed by Lee on the slug instructions. I don't have either right now, mostly because I bought Unique, Clays and Blue Dot. Would have gone with the AA#5 or HS6 but funds are limited and I wanted to load some Dixie Tri-Ball loads - which are limited to Blue Dot in the only recipe I've seen.