Need Some Help With 20 gauge Slug Casting

[hawgfan]

I have been reloading pistol and rifle for about 10 years now. But I have to admit I have no idea what I am doing when it comes to shotgun reloading or casting. So with that said I have a Remington Model 1100 LT-20 Special. It has a modified choke installed, and that is the only choke I have. The shotgun also has a smooth bore (if that matters). I am needing to know what type of slug I need to cast. I have the Lee Load All 2 to reload with. I have seen the Lyman 20 gauge Sabot Slug, but I was told I needed rifleing for that slug (not real sure about that). I am wanting a slug that can be star crimped, instead of rolled. I will be using Unique powder, and whatever primers I can find (lol). I will be using range pick-up for the hulls. I am also confused on what type of wad I need to use with whatever slug you recommend. As you can see I am completely lost on shotgun reloading. I know the basics of the Lee Load All, but the materials needed to relaod with I am at a lose. So please just give me any help you can. Thanks.

[hawgfan]

Not begging but I really need some help

[longbow]

Where to start?

First, shotgun reloading is not a lot like rifle and handgun reloading. All the components have to work together to provide proper performance and they all make much more difference than a change of bullet, primer or brass brand for metallic cartridge reloading.

You should start with purchasing a shotshell reloading manual or at least going to a website like Alliant or Hodgdon to get published pressure tested recipes.

My reloading manuals are quite blunt about telling the reader not to substitute components. Just a change of primer brand (Win 209 vs Federal 209 for instance) can change pressure by 3000 PSI. Same goes for hulls ~ a load recommended for a straight walled hull can produce dangerous pressures if used in a tapered compression formed hull.

So the place to start is deciding what hull you want to use then looking for recipes for that hull.

Also, it is not easy to work up your own loads without pressure testing equipment since pressure signs do not show up quite like with metallic cartridge loading and are not as obvious or dependable.

Not trying to sound all lectury here but you need to start with known safe data. Some substitutions are okay but not without some knowledge.

I do not reload for 20 ga. but do have loading manuals with slug data for 20 ga. so if you tell me what hulls and slug you want to use I will take a look and post some recipes. Not sure if Unique is a good slug powder in 20 ga. or not without looking. It is a good general powder for 12 ga. and I do have many slug recipes using Unique in 12 ga.

I can't recommend a slug other than to say if you are shooting smoothbore, you need a drag stabilized slug so nose heavy shuttlecock style like a Foster or Brenneke. The Lyman sabot slug is supposed to work in both smooth and rifled bores but I have no experience with it.

I am sure others will chime in with loads and slug recommendations as well.

Anyway, let me know what components you have or want to use and we can go from there.

Longbow

[pipehand]

Have you checked out some of the roundball threads? Here's one : http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?197439-20ga-285gr-round-ball

I don't have any experience with the 20 gauge, but my experience with .680" round balls in wads in the 12 gauge has been much more positive than results with the Lee slug. There may be some trepidation in recommending you use a solid projectile in your modified choke. You will have to check for fit.

Ajay also had a couple of posts using .575 cal Minie' balls glued into Trap Commander wads. They are supposed to be non-discarding, so I'd imagine that tail will drag stabilize out of a smooth bore.

There are eighty something pages of threads in this section of the forum, and this search feature has worked well for me:

http://www.google.com/cse/home?cx=001951264366462437169:ggn3vg-bjum.

Have you tried factory Foster style slugs, and if so what were your results? If you haven't tried them, you should, to at least get a baseline to judge your success with experimenting.

Good Luck.

[FullTang]

I have a Remington Model 1100 LT-20 Special. It has a modified choke installed, and that is the only choke I have. The shotgun also has a smooth bore (if that matters).
I would second the recommendation that you consider trying round balls in a wad first---many great ideas have been posted in other threads on this forum, and some true ballistics pioneers (Ajay comes to mind) have done tons of work developing some excellent loads. Otherwise, you're stuck with the Lyman mold, which is expensive to buy and slow to cast (you can buy pre-cast Lyman 20 ga sabot slugs on Gunbroker and some other places.)
You might also want to consider getting a rifled slug choke for your gun---the right one can definitely improve your results, and there's no reason to shoot slugs through a screw-in modified choke.
FullTang